Terms of Reference- Study: Exploring youth activism in the OPT

General Summary

Oxfam is seeking a consultant (individual/firm) to conduct a study on the environment of youth activism and youth-led change in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), including through offline and online spaces.

Oxfam’s capacity to contribute to effective and sustainable change is strengthened by placing youth as an integral part of its programs and recognized as key to sustainable changes and holding duty bearers (such as political figures) accountable. Youth are being included in Oxfam’s national and international advocacy work, ensuring that their voices are heard and considered by decision-makers.

Oxfam has been implementing interventions that aim to enhance the capacities of youth as agents for progressive change and to ensure the voices of youth are being heard and integrated within Oxfam’s developmental and humanitarian work in the OPT. The research will benefit Oxfam’s current and future program interventions, as well as strengthening project planning and design processes in line with Oxfam’s Country Strategy and Oxfam’s global Youth Engagement Framework.

Context:

Exclusion and under-representation of youth, specifically young women in civic engagement structures and processes are a key barrier to youth engagement and empowerment. While youth in the OPT constitutes of around 30 % of the population, current circumstances are negatively impacting active civic engagement, social activism and youth leadership. Hindering factors include the prolonged military occupation, intra-Palestinian divide, shrinking civic space, rise of conservative norms and patriarchal society. Young men and women express low levels of trust in the government and are largely disengaged from formal political participation. Structural exclusion from public life limits enrolment in leadership positions and has social, economic and political implications. Although civil society provides opportunities and spaces (online and offline) for youth to improve leadership skills, there remains to be a lack of sustainable and flexible resources enabling youth organizations and groups to invest in youth leadership.

The Covid-19 pandemic has negatively impacted youth employment resulting from increased unemployment rates and a contracting economy. The pandemic’s social and educational disruption has disadvantaged people and widened inequality and a digital divide. Especially during the global pandemic, there is a strong need for young people’s voices to be heard, advocating for their own short-and long term needs, as well as guaranteeing safe online and offline spaces to Palestinian youth.

Purpose of the study

The main purpose of the study is to explore (online and offline) youth activism in the OPT in order to provide strategic, informed advice on youth mainstreaming within the existing Oxfam’s and partners’ programmes and activities; and strategic and substantial guidance to improve Oxfam’s youth engagement effectiveness;