Country: South Sudan
Closing date: 13 Sep 2015
Background and Rationale
Since 2007, the Women Protection and Empowerment programme in South Sudan has worked to strengthen gender-based violence (GBV) service delivery, help survivors heal, mobilize communities and institutions to prevent violence, and promote women and girls' inclusion. The IRC works to ensure GBV survivors have access to life-saving care, improved protections and envisions a country in which women and girls are respected, have access to essential services and opportunities, and live free from violence. The IRC South Sudan has been implementing GBV programmes in refugee, internally displaced and other conflict-affected communities. Adolescent girls programming is one of the key strategies that the WPE implements in the various contexts in South Sudan.
Findings from existing adolescent girls programme, assessments conducted and focus group discussions indicates that adolescent girls continue to face a myriad of challenges embedded in traditional and cultural beliefs and practices that discriminate and promote gender inequality. This situation is further compounded by existing poverty, making adolescent girls vulnerable and exposing them to unique risks such as early/forced marriage, rape, denial of education and increased household duties. Unfortunately, the existing limited programming interventions are tailored to adults and very few facilities are designed to address their complex and multi-faceted needs.
In Lakes State, the IRC has been supporting 2 out of school and 5 school-based Adolescent Girls Clubs (previously known as Girls Empowerment Movement - GEM - clubs) and 8 school based clubs in NBG. The experience has provided important learning and informed the strategic direction for scaling up the programme in 2015 and in the longer term. The learning included:
- the need to have a training toolkit to run the clubs effectively.
- a lack of female teachers available to run the clubs (resulting in an uncomfortable dynamic for the girls with male teachers and a general lack of facilitation skills for leading these types of groups).
- large support requirements exist for girls with varying and unique needs.
- a reinforced need for continued focus on adolescent girls as active participants and most importantly as agents of change in their communities. Girls have great potential to be the deliverers/leaders of sustainable social change in their communities.
- a need to identify ways to ensure girls' clubs are designed and managed effectively.
With the changes to be introduced in 2015, the programme hopes to equip adolescent girls with critical life skills including leadership, advocacy, public speaking, and more.
To address the gaps identified, the IRC is seeking the services of a consultant to strengthen adolescent girls programming in South Sudan.
- Purpose of the Consultancy
To provide technical support to the IRC WPE team through literature review; review of assessment reports and findings; consultation with staff and key stakeholders; strengthening of programme design; resource development; staff training and capacity building. Specifically, the consultant will analyse the existing adolescent girls programme and provide recommendations for the current and future adolescent girls programming. The Consultant will design the content for an adolescent girls programme toolkit and build the capacity of IRC's staff (focal points) working on this project.
Key tasks:
I. Conduct a desk review of existing adolescent girls' resources and curriculum. Review existing assessment reports and findings; conduct assessment as necessary and consult with IRC WPE staff;
II. Analyse the effectiveness of the implementation of the existing adolescent girls programme, document existing best practices and highlight the gaps. Identify and provide key priority, immediate and future recommendations for the adolescent girls programming, including how to strengthen prevention and response strategies to address key concerns faced by adolescent girls (including early marriage, survival sex and sexual violence);
III. Develop an adolescent girls programme toolkit to guide the establishment of an adolescent girls programme and engagement with adolescent girls. The toolkit should covers key topics such as reproductive health, GBV, leadership and broader life skills to build social and human capital among targeted adolescent girls. Consult with key external stakeholders (including girls, parents, mentors, and other relevant organizations) to obtain information which will enhance programme implementation;
IV. Develop a range of tools to be used in an adolescent girls training and an accompanying facilitators' guide for IRC staff and mentors.
V. Provide training and mentoring to key WPE staff on the adolescent girls toolkit and the immediate programme recommendations so as to develop a strong understanding and technical competency for adolescent girls programming;
VI. Input to a participatory monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system for the adolescent girls' initiative.
