Technical Support – Women-Led Survivor Networks Individual Consultant

ABOUT LAW

Legal Action Worldwide (LAW) is an independent non-profit association comprised of human rights lawyers and jurists united in our belief that those who have experienced human rights violations and international crimes should receive targeted, survivor-centred, gender-competent and trauma-informed support to access the justice they deserve. LAW’s team operates on the ground in conflict-affected contexts combining national and international expertise. We work directly with survivors and their communities, building their capacity to meaningfully engage with justice and advocacy processes. Alongside this, we provide technical assistance to strengthen justice institutions to ensure they are equipped to deliver justice and work with legislators to promote accountability and the rule of law.

Across 18 countries, LAW implements creative accountability and justice strategies, including strategic litigation at national, regional and international levels. LAW’s vision is “a world where all victims and survivors have access to justice, so that impunity is not a barrier to sustainable peace.”

THE ROLE

LAW is implementing an EU-funded program ‘Enhanced Community Engagement of Sudanese Women and Girls for Justice and Sustainable Peace’ aimed at strengthening access to justice and accountability for victims and survivors of human rights violations and abuses, with particular attention to victims of conflict-related sexual violence in Adre, Chad and Khartoum, Sudan. LAW will support a local implementing partner in Sudan to provide technical support for the establishment and strengthening of women-led survivor networks to and amplified victims’ voices so that they participate meaningfully in accountability processes.

LAW is seeking the services of a consultant/organisation with in-depth experience in survivor movement building and trauma-informed approaches to provide technical support and guidance for the consultations, formalisation of the networks of survivors, design and facilitation of training, collective healing approaches, and sustainable advocacy structures.

MORE ABOUT THE CONSULTANCY

Reports to: Programme Manager, Sudan.

Location: Chad and Sudan.

Duration: 10 Months (May 2026-February 2028).

Rates: Competitive daily rates apply.

Background and Context

Since gaining independence in 1956, the Republic of the Sudan has faced continuous political violence and perennial armed conflicts. The most recent outbreak of full-scale conflict on 15 April 2023 plunged Sudan into one of the most severe humanitarian and human rights crises in recent history. Ongoing fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has devastated local communities, particularly in Khartoum and Darfur, where violence has taken on an increasingly ethnic character. Widespread unlawful killings, including mass executions, sexual violence, and the deliberate destruction of civilian property have been documented, while indiscriminate bombardment of populated areas and acts of sexual violence by multiple parties to the conflict have further compounded civilian harm. By December 2023, it was estimated that 6.7 million people, overwhelmingly women and girls were at risk of gender-based violence. This figure doubled from pre-war estimates, reflecting a dramatic surge in the need for services dedicated to victims and survivors. By March 2024, sexual violence was widely recognized as being used as a weapon of war in Sudan.

The targeting of women and girls also extends into displacement settings. In overcrowded and under-resourced refugee camps in Chad and Uganda, as well as internally displaced persons camps within Sudan, many displaced Sudanese women and girls are forced to exchange sex for food, exposing them to further cycles of exploitation and violence. Since 2024, gross human rights violations and abuses have continued to be reported across Sudan, including thousands of civilian killings, ethnically targeted executions, and attacks on camps, internally displaced persons, and health facilities. Violations have persisted in 2025, including airstrikes on residential areas and IDP camps, as well as arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances, particularly in Darfur, the River Nile, Al-Gezira, and the northern states. Large-scale displacement continues, with more than 15 million people forcibly displaced and tens of thousands killed.

Sudan’s justice system has been severely damaged, leaving courts, prosecutors, and law enforcement agencies either non-functional or operating under the heavy influence of armed and political actors. Judicial independence and fair-trial guarantees have largely collapsed, with widespread reports of arbitrary arrests, torture, and the use of military and special courts that lack due-process safeguards. Access to justice is almost non-existent for civilians, particularly displaced populations and survivors of conflict-related violations, including sexual and gender-based violence. While civil society actors continue to document abuses and provide limited legal support, their work is constrained by insecurity, displacement, and lack of resources. As a result, survivors face enormous barriers to pursuing justice, and impunity remains deeply entrenched.

Scope of Work

Project Deliverables

Deliverable One

Deliverable: Scoping Mission and Needs Assessment Report.

Time for Deliverable: 3 months.

