EXPRESSION OF INTEREST - Secure the Future: Mobilising civil society and youth organisations to increase support for CSE in East and Southern ...

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

     Secure the Future: Mobilising civil society and youth organisations to
                 increase support for CSE in East and Southern Africa

Background

In December 2013, Ministers of Education and Health from 20 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa
(ESA) committed to scaling up Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) and youth-friendly Sexual
Reproductive Health (SRH) services for adolescents and young people in the region. To strengthen
accountability of the ESA Commitment, countries under the leadership of EAC and SADC agreed on a
Regional accountability framework, linked to the ESA targets, which has been used to track regional
and country progress.

While significant strides have been made in improving sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR)
outcomes of adolescents and youth in ESA region, there are still significant gaps and several barriers
to realization of the ESA Commitment targets. Progress reports released in 2015, 2017 and 2019
showed how more needs to be done to scale up CSE and access to youth-friendly SRH services, in
order to reduce HIV acquisition and early and unintended pregnancies among children and young
people. Further, the reports indicated that countries still need to develop, align and/or promulgate
laws that protect young people from sexual gender-based violence and outlaw early and child
marriages. These reports also pointed to weak inter-ministerial coordination, weak policy
implementation and a lack of data to enable targeted programming. Specific recommendations
included the need for increased financing of ASRHR, improved reporting and accountability
mechanisms, more ministries to come on board and increased civil society engagement.

One of the highlights of the ESA Commitment has been an increase in high level support for CSE and
youth-friendly SRH services for adolescents and young people. At country level, all ESA Commitment
countries have either established a new or utilized an existing coordinating mechanism with clear
terms of reference to guide the implementation of the ESA Commitment, many of them explicitly
multi-sectorial. The majority of countries have included the ESA Commitment in sector work plans
with costed activities and allocated resources. Ministries of education and ministries of health remain
key partners within the initiative, though with collaboration with gender, youth and higher education

sectors. At regional level, the Commitment has been cited in the SADC SRHR Strategy, as one of the
regional commitments that SADC Member States have affirmed. The ESA Commitment was reaffirmed
by ministries and senior officials from the ESA region during an ESA Commitment 2-year progress
meeting that was held during the 2016 International AIDS Conference. This reaffirmation was
expressed in the ministerial call to action aptly titled Let’s Step Up and Deliver! A Ministerial Call to
Action for accelerating the delivery of comprehensive sexuality education and sexual and
reproductive health services to adolescents and young people in Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA)1

Figure 1 Brief timeline of the ESA Commitment

Coordination of the ESA Commitment
At the regional level, the ESA Commitment has been coordinated by the Technical Coordinating Group
made up of RECs, UN agencies, donors, CSOs and youth. Additionally, a High-Level Group was
established to secure political support for the Commitment and was instrumental in the early stages
of negotiations and planning. The Technical Coordinating Group (TCG), under the leadership of SADC
and EAC Secretariats, with support from UNAIDS, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF, WHO, UNDP and MIET
plays a key role in the management of the ESA Commitment process and the implementation of the
accountability mechanism. At the country level, the coordination of the ESA commitment is led by
various inter-ministerial technical working groups often co-convened by ministries of education and
health, and include ministries of gender, youth, sport and social development and National AIDS
Councils.

ESA Commitment Beyond 2020
The year 2020 marks the deadline set for the ESA Ministerial Commitment. Since 2013, the global and
ESA region SRHR landscape has changed significantly. Globally, there has been an increased focus on
the institutionalization of SRHR within the context of universal health coverage (UHC). In the

1
    See www.youngpeopletoday.org website for details

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), SDGs 3 and 5 recognize SRHR as a key strategy to promoting
health, well-being, and gender equality. In particular, SDG 3 sets out to reduce global maternal
mortality (SDG 3.1) and ensure universal access to SRH services (SDG3.7); while SDG 5 promotes
universal access to SRHR (SDG 5.6), the elimination of harmful practices, such as child, early and forced
marriage and female genital mutilation (SDG 5.3) and advocates for policies and enforceable
legislation that promote gender equality (SDG 5.C). Within the ESA region, these rights are contained
in several regional agreements, including the Maputo Protocol, International Conference on
Population and Development (ICPD) 2014, African Union (AU) Strategy on Youth Dividends and
Agenda 2063, Southern African Development Community (SADC) SRHR Strategy, East African
Community (EAC) Health Strategy, and the ESA Commitment.

These global and regional developments in SRHR have bearing on the ESA Commitment Beyond 2020.
Particularly, future plans for the ESA Commitment will need to be aligned to the regional and global
frameworks in order encourage country ownership and ensure accountability to children and young
people’s access to CSE and SRH services.

