Activity 1.0– Baseline Assessment & Establishment of the Bo Collective Protection Network
| Project | Strengthening the Protection and Resilience of WHRDs and CSOs in Bo City, Sierra Leone |
| Issuing Organisation | Women Against Violence and Exploitation in Society (WAVES-SL) |
| Funder | Protection International – Collective Protection Fund （FSM） |
| Contract Type | Individual Consultancy |
| Consultancy Duration | Approximately 2 weeks （April 2026） |
| Location | Bo City, Sierra Leone （with field visits as required） |
| Application Deadline | Thursday,9thApril 2026 at 5:00 PM （Sierra Leone Local Time） |
| Submission Email | wavesrights@gmail.com |
| Subject Line | Application – Activity 1.0 Consultant, WAVES-SL |
1. About WAVES-SL
Women Against Violence and Exploitation in Society (WAVES-SL) is a women-led national non-governmental organisation headquartered in Bo City, Southern Province, Sierra Leone. Established in 2005, WAVES-SL focuses on the rights, protection, and empowerment of women, girls, and adolescents, and is among the leading implementing partners on ending child marriage and female genital mutilation/cutting （FGM/C） in Sierra Leone.
WAVES-SL has been awarded a 12-month grant by Protection International under the Collective Protection Fund (FSM) to implement the project Strengthening the Protection and Resilience of Women Human Rights Defenders and Civil Society Actors in Bo City, Sierra Leone (01 February 2026 –31January 2027）。
2. Background
Civic space in Sierra Leone remains under sustained and serious pressure. Human rights defenders （HRDs）, journalists, and civil society organisations （CSOs） face harassment, intimidation, and the selective application of restrictive legislation — including the 1965 Public Order Act, the 2021 Cybercrime Act, and the 2025 National Counter-Terrorism Act — to suppress dissent and silence critical voices.
Women human rights defenders （WHRDs） in Bo City and surrounding districts face compounded vulnerability: not only political and legal reprisals, but gender-based threats including online harassment and targeted defamation. This project directly addresses these gaps through four integrated objectives:
- Enhancing the physical and digital security capacity of WAVES-SL and partner CSOs;
- Establishing and strengthening the Bo Collective Protection Network （BCPN）;
- Providing psychosocial and well-being support to activists exposed to harassment; and
- Building legal resilience to counter SLAPPs, defamation, and criminalisation.
3. Purpose of the Consultancy
WAVES-SL is seeking a qualified and experienced consultant to lead Activity 1.0— the two foundational work streams scheduled during the first weeks of the project （April 2026）。 This assignment is critical to the entire project: it will establish the evidence base, create the architecture for collective protection, and lay the groundwork for all subsequent project activities.
4. Scope of Work
Work Stream A: Baseline Assessment
The consultant will design and conduct a comprehensive baseline assessment to establish benchmark data against the project’s four objectives and key result indicators. Tasks include:
- Design data collection instruments: structured questionnaires, key informant interview （KII） guides, and focus group discussion （FGD） guides, aligned to project result indicators.
- Coordinate with WAVES-SL to schedule participation from staff and up to 15 partner CSOs in Bo City.
- Conduct KIIs and FGDs assessing: physical and office security practices; digital security awareness and risk exposure; knowledge of legal rights and SLAPPs; and psychosocial well-being indicators among WHRDs.
- Analyse all data using gender-sensitive and trauma-informed approaches.
- Produce a Baseline Assessment Report setting out methodology, disaggregated findings, baseline indicator values, and prioritised recommendations.
Work Stream B: Establishment of the Bo Collective Protection Network （BCPN）
The consultant will facilitate the formal establishment of the BCPN — a peer-support and rapid-response protection network linking CSOs in Bo City. Tasks include:
- Map and identify at least 15 eligible CSOs for BCPN membership, ensuring diverse constituency representation (women’s rights, journalism, community development).
- Conduct pre-consultations with CSO leaders to explain the BCPN concept and gather input on network design.
- Facilitate the inaugural BCPN launch convening to formally establish the network, governance structure, and terms of membership.
- Support co-drafting of the BCPN Terms of Membership and Rapid Response Protocol, including referral pathways for legal aid and psychosocial services.
- Produce a BCPN Establishment Report, including the membership roster, governance documents, and inaugural meeting minutes.
