Background

Deadline for Submission: October 10, 2025

The Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace and Security (Dallaire Institute) works to end the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict and armed violence. As armed violence and organized crime increasingly affect children, there is an urgent need to strengthen the capacity of defence and security sector actors and civil society to take preventative action which halts this grave violation and transforms cycles of violence. To this end, the Institute is launching a project to develop a Handbook for Defence and Security Sector Actors on Preventing the Recruitment and Use of Children within Armed Violence. This Handbook will be a key tool that will help:

  • Build the capacity of defence and security sector actors to prevent the recruitment and use of children by criminal organizations/networks, gangs, and other actors engaging in armed violence;

  • Enhance knowledge and awareness of child-centered approaches to peace and security in contexts not legally classified as “armed conflict”;

  • Strengthen collaboration between defence and security actors and civil society organizations in a manner that is grounded in international child protection standards and adapted to specific regional contexts.

The Handbook is expected to include five to seven chapters (including an introduction and content chapters) and appendices.

This Handbook will be provided to defence and security actors around the world and serve as a guiding document for the Dallaire Institute’s training activities. This document will complement the Dallaire Institute’s existing Handbook for Defence and Security Sector Actors on the Prevention of the Recruitment and Use of Children by Armed Forces and Armed Groups (see: https://www.dallaireinstitute.org/handbook).

Scope of Work

The Dallaire Institute is seeking an experienced Consultant to lead the development of the first draft of this new Handbook.

The Consultant will be responsible for producing the first complete draft of the Handbook. The production of this draft will include the design and completion of research tasks (including document review and field research), preparing the text for this document so that it can be subjected to internal review by the Dallaire Institute, and incorporating feedback from Dallaire Institute staff after the first full review of the draft text, and throughout the development and writing process as needed.

This work will require the Consultant to complete fieldwork in Colombia and potentially other countries.

Deliverables

  • Inception note for Handbook development process;

  • Research protocols for data collection;

  • Completed syntheses of collected data;

  • First full draft of the Handbook (inclusive of any required figures and images);

  • Revised draft of Handbook that incorporates feedback.

Duration and Timeline

  • Anticipated start date: November 2025

  • Contract Duration: 12 months

  • Expected completion date of first full draft of Handbook: August 30, 2026

  • Expected completion date of revised draft of Handbook: October 01, 2026

Required Qualifications:

  • Advanced degree in a relevant field (e.g., international law, security studies, social science);

  • Proven experience drafting analytical and practical tools, guidance documents, or handbooks;

  • Full professional fluency in English and Spanish (required);

  • Strong research and writing skills;

  • Experience working with vulnerable populations, including at-risk youth;

  • Strong organizational and time-management skills;

  • Demonstrated expertise in relevant topic areas, such as peace and security, human rights, child protection, and/or international development in Latin America.

Supervision and Coordination:

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Dallaire Institute Director of Reseach and Knowledge Mobilization and in close collaboration with the team of Latino American Center of Excellence LACOE.

Application Process:

Interested candidates are invited to submit the following by October 10, 2025:

  1. A cover letter detailing relevant experience and motivation;

  2. A curriculum vitae highlighting relevant experience and language proficiency;

  3. A short technical proposal that presents the proposed approach, research methodology, and timeline (identifying key project milestones);

  4. A financial proposal indicating proposed pay rate and total proposed cost for all activities

Please send applications to: daniela@dallaireintitute.org with the subject line: EOI – Handbook on Armed Violence Consultant.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

About the Dallaire Institute:

Lt. General Romeo Dallaire founded the Child Soldiers Initiative in 2007 and Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, provided a home to the Initiative in 2010.  In 2020, the Initiative became the Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace and Security, an international repository of expertise, research, and advocacy to prevent the recruitment and use of children in armed violence.  The Dallaire Institute is the co-developer of the 2017 Vancouver Principles on Peacekeeping and the Prevention of the Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers. As part of Dalhousie University, the Dallaire Institute hosts a prestigious Tier 1 Canada Research Chair on International Peace, Security and Children and offers undergraduate and graduate courses. Through academic and practitioner training and community engagement, the Dallaire Institute’s interdisciplinary and applied research advances innovative strategies for preventing the recruitment and use of children in armed violence.  The Dallaire Institute is supported through private, public and international contributions.      

See: https://www.dallaireinstitute.org/