Tenders are invited for Social and Solidarity Economy Diagnostic and Policy Development in Iraq - Lead Consultant. Closing Date: 19 May 2026 ILO External Collaboration Contract Terms of Reference: Social and Solidarity Economy Diagnostic and Policy Development in Iraq Lead consultant I. Background and purpose The forced displacement crisis has increased in scale and complexity in recent years. According to UNHCR, 117.3 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide at the end of 2023. Forcibly displaced persons (FDPs), including refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) face specific vulnerabilities, including loss of assets, limited rights, lack of opportunities, a protection risk as well as a risk to be out of school, and a lack of planning horizon. In addition, the communities hosting FDPs also struggle to pursue their own development efforts In response to the considerable challenges facing FDPs and host communities, a partnership initiative titled: PROSPECTS Partnership for improving Prospects for host communities and forcibly displaced persons, was launched by the Government of the Netherlands in 2019, bringing together the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF) and the World Bank. Through the PROSPECTS partnership, the five partner agencies aim to leverage their comparative advantages and areas of expertise to programme complementary and interdependent interventions that address education and skills, employment and protection challenges. The partnership spans eight countries, namely Egypt, Ethiopia, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Sudan, and Uganda and covers in its Phase II the period 2024-2027. 1. Status of the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) in Iraq In Iraq, the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) already exists in different forms, even though it is not yet formally recognized or clearly defined. While the term SSE is relatively new, its core ideas, such as cooperation, mutual support, and community-based activities, have long been part of Iraqi society. These are reflected in traditional and informal structures like cooperatives, associations, and self-help groups. In recent years, Iraq has faced major economic and social challenges, including political instability, internal displacement, high unemployment, especially among youth and women, limited access to finance for small businesses, and a large informal economy. These challenges highlight the need for more inclusive and flexible economic approaches that can complement both the private and public sectors. The SSE provides a promising way to respond to these challenges. It supports inclusive growth, strengthens communities, and promotes sustainable livelihoods. SSE entities, such as cooperatives, social enterprises, and community-based organizations, can create decent jobs, support local economic development, enhance social cohesion and improve resilience of vulnerable groups, including displaced people, returnees, and host communities. However, the development of the SSE in Iraq is still limited by several challenges. These include the lack of a clear legal and regulatory framework, fragmented institutional coordination, limited access to finance and business support services, and lack of reliable data and statistics informing SSE mapping, policy and programming. 2. ILO PROSPECTS Iraq support to the SSE Within this context, and under the framework of the PROSPECTS Programme, specifically Outcome 2.03.05, the ILO is supporting the Government of Iraq in developing a national SSE policy. This effort is aligned with Diwani Order No. (61) of 2025 issued by the Council of Ministers, which established a national committee tasked with developing a national policy on the SSE. Following a series of meetings, the national committee agreed to adopt the ILO approach for developing the SSE policy in line with the ILO Resolution on decent work and the SSE. In February 2026, the ILO conducted a two-day orientation workshop to formally launch the SSE policy development process, introduce the concept and principles of SSE and present the policy development roadmap. This roadmap, which was approved by the national committee, includes a series of technical and consultative steps to ensure that the policy is inclusive, participatory, and based on evidence. To support the committee in implementing all phases of the policy development process, the ILO is seeking a qualified international consultant to carry out the full scope of the consultancy, from initial assessment to policy design. II. Objectives of the consultancy The overall objective of this consultancy is to support the development of a national SSE policy for Iraq in two phases: Phase one: Diagnostic Study of the SSE in Iraq Analyse the forms taken by the SSE Assess priority needs, opportunities and challenges for strengthening the development of the SSE Assess the contribution of the SSE to current and potential national development strategies Phase two: Design of policy options and intervention matrix Based on findings of the diagnostic in phase 1, identify and prioritize the most impactful, cost-effective, and context-appropriate policy options for SSE development in Iraq. Ensure coherence and stakeholder ownership among government, social partners, SSE representatives, private sector actors, and civil society organizations. III. Detailed tasks Phase one: Diagnostic study on the SSE in Iraq Under this phase, the consultant will: Conduct a desk review of existing relevant literature on the SSE and its trends at regional levels as well as in Iraq including on its entities Conduct a desk review of relevant policies, legislation and national strategies related and/or impacting the development of the SSE and its entities, Map relevant SSE stakeholders in particular main SSE representatives at national, regional and local levels, and relevant public authorities in charge of the development of the SSE and/or its entities Elaborate the research methodology and tools (e.g., interview guides, questionnaires) for assessing the SSE, its forms, and current and potential contribution to decent job creation for men and women, including vulnerable host communities, refugees and internally displaced persons Assess the challenges and opportunities for the development of the SSE and its entities in selected sectors with high potential for decent job creation Produce a diagnostic analysis report including the SSE landscape in Iraq (incl. forms of the SSE), stakeholders mapping, employment contribution, good practices of the contribution of SSE entities to national priorities, analysis of challenges and opportunities for SSE development in general and in sectors with high potential for decent job creation, womens economic participation, and refugee and returnee inclusion. The report will include recommendations for future interventions. Present the diagnostic report in a validation workshop with key stakeholders Phase two: Design of the Policy Options and Intervention Matrix The objective of this phase is to translate diagnostic findings into evidence-based, feasible, and prioritized policy options. Under this phase, the consultant will: Synthesize key findings from part 1 highlighting constraints, priority sectors, target groups, and systemic gaps (legal, institutional, financial, market) Translate findings into clear, actionable policy problem statements and cluster them into 57 priority policy areas Propose 24 policy options per priority area, based on good practices and stakeholder inputs and ensuring relevance to the Iraqi context Develop a policy option and intervention matrix including policy challenges, proposed interventions, expected impacts, feasibility and cost considerations, role and responsibilities of stakeholders and indicative timeframe Facilitate consultations at national, regional and local levels, to validate challenges and refine options Prioritize policy options using agreed criteria (impact, feasibility, cost-effectiveness, relevance) through a participatory process Finalize and validate the matrix by incorporating stakeholders feedback, ensuring coherence and feasibility Present the final matrix to the Diwani Order Committee for endorsement IV. Expected deliverables Deliverables Description Timeframe Phase one: Diagnostic and Baseline Study on SSE in Iraq 1. Inception report This document should include detailed work plan with a tentative list of the stakeholders to be interviewed; Specific research questions; interview and FGD guides / questionnaires; Initial bibliography for the literature review. one week after contract signature 2. Draft diagnostic report based on reviews, interviews and FGDs The draft report should include a literature review; Analysis of the SSE landscape e.g. forms of SSE, share of employment, legal environment, assessment of challenges faced by SSE entities, opportunities of SSE in terms of sector with high growth potential and increased women and youth participation; inclusion of vulnerable groups including refugees and returnees, case studies of good practices of SSE entities highlighting ongoing SSE initiatives in the country; Recommendations for future interventions and the way forward; Complete list of interviews; Bibliography; Annexes on the organizations and people interviewed; interview questionnaires; list of stakeholders identified during the mapping exercise Five weeks after contract signature 3. Validation workshop Presentation of key findings to stakeholders and facilitation of a validation workshop Six weeks after contract signature 4. Final diagnostic report Revised report incorporating feedback from ILO and stakeholders Seven weeks after contract signature Phase two: Design of the policy options and intervention matrix Tender Link : https://reliefweb.int/job/4211314/social-and-solidarity-economy-diagnostic-and-policy-development-iraq-lead-consultant
