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Job Description

Purpose of the Consultancy

Technical assistance to create an essential sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information package  to be included in economic empowerment trainings and other curricula. 

Background

Under the Safeguard Young People (SYP) programme, the flagship youth programme of UNFPA ESARO, the integration of adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights (ASRHR) and the economic empowerment of young people has become one of the emerging issues of the programme in the past years.

To help countries in the East and Southern Africa region meet the intersectional needs of young people, UNFPA ESARO, in collaboration with ILO and the World Bank, published in 2021 a Programmatic Guidance on Integrating ASRHR and Economic Empowerment of Young People

The programmatic guidance aims to enlarge the evidence base on successful programming that integrates elements of ASRHR and youth economic empowerment. Situated within a socio-ecological model, the guidance offers evidence of successful programmatic approaches at the individual, community, institutional and policy levels. In 2022, UNFPA, ILO and the World Bank have developed a tutorial series based on the programmatic guidance to further disseminate the key insights of the programmatic guidance on how to create linkages and synergies between sexual and reproductive health and rights and youth economic empowerment intervention strategies.

As a next step to further operationalize the programmatic guidance, UNFPA ESARO is planning to develop a SRHR information package to be used in individual level economic empowerment interventions. The SRHR information package will be an important resource for practitioners to ensure the integration of ASRHR and economic empowerment on individual level interventions. This will be achieved through cross-sectoral skills-based programming focusing on increasing the youth capacity and competencies in both SRHR and economic and business related topics. 

The SRHR information package should build on  Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) content and promote consistent key messages aligned with international standards. It should contain the most essential SRHR information for adolescents and young people. It should be designed in a way that it can be easily integrated into individual economic empowerment interventions such as for example technical and vocational education and training (TVET), financial literacy programmes, business development trainings and coaching, and youth development livelihood programmes. 

Given that these individual economic empowerment interventions already have a very dense curriculum on economic empowerment topics, the SRHR information package has to strike a balance between being short and concise enough to be included into a variety of individual economic empowerment interventions for youth while still covering the most essential SRHR information for young people. A central aspect of the SRHR information package should be the importance of knowing where to refer young people to in case they need further SRHR information and/or services. 

The SRHR information package should draw its information and lessons from existing UNFPA CSE resources such as Regional CSE Facilitator’s Manual for out of school young people and other key reference documents such as the International Guidance documents on CSE (ITGCSE, 2018 and  the International Technical and Programmatic Guidance on Out of School CSE 2021)

The SRHR information package should include: 

  • Facilitator’s Manual for 6-8 scripted lesson plans including guidance on pre-requisite planning and links to local services (max. 100 pages after design and layout)
  • handouts for participants such as pamphlets 
  • Training of Trainers Facilitation Guide. 
  • Checklist for facilitators on what needs to be in place/know before starting the SRHR sessions (e.g. where can young people be referred to, adequate training of facilitators, etc.)

List of further resources, including referrals for SRHR and GBV services.
 

Scope of Work

Under the overall guidance of the Regional SYP Coordinator and daily supervision by ESARO’s CSE Specialist and Youth Programme Analyst and in collaboration with the regional SYP team the consultant will:

  1. Submit an inception report containing the identification of the most important SRHR content to be included in the SRHR information package and the rough outlines and their corresponding learning objectives of the maximum 6-8 lessons of 45 minutes to be included in the package. (4 days)
  2. After a meeting to discuss and build consensus on the contents of the inception report, the further development of the agreed 6-8 lesson plans will continue. The format of the lesson plans that will likely follow the existing scripted lesson plan format unless alternative improvements have been suggested in the inception report (purpose, learning objectives with corresponding domains of learning, time, materials needed, preparation, steps, key messages, and any notes to facilitators, attached handouts or teaching aids).

Within the relevant lesson plans, institutionalize the use of the UNFPA endorsed AMAZE videos (see list, amaze.org/za), other related SBCC and CSE teaching and learning materials such as TuneMe, and posters and pamphlets where relevant.   (6 days)

  1. Develop a Training of Trainers Facilitation Guide for the SRHR information package. This will include all materials and preparations needed to conduct the training of facilitators with fidelity so as to minimize the common shortcomings of cascade models of training within the TOT. (3 days) 
  2. After receiving feedback from UNFPA, finalize all components of the SRHR information package and submit in word and pdf formats for onward submission for final professional editing, proofreading and approvals from internal publication committees and then finally to graphic designer. (2 days)
  3. Develop 1 power point presentations (primarily content) related to the regional dissemination of the SRHR information package. (1 day)

Deliverables:

  1. Inception report as described above.
  2. First draft SRHR information package to be used in economic empowerment activities as described above with all components namely a) Facilitator’s Manual for 6-8 scripted lesson plans b) handouts for participants/ participants booklet c) Training of Trainers Facilitation Guide. 
  3. Final electronic versions of the SRHR information package.
  4. One power point presentation.
     

Duration and working schedule

Total of 16 working days spread across August to November 2023 with final deliverables submitted for approval and processing of payment no later than 15 December 2023.

Place where services are to be delivered

This is a remote consultancy.  There will be at least two virtual meetings with the Johannesburg based UNFPA ESARO staff and regular email and online teleconference communication.   Regular communication by email and/or meetings (by phone, email and Skype/zoom/google hangouts) are expected between the consultant and the UNFPA ESARO focal points. 

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy etc.)

Electronic copies of all deliverables are expected as follows:

  • Inception report by 31 August 2023
  • First draft of the SRHR information package by 29 September 2023
  • Final electronic versions of the SRHR information package and Power point presentation  by 30 October 2023.

Payment schedule

  • First payment of 20% due after the first deliverable listed above is accepted by UNFPA.
  • Second payment of 30% due after deliverables 2 is accepted by UNFPA
  • Remaining 50% payment after deliverable 3 and 4 are accepted by UNFPA.

Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline

The consultancy is expected to commence by 10 August 2023 and must be completed no later than 15 December 2023.

Regular meetings (by phone, email and Skype/zoom/google hangouts) are expected between the consultant and the UNFPA ESARO focal points and broader regional teams as appropriate.

Supervisory arrangements

Under the overall guidance of the SYP regional coordinator, the consultants will report to UNFPA Regional CSE Specialist/Disability Focal Point and the Youth Programme Analyst. 

Expected travel

No expected travel
 

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements

  • Post graduate or equivalent degree (Masters level minimum) in public health, gender, international development, education or related social sciences.
  • At least 10 years of experience in CSE curriculum development and capacity building training of CSE facilitators working with adolescents and young people around CSE/SRHR topics.
  • Proven track record of producing CSE related teaching and learning materials to international standards in line with the mandate of UNFPA.
  • Strong presentation, communication, and writing skills in English required; working knowledge of another UN official language desirable.
  • Experience in the integration of SRHR and economic empowerment is an advantage

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

UNFPA ESARO is responsible for sharing essential documents related to the assignment and will provide feedback to the consultant within 5 working days of submissions.  It is expected that the consultants will have their own access to office space, equipment and internet access to complete the assignment.

Other relevant information or special conditions, if any

  • As per UNFPA policies and procedures, no payment will be made without satisfactory fulfilment of deliverables and necessary administrative tasks (submission of forms, air ticket boarding passes, etc. as applicable) 
  • UNFPA Work Environment: UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, teamwork, respect for diversity, integrity and a healthy balance of work and life.  We are committed to maintaining our balanced gender distribution and therefore encourage women to apply.

Apply here.

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