Terms of Reference Baseline Study Contribute to the stabilization of border communities in the regions of Tillabéri and Tahoua in Niger. & Human Rights and Access to Justice in Tillabery, Tahoua and Diffa Search for Common Ground | Niger ​ Terms of Reference | Combined Baseline Study | Contributing to the Stabilization of Border Municipalities in the Regions of Tillabéri and Tahoua in Niger and Human Rights Access to Justice in Tillabéry, Tahoua and Diffa 1. Context About Search for Common Ground Search for Common Ground (Search) is an international nonprofit organization that promotes conflict transformation, based on the idea that conflicts are neutral, normal and natural. Headquartered in Washington DC and Brussels and active since 1982, Search's mission is to transform the way individuals, organizations and governments deal with conflict - by moving away from an adversarial approach and toward collaborative approaches. Search seeks to help parties in conflict understand their differences and act on their commonalities. For more information, ​visit www.sfcg.org​. In the Sahel and Lake Chad In the Sahel, Search's interventions aim to contribute to sustainable peace and promote the use of conflict transformation approaches. Search launched its activities in Niger in 2011 with a central office in Niamey and two sub-offices in Diffa and Tillabéri. Search uses an integrated approach to analyze conflict dynamics, influence changing perceptions and bring groups in conflict closer together by reducing tensions between groups and communities. About the projects Located in southwestern Niger, the regions of Tillabéri and neighboring Tahoua have been strongly destabilized by the crises in neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso. Attacks perpetrated by non-state armed groups (GANE), which are not always claimed, have increased over the last two years in the communes located on the border strip with Mali and Burkina Faso. Increasingly deadly attacks against the positions of the Niger Armed Forces (FAN) of Inatès (December 2019), Chinagoder (January 2020) and more recently against the camp of the Niger National Guard (GNN) in Ayorou (March 2020) raise fears of a rise in power of the Islamic State in the Great Sahara (EIGS) in the area. Targeting above all the defense and security forces (FDS), the GANE are also attacking traditional and religious leaders who have been subject to kidnappings and targeted assassinations since mid-2019. In addition, communities are regularly 1 subjected to extortion, particularly nomadic pastoralists who are required to pay a tax (zakat) ,​ while 2 ​ ​ ​ schools have been burned and infrastructure looted or destroyed in the past year .​ The Nigerien state's ​ response is primarily aimed at preserving territorial integrity and containing the spillover of conflicts affecting neighboring states. Although the government takes into consideration local dynamics that contribute to instability, including through the action of the High Authority for Peacebuilding (HACP), its security strategy runs the risk of being counterproductive by fuelling the frustrations and vulnerability of the population to the calls of violent extremist groups. These elements, combined with the weak presence of the state, population displacements, and the existence of conflicts that pre-date the current crisis, create fertile ground for violent extremism, especially among young people who lack prospects and are often excluded from decision-making spheres. It is in response to these factors contributing to the structural violence affecting the populations of Niger that Search implements an 18-month project, Contributing to the stabilization of border communities ​ in the regions of Tillabéri and Tahoua in Niger, funded by the European Union. ​ This project aims to lay the foundations for the long-term stabilization of the border municipalities of ​ North Tillabéri and Tahoua. It will last 18 months and is financed by the European Union Commission ​ ​ 1François Grünewald and Ibrahim Niandou, Humanitarian access in the Tillabéri region, Niger: challenges, options, Groupe URD, December ​ ​ 2019, link 2 ​ OCHA, Overview of Humanitarian Needs Niger, Humanitarian Program Cycle 2020, January 2020,link ​ ​ ​ Search for Common Ground | Niger ​ Terms of Reference | Combined Baseline Study | Contributing to the Stabilization of Border Municipalities in the Regions of Tillabéri and Tahoua in Niger and Human Rights Access to Justice in Tillabéry, Tahoua and Diffa through the Instrument for Stability and Peace (IcSP). This objective is broken down into three specific objectives: ● OS.1. Strengthen trust between defense and security forces, authorities and populations ​ ● OS.2. Strengthen vertical cohesion between civil authorities, customary