Individual Consultant to develop a guide to engage men and boys in improving Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) health outcomes and ending gender based violence (GBV)
TERMS OF REFERENCE
Background:
There is an increasing recognition on the critical role of men and boys in promoting SRH outcomes and ending GBV, as well as harmful practices such as child marriage. The SRH and GBV landscape in Lesotho reflects inadequate involvement of men and boys.
The country has one of the highest maternal mortality rates (566/100 000) in East and Southern Africa. One of the major contributors to this negative health outcome, is unsafe abortions, mainly by young women and adolescents. A significant proportion of adolescent girls are impregnated by older men.
The country is also battling with gender based violence. This is mostly perpetrated by men. While the global average of women who report experiencing violence in their lifetime is about 33%, in Lesotho, it is almost three times higher, estimated at 86 percent. Considering that most women and girls don’t report these cases, the proportion of prisoners (over 40%) incarcerated for sexual offences points to a national crisis.
The kingdom has also one of the highest levels of child marriage in the SADC region, estimated at 19 percent. These include children under the age of 15, and in most cases being married by much older men.
Men’s behaviour and attitude is not only harmful to women, but also to themselves. Men are less likely to attend to their sexual and health needs. For instance, men living with HIV are less likely to test or enroll for treatment as compared to women. There are also negative social norms that put both men and women at risk for negative health outcomes.
It is against this background, that a consultant is sought to help the country develop a guide for effective engagement of men and boys to promote SRH and also end GBV and child marriage.
Purpose:
The purpose of this consultancy is to develop a comprehensive guide to engage men and boys in SRH and GBV prevention efforts including ending child marriage. The guide will aim to:
● Increase awareness and understanding of SRH and GBV issues among men and boys.
● Promote positive masculinity and equitable gender norms.
● Encourage active participation of men and boys in SRH and GBV prevention initiatives.
Scope of work:
(Description of services, activities, or outputs)
The consultant will be responsible for:
● Developing an inception report (15 pages). This will provide a concise understanding of the terms of reference. It will also demonstrate the understanding of male engagement through a review of existing literature and initiatives on male engagement in SRH and GBV.
Furthermore, a clear methodology of undertaking the assignment will be articulated and the time lines.
● Conducting stakeholder consultations with relevant organisations, community leaders, and beneficiaries. The consultant will engage multiple stakeholders to get ideas on who to target, and how to target
● Developing a detailed guide on male engagement. This may require segmentation of the target groups as as:
○ Young men and boys (ages 15-24) including herdboys
○ Community leaders and influencers
○ Fathers and male caregivers
○ Male employees in workplaces
● Designing training modules and materials for capacity building.
● Providing a framework for monitoring and evaluation. This will monitor the implementation of the guide
Duration and working schedule:
This consultancy will require 45 person days to be completed over a period of 3 months. It is expected to start on October 1, 2024 and end on December 31, 2024.
The place where services are to be delivered:
UNFPA Lesotho and Ministry of Gender, Youth and Social Development
Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy, etc.):
The consultant will be expected to deliver work electronically as per the schedule
Deliverable Time Frame Inception Report that includes a Literature Review, the roadmap for undertaking the assignment,
5 October 2024 (10 days) 20%0
Draft Male engagement guide and training package
30 October 2024 (25 days) 50%
Final Male Engagement Guide (MEG) and training package
16 November 2024 (10 days) 30%
Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:
The consultant will be required to provide bi-weekly progress updates through one-on-one meetings, e-mails or telephonically to UNFPA, and Ministry of Gender Youth and Social Development and Ministry of Health.
Supervisory arrangements:
The consultant will liaise with UNFPA National Programme Analyst BCC Adolescent and Youth. The 2gether4SRHR Joint UN team, constituted by the UN agencies UNFPA, UNAIDS, UNICEF, and WHO will technically review this consultancy and provide technical oversight.
Expected travel: The consultancy is for a local consultant.
Required expertise, qualifications, and competencies, including language requirements:
The consultancy is seeking a local consultant with the following:
Educational Background
The consultant should have:
● Relevant postgraduate qualifications in Public health, Sociology,
Gender studies or any relevant field.
● demonstrable expertise in gender studies, SRH, and GBV prevention.
● Experience in developing engagement guides and conducting training.
● Strong research and analytical skills.
● Excellent communication and facilitation skills.
Application Process
Interested candidates should submit the following.
● Cover Letter: Outlining relevant experience and approach to the consultancy.
● CV/Resume: Detailed resume highlighting relevant experience and qualifications.
● A copy of similar work Inputs/services to be provided by UNFPA or implementing partner (e.g. support services, office space,
equipment), if applicable:
The task team will provide technical assistance and provide materials where possible for the development of the guidelines.
Other relevant information or special conditions, if any:
Procedures for Submission
Interested local consultants should submit (by mail) their CV to [email protected] by the 25 September 2024
For further information, visit UNFPA at Lesotho.unfpa.org