UNESCO Seeks Experts for Africa Living Heritage Policy Paper Consultancy – Apply by 20 August 2026
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is inviting organizations and expert consortia to submit expressions of interest for an important consultancy focused on safeguarding Africa’s living heritage. The consultancy offers an opportunity for experienced researchers, cultural heritage specialists, and policy experts to contribute to sustainable development across the African continent by developing a comprehensive policy paper on community-based approaches to safeguarding intangible cultural heritage.
This consultancy forms part of UNESCO’s ongoing project, “Building Capacities for Safarding Living Heritage and Preparing Nominations to the Lists of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Africa.” The initiative is supported by the Japanese Funds-in-Trust and aims to strengthen the protection, promotion, and integration of Africa’s rich cultural traditions into sustainable development frameworks.
About the Consultancy
UNESCO is seeking an organization or consortium consisting of two to three experts with strong backgrounds in cultural heritage, sustainable development, and policy research.
The selected contractor will produce a policy paper demonstrating how community-based approaches to safeguarding intangible cultural heritage contribute to sustainable development across Africa. The paper will also provide practical recommendations to governments and stakeholders for strengthening cultural heritage policies and their integration into regional development strategies.
The assignment supports nine African countries that had no elements inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists as of December 2023:
- Comoros
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Eswatini
- Gabon
- Guinea-Bissau
- Lesotho
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- South Sudan
Key Responsibilities
The selected consultancy team will carry out several major tasks, including:
- Reviewing existing policies and legal frameworks for safeguarding living heritage across Africa.
- Examining how intangible cultural heritage is integrated into regional sustainable development policies.
- Identifying successful community-led safeguarding initiatives across African regions.
- Conducting stakeholder consultations with cultural heritage practitioners and community organizations.
- Producing five detailed case-study stories showcasing successful safeguarding experiences.
- Developing a comprehensive policy paper with evidence-based recommendations for policymakers and UNESCO stakeholders.
The consultancy will involve extensive research, policy analysis, interviews, stakeholder engagement, and collaboration with UNESCO throughout the assignment.
Required Qualifications
UNESCO is looking for highly experienced professionals with expertise in cultural heritage and sustainable development.
All team members should possess:
- A Master’s degree or equivalent in heritage studies, anthropology, sociology, cultural policy, sustainable development, or a related discipline.
- Proven experience writing policy papers, analytical reports, or advocacy documents.
- Experience organizing stakeholder consultations, including with community-based organizations.
- Excellent analytical and writing skills in both English and French.
The team leader must also have:
- At least 10 years of professional experience in intangible cultural heritage safeguarding or sustainable development policy in Africa.
- Strong knowledge of UNESCO’s 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage and its Operational Directives.
Additional experience working with UNESCO or other United Nations agencies, participatory research methodologies, and knowledge of Portuguese or Spanish will be considered an advantage.
Expected Deliverables
The consultancy includes three key delivery phases:
- Submission of an outline of the policy paper, document review summary, proposed safeguarding experiences, and consultation plan.
- Delivery of the first draft policy paper alongside analytical findings and validated safeguarding experiences.
- Submission of the final policy paper, recommendations, consultation summary, and five completed safeguarding stories for UNESCO’s online platform.
These deliverables will be completed over approximately 141 days from the beginning of the contract.
How to Apply
Interested organizations and consortia should submit a complete technical proposal in either English or French.
Applications should include:
- A brief presentation of the applying organization and similar assignments previously completed.
- Updated CVs of all proposed team members.
- A methodology describing how the consultancy will be carried out.
- A detailed financial proposal with a budget presented in US dollars.
Applications should be emailed to:
Questions regarding the consultancy may be submitted to the same email addresses until 13 August 2026.
Application Deadline
The deadline for submitting expressions of interest is 20 August 2026 (midnight Paris time).
This consultancy represents an excellent opportunity for experienced organizations and cultural heritage experts to contribute to safeguarding Africa’s living heritage while shaping sustainable development policies across the continent. Through research, stakeholder engagement, and evidence-based policy recommendations, the selected team will help strengthen UNESCO’s efforts to preserve intangible cultural heritage and empower communities throughout Africa.
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Disclaimer: Remote Job Opportunities (RJO) is not the organization offering this opportunity. For any inquiries, please contact the responsible organization directly. Please do not send your applications to RJO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.
