Consultant program Connect, Defend, Act!

Consultant to conduct digital security assessment, curriculum development on digital security and training of trainers

 

Project title: Connect, Defend, Act!
Location: Lilongwe, Malawi
Contact details: proposals.hubsaf@hivos.org
Organization: Hivos Foundation
Email: proposals.hubsaf@hivos.org
Response Address: 20 Phillips Avenue, Belgravia, Harare.

Project Brief

All around the world, those in power, not only in autocratic governments but in established democracies as well, are increasingly imposing restrictions on civil society to freely express themselves, to protest against systemic injustices and to organize themselves to defend fundamental human rights. Digital tools and platforms carry the potential to create safe and brave spaces for trust-based collaboration and increased access to information, but they remain shaped by unequal access, as well as undermined by increasingly sophisticated digital surveillance and attacks by state and non-state actors.

With support from the Government of Norway through the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), Hivos is implementing the ‘Connect, Defend, Act!’ project. The project aims to respond to the issue of shrinking civic space and amplify civil society-led action in Malawi by supporting civil society actors in their efforts to defend and expand civic space. Civil society actors and rights holders who are taking action to defend and expand civic space are confronted with an array of political, institutional, legal, and societal forces actively working against their goals. Civil society actors have needs such as safe and trustworthy spaces for evidence-based learning and strategizing, strengthened capacity to respond to mounting digital attacks, and access to funding to increase organizational flexibility and resilience. The project has the following goals and three strategic objectives:

Project goal

Civil Society Actors in Malawi can positively influence the openness of and respond to changes in the civic space.

Project objectives

  1. By promoting coalition building among diverse civil society actors, including human rights defenders, rights holder-led civil society organizations, and independent media actors, grounded in civil society-led evidence gathering and knowledge production, and facilitated by context-specific communities of action.
  2. By contributing to safe and inclusive digital civic spaces for sustained collaboration and action among civil society actors through localized holistic digital security capacity strengthening, knowledge production, and active referral to digital protection providers.
  3. By increasing civil society actors’ flexibility to rapidly respond to changes in civic space through organizational capacity strengthening and the provision of strategic funding for sustainable action.

The project aims to strategically support relevant actors within civil society whose work actively to contribute to civic space from the perspective of different sectors and interests, particularly including groups who are marginalized within civil society, such as women, youth, marginalized persons, indigenous people, and others. Across all activities and outcomes, the project is promoting local ownership and leadership, with Hivos taking a facilitating and supporting role that emphasizes civil society actors’ agency and existing knowledge.

Executive summary – Connect, Defend, Act! Project baseline study

The baseline study assessed the state of civic space in Malawi, focusing on civil society coalitions, barriers faced by actors, and organizational capacity gaps. The study revealed varying perceptions of the environment among civil society organizations (CSOs), facing challenges in participating in civic activities. Key challenges include resource shortages, legal barriers, threats, intimidation, and institutional constraints. Media actors also highlighted the importance of independent media in promoting civic space, but some felt media independence was compromised by government influence. Threats to civic space were also found, with media actors experiencing physical threats, digital attacks, and legal actions.

The study also found out that Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Malawi face various digital threats, including phishing, hacking, and online harassment. Despite having a somewhat safe physical environment, half of CSOs reported a mixed public perception of their work. Digital security knowledge among CSOs varied, with 16.7% rated as “Excellent,” 50% as “Fair,” and 33.3% as “Poor.” To combat these threats, CSOs have implemented measures like antivirus software, firewalls, strong password protocols, and regular training. CSOs indicated that they provide digital security training to their staff. However, there are gaps in organizational capacity for CSOs and media actors in Malawi, with only 83% having access to sustainable funding. Structural barriers, such as limited donor interest, competition, geographic isolation, and bureaucratic processes, hinder access to funds.

The study also found out that half of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Malawi lack contingency plans for emergencies, indicating vulnerabilities in adapting to rapidly changing environments. CSOs felt somewhat prepared, and there were discrepancies in strategy updates, possibly due to resource constraints or inadequate capacity. CSOs’ approaches to addressing capacity gaps varied, with some focusing on internal capacity building and others on external partnerships and funding. Coalitions focused on human rights and gender equality faced challenges, including lack of trust, inadequate funding, poor coordination, and political pressure. Strengthening leadership, securing stable funding, and fostering better coordination are crucial for improving coalition effectiveness in Malawi.

Seeking a consultant to conduct Digital Security Assessment, Curriculum Development on Digital Security and Training of Trainers

The ultimate end goal of the exercise is to assess digital security practices within an organization by assessing the current state of digital security, training a group of trainers to expand this knowledge, and developing a curriculum that can be used for future training sessions.

Purpose of the assignment

The purpose of this consultancy is:

  • Conducting a Digital Security Needs Assessment to map digital threats, risks, skills, and gaps among CSAs and CSOs in Malawi.
  • Developing a Digital Security Training Curriculum based on global best practices and local needs.
  • Facilitating a Training of Trainers (ToT) program to empower Community of Action (CoA) Members to disseminate digital security knowledge

Objectives

The specific objectives of this assignment are:

1 Digital security assessment:

  • Identify and map CSAs and CSOs participating in the assessment.
  • Design and implement a holistic digital security needs assessment using a feminist and intersectional approach.
  • Analyze and document key digital security risks, gaps, and needs faced by CSAs, CSOs, including those from marginalized communities.

