Scope: Consultant to Create a Citizen Engagement Tool

Location: Remote, Nigeria

Application Close: November 15, 2024

Background/Context

Parliament plays a vital role in any democracy, serving as a bridge between the people, the government, and the state. An effective parliament amplifies citizens’ voices and ensures governance reflects their needs and aspirations. To be truly representative, active citizen engagement with their representatives is essential, as it fosters participation in governance and strengthens accountability.

In countries like Nigeria, with a history of colonialism and authoritarianism, there exists a significant disconnect between citizens and their elected officials. This gap often results in mistrust, lack of transparency, and weak accountability, contributing to governance failures and underdevelopment. It is therefore crucial to promote platforms for active engagement, where citizens can voice their concerns, hold the government accountable, and demand more from their representatives in the National Assembly.

The 10th Assembly of Nigeria’s House of Representatives has committed to public accountability and engagement, as reflected in its Legislative Agenda. It emphasizes the importance of involving citizens in the legislative process and proudly refers to itself as “The People’s House,” aiming to embody the will and aspirations of the public. However, decades of authoritarian rule in Nigeria and a lack of awareness among citizens about their constitutional rights to participate in governance have hindered the development of a culture of accountability.

Additional barriers, such as illiteracy, geographical distance, lack of functional constituency offices, the absence of local government, and limited access to information technology, further impede meaningful citizen engagement. Recognizing these challenges, Global Rights, in partnership with the Project Coordination Unit of the National Assembly, seeks a consultant to develop a citizen engagement tool that empowers constituents with information to improve their ability to engage with their lawmakers. This tool should include details on the functioning of the National Assembly, its standing committees, legislators’ contact information, and how CSOs can reach the NASS leadership, committees, and legislators.

Objectives

• Raise Awareness of Parliamentary Functions: Educate citizens about the roles and responsibilities of the federal and state legislatures, highlighting how parliament works and its relevance to their lives.
• Promote Citizen Engagement with Legislators: Inform citizens about their rights and responsibilities in engaging with lawmakers, encouraging them to participate in the legislative process. The tool will also educate citizens on productive and efficient ways to engage with their lawmakers.
• Foster Accountability and Transparency: Educate legislators on their democratic duties to engage regularly and transparently with constituents, promoting accountability in the law-making process.
• Address Barriers to Civic Participation: Bridge the gap between marginalized groups and parliament by simplifying the engagement process.

Scope of Work

The consultancy will involve the following tasks:

• Design and create a user-friendly tool that educates citizens on the structure, functions, and key processes of the National Assembly, including its standing committees and roles. The tool should include comprehensive information on how constituents and civil society organizations (CSOs) can effectively engage with legislators, committees, and the National Assembly (NASS) leadership.
• Compile a directory of legislators’ contact information, including email addresses, phone numbers, and social media handles, if available.
• Develop clear, accessible content explaining how citizens can engage with and influence legislative processes, including public hearings, committee work, and the submission of petitions.
• Develop training recommendations for CSOs and community leaders on using the tool to educate and mobilize citizens for legislative engagement.
• Provide a plan for sustaining and updating the tool over time to keep information current and relevant.

Deliverables

The consultancy will deliver the following outputs:

• Citizen Engagement Tool: A comprehensive tool designed for citizen use, covering key aspects of the National Assembly’s structure, functions, and committees, as well as how to engage with each.
• User Guide for Tool Navigation and Engagement: A user-friendly guide detailing how to use the engagement tool effectively, particularly for individuals with limited civic knowledge or technology access.
• Database of Legislators’ Contact Information: A compiled, verified database of contact details for National Assembly members, including email addresses, phone numbers, and social media handles.
• Feedback and Monitoring Mechanism: An embedded mechanism within the tool to collect user feedback, track usage patterns, and assess the impact on citizen engagement. A guide for stakeholders on how to interpret feedback and use it to enhance the tool over time.

Intellectual Property Rights

All intellectual property rights arising from the consultancy will be the property of Global Rights. The consultant will not disclose or use any confidential information obtained during the consultancy for any other purpose without the written consent of Global Rights.

Confidentiality and Ethical Considerations

The consultant will ensure that all data collected during the consultancy is treated with the utmost confidentiality and in accordance with ethical principles. In particular, the consultant will obtain informed consent from all participants before collecting any data and will ensure that data is stored securely and accessible only to authorized personnel. The consultant will also comply with relevant legal and ethical standards and report any ethical concerns or violations to Global Rights immediately.

Expected Qualifications

• An understanding of the concepts underpinning the intervention, including but not limited to the legislative framework in Nigeria, covering federal and state legislative processes, citizens’ rights to participation, and representative responsibilities.
• Experience in civic engagement and public accountability initiatives, with proven experience in projects that promote civic engagement, public accountability, or citizen participation in governance.
• Excellent research and data collection skills, with an ability to bridge literacy, geographical, and information-access challenges in Nigeria’s context.
• Demonstrable experience in designing user-centred tools, whether through digital platforms, mobile apps, or printed materials, to facilitate public access to information.
• A degree in Political Science, Public Policy, Governance, Development Studies, or a related field, with additional qualifications in media, digital engagement, or civic education considered a plus.

Reporting

The consultant will report to the team at Global Rights, specifically the Executive Director, Program Manager, and Program Officer on Civic Space Strengthening.

Proposal Submission

Interested and qualified consultants are invited to submit a proposal that includes the following:

• An understanding of the requirements.
• Methodology and work plan for performing the assignment.
• Project delivery plans.
• Budget.
• Relevant services undertaken in the past with a detailed reference list indicating the scope of similar assignments.

Please note that we will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted