National consultant for peace education landscape mapping and strategic gap analysis in Bosnia and Herzegovina
NewUnited Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
The Position:
National consultant for peace education landscape mapping and strategic gap analysis in Bosnia
and Herzegovina
You will report to UNFPA Project Manager and will maintain daily communication with the M&E Analyst of the PBF Secretariat in BiH.
How you can make a difference:
UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The UNFPA Strategic Plan for 2026-2029 articulates the organization’s response to a complex global environment, providing a roadmap for resilience and renewal. It is designed to accelerate the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This mandate is pursued through a focus on four interconnected outcomes: ending the unmet need for family planning; ending preventable maternal deaths; ending gender-based violence and harmful practices; and adapting to demographic change through evidence and rights-based policies.
In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff who embody these international norms and standards and will defend them courageously and with full conviction.
UNFPA is seeking candidates who transform, inspire, and deliver high-impact sustained results, ensuring effective external relations, communications, partnership-building and resource mobilization in a rapidly changing development and funding landscape. We need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them, and who commit to delivering excellence in programme results
Job Purpose:
The purpose of this consultancy is to conduct a comprehensive mapping and gap analysis of peace education initiatives implemented in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2014 to the present. The mapping will apply the United Nations definition of peace education1, while also identifying complementary initiatives related to dealing with the past, transitional justice, and other relevant peacebuilding approaches. These complementary initiatives will be included to better understand the broader ecosystem within which peace education is implemented, identify complementarities and overlaps, and highlight strategic opportunities. Their inclusion does not imply that they constitute peace education.
This assignment forms the first phase of a two-stage analytical process. The present
consultancy will provide a structured overview of the peace education landscape across the
full range of actors, settings and approaches, including initiatives implemented by government
institutions, civil society organisations, United Nations agencies, development partners,
academic and cultural institutions, community organisations and other relevant actors. A
second, separate consultancy will build on the findings of this mapping to undertake a
strategic review of PBF support to peace education in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The mapping is intended to document the breadth and evolution of peace education
initiatives, identify key actors, approaches, thematic and geographic coverage, policy and
institutional frameworks, gaps, overlaps and opportunities. It is not intended to assess impact
or determine the effectiveness of individual initiatives. Rather, it will establish the analytical
foundation for the subsequent strategic review and support evidence-informed
decision-making on future PBF engagement in peace education
You would be responsible for:
Scope of analysis
The consultancy will examine peace education initiatives implemented in Bosnia and
Herzegovina between 2014 and the present, spanning both formal and non-formal education
and implemented by government institutions, United Nations agencies, civil society
organisations, academic institutions, development partners and other relevant stakeholders.
The analysis will apply the United Nations definition of peace education while also mapping
complementary initiatives related to dealing with the past, transitional justice, human rights
education, intercultural dialogue and other relevant peacebuilding approaches. These
complementary initiatives will be analysed only to understand the broader ecosystem within
which peace education operates and to identify complementarities, overlaps and strategic
opportunities.
The review should explicitly examine how peace education initiatives interact with structural
features of the education system in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including contested narratives,
segregation within education, politicisation of curricula and education governance, and assess
how programme approaches navigate these challenges in a conflict-sensitive manner while
avoiding unintended reinforcement of existing divisions.
The mapping will cover the following dimensions:
• Formal education. Peace education initiatives implemented within pre-school, primary,
secondary and tertiary education, including curricula, teaching and learning materials,
teacher education and training, extracurricular activities, and school-based programmes.
• Non-formal education. Community-based programmes, youth initiatives, dialogue
platforms, workshops, camps, volunteer initiatives, cultural and artistic programmes, civic
education and other learning processes implemented outside formal education systems.
• Policy and institutional frameworks. Relevant legislation, education policies, curricula,
institutional arrangements, teacher training systems and other mechanisms supporting
the integration and sustainability of peace education within the education sector.
• Stakeholders and partnerships. Government institutions, education authorities, United
Nations agencies, civil society organisations, academic institutions, development
partners, media organisations and other stakeholders engaged in peace education,
including existing coordination mechanisms and partnerships.
• Thematic approaches. Thematic areas addressed through peace education initiatives,
including dialogue, diversity and inclusion, human rights, democratic citizenship, social
cohesion, conflict resolution, critical thinking, media and information literacy, gender
equality and other relevant themes.