Evaluation of the ESA Commitment (2013-2020)
After six years of implementation, an evaluation of the Commitment over its full implementation
period (2013-2020) was needed to assess the effectiveness of the Commitment in achieving targets
and improving outcomes for young people across the 21 countries but with an in-depth-focus on 10
selected countries. The overall objective of the evaluation is to assess the results, take stock of
progress and generate knowledge and evidence from the ESA Commitment implementation
experience in 21 member countries and their respective Ministries of Health and Education.

The purpose of the evaluation is to assess the processes and achievements made through the ESA
Commitment efforts in order to draw lessons that will inform the rationale for the extension of the
ESA Commitment to 2030 to align with Agenda 2030. The evaluation is forward looking and will
provide information on the nature, extent and where possible, the effect of the ESA Commitment to
the sexual and reproductive health and rights of adolescents and young people in East and Southern
Africa, while also forming a baseline the extension of the commitment beyond 2020.

The evaluation will assess the progress made in achieving the 2015 and 2020 targets of the ESA
Commitment Regional Accountability Framework (RAF), as well as processes such as the efficacy of
the multi-sectoral mechanisms at country and regional levels, and coordinating mechanisms set out
to drive the Commitment.

Opposition to CSE
Despite the well-documented effectiveness of CSE instances of opposition to CSE are happening
regularly, often supported by outside parties and amplifying local resistance groups. These anti-CSE
and anti-human rights groups often use misinformation and frightening language, or take facts out
of context.

Civil Society Engagement

Before the ESA Commitment was affirmed in 2013, Pan-African civil society organisations played a
critical role in mobilising their constituencies and contributing to the ESA Commitment processes.
During the affirmation ceremony in 2013, CSOs were further implored to mobilise their constituencies
and assist in monitoring implementation of the Commitment. A special consultation meeting for CSOs

was held in 2013 immediately after the affirmation to discuss monitoring and accountability. A year
later, in in 2014, during the second Regional Symposium on Adolescent SRHR and HIV in Africa held in
Lusaka, CSOs further clarified their role, and highlighted the need for young people’s leadership within
the ESA Commitment initiative. With persisting coordination challenges on the part of the CSOs, a
special meeting for CSOs under the ESA Commitment was held in Johannesburg in September 2015,
which led to the formation of a Civil Society Platform2. The meeting agreed that a regional
coordination mechanism be put in place responsible for implementing the regional level CSO strategy.
Further, during the AfriYAN general assembly in 2015, a youth led accountability framework was
developed with clear targets and actions to support ESA Commitment implementation. In December
2015 during ICASA, a youth led accountability plenary session and a session on the role of CSOs in the
Commitment were held. Another CSO consultation was held at the International AIDS Conference in
Durban in 2016, which reviewed progress on the CSO strategy, and made recommendations for
supporting the Roadmap to 2020.

In 2018, the CSO Platform led the development of a report on progress in the implementation of the
ESA Commitment. The process sought to provide a civil society perspective and showcase the work
done by civil society in support of the objectives of the ESA Commitment. Consolidated data from the
RAF and the country consultations were used in the analysis and report writing.

Figure 2: Brief overview of CSO engagement

Scope of Work

2
   The CSO Platform included the following organisations: International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), Ford
Foundation, AIDS Accountability International (AAI), Southern Africa HIV and AIDS Information Dissemination Service
(SAfAIDS), Save the Children, International Network of Religious Leaders Living with or Personally affected by HIV and AIDS
(INERELA+), the Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative (REPSSI), Africa Youth and Adolescent Network on Population and
Development (AfriYAN), Zambia Interfaith Networking Group on HIV and AIDS (ZINGO), LoveLife, Childline, IBIS Reproductive
Health, East Africa Network of AIDS Service Organizations (EANNASO), Population Council, Population Services International
(PSI) and ONE.

As countries look to securing the ESA Commitment beyond 2020, and extend its implementation to
2030, civil society engagement is very critical to inform the content and key issues that the
Commitment should address. To this end, regional civil society organisations (CSO) are being invited
to express interest in a consultancy to mobilise civil society organisations to increase support for CSE
and strengthen meaningful engagement of civil society in determining the future of the ESA
Commitment. Two regional CSOs are being sought to mobilise civil society in SADC and EAC regions
respectively. Interested and successful organisations will take the lead in mobilising civil society
organisations at country and regional levels through multiple channels. The outcome of this work will
be a strong movement of CSOs that will champion the delivery of CSE in the region.