5. Key Deliverables
| # | Deliverable | Work Stream | Deadline |
| 1 | Inception Report: detailed work plan, refined assessment framework and data collection tools, and BCPN mapping methodology. | All Work Streams | 15 April 2026 |
| 2 | Baseline Assessment Report: methodology, disaggregated findings, baseline indicator values, and prioritised recommendations. | Work Stream A | 22 April 2026 |
| 3 | BCPN Establishment Report: membership roster, governance framework, Terms of Membership, Rapid Response Protocol, and inaugural meeting minutes. | Work Stream B | 22 April 2026 |
| 4 | Final Consultancy Report: integrated summary of all activities, outputs, challenges, lessons learned, and forward recommendations. | All Work Streams | 24 April 2026 |
6. Required Qualifications and Experience
Essential Requirements
- A minimum Bachelor’s degree in Human Rights, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Security Studies, Law, or a closely related field.
- At least five （5） years of demonstrated professional experience in civil society development, human rights programming, organisational security, or community protection.
- Proven track record designing and conducting participatory baseline or needs assessments, with strong quantitative and qualitative data analysis skills.
- Demonstrated experience facilitating multi-stakeholder consultations, network formation, or coalition-building processes within civil society or community settings.
- Excellent written and spoken English; ability to communicate complex information clearly. Proficiency in Krio is a strong advantage.
- Strong interpersonal and facilitation skills; ability to work sensitively with diverse groups including women activists and HRDs.
- High-quality report writing skills — clear, evidence-based, and actionable.
Desirable Qualifications
- Prior experience working with women’s rights organisations or Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs), preferably in Sierra Leone or West Africa.
- Familiarity with physical and digital security practices for civil society and human rights defenders.
- Knowledge of Protection International’s protection programming approach, or equivalent frameworks (UN Declaration on HRDs, Front Line Defenders, etc.).
- Prior experience working in Bo City or the Southern Province of Sierra Leone; existing CSO relationships an advantage.
- Postgraduate qualification （master’s level） in a relevant field.
7. How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates are invited to submit a complete application package comprising the following documents:
- Cover Letter （maximum 2 pages）: Outlining the candidate’s interest, suitability, and understanding of the context and scope of work.
- Curriculum Vitae / CV （maximum 5 pages）: Relevant education, professional experience, and skills, with at least two professional references.
- Technical Proposal （maximum 4 pages）: Proposed methodology for each work stream, detailed work plan aligned to the timeline, and any proposed adaptations.
- Financial Proposal （separate document）: Total all-inclusive consultancy fee, with reimbursable field costs itemised separately. Proposals in SLE or EUR accepted.
- Writing Samples: At least two examples of previous similar reports (baseline assessments, network establishment reports, etc.) produced within the past five years.
Submit applications by email to: wavesrights@gmail.com
Subject line: “Application – Activity 1.0 Consultant, WAVES-SL”
Deadline: Thursday,9thApril 2026 at 5:00 PM （Sierra Leone Local Time）
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. WAVES-SL reserves the right to cancel this recruitment process at any stage without incurring liability.
8. Selection and Evaluation Criteria
| Evaluation Criterion | Weight |
| Relevant qualifications and professional background | 20% |
| Demonstrated experience in baseline / needs assessments | 25% |
| Experience in network facilitation and stakeholder convening | 20% |
| Quality of Technical Proposal | 25% |
| Financial Proposal （value for money） | 10% |
9. Enquiries and Further Information
All questions or requests for clarification must be submitted in writing to WAVES-SL at least five （5） working days before the application deadline. Responses to substantive questions will be shared with all prospective applicants to ensure a fair and transparent process.
| Organisation | Women Against Violence and Exploitation in Society (WAVES-SL) |
| Address | 4 Amara Street Shellmingo, Bo City, Sierra Leone |
| Contact Email | wavesrights@gmail.com |
| Telephone | +23276300009 |
| Website | www.waves.sl |
This notice is issued under the project “Strengthening the Protection and Resilience of Women Human Rights Defenders and Civil Society Actors in Bo City, Sierra Leone,”
funded by Protection International – Collective Protection Fund （FSM）. Grant Period:01February 2026 –31January 2027.
Authorised by: Hannah Fatmata Yambasu, Executive Director, WAVES-SL | Date:31stMarch 2026
