RWANDA WOMEN’S NETWORK (RWN)
TERMS OF REFERENCE
Recruitment of a Consultant to Develop the RWN Institutional Compendium
Background
Rwanda Women’s Network (RWN) was established in 1997 to advance the rights, wellbeing and leadership of women and girls in Rwanda. Its work began in response to the needs of women affected by the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and gender-based violence (GBV), and has evolved to include GBV prevention and response, health support, psychosocial support, livelihoods and economic empowerment, women’s leadership and advocacy, environmental justice, and institutional development. Women Safe Spaces remain a central platform in RWN’s community-based approach.
Over nearly three decades, RWN has generated a substantial body of programme reports, evaluations, monitoring data, partnership records, publications and participant experiences. However, this information is dispersed across different periods, formats and locations. The lack of a single, verified institutional account makes it difficult to compare reach and results over time, preserve institutional knowledge, and present consistent evidence to current and prospective donors.
RWN therefore seeks to engage an independent consultant to develop an evidence-based Institutional Compendium that will consolidate RWN’s institutional history, programme evolution, achievements, partnerships, reach, and lessons learnt. It will serve as a reference for institutional memory, donor engagement, resource mobilisation and future planning.
Assignment objectives
The overall objective is to produce a clear, credible and evidence-based record of RWN’s work, results and learning from its inception till now. The specific objectives are to:
- Reconstruct RWN’s major institutional and programme milestones, including the evolution of Women Safe Spaces and other key approaches.
- Document RWN’s achievements and influence at community, national, regional and global levels, supported by concrete examples and verifiable sources.
- Identify effective practices and success stories, using informed consent and explaining the factors that contributed to the changes described.
- Identify lessons learned, persistent challenges, evidence gaps and realistic priorities for RWN’s next program’s projects.
Scope of work
The consultant will lead the process from inception through finalisation and will undertake the following tasks:
- Review relevant institutional and programme documents, including annual and project reports, evaluations, monitoring databases, strategic plans, publications, and available archives.
- Prepare a source inventory and evidence matrix that links significant claims, figures and milestones to their source and period.
- Develop a verified institutional chronology covering key developments from 1997 to 2026.
- Review the evolution, implementation and documented results of RWN’s thematic programmes and approaches, including GBV prevention and response, psychosocial support, health, livelihoods and economic empowerment, environmental justice, women’s leadership and advocacy, Women Safe Spaces, and institutional development, where supported by available evidence.
- Conduct interviews with RWN leadership and current staff, former staff where feasible, partners, local stakeholders and selected programme participants to fill information gaps and capture institutional learning.
- Document selected, consented success stories and examples of RWN’s contribution at community, national, regional and global levels.
- Identify good practices, lessons, implementation challenges, evidence gaps and realistic priorities for the organisation’s next phase.
- Prepare the full compendium in English, including professional editing and design, and produce an executive summary translated into French and Kinyarwanda.
- Facilitate validation of the draft with RWN and incorporate one consolidated round of comments before submitting the final deliverables.
Methodology
The consultant is expected to propose a practical, participatory and evidence-led methodology appropriate to the short assignment period. The consultant must apply informed-consent procedures for interviews, stories and photographs; protect personal and sensitive information; safely handle identifying details; and follow RWN’s data-protection procedures. Stories, quotations and photographs may only be used with appropriate consent and RWN approval.
Expected deliverables
- Inception note and source inventory: A concise note setting out the methodology, workplan, interview plan, evidence-verification approach, risks and initial inventory of documents and data sources.
- Verified chronology and reach table: A chronology of key institutional and programme milestones and a consolidated reach table, with source notes, definitions, periods, and explanations of discrepancies or limitations.
- Draft institutional compendium: A complete draft covering RWN’s history, institutional development, thematic programmes, programme models, partnerships, reach and results, selected case stories, lessons, challenges and future priorities.
- Validation and revision: Presentation of the draft or key findings to RWN for review, incorporation of one consolidated round of comments, and resolution or clear flagging of disputed or unverified claims.
- Final compendium: A professionally edited and designed final compendium in English, supplied in print-ready PDF and editable format.
- Executive summary: A concise executive summary based on the verified evidence, in English with translated versions in French and Kinyarwanda, suitable for institutional and donor engagement.
Consultant profile and qualifications
The consultant or consulting team should demonstrate the following qualifications and experience:
- A university degree in social sciences, gender studies, development studies, history, public policy, communications, research or a related field. A relevant postgraduate qualification is an advantage.
- At least 7 years of demonstrated experience in institutional documentation, organisational histories, research, evaluations, knowledge management, or comparable publications.
- Proven ability to analyse long-term programme evidence and synthesise complex institutional information into a clear, engaging and well-structured narrative.
- Strong skills in qualitative research, key informant interviews, document review, data verification and evidence triangulation.
- Experience working with women’s rights, gender equality, GBV prevention and response, community development or civil society organisations is an advantage.
- RDB registration certificate & VAT certificate.
- Must have a valid Tax Clearance Certificate
- Ability to complete the work within 12 calendar days.
Application requirements
Interested consultants or firms should submit:
- A technical proposal explaining the understanding of the assignment, proposed methodology, workplan and quality-assurance approach.
- A financial proposal with a clear breakdown of professional fees and any anticipated costs, stated in Rwandan francs or euros.
- An updated CV or company profile, including the proposed team and roles where applicable.
- At least two examples of similar assignments or publications, with links or samples where available.
- Contact details for at least two relevant referees.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Applications must be submitted in by email to Rwanda Women’s Network Via email: rwawnet@rwanda1.rw with the subject “Development of the RWN Institutional Compendium”
Submission Deadline and Contact Information
Deadline for submission: 9th November 2026, 17:00PM
Email:rwawnet@rwanda1.rw
RWN recognizes that we have a responsibility to protect people we work with, and who work for us.RWN has a zero-tolerance toward sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, and child abuse. Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) is everyone’s responsibility and all staff are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct, that enshrines principles of PSEA, at all times (both during work hours and outside work hours). We make very clear that sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, and child abuse in any form, perpetrated by our staff, interns, volunteers, consultants and other contractors and suppliers or other related personnel, towards anyone, will not be tolerated.