Terms of Reference: Consultancy for Concluding Observations and Shadow Report Analysis and Policy Briefs from a Disability Inclusion Perspective

Terms of Reference

Consultant: Concluding Observations and Shadow Report Analysis and Policy Briefs from a Disability Inclusion Perspective

Organization: Blind Youth Association Nepal (BYAN) 

Duration: 25 working days across two assignments 

1. Background

Nepal is a State Party to several major international human rights treaties, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), and undergoes periodic review under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). Through these mechanisms, treaty bodies have issued Concluding Observations containing specific recommendations to the Government of Nepal, while civil society organizations, including organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), have submitted shadow reports documenting implementation gaps.

Despite progressive frameworks such as the Constitution of Nepal (2015), the Act Relating to Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2017) and the Act Relating to Children (2018, children with disabilities continue to face systemic exclusion in education, health, protection, and participation. Out-of-school children are at the highest risk when it comes to disabilities. Recommendations issued by treaty bodies are rarely tracked systematically from a disability inclusion perspective, and follow-up advocacy at federal, provincial, and local levels remains fragmented.

Under the SANKALP, supported by Save the Children, BYAN works to strengthen the capacity of civil society actors, including children, to monitor, report, and follow up on duty-bearers' commitments to child rights. As an organization of persons with disabilities guided by the principle “Nothing About Us Without Us,” BYAN seeks to produce an evidence-based analysis of Concluding Observations and shadow reports that will serve as a foundational advocacy and monitoring resource. Building on this analysis, BYAN also requires a set of evidence-based policy briefs to carry the findings into sustained engagement with duty-bearers at federal, provincial, and local levels. These two assignments are combined under a single consultancy to ensure coherence between the evidence base and the advocacy products.

2. Objective of the Consultancy

The consultancy has two interlinked objectives: (a) to prepare a comprehensive analytical document examining the Concluding Observations issued to Nepal under the CRC and CRPD, relevant UPR recommendations, and associated shadow reports, from a disability inclusion perspective, and to generate actionable recommendations for BYAN's advocacy and monitoring work, and b) to develop evidence-based policy briefs on BYAN's priority advocacy themes for use with duty-bearers and coalition partners.

3. Scope of Work

The consultancy comprises two interlinked tasks. 

Task A: Concluding Observations and Shadow Report Analysis (15 working days)

• Review and compile all Concluding Observations issued to Nepal by the CRC Committee and the CRPD Committee, along with accepted and noted UPR recommendations relevant to disability rights and children with disabilities.
• Review shadow and alternative reports submitted by Nepali civil society and OPD coalitions to these mechanisms, identifying how disability, and specifically children and youth with disabilities, has been represented.
• Analyze the recommendations from a disability inclusion perspective, covering at minimum: inclusive education, health including SRHR, child protection, participation, accessibility, non-discrimination, data and statistics, and budgeting for disability inclusion.
• Present the draft findings in a validation session with BYAN staff, board, and relevant stakeholders, and incorporate feedback into the final document.

Task B: Development of Policy Briefs on Advocacy Priorities (10 working days)

• Identify, in consultation with BYAN, priority themes for policy briefs drawing on the Task A analysis
• Develop a minimum of three evidence-based policy briefs on the agreed priority themes, each with a clear problem statement, supporting evidence, and specific policy asks addressed to identified duty-bearers.

4. Methodology

The consultancy is primarily desk-based, drawing on treaty body documents, state party reports, shadow reports, UPR documentation, national laws and policies, and available administrative data. The consultant will hold consultations with BYAN leadership and as agreed during inception, key informant interviews with selected OPD representatives, coalition members, and relevant government stakeholders. 

All processes must be accessible and follow rights-based, GEDSI-responsive language and approaches. Persons with disabilities must be engaged as experts and informants, not as subjects of study. The policy briefs must build directly on the findings of the Concluding Observations analysis and be developed through participatory consultation with BYAN staff, board, and youth members with disabilities.

5. Duration and Reporting

The assignment covers 25 working days in total, spread over a maximum of 8 calendar weeks from the contract signing date. The consultant will report to the BYAN Programme Manager (SANKALP) and coordinate closely with the designated focal person.

8. Required Qualifications and Experience

• Master’s degree in human rights, law, disability studies, social sciences, or a related field
• Minimum 3 years of experience in human rights analysis, treaty body reporting, or disability rights advocacy in Nepal
• Demonstrated knowledge of the CRC, CRPD, UPR, and Nepal’s disability rights legal framework
• Prior experience preparing or analyzing shadow/alternative reports or Concluding Observations follow-up (recommended)
• Strong analytical and report-writing skills in English; working proficiency in Nepali
• Persons with disabilities meeting the criteria are strongly encouraged to apply and will be given preference under equal qualifications

9. Safeguarding and Ethics

The consultant must comply with BYAN’s and Save the Children's safeguarding, child protection, and code of conduct policies, maintain confidentiality of all information obtained, and obtain informed consent for any interviews. All intellectual property arising from the assignment rests with BYAN.

10. Application Process

Interested candidates should submit the following to procurement@byanepal.org by 27 July 2026:

1. Technical proposal (max 3 pages) outlining understanding of the assignment and proposed approach
2. Updated CV with two references
3. Two relevant writing samples (for example, an analytical report or a policy brief)
4. Copies of citizenship, PAN/VAT registration, and tax clearance (as applicable)

Please use the subject line: “Consultancy: Concluding Observations and Shadow Report Analysis and Policy Briefs" while sending your applications.