CEHRO is looking for a seasoned consultant to prepare an Election Time Civic Space Monitoring Tool tailored specifically to pre-election, during-election, and post-election contexts of Ethiopia’s 7th General Election. The assignments under this role specifically include, but are not limited to: 

የኢትዮጵያ የሰብዓዊ መብቶች ድርጅቶች ህብረት

(ኢሰመድህ)

Consortium of Ethiopian Human Rights Organizations

(CEHRO) 

Call for Consultancy: Preparation of Election Time Civic Space Monitoring Tool

May, 2026

1. Background

The Consortium of Ethiopian Human Rights Organizations (CEHRO) is a Consortium of 27 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) working on human rights, democracy, and Peacebuilding in Ethiopia. Over the past eight years, CEHRO has been actively engaged in the advancement of human rights protection and promotion in Ethiopia by creating a common platform for human rights CSOs to articulate their voices and launch well-articulated and evidence-based advocacy to expand civic space. CEHRO has also been extensively engaging in the capacity development of member organizations and other stakeholders to enhance the capacity of duty bearers and rights holders for effective human rights protection and democratic governance. For further information about CEHRO, click here https://cehro.org/now/

CSOs generally play an important role in advancing human rights, ensuring accountability, fostering peace-building initiatives, and promoting active public participation in political processes, particularly during elections. In Ethiopia, too, the role of CSOs cannot be overstated, as they play a key role in facilitating citizen engagement in essential political processes. Ethiopia is set to hold its 7th general election on June 1, 2026, making the involvement of civil society in this electoral cycle essential. Despite the evident interest and commitment of many Ethiopian CSOs in participating in electoral processes, many of them face obstacles that impede their overall effectiveness. These challenges include a lack of tailored tools for the specific needs of the electoral environment, insufficient coordinated monitoring mechanisms to oversee the electoral process, and limited pathways for strategic national, regional, and international advocacy to amplify their impact.

In response to these challenges, CEHRO is currently implementing a project aimed at strengthening the civic space across Ethiopia’s 7^th General Election cycle. The intervention includes training programs to equip CSOs with the necessary skills and tools for electoral engagement, as well as the development of robust monitoring frameworks to ensure transparency and accountability during the election period. Additionally, strategic advocacy programs that connect local civil society efforts with international and regional stakeholders are also targeted in the intervention to scale up engagements on the Ethiopian electoral process. Overall, adequately supporting, coordinating, and empowering local CSOs throughout the 7^th general election cycle will be relevant to ensuring the transparency of the electoral process, ultimately contributing to the strengthening of democracy and governance in Ethiopia.

In this context, CEHRO wanted to develop an Election Time Civic Space Monitoring Tool tailored specifically to pre-election, during-election, and post-election contexts. The monitoring tool will serve as an interactive document for the comprehensive assessment of the civic space landscape during Ethiopia’s 7th General Election. Following the development of this monitoring tool, a capacity-building training program will be conducted for selected CSOs and election observers in Ethiopia. To facilitate the implementation of these planned activities, CEHRO is currently looking for a seasoned consultant.

2. Objective(s)

CEHRO is looking for a seasoned consultant to prepare an Election Time Civic Space Monitoring Tool tailored specifically to pre-election, during-election, and post-election contexts of Ethiopia’s 7^th General Election. The assignments under this role specifically include, but are not limited to:

• Prepare an Election Time Civic Space Monitoring Tool in the context of Ethiopia’s 7^th General Election.
• Facilitate training for selected CSOs, in collaboration with the CEHRO team, focusing on civic freedoms and relevant Ethiopian legal frameworks and documentation of the civic space in the context of electoral processes.
• Facilitate training for selected Electoral Rights Observers, in collaboration with the CEHRO team.

3. Scope of Work
4. Review and Analysis:
   1. Conduct a comprehensive assessment and analysis of the current electoral landscape and CSO engagement.
   2. Researching the need for monitoring and advocating for a transparent electoral process by CSOs and election observers.
   3. Researching recent developments in public policy, human rights standards, and best practices in policy and process monitoring to ensure the tool is current and relevant.
   4. Engage with CSOs, election observers, and other relevant stakeholders to gather feedback and insights on their needs, challenges, and expectations for the tool and planned training programs.
5. Content Development:
   1. Prepare an Election Time Civic Space Monitoring Tool in the context of Ethiopia’s 7^th General Election, targeting local and grassroots CSOs and election observers.
   2. Incorporate practical tools and methodologies for monitoring electoral processes and civic space.
   3. Demonstrate and incorporate practical examples and case studies to illustrate how to monitor the civic space situation in the 7^th General Election.

• Structure and Format:
  1. The overall structure and organization of the tool must ensure a logical and user-friendly flow, targeting CSOs and election observers in the 7^th general election.
  2. The monitoring tool should consider using visual aids, such as diagrams or infographics, to enhance understanding.

1. Consultation and Engagement:
   1. Engage with relevant stakeholders, including the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE), CSOs, and electoral rights observers, to make the monitoring tool contextual and relevant.
   2. Facilitate bilateral and small-scale consultations to gather feedback and ensure the monitoring too is responsive to diverse needs and perspectives.

4. Deliverables

• Election Time Civic Space Monitoring Tool: a comprehensive monitoring tool that meets the stated objectives and is suitable for dissemination and use.
• Facilitate trainings: Provide two rounds of training for selected CSOs and election time observers.

5. Timeline

The work should be delivered within 10-days after the signing of the contract agreement.

6. Requirements

A minimum of a master’s degree or equivalent in law, human rights, peace and conflict, political science, governance, public policy, or related field.

• Technical Experience:

• A minimum of 7 years of experience working as a consultant, researcher, or senior expert in the above fields.
• Demonstrated experience in preparing monitoring tools and manuals or other similar assignments for CSOs and observers.
• Demonstrated experience in process monitoring, including making recommendations.

• Skills and Competencies

• Ability to work independently with strict professionalism, satisfying deadline requirements;
• Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work collaboratively with a range of partners with multi-cultural team spirit;
• Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment.

7. Application Process and Submission Guidelines

Qualified and interested applicants can submit the following application documents to humanresources@cehro.org with the subject line “Preparation of Election Time Civic Space Monitoring Tool” within 7 consecutive days from the advertisement of this call.

• A maximum of two-page CV and one-page cover letter for the submission of a proposal
• A maximum of three-page technical proposal demonstrating a good understanding of the ToR and work plan.
• A financial proposal with a detailed breakdown of costs (including all applicable taxes) for the work quoted in ETB.

NB: CEHRO is an equal opportunity organization for all, and qualified Women and Persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.