Description of Deliverable:

The consultant will conduct a scoping mission in Chad and Sudan (Adré, Al-Hasahisa, and North Darfur, subject to access and security) to map the context, identify existing survivor-led initiatives, and engage key stakeholders (local CSOs, INGOs, UN agencies, and relevant authorities). Using trauma-informed and ethical methodologies, the consultant will: Design and implement data collection tools (FGDs and KIIs) tailored to survivor engagement, Conduct consultations with identified survivors to assess needs, priorities, risks, and willingness to form networks, analyze barriers to participation, protection concerns, and support structures required, and identify existing informal or formal survivor groups and opportunities for strengthening.

The consultant will produce a Needs Assessment Report including: Context and stakeholder mapping, Summary of survivor consultations (anonymized and ethically presented), Key findings on needs, priorities, and risks, Practical recommendations for network formation and support approaches.

Deliverable Two

Deliverable: Survivor Network Formation and Capacity Building Package.

Time for Deliverable: 5 months.

Description of Deliverable:

The consultant will develop a comprehensive package to support the establishment and strengthening of women-led survivor networks.

This includes:

• A Survivor Network Formation Framework (governance structures, membership, safeguarding, and operational guidance).
• Design of 2-day network-building workshop curricula and facilitation tools.
• Technical support and/or co-facilitation of initial network formation workshops in selected locations.
• A Capacity Building Plan outlining priority trainings (e.g., advocacy, case management, referrals, survivor rights, communication).
• Development of at least two training modules.
  with facilitator guides and materials.
• Short workshop reports will be produced capturing key outcomes and recommendations.

The trainings will also support survivors to understand and engage in justice processes, including documenting violations, advocating for accountability, or contributing to strategic litigation efforts.

Deliverable Three

Deliverable: Collective Healing Guidance and Final Consultancy Report.

Time for Deliverable: 2 months.

Description of the Deliverable:

The consultant will provide technical guidance to ensure sustainability, survivor well-being, and autonomy of the networks.

This includes:

• A Guidance Note on collective healing and peer support, including safe space facilitation, trauma-informed approaches, and strategies to reduce stigma and isolation.
• Practical recommendations for sustaining regular survivor meetings and peer-to-peer engagement.
• A Final Consultancy Report consolidating:
• Activities undertaken and key achievements.
• Challenges and mitigation measures.
• Recommendations for strengthening and sustaining survivor-led networks.
• Suggested next steps for implementation.

Date of completion of all the deliverables: 28th February 2027.

ABOUT YOU

• Minimum 10 years of demonstrated experience in implementing programmes related to gender-based violence (GBV), women’s rights, and survivor support.
• Proven track record in establishing and strengthening survivor-led or community-based networks, particularly women-led initiatives.
• Track record of strong instutional experience in survivor-centred programming, movement building, and trauma-informed approaches, particularly in conflict-affected and displacement settings.
• Demonstrated expertise in trauma-informed, survivor-centred approaches, including safe and ethical engagement with survivors.
• Experience delivering capacity building and training programmes, including development of curricula, facilitation of workshops, and mentoring approaches.
• Strong institutional knowledge of protection principles, safeguarding, and do-no-harm standards.
• Direct operational experience in Sudan, Chad, Uganda, or similar humanitarian and conflict-affected contexts.
• Strong engagement with local civil society organizations, women-led groups, and grassroots movements.
• Understanding of socio-cultural and protection dynamics affecting survivors in displacement and conflict settings.

Technical Expertise:

• Proven experience conducting qualitative research and needs assessments in sensitive and complex environments.
• Capacity to develop practical tools and frameworks, including governance models, training modules, and operational guidance.
• Demonstrated experience in collective healing, peer support methodologies, and community-based psychosocial approaches.
• Familiarity with access to justice, survivor rights, and accountability processes is an asset.

If you are looking for your next challenge and determined to make a positive impact, we would like to hear from you. Please click on the link to apply.

HR Bamboo Link: Technical Support – Women-Led Survivor Networks

Deadline for applications: 24th April 2026.

Your application must include:

1. All proposals must include a technical proposal with a budget.
2. The budget should include the professional fees (in USD) and logistical costs of the consultants.
3. CV: highlighting relevant experience.

At LAW, we are strengthened by the diversity of our colleagues reflecting the people and communities that we represent and support. Our team includes many nationalities with diverse professional backgrounds, skills and knowledge. This enables us to deliver and understand the cultural and political contexts on the ground and to tailor our support effectively and appropriately.

? Learn more at: www.legalactionworldwide.org

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