Name of the Project: Bulsho Program - Strengthening Community Institutions for

Social Cohesion, Inclusion and Resilience.

Project ID: P508408

Position Title: Social Safeguarding and Gender Specialist.

Reporting to: PIU Bulsho Project Manager

Type of Appointment: Individual Consultant

Duration: 12 months and renewable upon satisfactory performance.

Duty Station: Jowhar, Hirshabelle, Somalia (with potential travel to the target Districts and Cities of Bulsho Project)

1.    Background

The Social Safeguarding and Gender Specialist is required to support the Ministry of Interior and Local Government of Hirshabelle State of Somalia in the implementation of a World Bank-financed Bulsho Project – Strengthening Community Institutions for Social Cohesion, Inclusion and Resilience (P508408). The Bulsho Project provides three years of initial anchor financing to the government’s multi-year Bulsho Program, the main objective of which is to strengthen community and local institutions for improved social cohesion, inclusion, and resilience.  The Project effectiveness was by August 8, 2025. To lead the Bulsho Project Implementation Unit (PIU) the Ministry of Interior and Local Government of Hirshabelle State of Somalia is seeking to hire a State PIU Social Safeguarding and Gender Specialist to support the implementation of Bulsho activities of the Hirshabelle State PIU.

In the FMS, the Bulsho Project will support selected districts to strengthen local governance systems, promote inclusive community participation, and improve collaboration between district administrations and communities. The project will prioritize districts with established or emerging local councils and areas where social cohesion and inclusive governance require strengthening.

The Social Safeguarding and Gender Specialist in close collaboration with PCU Social Safeguarding Specialist, MEAL Specialist both PCU & PIU and Gender Specialist will support the FMS Ministries of Interiors in ensuring Bulsho activities are implemented in a socially inclusive, conflict-sensitive and gender-responsive manner across target districts.

2.    Project Overview

Under the lead of the Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation – MoIFAR of the Federal Government of Somalia and in coordination and collaboration with the Ministries of Interior - MoIs of the Federal Member States - FMS, the Federal Government of Somalia has designed a national program called Bulsho, the Somali word for society. The Bulsho program puts citizens and communities at the center of the government’s action.  The Bulsho Program is a Somali government-led initiative designed to strengthen community and local institutions, fostering social cohesion, inclusion, and resilience. As Somalia continues its recovery from two decades of civil war, the program places a strong emphasis on enhancing service delivery, rebuilding the social contract, and promoting community-centered governance. This uniquely Somali-owned and -driven initiative underscores government ownership and leadership at federal, member state, and district levels, ensuring institutional sustainability and the realization of key policy outcomes.

The Bulsho Program will be anchored in the government’s "triple-nexus" objectives, focusing on three interrelated policy priorities:

1. Supporting the realization of the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and Federal Member States’ (FMS) Decentralization Policy and Local Government laws/Wadajir Framework, which aim to strengthen the roles of community institutions and local governments.
2. Advancing the National Stabilization Strategy (NSS) policy objectives by prioritizing stabilized districts, including those with interim or permanent district councils.
3. Contributing to the revised National Reconciliation Framework, focusing on social reconciliation, restoring the social contract, rebuilding trust between people and the government, promoting social recovery, and fostering environmental peacebuilding

The development objective of the Bulsho Program is to reinforce community and local institutions for improved social cohesion, inclusion, and resilience. The program will contribute to:

• Social cohesion: Enhancing the citizen-state social contract.
• Social inclusion: Empowering marginalized groups, including women and youth.
• Social resilience: Strengthening collective capacity to respond to local conflicts and climate-induced shocks.

The Bulsho Program operates within a “continuum” framework, spanning recovery, stabilization, reconciliation, and sustainable local governance. This phased approach ensures seamless transitions from immediate recovery efforts to long-term governance and institutional strengthening. The program prioritizes hard-to-reach and remote districts but remains inclusive of all regions to ensure comprehensive national coverage and impact.

Key Bulsho Project Support Areas

The Bulsho Project will provide support to achieve its objectives through:

1. Technical support and capacity building for community and local governments.
2. Matching grants for investments in basic services and livelihoods.
3. Innovations promoting empowerment, inclusion, accountability, and resilience, such as:

• Collective action allowances for women and youth.
• Financial transparency platforms.
• Digital planning tools for communities.

The Bulsho Project places strong emphasis on social development and inclusion through mechanisms such as the Local Social Contract Platform (LSCP), Citizens’ Charters, and participatory community planning. These processes are designed to strengthen citizen–state relations and ensure meaningful participation of women, youth, minorities, IDPs, and other marginalized groups.

The Ministries of Interiors of the Federal Member States – MoIs FMS have established a Project Implementation Units (PIUs) headed by State Project Manager, which have the overall responsibility for the day-to-day project implementation and activities that take place in their respective States. 