Expected Activities

    1. Movement Building
The successful organisation is expected to mobilise the ESA civil society including through a vibrant
social media campaign and other channels to create a movement of like-minded organisations. The
movement shall be created at both country and regional levels. This movement must include civil
society and youth organisations from various relevant sectors such as;
        ✓ SRHR organisations
        ✓ Gender and feminist organisations
        ✓ Education sector organisations
        ✓ Religious leaders’ organisations
        ✓ Cultural and traditional leaders’ organisation

Specifically, the organisation shall create the movement which will:

    a) Convene like-minded organisations at national and regional level, and enlist them to form part
       of the movement to advance CSE
    b) Develop and disseminate advocacy materials targeting key stakeholders (parliamentarians,
       traditional leaders, religious leaders, parents);
    c) Provide training and capacity building to different groups including members of the
       movement, to demystify CSE and popularise it among various constituencies;
    d) Promote collaboration across countries and organisations;
    e) Monitor the occurrence of opposition to CSE, and respond to such opposition with one unified
       voice, promotive evidence and addressing any misinformation and misconception;
    f) Conduct a series of advocacy activities for the ESA Commitment using various media
       platforms; and
    g) Amplify CSO voices in the ESA Commitment affirmation process- this would include
       mobilisation and engagement, input into the commitment text and engagement with the final
       ESA Commitment negotiation process.

    2. Participation and consultation
The successful organisation is expected to support the participation of civil society organisations in
various regional and national processes related to the ESA Ministerial Commitment. To this end, the
organisation shall:

    a) Support CSO and youth consultations at different levels to inform the next ESA
       Commitment;
    b) Organise a virtual CSO dialogue for one region (either SADC or EAC) to:

✓ to present and discuss the ESA Commitment Evaluation Report and highlight the
                unfinished business;
            ✓ Discuss lessons learned and contributions by CSOs to the ESA Commitment; and
            ✓ Make recommendations and highlight issues for the renewed ESA Commitment;
   c) Create and consolidate list of possible civil society and youth organisations to represent the
      CSO movement at the regional ESA Commitment consultation organised by the TCG
   d) Submit recommendations on key issues to be included in the renewed ESA Commitment and
      make a presentation at the regional consultation organised by the TCG

Deliverables and working schedule

              Task                           Deliverable                      Timeline

                                              Inception

 Submit an inception report        Inception report                           May 2021
 detailing how the organisation
 will conduct the activities and
 include timelines

                                        Movement building

 Convene like-minded               Comprehensive database of                  May 2021
 organisations at national and     organisations (CSOs and
 regional level, and enlist them   youth)
 to form part of the movement
 to advance CSE

 Develop and disseminate           CSE materials of different           June-December 2021
 advocacy materials targeting      forms (reading, videos, audios)
 key stakeholders
 (parliamentarians, traditional
 leaders, religious leaders,
 parents), to demystify CSE and
 popularise it among various
 constituencies

 Promote collaboration across      Final activity report                   December 2021
 countries and organisations

 Monitor the occurrence of         CSE communication (press             May-December 2021
 opposition to CSE, and            releases, interviews, etc)
 respond to such opposition
 with one unified voice,
 promotive evidence and

addressing any misinformation
 and misconception.

 Conduct a series of advocacy       Advocacy reports                     May-December 2021
 activities for the ESA
 Commitment using various
 media platforms

 Amplify CSO voices in the ESA      Advocacy reports                     May- December 2021
 Commitment affirmation
 process- this would include
 mobilisation and engagement,
 input into the commitment
 text and engagement with the
 final ESA Commitment
 negotiation process

                                    Participation and consultation

 Support CSO and youth              Activity reports                        May-June 2021
 consultations at different
 levels to inform the next ESA
 Commitment
 Organise a virtual CSO dialogue    Outcome document and PPT                   May 2021
 for one region (either SADC or     presentation
 EAC)
 Create and consolidate list of     Participant’s list                         May 2021
 possible civil society and youth
 organisations to represent the
 CSO movement at the regional
 ESA Commitment consultation
 organised by the TCG

 Submit recommendations on Outcome document and                                June 2021
 key issues to be included in the PowerPoint presentation
 renewed ESA Commitment and
 make a presentation at the
 regional            consultation
 organised by the TCG

Profile of the Organisation
Interested organisations are expected to meet or exceed the following qualifications
Mandatory
    •   Be registered as a non-profit organisation or network
    •   Have presence or activities in more than 50 percent of countries in the interested region
        (EAC or SADC)

•   Proven experience in mobilising civil society and youth organisations in EAC or SADC region,
        supported by at least 3 references
    •   Proven experience in promoting collaboration across countries and organisations in EAC or
        SADC region, supported by at least 3 references
    •   Proven experience in conducting advocacy activities utilising various media platforms in EAC
        or SADC region, supported by at least 3 references
    •   Minimum five years’ experience working on adolescent and young people’s Sexual and
        Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) issues/ programmes in EAC or SADC region

Desirable
    •   Experience working with the UN on previous assignments

Expression of Interest
Interested organisations may submit a cover letter with a brief proposal with budget not exceeding
10 pages on the approach for the assignment to vacancies.harare@unesco.org cc
sr.musindo@unesco.org. The organisation should explicitly indicate which region it wishes to apply
for (SADC or EAC).
Closing date for applications: 23 April 2021