Call for Expression of Interest (EOI) for National Research

CENTRE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES AND COOPERATION (CECI)

KATHMANDU, NEPAL 

Call for Expression of Interest (EOI) for National Research

CECI Nepal invites Expression of Interest (EOI) from qualified and experienced research institutions/organizations to conduct a national study on “Democratic Participation of Women and Marginalized Groups and GBV Against Locally Elected Women Leaders and Candidates” under the SAMA-SAMA Project – Strengthening Civil Society for Inclusive Democracy and Human Rights. 

About the SAMA-SAMA Project

The SAMA-SAMA Project is a three-year initiative (April 2025–March 2028), funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC), which aims to strengthen civil society and enhance civic engagement and democratic participation among women and marginalized groups through inclusive governance, human rights protection, and gender equality. The project is implemented in Madhesh and Lumbini Provinces of Nepal.

About the Assignment

The study aims to generate evidence on the democratic and political participation of women and marginalized groups in Nepal, including barriers to participation and leadership, implementation of relevant laws and policies, formal and informal power structures, and experiences of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Violence Against Women in Politics (VAWP).

While the research is national in scope, the SAMA-SAMA project areas in Madhesh and Lumbini Provinces should be part of the study geographic scope along with at least 2 other provinces to strengthen the national evidence base.

The study will engage locally elected women representatives, women officials, women CSO leaders, women activists, women from marginalized groups, and relevant stakeholders at national, provincial and local levels.

Key Deliverables

The selected research institution will be responsible for:

• Conducting a desk review and policy analysis;
• Developing research methodology, sampling strategy and data collection tools;
• Conducting field consultations, interviews and stakeholder engagement;
• Analyzing barriers, enabling factors and implementation gaps;
• Assessing GBV and Violence Against Women in Politics (VAWP)VAWP affecting women in public and political life;
• Facilitating a validation workshop; and
• Producing the final research report and a 2–3-page summary document

Required Experience

Interested institutions should demonstrate:

• Proven experience in research on gender equality, inclusive governance, democratic participation and women’s empowerment in Nepal;
• Experience in gender-responsive/feminist research;
• Strong research, data collection, analytical and report-writing capacity;
• Experience working with women and marginalized groups;

Interested institutions are requested to submit a

• Cover Letter/Expression of Interest, Organization/Institution Profile,
• CVs of the proposed research team members,
• a research plan/proposal of maximum four (4) pages,
• evidence of relevant previous research and publications,
• valid organization/company registration certificate,
• PAN/VAT registration certificate,
• latest tax clearance certificate,
• proposed timeline/work plan, and
• a detailed financial proposal/budget.

For Detailed TOR, click on the link below:

TOR_National_Research_Nepal.docx

Please submit e-copies of all relevant documents request to email at cecinepal@ceci.ca with cc to Mina.Chaudhary@ceci.ca by 5:00 PM, 3rd September Thursday, 2026.

CECI Nepal reserves the right to accept or reject any or all EOI without giving any reasons whatsoever.