Consultancy Services to Develop Housing, Land and Property (HLP) Due Diligence Framework for Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA) Programmin

Duration: 3 months (TBC)

Timeframe: End of September to November 2026 (TBC)

Supervision: DRC Syria Head of Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding, Country Protection Technical Lead / DRC Regional Protection Coordinator, Global HLP Advisor. - Who is the Danish Refugee Council? Founded in 1956, the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a leading international NGO and one of the few with a specific expertise in forced displacement. In 34 countries across the world, our 6,000 employees work to protect, advocate and build sustainable futures for refugees and other displacement-affected people and communities. DRC works during displacement at all stages: In the acute crisis, in displacement, when settling and integrating in a new place, or upon return. DRC provides protection and life-saving humanitarian assistance; supports displaced persons in becoming self-reliant and included into hosting societies; and works with civil society and responsible authorities to promote protection of rights and peaceful coexistence. DRC has been operating in Syria since 2008, initially responding to the Iraqi refugee crisis before pivoting to a full-scale response to the Syria crisis from 2011 onwards. Our work encompasses the full cycle of displacement, responding to life-saving humanitarian needs and supporting community recovery until durable solutions can be achieved. DRC Syria takes an area-based approach to supporting internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees, and host communities across our key sectors: Economic Recovery and Resilience, Protection, WASH, Shelter and Infrastructure, and Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding (including Humanitarian Mine Action).

2. Background

After over a decade of armed conflict and the political transition in Syria, the country faces a complex Housing, Land and Property (HLP) landscape characterized by widespread displacement, destruction of housing and infrastructure, loss or destruction of civil and HLP documentation, damaged land administration and cadastral records, insecure tenure and secondary occupation, and unresolved HLP disputes (HNRP, April 2026). At the same time, extensive contamination by explosive ordnance (EO) remains a significant protection concern and a major obstacle to safe access to housing, agricultural land, public infrastructure, and essential services. Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA) interventions - including explosive ordnance clearance, rubble removal, debris management, site preparation, and support to infrastructure rehabilitation - can have significant implications for HLP rights if implemented without adequate due diligence. Such activities may unintentionally reinforce insecure tenure, secondary occupation, disputed ownership, or unlawful occupation where HLP risks are not properly identified and mitigated. The HLP TWG is currently working to consolidate HLP due diligence approaches for Shelter/NFI and CCCM activities, while HLP considerations in Mine Action have primarily been addressed by specialized mine action actors, in line with their technical expertise, operational standards, and mandates. However , the absence of a common framework or agreed minimum standards for integrating HLP considerations into HMA programming, has resulted in inconsistent operational approaches, duplication of effort, and varying levels of HLP risk management across humanitarian actors. Recognizing this gap, the HLP Technical Working Group (TWG) and the Mine Action Area of Responsibility (MA AoR) have identified the need to develop harmonized guidance and a fit-for-purpose HLP due diligence approach for HMA interventions. This consultancy will support that process by mapping existing approaches and tools, identifying operational and policy gaps, facilitating stakeholder consultations and technical workshops, and developing harmonized guidance, adaptable Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and an HLP due diligence framework to strengthen coherent, conflict-sensitive, and rights-based implementation of HMA activities across Syria.

2. Objectives

The primary objective of this consultancy is to strengthen the integration of HLP considerations into HMA programming in Syria by mapping existing approaches, identifying HLP risks associated with HMA activities, technical and operational gaps, facilitating inter-agency consensus and developing harmonized guidance, adaptable standard operating procedures, and a fit-for-purpose HLP due diligence framework to support coherent implementation across HLP and HMA actors. The consultant will: - Map existing HLP and HMA actors, approaches, tools, guidance, SOPs, and operational practices across Syria, including their geographic coverage, technical focus, and areas of complementarity. - Conduct a comprehensive gap and risk analysis of the extent to which HLP considerations and potential HLP risks arising from HMA activities are identified and addressed within existing HMA approaches, guidelines, tools and operational processes and provide recommendation where necessary for their mainstreaming and standardization. - Facilitate technical dialogue and consensus-building between the HLP TWG, Mine Action AoR, National Mine Action Centre (NMAC) and other relevant stakeholders to strengthen coordination and promote resource sharing for the operationalization of the HLP and HMA workstream. - Facilitate validation workshops to achieve stakeholder agreement on harmonized approaches, minimum standards, key HLP risks and mitigation measures and implementation priorities for HLP and HMA programming. - Develop practical recommendations, harmonized guidance, adaptable Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and an HLP due diligence framework to support consistent implementation of HLP and HMA activities and strengthen inter-agency collaboration.

3. Scope of work and deliverables (Remote and in Person)

The consultant will be responsible for the following: A. Actor