Proposed Outputs
1 Briefing/summary paper outlining key findings of implementation of adolescent girls programme to date and programme tools and highlighting examples of best practice as well as gaps. (Maximum 5 A4 pages). 2 Design a contextualised adolescent girls programme toolkit; 3 Conduct a training on the adolescent girls programme toolkit and the immediate programme recommendations for the WPE staff focal points; 4 A series of tools (eg. visual aids) to be used in an adolescent girls training and an accompanying facilitators' guide for IRC staff and mentors. These tools should be road tested with adolescent girls to check their suitability and effectiveness. 5 Produce a written report making recommendations for the development of the current adolescent girls programming. This should include a roadmap/activity plan for implementation (2015) and future adolescent girl programming. 6 A series of inputs given to the participatory monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system for the adolescent girls' initiative. 7 A debrief on the project including: the tools, the programme review report recommendations, and the ADG programme toolkit to the technical team.
These outputs should be produced in consultation with the WPE team and relevant stakeholders.
- Management
The Consultant will report directly to the WPE Co-ordinator and there will be an indirect reporting line to the two Senior WPE Managers. . The WPE Co-ordinator and the two Senior WPE Managers will constitute a technical team who will supervise the project progress. Supervision will be regular and performance will be monitored throughout the process to ensure that delivery of outputs is on track.
- Timeframe
April - May 2015 - 60 days
Task
Estimated No. of days
Conduct a desk review of existing adolescent girls' resources and curriculum. Review existing assessment reports and findings; conduct assessment as necessary and consult with IRC WPE staff to identify key concerns among girls in, existing services, coping strategies and GBV risks to inform programme design, approaches and strategies.
Analyse the effectiveness of the implementation of the existing adolescent girls programme, document existing best practices and highlight the gaps. Identify and provide key priority, immediate and future recommendations for the adolescent girls programming, including how to strengthen prevention and response strategies to address key concerns faced by adolescent girls (including early marriage, survival sex and sexual violence);
5
Consult with key external stakeholders (including girls, parents, mentors and other organizations) to enhance programme implementation. (This will require visits to field sites).
12
Design a contextualised adolescent girls programme toolkit;
12
Design of new, and adaptation of existing, resources to be used with adolescent girls to meet their needs. (These resources should be developed in consultation with adolescent girls in South Sudan to road test what works).
5
Plan and conduct a 5 day training for IRC South Sudan WPE staff focal points on the toolkit developed, advise on how to use the resources developed and approaches that workers can use (including strategies to address early marriage and sexual violence).
8
Review of and inputs given to the participatory monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system for the adolescent girls' initiative.
3
Provide support and follow up to the field sites staff regarding implementation of the toolkit and resources
8
Provide written report of the findings and recommendations to IRC including best practices and lessons learnt during the consultancy to inform immediate and future adolescent girl programming in South Sudan. This should include a roadmap/activity plan for implementation (2015) and future adolescent girl programming.
5
Presentation of the ADG programme report, toolkit and the resources developed to the WPE Co-ordinator and WPE Senior Managers
2
Total days
60
- Work Environment
The security level is orange. The situation is calm but remains tense and unpredictable; concerns include criminality, presence of armed troops, and looting. There is active conflict in many parts of the country and a possibility for further expansion of the conflict and violence into other areas and other states.
The consultant will be in Juba periodically, but will be based mostly in the field. (Field locations likely to include Malualkon, Rumbek and an IRC programme site in Unity State). The IRC will provide accommodation in Juba. Lodging in field sites range from a tent to a traditional hut to permanent structures. Field compounds have common latrines and showers. All IRC sites have electricity and internet at least several hours per day. Food is the individual's responsibility.
The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct . These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation. Consultants are expected to apply with these codes of conduct during their contract with IRC.
How to apply:
Please follow this link to apply: http://www.aplitrak.com/?adid=c2dyYW50LjkxMjc2LjM4MzBAaXJjLmFwbGl0cmFrLmNvbQ