Terms of Reference (ToR) Rapid Assessment of the Context of and Opportunities for Refugees and Displaced Youth in Ghana

Terms of Reference (ToR): Rapid Assessment of the Context of and Opportunities for Refugees and Displaced Youth in Ghana.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Interested applicants are encouraged to submit their applications early.

  1. Background

Ghana hosts refugees and asylum seekers from neighboring countries, including Côte d’Ivoire, Togo and Burkina Faso. In recent years, insecurity in the Sahel region, alongside climate-related pressures and intercommunal tensions, has contributed to increased displacement and cross-border movements, particularly affecting northern Ghana.

Within these populations, young people aged 18–35 face a range of barriers to education, skills development, employment and economic participation. These may include disrupted educational pathways, limited access to vocational training, difficulties accessing formal employment, documentation requirements, financial constraints and social exclusion. Young women and youth with disabilities may experience additional barriers. These barriers may be compounded by intersecting factors such as age, gender, disability, displacement status, socioeconomic circumstances and geographic location. Gender norms, unpaid care responsibilities, safety concerns and limited accessibility may further constrain participation in education and economic opportunities. However, the circumstances of displaced youth vary considerably depending on their legal status, location, socioeconomic conditions and access to institutional support. Opportunities for inclusion are also influenced by government policies, the capacities and incentives of relevant institutions, local labour-market conditions, and the availability of education and employment services.

The Mastercard Foundation, through its partnership with WUSC under the DREEM project, seeks to strengthen opportunities for refugees and displaced youth (RDPs) to access education, develop relevant skills and participate meaningfully in economic life.

A rapid contextual assessment is therefore proposed to consolidate existing evidence, examine the institutional and structural factors shaping RDP inclusion in Ghana, and identify practical opportunities for future programming, partnerships and policy engagement.

  2. Purpose of the Assessment

The assessment aims to generate practical, context-specific evidence on the barriers and opportunities affecting the inclusion of refugees and displaced youth in education, skills development, employment and broader economic participation in Ghana.

It will examine the policy, institutional, socioeconomic and political economy factors shaping these opportunities, including the roles and incentives of relevant government institutions, education and training providers, private-sector actors, development partners and refugee-led organizations. The assessment will apply an intersectional lens to understand how barriers and opportunities differ among displaced youth, particularly young women, youth with disabilities and those experiencing multiple forms of exclusion.

The assessment will inform the Mastercard Foundation's and DREEM's understanding of the Ghanaian context and help identify feasible areas for programmatic support, institutional partnerships and policy engagement.

Please click this link to view the full Terms of Reference (TOR).