• Complementary peacebuilding approaches. Complementary initiatives related to
dealing with the past, transitional justice, human rights education, intercultural dialogue
and other relevant peacebuilding approaches that intersect with peace education. These
initiatives will be mapped to identify complementarities, overlaps and opportunities for education.
• Geographic and population coverage. Distribution of initiatives across Bosnia and
Herzegovina, including geographic coverage, target populations and education levels,
with particular attention to underserved communities and groups.
Geographic coverage and data collection
Primary data collection through focus group discussions will be conducted in three locations
across Bosnia and Herzegovina, selected to ensure geographic and community diversity:
• Sarajevo.
• Banja Luka.
• Mostar.
Key review questions
1. Peace education landscape
• What peace education initiatives have been implemented in Bosnia and Herzegovina
between 2014 and the present?
• Which actors have designed and implemented these initiatives, and through which
partnerships?
• Across which formal and non-formal education settings have peace education initiatives
been implemented?
2. Conceptual and programmatic approaches
• Which peace education approaches, methodologies and thematic priorities have been
applied across different initiatives?
• To what extent do these initiatives align with the United Nations definition of peace
education?
• Which complementary approaches, including dealing with the past, transitional justice,
human rights education, intercultural dialogue and other peacebuilding initiatives,
intersect with peace education, and how are they positioned within the broader
ecosystem?
• To what extent do peace education initiatives engage with structural and contextual
challenges affecting education in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including contested historical
narratives, segregation within education systems, politicisation of curricula and education
governance? How have initiatives addressed these challenges through conflict-sensitive
design and implementation, and what evidence exists regarding risks of unintentionally
reinforcing existing social divisions?
3. Policy and institutional framework
• How is peace education reflected within relevant education policies, curricula, teacher
education systems and institutional frameworks, and how do these frameworks enable or
constrain efforts to address contested historical narratives, segregation within education
systems, and the politicisation of education?
• What institutional mechanisms currently support, or constrain, the implementation,
sustainability and institutionalisation of peace education?
• To what extent are peace education approaches integrated into existing quality
assurance, accreditation and teacher professional development mechanisms, where
relevant?
4. Stakeholders and coverage
• Which institutions and organisations are the principal actors in the peace education
landscape?
• What is the geographic, thematic and population coverage of existing initiatives?
• Which target groups and geographic areas appear to be well served, and which remain
underserved?
5. Gaps and opportunities
• Where are the principal thematic, geographic, institutional and contextual gaps within the
current peace education landscape, including gaps related to addressing contested
narratives, educational segregation, politicisation of curricula and education governance,
conflict sensitivity, and risks of reinforcing existing social divisions?
• What opportunities exist to strengthen coordination, complementarity and
institutionalisation of peace education?
• What strategic entry points emerge for future Peacebuilding Fund engagement in peace
education?
Methodology
The consultancy will employ a mixed-methods approach, combining desk-based research
with qualitative data collection to develop a comprehensive understanding of the peace
education landscape in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The analysis will draw on multiple sources
of evidence to identify trends, implementation approaches, policy and institutional
developments, complementarities, gaps and strategic opportunities. The consultancy is not
intended to assess programme performance or establish causal attribution between
interventions and peacebuilding outcomes.
The methodology will include the following components:
• Comprehensive desk review of relevant literature and documentation, including policies,
legislation, curricula, project documentation, evaluations, research studies, academic
publications, guidance materials, knowledge products and other publicly available
resources relevant to peace education and complementary peacebuilding approaches.
• Document review of mapped initiatives, including available project documents, reports,
evaluations and communication materials, to analyse objectives, implementation
approaches, target groups, geographic coverage, partnerships and key outputs.
• Key informant interviews with representatives of government institutions, education
authorities, United Nations agencies, civil society organisations, development partners,
academic institutions, education practitioners, youth and women's organisations, and
other relevant stakeholders.
• Focus group discussions in three locations across Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sarajevo,
Banja Luka, Mostar) to gather perspectives on the implementation, relevance and
evolution of peace education initiatives across different contexts.
• Stakeholder and policy mapping to identify institutional roles, coordination
mechanisms, existing partnerships and opportunities for strengthened collaboration and
institutionalisation.
• Systematic synthesis of evidence through landscape mapping and strategic gap
analysis, synthesising findings to identify thematic, geographic and institutional trends,
complementarities, overlaps, gaps and opportunities to strengthen future peace education
programming.
