ASSIGNMENT PERIOD August 1 – September 30, 2026

LAUNCH SUPPORT October – December 2026

ORGANIZATION Southern Africa Trust Fund

 The Southern Africa Trust Fund is seeking an experienced consultant or consulting team to undertake Civic Intelligence Action Research on critical minerals governance and the lived realities of mining-affected communities in Southern Africa. The assignment forms part of the RISE initiative, which aims to advance regenerative, gender-just, and inclusive approaches across critical minerals value chains.

The research will examine the critical minerals landscape across five focus countries, with particular attention to women, youth, artisanal and small-scale miners, and communities affected by extraction. It will draw primarily on Civic Intelligence dialogues conducted in Zambia and Zimbabwe, supported by a regional desk review, targeted stakeholder consultations, and key informant interviews. The consultant will analyze policy and legislative gaps, assess the implications of emerging governance trends, and develop three to five community case studies illustrating key challenges, opportunities, and governance dynamics.

The methodology must be participatory, feminist, decolonial, and intersectional, while upholding informed consent, confidentiality, safeguarding, data protection, and do-no-harm principles. Key outputs include an inception report, a draft research report of no more than 40 pages, a validation session, a publication-ready final report with a three- to five-page policy summary, a policy brief, and presentation materials for a regional launch.

The assignment will run from August 1 to September 30, 2026, with launch support continuing into the final quarter. Applicants should demonstrate strong regional expertise in extractives governance, political economy, community-based research, and publication-quality feminist analysis. Proposals must include a detailed technical approach, work plan, team composition, and complete financial proposal.

DOWNLOAD THE FULL TERMS OF REFERENCE For detailed information on the assignment scope, deliverables, eligibility requirements, and application process, please download the full Terms of Reference (ToR) here.