authorities and populations ● OS.3. Strengthen horizontal inter- and intra-community cohesion ​ The Theory of Change of the project is as follows: IF security as perceived by the population is improved through a process of confidence building and ​ collaboration between community leadership and defense and security forces; IF communities and civil society collaborate with formal and informal local authorities for the ​ implementation of joint infrastructure rehabilitation initiatives in line with certain basic needs of the population in the framework of a transparent and inclusive dialogue process, implemented in a sequenced and coordinated manner with humanitarian and development actors; IF formal and informal mediation and conflict resolution mechanisms are strengthened to enable ​ authorities and communities to prevent and peacefully manage disputes; AND IF all actors have access to credible, verified and conflict-sensitive information on the local ​ socio-political and security situation; THEN horizontal (intra-community) and vertical (state-population) cohesion will be strengthened, thus ​ helping to minimize certain elements of vulnerability of the targeted populations to violent extremism and laying the foundations for a long-term stabilization process in the border areas of the Tillabéri and Tahoua regions. The different results are expected from the intervention: ● R.1.1 Collaboration between the populations and the defense and security forces for the improvement of security is strengthened; ● A.1.2 A process of behavioral change in the defense and security forces has been initiated; ● R 1.3. Information sharing and coordination between DSFs, authorities and communities are strengthened; ● R.2.1. The capacities of authorities and communities to analyze and respond to conflicts are strengthened; ● R.2.2. Stabilization projects are defined and implemented jointly by the authorities and communities; ● R3.1. Inter and intra-community social cohesion is strengthened; ● R.3.2. The local peace architecture is strengthened In southern Niger, the security situation has become increasingly volatile since 2012, with the country facing significant spillovers from the Boko Haram insurgency in the eastern region of Diffa and the Malian crisis in the western regions of Tahoua and Tillabéri. Non-state armed groups (NSAGs) operating in these regions have exacerbated the disturbances, stealing livestock and crops, killing and displacing people, and recruiting locals for their alleged self-defense against other armed groups. The resulting insecurity and instability feeds distrust and divisions between and within communities, which are accused Search for Common Ground | Niger ​ Terms of Reference | Combined Baseline Study | Contributing to the Stabilization of Border Municipalities in the Regions of Tillabéri and Tahoua in Niger and Human Rights Access to Justice in Tillabéry, Tahoua and Diffa of supporting or opposing NSAGs, challenging the entire social fabric. Competition for land, water and fodder, as well as the theft of animals, are key factors in the dynamics of conflict, with many citing the lack of economic opportunities as the main source of insecurity. Instability is exacerbated by the fact that the state does not leave regions without sufficient resources to deal with security problems; in this context, young people are the most vulnerable demographic group. Poverty, weak social and community ties, lack of economic and social development opportunities, and poor governance make young people particularly vulnerable to social marginalization, exclusion, and radicalization. The limited capacity of authorities and communities to effectively engage a growing youth population, coupled with a lack of information and positive "counter-reports", increases the vulnerability of youth to virtual education. In addition, youth are largely excluded from local governance processes and existing community-based conflict mitigation systems, both of which are dominated by traditional leaders and other adult stakeholders. Women and girls are among the most marginalized members of the community. Women and girls are at greater risk of kidnapping, rape, and sexual abuse, and have less access to basic human rights such as food, shelter, education, and basic health care. It is in this context that Search and its partner ABA-ROLI initiated the four-year ​Human Rights Access to Justice in Tillabéry, Tahoua and Diffa ​project, funded by Freedom House. The overall objective of the project is to: ​Reduce vulnerability to extremism by strengthening tools to address the root grievances that fuel extremism in areas of Niger prone to violent extremism​. This objective is broken down into three sub-objectives or specific objectives: ● OS.1. Improve