3.    Objectives of the Assignment

The Social Safeguarding and Gender Specialist at the PIU will be responsible for implementing Bulsho’s social development and gender inclusion agenda at the state and district levels. The Specialist will ensure that Local Social Contract Platforms - LSCPs, Citizens’ Charters, and community planning processes are inclusive, participatory and responsive to the needs of women, youth, minorities, IDPs and other marginalized groups.

The Specialist will support districts and communities in preparing and applying social risk management measures, developing grievance redress mechanisms, and implementing gender-sensitive approaches in community-driven investments.

The role combines both social safeguarding and gender responsibilities, providing practical support and monitoring to ensure that Bulsho-funded investments contribute to equitable, inclusive and sustainable local development.

4.    Key Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the PIU Project Manager, the Social Safeguarding and Gender Specialist will perform the following tasks:

·         Implement the project's social risk management instruments at the FMS level, including the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF), Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP), Labor Management Procedures (LMP), and SEA/SH Prevention Action Plan, as applicable to state-level activities.

·         Support districts and communities in preparing social development inputs to site-specific ESMPs, including measures for inclusion and mitigation of social risks.

·         Support district-level social cohesion and reconciliation activities, including community dialogue and conflict-sensitive planning.

·         Identify local conflict risks and promote peaceful dispute resolution mechanisms within Bulsho target districts.

·         Support the operationalization of gender-sensitive and inclusive facilitation approaches in community diagnostics, participatory planning forums, and Local Social Contract processes

·         Support implementation of the SEA/SH Prevention Action Plan at the FMS level, including community awareness, training of project staff and community facilitators, and dissemination of Codes of Conduct.

·         Ensure that all project personnel working at the FMS level including community facilitators, and contractors have signed the Code of Conduct and received orientation on SEA/SH and GBV prevention.

·         Maintain referral pathways for GBV/SEA/SH cases and liaise with GBV service providers operating within the FMS to ensure survivors receive appropriate support.

·         Report on SEA/SH prevention activities and incidents (following confidentiality protocols) to the PCU Social Specialist on a quarterly basis.

·         Ensure confidential grievance handling and functioning referral pathways for GBV survivors.

·         Support the establishment and operationalization of the project GRM at the FMS and district levels, ensuring that mechanisms are accessible, confidential, and responsive to all project beneficiaries and affected persons.

·         Receive, log, and track grievances submitted at the FMS level, and ensure that cases are resolved or escalated to the PCU in a timely manner in accordance with GRM procedures.

·         Conduct community awareness campaigns to inform beneficiaries about the GRM, including dedicated awareness activities targeting women and vulnerable groups.

·         Maintain a disaggregated GRM register at the FMS level and submit regular GRM reports to the PCU Social Specialist, flagging unresolved or sensitive cases for immediate attention.

·         Ensure that SEA/SH-related complaints are handled through confidential, survivor-centered referral pathways in coordination with the GBV focal point.

·         Support implementation of the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP), ensuring inclusive consultations and proper documentation.

·         Facilitate community awareness and engagement, including marginalized and vulnerable groups.

·         Facilitate inclusive LSCP processes and Citizens’ Charters, ensuring that women, youth, minorities, IDPs, and other marginalized groups are meaningfully engaged.

·         Lead implementation of gender-responsive approaches in Bulsho activities, ensuring equitable participation and benefits for women and men.

·         Establish, monitor, and report on grievance redress mechanisms (GRM) at state and district levels, ensuring timely resolution of social and gender-related complaints.

·         Provide training and mentoring to district officials and community committees on social risk management, gender inclusion, and participatory planning methods.

·         Support in the environmental and social screening of community driven investments as per the screening list.

·         Monitor social aspects of Bulsho matching grants and community-driven investments, documenting compliance and lessons learned.

·         Support monitoring and reporting of social inclusion and gender indicators, including maintenance of district-level data and also contribute to PIU progress reporting and Bulsho results framework tracking

·         Coordinate with the PIU Environmental Specialist and Local Government and Community Development Specialist to ensure integrated E&S and social inclusion approaches.

·         Provide regular technical support and field-based mentoring to target districts and municipalities, including support to district social focal points.

·         Support district administrations in integrating social inclusion, gender priorities, and conflict-sensitive approaches into District Development Plans and Bulsho activities.

·         Support the establishment and strengthening of Local Social Contract Platforms (LSCPs) and inclusive community engagement processes at district level. The Specialist will undertake regular field visits to Bulsho target districts. Field missions are expected to represent approximately 30–40% of working time.

·         Prepare and submit quarterly and annual reports on social safeguarding and gender inclusion to the PIU Project Manager and PCU Social Development Specialist.

·         Serve as the primary social safeguards focal point within the FMS PIU, ensuring effective coordination with the PCU Social Specialist, the Environmental Specialist, the GBV focal point, and other PIU staff.

