Terms of Reference
Background and purpose
Kenya hosts 823,932 refugees and asylum-seekers who live in designated camp areas and urban areas (UNHCR, December 2024). As the country is following an encampment policy, the overwhelming majority of refugees are living in two camps – Dadaab hosting 416,403 (constituting approximately 50.5% of all registered refugees and asylum seekers) and Kakuma camp and Kalobeyei settlement hosting 298,053 refugees (constituting approximately 36.3%). The remaining 109,476, translating to 13% of all registered refugees and asylum seekers, are living in urban areas, mainly in Nairobi, Mombasa and Nakuru. Of all registered refugees and asylum seekers, an estimated 49% are female, while children and women together make up 77%, and the elderly (60 years and above) constitutes 3% of the total population.
Through the Refugees Act 2021, Kenya seeks to give effect to commitments made under the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework as well as create an enabling environment for refugees to access livelihoods opportunities. Changes in the law include the possibility of increased freedom of movement and access to documentation (identity and work permits) that would facilitate meaningful participation of camp-based and urban refugees in the market. The Kenya Government Global Compact on Refugees (GRF) Pledges and Commitments of 2023, emphasizes the support to the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) by pledging economic and social protection inclusion of refugees by 2027 to improve protection outcomes.
This population often face gaps in support for meeting their basic needs and accessing social protection options and livelihood opportunities. The changes in the Government’s approach on refugee management to accommodate integrated settlements in the camps locations and access to socioeconomic integration and the developing of an inclusive social protection legal framework, offers the opportunity to integrate livelihood interventions and social protection programs, supporting refugees and asylum seekers to become economically independent while protecting them against life-cycle risks such as illness, maternity, old age, unemployment or disability.
Even though refugees have the right to work in Kenya, they face significant barriers in accessing employment, including self-employment opportunities. In urban areas, 54% of working-age refugees are employed (45% in case of women and 64% in case of men), with important differences among counties. In Nairobi, 58% of refugees are employed, compared to 29% in Nakuru and Mombasa[1]. Most urban refugees work in the informal sector as casual laborer’s, petty traders, small business owners and semi-skilled workers without any access to formal social protection schemes. The 2020-2021 Urban Socioeconomic Survey on Urban Refugees finds that women are more likely than men to be self-employed. In the context of the Kenyan social protection system, it will therefore be key to work towards the integration of urban and refugees in the settlements into existing national schemes inclusive of workers in the informal economy, such as NSSF and most notably the Social Health Insurance (SHI), which is now mandatory for every Kenyan resident including refugees to register and contribute to access to health protection.
The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) in 2019 launched a scheme called Haba Haba for workers in the informal economy that provides a voluntary saving scheme for old age. ILO and UNHCR have worked closely with NSSF to assess and relaunch the Haba Haba scheme inclusive of refugees. The scheme is now open to refugees once they can provide a refugee ID and enables them to save into NSSF. In 2024, DRC with ILO and UNHCR has conducted outreach activities to urban refugees and supported them to enroll in Haba Haba.
Scope of work
The project Improving prospects for Host Communities and Forcibly Displaced Persons in Kenya (PROSPECTS), implemented by ILO, UNHCR, UNICEF, the World Bank and IFC aims to include refugees and provide them with livelihood opportunities and include them in national social protection system. ILO and UNHCR are looking to evaluate the experience of refugees in joining Haba Haba and saving into NSSF. The consultancy is to conduct FGDs with refugees on their experience with Haba Haba to inform both the UN agencies and NSSF on lessons learned before expanding the outreach to camp-based refugees.
Detailed tasks
The objectives of the consultancy are to:
- Conduct FGDs with refugees that have joined Haba Haba in urban Nairobi;
- To identify issues and experiences with joining and saving into Haba Haba.
The consultant will use the FGD tool developed by the partners. Enumerators are to be hired by the consultant
Expected deliverables
The consultancy will be expected to deliver the following:
- Deliverable 1: Inception report outlining activities and timelines.
- Deliverable 2: Deliver a draft report outlining the findings of the FGDs and recommendations for the scheme improvement.
- Deliverable 3: Deliver a final report integrating feedback received by ILO, NSSF and UNHCR as well as a presentation in PowerPoint format, summarizing the main findings and recommendations of the study.
Reporting arrangements
The consultant will work under the supervision of the ILO and UNHCR. The consultant will report to Shana Höhler, Project Specialist – Social Health Protection and Forced Displacement for PROSPECTS, based in Nairobi.
Detailed qualifications, experience and skills required
Consultant for this assignment needs to
- Strong academic background on MSc level in administration, social sciences, development studies or similar.
- Be fluent in English and ideally Swahili.
- Bring substantive experience with qualitative research and FGDs, with a good understanding of the context of the social protection system in Kenya.
- Proven track record in having worked with UN agencies.
Indicators for evaluation of outputs
The consultancy will be expected to deliver a high-quality report according to the TORs, which incorporate feedback provided by ILO,NSSF and UNHCR. The report should clearly articulate the experience of refugees and recommendations on improving the scheme. The presentation should give a good overview of the methodology used, the findings and the recommendations.
Payment terms
The study is expected to be conducted remotely, and the daily rate provided by the consultant should include all associated costs. The ILO will disburse the contract total amount in several instalments based on the below table, and upon the satisfaction of the ILO, as follows:
- 30% Deliverable 1: Inception Report by 9 May 2025.
- 70% Deliverable 2 and 3: Consolidated and final report and executive presentation by 12 July 2025
Travel arrangements (if applicable) N/A
[1] 2024 Kenya Longitudinal Socioeconomic Study of Refugees and Host Communities conducted by the WorldBank: https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099082024140542629/pdf/P176078145c2a50f11b2dc1a6cbb98218f4.pdf
How to Apply:
Applicants are required to submit a technical and financial proposal with a clear work plan/timelines
Interested and qualified candidates should submit their applications as follows:
- Separate Technical and financial proposal (i.e. envelopes) for implementing the assignment. The financial proposal should be all-inclusive and include a breakdown (professional fees, travel related expenses, communications/interpretation, utilities, consumables, insurance, etc.)
- Applications clearly marked as Evaluation of Refugees’ Experience in Joining Haba Haba and Saving into NSSF” should be sent to nboprocurement@ilo.org to reach us not later than 24th April 2025.
