International Consultancy: Development of the SIARP Sustainability Strategy

International Consultancy:  Development of the SIARP Sustainability Strategy

Hiring Office_ Spotlight Initiative Africa Regional Programme. The Consultancy is to be virtual (remote work)

Duration of contract: 30 days

Deadlines for applications: 6 December 2022, 17h00 NY Time.

Purpose of consultancy:

Spotlight Initiative Africa Regional Programme (SIARP) seeks an individual international consultant to:

• Compile Promising approaches and lessons on sustaining the gains of ending Violence Against Women and Girls and Harmful practices.
• Define a capacity Strengthening Approach for Regional Institutions and access to resources to foster ownership.
• Identify opportunities for bringing what works to scale to sustain the gains on EVAWG and Harmful Practices.
• To outline a clear roadmap for ensuring the continuity of the programme and results at the regional level beyond the SI implementation period

Background and Context

The EU - UN Spotlight Initiative Africa Regional Programme (SIARP) is guided by the 2030 Agenda, the AU Agenda 2063, the AU Gender Strategy, the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (the Maputo Protocol), and other Africa regional instruments. SIARP has a continental scope and works towards the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls, including harmful practices.

The SIARP is a tripartite agreement between the EU, the UN, and the AUC with a continental scope that enhances a regional approach to end Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG), Sexual Gender-Based Violence, and Harmful Practices, as well as strengthening Sexual and Reproductive Health and Reproductive Rights (SRHR). It made the strategic decision to bring onboard from inception in recognition of and to capitalize on its political convening power.

The SIARP works through two streams of work, (Stream I and Stream II), both of which contribute towards the same outcome areas: Outcome 1: Legislation and Policies; Outcome 5: Quality and Reliable Data and Outcome 6: Supporting the Women’s Movement. Stream II is built on the programmatic and operational framework including governance structures of the ongoing UNFPA-UNICEF Global Programme to End Child Marriage (GPECM) and UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation (JPFGM) and, as such, both Streams I & II is fully aligned to the UN Reform efforts that encourage delivering as one and a significant increase in joint programming on gender equality.

Scope of work:

The individual consultant will be required to undertake the following tasks:

a) Inception report with key findings from the secondary Analysis.

b) Carry out consultation with SIARP external stakeholders to prepare and submit a report outlining which interventions are the most effective; What are the critical characteristics; Can the identified interventions are scalable; In which context or settings do they work; Which are the most cost-effective interventions; and, what are the risks with the identified interventions.

c) A SIARP draft sustainability strategy. The proposed strategy should look at interventions at the regional level but also consider the synergies with Country programmes

Methodology/ Approach:

The individual consultant will provide high-quality services to the Spotlight Initiative Africa Regional Programme Coordination Unit by conducting secondary research and strategic consultation with all Regional Spotlight Programme stakeholders to explore opportunities and approaches on scaling engagements on EVAWG and Harmful Practices towards securing gender equality against women and girls and promoting the uptake of SRHR information and services.

The secondary analysis will include the identification of documents and reports that might contribute to the understanding of the gaps and bottlenecks to address the problem, including lessons learned from previous initiatives to implement and enforce existing provisions. The findings of the secondary analysis should be included in the inception report which will be elaborated further by strategic consultation. The secondary analysis and strategic consultation findings will inform the development of the draft Sustainability strategy for the Spotlight Initiative Africa Regional Programme. Through an extensive mapping analysis of Mid-Term Assessments, Programme Annual reports, and the strategy will outline promising approaches and lessons on sustaining EVAWG and Harmful Practices.

The consultants’ methodology could include but is not limited to a desk review of existing evidence; noting that the consultant will be requested to use and complement if needed the SIARP supported secondary literature review in identifying what works in the Regional Programme.

Interested consultants are requested to submit a technical proposal that outlines the methodology to be used to develop a strategy to guide the Spotlight Initiative Africa Regional Programme (SIARP) by enhancing engagements that reduce/eliminate harmful produce/eliminate against women and girls, policy, administrative, social barriers to accessing SRHR information and services for promoting gender equality and equitable wellbeing in Africa.

Duration and Working Schedule: 30 Days

Place where services are to be delivered: The Consultancy will be conducted virtually (Online/ Remotely)

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered: Work will be delivered electronically. Delivery dates will be agreed with the consultant upon the contract starting date. 

The Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline: Regular meetings will be organized with the SIARP Programme Coordinator to provide an update on progress, address inquiries, and provide further information as needed

Supervisory arrangements: The consultant will report to the SIARP Regional Programme Coordinator

Expected travel: There is no expected travel under this consultancy

Education and Experience Required:

• The individual consultant should have a minimum of 10 years of experience with a Master’s or a bachelor’s degree and 12 years of experience in gender and male engagement to advance gender equality and SRHR.
• Knowledge and experience in developing strategic and policy documents. Working in East, Southern, Western, and Central Africa is an asset.
• Knowledge and capacity to provide high-quality reports.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Fluency in English is required.
• Experience in working with other UN agencies with similar assignments, specifically in developing strategies.
• Consultant should provide examples of past experience for similar assignments.

Inputs / services to be provided by UNFPA or implementing partner (e.g support services, office space, equipment), if applicable: 

SIARP will provide all the required documents pertaining to the development of the strategy. This will include:

• The SIARP Programme Document
• The SIARP Mid Term Assessment Report
• The SIARP 2020 and 2021 Annual reports
• Quaterly reports
• Steering Committee Minutes.

Other relevant information or special conditions, if any:

• The consultant is expected to create, and share with the SIARP Programme Coordination Unit and maintain a Google Drive folder with all relevant documents and materials prepared for this assignment.
• The assignment shall commence on the day of contract signature and end as outlined in the contract.
• The consultant is expected to complete the assignment within the set deadlines as indicated in the terms of reference.

How to apply:

Interested applicants should send a short letter of motivation and a detailed CV with the subject clearly stated; ‘’Spotlight Application’’ to jobs.esaro@unfpa.org by 06 December 2022 17h00 New York Time. UNFPA will only respond to those applicants in whom we have further interest.

The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application,interview, processing, training) or other fee, or request information on applicants’ bank accounts or HIV status.