Terms of Reference: Principles for Peace UN Processes Consultant

A.   Background to the Principles for Peace

The Principles for Peace Foundation acts as a catalyst, custodian, and curator of the Principles for Peace and Peacemaking Covenant. It promotes the uptake and implementation of the Principles and serves as a synergist of partnerships to engage a diversity of actors to develop country, constituency, and thematic specific roadmaps and codes of practice. The Foundation's goal is to empower actors at all levels to create more durable and inclusive peace processes and enhance oversight and effectiveness for long-term peace outcomes.

More specifically, the Foundation focuses its work around three priority areas:

• Systemic Change: New approach, narrative and Principles influence policy and partnerships.

Principles for Peace aims to build awareness, recognition, and the adoption of the needed policy shifts and Principles for Peace, while creating partnerships and strengthening alliances to foster a new narrative around peace and security.

• Implementation: Realizing the transformation: influencing practice and the field.

Together with partners, we will accompany the rollout of the Principles for Peace and their uptake by local, national, and international actors involved in peacemaking, peace consolidation, and reconciliation. We will also accompany institutional uptake by co-developing playbooks, simulations, and codes of practice for different groups, such as mediators, security actors, Parliamentarians, business actors, international and national authorities. This work has started with a number of organizations, constituencies, and in various geographic contexts.

• Effectiveness: Data-driven metrics inform policy development and financing decisions.

Principles for Peace will act as an independent strategic capability and create positive feedback loops, country-tracking streams, and wider monitoring of peace engagement quality.

The Foundation is a follow-on mechanism of the work of the Principles for Peace initiative a global participatory initiative that was set up to develop new principles, standards, and norms to fundamentally reshape peace processes and chart a path to lasting peace. The overall aim is to create greater accountability, coherence, and sustainability of peace processes. It brings together a broad coalition of actors across political, diplomatic, academic, defence and security, civil society, and multilateral organisations.

The global, inclusive process of developing the Principles for Peace was led by the International Commission on Inclusive Peace, the P4P Secretariat with a coalition of 120 organisations. The approach anchored the initiative in both realpolitik and real society. The initiative gathered over 100’000 insights from practitioners, policy makers and activists from more than 60 countries. In addition, over 700 pieces of research have been distilled with scholars from across regions to identify the challenges and limitations and shifts in policy and practice.

The findings of the initiative are embodied in the Peacemaking Covenant which outlines eight interlocking and mutually reinforcing principles. The central Principles are enhancing legitimacy and accountable security. The three subsequent principles embed the whole in a practically oriented partnership compact with commitments to promoting pluralism, adopting subsidiarity, and embracing integrated solutions for all actors in the peacemaking space. – The last three – dignity, solidarity, and humility – provide an ethical compass to guide the individual and collective actions and decisions of peacemakers and to build trust.

B.   Overview of Assignment

The Principles for Peace Foundation (hereafter Foundation) is currently seeking a consultant based in New York to support its efforts to anchor the Principles for Peace in the International System, as a frame of reference to influence policy, practice, and financing. United Nations institutions are a key constituency to achieve this ambition. The Foundation is thus working closely with Member States in capitals and with their UN delegations to create a core group in New York. This core group would convene an alliance of like-minded countries in support of integrating the Principles for Peace into UN mechanisms and institutions, such as the Peacebuilding Commission, the New Agenda for Peace and the Summit of the Future.

The aim of the assignment is threefold:

1. Support the formation of a core group of supporting Member States at the UN: The consultant will work with the P4P Foundation and delegations of Member States in New York targeted to lead this core group to: a) conduct a mapping and assessment of other Member States’ potential interest and relevance; b) reach out to and engage these Member States to formally join the core group; c) develop a political advocacy strategy and a workplan for the core group’s activities leading up to the Summit of the Future, scheduled for February 2024.
2. Facilitate core group convenings: The consultant will work with the Foundation and the core group’s leadership to develop agendas and content for the meetings, according to the strategy and workplan. The consultant will also support documentation and follow-up on meeting action points.
3. Accompany core group activities: In line with the political advocacy strategy and workplan, the consultant will provide technical assistance to activities implemented by the core group. In particular, the Foundation envisions that the core group will draft a declaration in support of the Principles for Peace to feed into the Ministerial-level pre-Summit of the Future in September 2023. The consultant would thus work closely with the P4P Foundation and Member States to assist with the drafting of this declaration. Additional activities, such as high-level briefings to Member States and/or the Peacebuilding Commission and other relevant UN bodies are envisaged and the consultant would also accompany the preparation of these processes.

Deliverables

1. Terms of reference, political advocacy strategy and workplan for the core group (to be developed with the core group members and the Foundation)
2. Meeting minutes and summaries
3. Core group Declaration in support of the Principles for Peace
4. Drafting of briefing notes

Timeline

The duration of the assignment will be 10 months starting from May 2023 to February 2024.

Budget

The budget for this project will be agreed upon between the Principles for Peace Foundation and the consultant.

C.   Qualifications

The ideal candidate for this position will have extensive experience working in international diplomacy, particularly with UN agencies. S/he must demonstrate strong knowledge of the functioning of UN bodies and processes in New York. The candidate will have strong communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability to work effectively with high-level political and diplomatic actors. The consultant should be able to work independently and have a flexible schedule to accommodate meetings with focal points of Member States in New York. The consultant will work closely with the Principles for Peace Foundation, based in Geneva. Travel is not anticipated; however, the consultant must be available for regular onsite meetings in New York City as required.

Candidates with the following qualifications are invited to apply:

1. At least 10 years of practical experience in international diplomacy, with a focus on UN processes and institutions.
2. Experience in peacebuilding, conflict resolution or related sectors.
3. Demonstrable track record of supporting and accompanying advocacy processes for UN bodies or mechanisms. Experience with the Peacebuilding Commission and engagement on the New Agenda for Peace would be a distinct asset.
4. Experience in dealing with high-level Member States representatives.
5. Fluency in French and English. Knowledge of other UN languages would be an asset.

The consultants will be selected with a commitment to diversity and inclusivity. The Principles for Peace Foundation values diversity in all its forms and seeks to ensure that extensions to its team reflect gender, cultural, and geographic diversity. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.

D.   Instructions for Submitting Expressions of Interest

Qualified candidates are invited to send an Expression of Interest, including your CV, and a one-page outline of approach for the assignment in question. Candidates should include their daily rates in their expression of interest.

Please address the Expression of Interest to Cindy Chungong (Senior Partnerships, Policy and Advocacy Officer), Principles for Peace Foundation) at chungong@principlesforpeace.org, copying hr@principlesforpeace.org. Please include “P4P UN NYC Consultant” in the subject line.

Please submit your expression of interest no later than 22 May 2023.