·         Participate in PCU-level coordination meetings, social safeguards working groups, and any joint monitoring exercises organized by the PCU or the World Bank

5.    Deliverables

During the course of the assignment, the Social Safeguarding and Gender Specialist will be expected to achieve the following:

·         Completed social screening reports for state- and district-level Bulsho-funded activities, aligned with ESF, ESCP, and POM.

·         Approved social development inputs to site-specific ESMPs, including gender and inclusion measures.

·         Verified and documented inclusive LSCP processes and Citizens’ Charters, with participation of women, youth, minorities, IDPs, and marginalized groups.

·         Established and operational grievance redress mechanisms (GRM) at state and district levels, with timely resolution of cases and documented outcomes.

·         Records of training and mentoring sessions delivered to district officials and community committees on social risk management and gender inclusion.

·         Reports on social and gender aspects of Bulsho matching grants and community-driven investments, demonstrating compliance and lessons learned.

·         Quarterly and annual reports on social safeguarding and gender inclusion submitted to the PIU Project Manager and PCU Social Safeguarding Specialist.

·         Documented examples of good practices and success stories in social inclusion and gender-responsive governance from participating districts.

·         Stakeholder consultation records

6.    Reporting

The PIU Social Safeguarding and Gender Specialist will report to the State Project Manager. For technical oversight and quality assurance, he/she will maintain direct reporting lines to the PCU Social Safeguarding and Gender Specialist.

The PIU Social Safeguarding and Gender Specialist will work closely with the PIU Environmental Specialist, and the Local Government and Community Development Specialist.

1.    Qualifications and Experience

This position requires a committed practitioner with solid applied experience in social inclusion, gender, and safeguards implementation at state and district levels. The successful candidate will demonstrate the following qualifications:

Education

·         University degree in sociology, social development, human rights, gender studies, anthropology, , economics, public administration, social works, development studies. A master’s degree in the above fields is an advantage.

Professional Experience

·         Minimum of 7 years of professional experience in social safeguards or social development, inclusion, or gender-focused programs. (Note: pre-university graduation experiences will be not counted)

·         A minimum of five (5) years of professional experience in social development, community engagement, social risk management, or related fields, with at least two (2) years in fragile, conflict-affected, and/or FCV contexts.

·         Familiarity with the World Bank's Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) or equivalent international social safeguards frameworks, or demonstrated willingness and ability to learn

·         Demonstrated experience in conducting social screening, preparing social safeguard inputs to ESMPs, and monitoring social risk mitigation measures.

·         Proven track record in facilitating participatory planning and ensuring inclusion of women, youth, minorities, IDPs, and marginalized groups.

Skills and Competencies

·          Strong facilitation and community engagement skills, with the ability to promote gender equality and inclusion in practice.

·         Practical experience in establishing and managing grievance redress mechanisms (GRM).

·         Ability to train and mentor local government officials and community institutions.

·         High level of commitment, professional accountability, and ethical conduct.

·         Strong interpersonal, facilitation, and communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with community members, local authorities, and development partners.

Knowledge

·         Good understanding of the World Bank ESF, ESCP, and social safeguard instruments.

·         Familiarity with Somalia’s social dynamics, governance structures, and challenges to inclusion, especially in the state and at local level.

·         Awareness of gender and social development issues in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.

·         Ability and willingness to undertake regular field travel to project target districts within the FMS, subject to security clearance.

 Input/facility provided by the Client:

The client will provide office space with necessary furniture and other facilities such as printing facility etc. to enable the consultant to perform day-to-day work. The Client shall also provide soft and hard copies of any existing Mechanisms for Environmental and Social Framework (ESF), Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP), Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), Ten Environmental and Social Standards (ESS), an Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) and templates for Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs) manuals if any on signing of the contract.

Language Requirements

Excellent command of both English and Somali (reading, writing, and presenting) is essential.

How to apply.

The Ministry of Interior and Local Government of HirShabelle State of Somalia now invites eligible Individual Consultants to indicate their interest in providing the above-mentioned services.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to section III, para 3.14,3.16 & 3.17 of the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers: Procurement in Investment Projects Financing Goods, Works, Non -Consulting and Consulting Services, July 2016, revised November2017, August 2018, November 2020 and September 2023 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

Interested consultants should provide the following: (i) Curriculum Vitae (CV) with 3 reference persons; (ii) copies of certificates of academic qualifications; and (iii) cover letter outlining their experience and qualifications in relation to the role.

Interested candidates should submit their applications marked with the subject title of the position by the following email address: [email protected]  and copy to [email protected] and [email protected] latest by 2nd May, 2026 at 04:00 PM Mogadishu time.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Individual Consultant method set out in the World Bank Procurement Regulations and Federal Government Relating Policies. (Female candidates who meet the required qualifications are strongly encouraged to apply for the position of Social Safeguarding and Gender Specialist).

Attention:

Bulsho Project

Ministry of Interior and Local Government

Hirshabelle State of Somalia

Jowhar, Hirshabelle, Somalia