2 Curriculum development:

Based on the assessment findings, the consultant will:

  • Develop a context-specific digital security curriculum aligned with global best practices.
  • Localize course materials for different country contexts, ensuring accessibility.
  • Collaborate with the CoA Facilitator to co-design course content, ensuring it meets their security and advocacy needs.

3 Training of trainers and capacity building

To build sustainable capacity within civil society, the consultant will:

  • Deliver a Training of Trainers workshop for Community of Action (CoA) Members.
  • Support CoA Members in organizing on-site workshops for additional CSAs.
  • Provide feedback and refinement of the training content based on participant experience.
  • Support the dissemination of online training resources beyond CoA Members.

Procedure – open call

Table of details (see annex A)

Clarifications

Should any applicant have questions to ask or need any clarification, they should refer them in writing (which will be deemed to be by, e-mail on proposals.hubsaf@hivos.org not later than Monday 5th May 2025. Questions submitted will be issued, together with answers, through the platform which the call was published. The questions and answers as issued will give no indication of which applicant/s asked the questions. If for any reason during the call period it becomes necessary to vary the Call Documents, an Addendum will be issued to all prospective partners

Note that:

  • Hivos may request further information from applicants after submission of their Expression of Interest. Any additional information must be provided within five working days.
  • The onus is on the applicant to ensure that their submission is complete and meets Hivos’ requirements. Failure to comply may lead to the submission being rejected without any reason being given. Therefore, please ensure that you read this document carefully and answer all questions in full.

The specifications

Specifically, we are looking for applicants that meet the following criteria:

  • The consultant should have relevant academic qualifications at master’s degree level or higher with relevant experience.
  • Proven experience in digital security assessments, with at least 5 years in cybersecurity consulting.
  • Proven expertise in digital security and cybersecurity for civil society.
  • Experience conducting needs assessments and research on digital threats.
  • Knowledge of feminist and intersectional methodologies in digital security.
  • Experience in curriculum development and training, particularly in digital security.
  • Understanding of the political and social contexts affecting CSAs, including marginalized persons, women, and indigenous communities.
  • Strong facilitation skills and experience delivering Training of Trainers (ToT).
  • Expertise in risk assessment methodologies and vulnerability management.
  • Strong technical knowledge of network security, cloud computing, data protection, and encryption technologies.
  • Experience researching civic space issues around human rights, media, digital security, enabling environment for civil society and strong understanding of current trends and developments in the target country is required.

Consultant’s responsibilities and grant value

The total amount of this assignment is. Applications proposed by the candidates should be within this range.

The consultant will be expected to:

  • Conducting all assessments, research, and analysis related to digital security risks and needs.
  • Designing and developing a comprehensive and localized training curriculum.
  • Organizing and facilitating the Training of Trainers (ToT) workshops.
  • Submitting all required deliverables within agreed timelines.

Application deadline

The submission should be sent to proposals.hubsaf@hivos.org with the subject “Digital Security Assessment, Curriculum Development on Digital Security and Training of Trainers (TOT)”  in the subject line by 15th May 2025, 17:00hrs Malawi time. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Participation

  • This is an open call, Hivos invites proposals from applicants (individual or organizations) that are legally registered/established in their state of origin and are entitled to perform the obligations of such contracts or engagements.
  • To be eligible for participation in this call procedure, applicants must prove to the satisfaction of Hivos that they comply with the necessary legal, technical and financial requirements and have the ability to carry out the contract effectively.
  • Any attempt by the applicant to obtain confidential information, enter into unlawful agreements with competitors or influence the evaluation committee or Hivos during the process of examining, clarifying and evaluation will lead to one or more of the following: disqualification in this call, rejection of its offer(s)/bid, or legal consequences, or debarred from future calls/procurements where applicable.
  • Applicants must always act loyally and impartially in accordance with the code of conduct of their profession. They must refrain from making public statements about the project or services without Hivos’ prior written approval. They may not commit Hivos in any way without prior written consent.
  • Applicants and their entities are obliged to maintain professional secrecy; all reports, documents and information provided by Hivos are confidential and should be treated as such.

Evaluation and selection criteria

Hivos, at its sole discretion, will select the winner of this call. In order to award the call Hivos shall consider/perform the following evaluation and selection processes.

Language of the procedure

  • All written communications for this call procedure and contract must be in English.

Disclaimer

  • Hivos reserves the right to alter the date of call evaluation process stated above and the awarding of contract.
  • Hivos reserves the right to alter call specifications and quantities.
  • Hivos reserves the right to cancel this call process at any time and not to award any contract.
  • Hivos reserves the right not to enter into or award a contract as a result of this invitation to call.
  • Hivos shall consider value for money (VFM) and as such does not bind itself to accept the lowest or any call.
  • Hivos shall not be liable in respect of any costs incurred by the Organization in the preparation of the offer nor any associated work effort, including the production of presentation materials, brochures, product specifications or manuals for evaluation.