The consultant is expected to apply a participatory, conflict-sensitive and gender-responsive
approach throughout the assignment, ensuring that diverse stakeholder perspectives are
reflected in the analysis and that the mapping adequately captures the experiences of
women, youth and other relevant groups.
The detailed methodology, analytical framework and data collection tools will be further
refined during the inception phase and submitted for approval by the PBF Secretariat before
fieldwork commences.
Integration with the strategic review
The findings of this consultancy will serve as the analytical foundation for the subsequent
Strategic Review of PBF Support to Peace Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Upon
completion of the mapping exercise, the final Peace Education Landscape Mapping and Gap
Analysis Report will be shared with the consultant undertaking the Strategic Review to inform
the analysis of PBF-supported interventions within the broader peace education ecosystem.
The consultant will coordinate with the consultant undertaking the Strategic Review to ensure
methodological coherence, facilitate the transfer of findings and avoid duplication of effort.
The findings of both consultancies will subsequently be presented and validated through a
structured stakeholder consultation process coordinated under the Strategic Review. This
process will include three validation workshops in Sarajevo, Banja Luka and Mostar, followed
by the incorporation of stakeholder feedback into the final Strategic Review Report.
Limitations and approach
This consultancy is designed as a landscape mapping and gap analysis, rather than an
evaluation or impact assessment. The analysis will rely primarily on document review,
stakeholder consultations and qualitative data collection to develop a comprehensive
understanding of the peace education landscape in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Given the breadth of the assignment and the diversity of actors involved, the consultancy will
focus on identifying the principal initiatives, implementation approaches, stakeholders, policy
and institutional frameworks, thematic and geographic coverage, as well as emerging gaps
and opportunities. The exercise is intended to establish a robust evidence base for the
subsequent Strategic Review rather than assess programme performance or establish causal
attribution between individual initiatives and broader peacebuilding outcomes.
Findings should therefore be interpreted as an evidence-informed overview of the peace
education landscape to support strategic learning and inform future Peacebuilding Fund
engagement.
Final report
The final Peace Education Landscape Mapping and Gap Analysis Report will:
• Provide a comprehensive mapping of peace education initiatives implemented in Bosnia
and Herzegovina between 2014 and the present.
• Map key actors, implementation approaches, thematic priorities and geographic coverage
across the peace education landscape.
• Analyse relevant policy, legal and institutional frameworks supporting peace education.
• Identify complementary initiatives related to dealing with the past, transitional justice,
human rights education, intercultural dialogue and other relevant peacebuilding
approaches, while maintaining a clear conceptual distinction from peace education.
• Identify thematic, geographic and institutional gaps, areas of complementarity and
opportunities for strengthened coordination and institutionalisation.
• Provide strategic entry points to inform the subsequent Strategic Review of PBF Support
to Peace Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Qualifications and Experience:
• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible professional experience in
peacebuilding, social cohesion, education, governance, development cooperation or
related fields.
Education:
Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in peace and conflict studies,
education, international relations, political science, development studies, public policy,
sociology or another closely related field relevant to peacebuilding and/or educati
Knowledge and Experience:
Demonstrated knowledge of and professional experience with conducting analytical
studies, landscape mappings, sector analyses, thematic reviews or comparable analytical
assignments, preferably related to peacebuilding, education, social cohesion or conflict
prevention.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and professional experience in qualitative research, including
document review, stakeholder consultations, key informant interviews, focus group
discussions and synthesis of qualitative findings.
• Experience engaging with a broad range of stakeholders, including government
institutions, education authorities, civil society organisations, academic institutions, United
Nations agencies and/or development partners.
• Demonstrated understanding of the peacebuilding and/or education landscape in Bosnia
and Herzegovina or the Western Balkans.
• Previous experience working with the United Nations system or other international
organisations is considered an asset.
Languages:
Required Competencies:
Values:
Core Competencies:
Functional Competencies:
• Strong interpersonal skills, communication and diplomatic skills, ability to work in a team.
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback.
• Ability to work under pressure and stressful situations.
• Strong analytical, research and writing abilities.
• Ability to synthesise complex information and present findings clearly.
• Excellent public speaking and presentation skills.
• Strong report writing and presentation skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to work independently and deliver results within tight timelines.<Functional Competencies>
Managerial Competencies (if applicable):
Compensation and Benefits:
This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.
UNFPA Work Environment:
UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.
Disclaimer:
Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.
UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.
Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.
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