External Evaluation Consultancy – Palestine Humanitarian Response Programme

Job Title and Reference

EXTERNAL EVALUATION | TERMS OF REFERENCE Palestine Humanitarian Response Programme Comprehensive Gaza and West Bank Programme Review (October 2023 – present) Reference PAL-2026-EVAL

Background and Context

SOS Children’s Villages Palestine (SOS CV Palestine), a member of the SOS Children’s Villages International (SOS CVI) Federation, has delivered child-focused programming in Palestine since 1968. Its multi-location presence combines alternative care, family strengthening, and community empowerment. Following the escalation of the conflict in October 2023, SOS CV Palestine launched a large-scale Emergency Response Programme which has since become one of the largest humanitarian responses within the SOS CVI Federation. Between October 2023 and December 2025, programme expenditure exceeded EUR 7 million, with the overall budget approaching EUR 8 million through the end of 2026. By the end of 2025, the programme had reached over 72,000 participants and is projected to reach close to 100,000 participants by the end of 2026. The response has encompassed a broad portfolio of interventions across Gaza including: multi-purpose cash assistance (MPCA); temporary shelter support for internally displaced persons (IDPs); distribution of food parcels, supplementary food packages, and dignity kits; Education in Emergencies (EiE) and remedial classes; Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) through individual, group, and family counselling; recreational and psychosocial activities for children and caregivers care and protection services for unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) in dedicated shelters; health awareness-raising activities; and broader resilience-strengthening initiatives for vulnerable households. These humanitarian interventions are complementary to the core mandate of SOS CV Palestine, which centres on alternative care for children who have lost, or are at risk of losing, parental care, alongside family strengthening and community empowerment.

Purpose, Scope and Intended Use of the Evaluation

2.1 Purpose

• Provide an objective, evidence-based assessment of the performance, impact, and processes of the Palestine Humanitarian Response Programme since October 2023, covering programmatic, operational, financial, and governance dimensions;
• Generate structured learning on the relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability of the response, with particular attention to the constraints of operating without sustained in-person field access;
• Identify, assess, and prioritise strategic and operational options for accelerated scaling up of the Gaza and West Bank response in a principled, sustainable, and risk-informed manner.

2.2 Intended Use

The findings and recommendations of the evaluation are intended to inform:

• Decision-making by SOS CV Palestine, contributing partners (PSAs), and SOS CVI at International Office (IO) level regarding programmatic adjustments, resource allocation, and governance of the Gaza response.
• The design of the next-generation humanitarian architecture that fits the evolving fragile context, including partnership and implementation modalities for scale-up in Gaza;
• Dialogue with institutional donors, the broader SOS CVI Federation, and external coordination platforms on the positioning and capacity of SOS CVI in Palestine;
• Updating of existing Humanitarian Appeals and related overall Gaza response plans facilitated by the Humanitarian Action Team (HAT) and IDS to be reflected on 2027 plans and onwards.

2.3 Scope of the Evaluation

Temporal scope

The evaluation shall cover the period from October 2023 to the date of data collection. It shall also include a forward-looking analysis covering the remainder of 2026 and the period immediately beyond, sufficient to inform scale-up decisions.

Geographic scope

The evaluation shall cover all areas of programme implementation in Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Gaza Strip is the primary geographic focus, with the West Bank included in scope to ensure a comprehensive assessment of the Palestine Humanitarian Response Programme, in line with the overall objective of informing accelerated scale-up.

Programmatic scope

The evaluation shall cover all emergency projects implemented under the Palestine Humanitarian Response Programme since October 2023, across all donor streams and all sectors listed in Section 1, together with the enabling environment and the broader humanitarian context in which the programme operates.

Methodology

The evaluation will be conducted in accordance with the SOS CVI Evaluation Policy and the Sphere Project’s Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Programming. The evaluation will be led by an independent consultant with expertise in humanitarian programme evaluation, and will involve a mixed-methods approach combining both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis.

Requirements

• Independence and impartiality
• Confidentiality and anonymity
• Transparency and accountability
• Respect for the rights and dignity of all individuals involved in the evaluation

Evaluation Phases

• Phase 1: Desk review and stakeholder consultations
• Phase 2: Fieldwork and data collection

Evaluation Tools and Instruments

• Evaluation framework and methodology
• Data collection tools and instruments
• Data analysis plan

Evaluation Timeline

• Phase 1: Desk review and stakeholder consultations (4 weeks)
• Phase 2: Fieldwork and data collection (6 weeks)
• Data analysis and reporting (8 weeks)

Evaluation Budget

• Consultant fees
• Travel and accommodation costs
• Data collection and analysis costs
• Reporting and dissemination costs

How to Apply

Application deadline 22 May 2026