Post:Consultancy documenting UNFPA
Organization: UN Population Fund
Location:Johannesburg,South Africa
Country: South Africa
I. Introduction
UNFPA's Adolescents and Youth Strategy has two strategic prongs which complement each other to ensure that young people are empowered with the knowledge and skills necessary to lead their age mates and participate effectively in evidence-based policy advocacy, for the integration of youth issues in national development frameworks. These are: Prong 1: 'Evidence-Based Advocacy for Development, Investment and Implementation and Prong 5: 'Youth Leadership and Participation'. The same two prongs were part of UNFPA's earlier Framework for Action: 4 Keys for Opening Doors for Adolescents and Young People. Consequently, the Africa Region has been implementing Youth Leadership and Participation activities since 2005, when the African Youth Charter was developed. After 8 years of building the capacity of young people in national, regional and global platforms for them to lead the ICPD agenda, UNFPA ESARO plans to conduct a comprehensive documentation of work done and examine the effectiveness of its youth participation and leadership strategy.
Since the African Adolescents and Youth Network for Population and Development (AfriYAN), the African Young Positives Network, the African Young Statisticians, the AU Youth Volunteer Corps and the African Chapter of the Global Youth Coalition worked with UNFPA, the assessment will include their activities and achievements. For this purpose, a consultant will be hired to work with ESARO and all Country Offices (COs) in the region to generate a database of young people that UNFPA has worked with over the past 8 years and assess the outcomes in youth participation, advocacy and leadership at national, regional and global level.
II. Background
Adolescents and young people have been estimated at 160.2 million in the 23 countries of the ESA region in 2013, representing nearly 33 per cent of the total population. This number is expected to reach 282.2 million by the year 2050, with their proportion decreasing to 23 per cent in Southern Africa and 29 per cent in Eastern Africa . They require access to education, health care, other social services and development of marketable skills for the foreseeable future. Meaningful children and youth participation in policy dialogue and programming has been a critical component of youth programming since the UN CRC in 1990.
This was strengthened by the ICPD PoA which called for active involvement of young people 'in the planning, implementation and evaluation of development activities that have a direct impact on their daily lives.' (Report of the ICPD and Plan of Action, 1994, pr. 6.15).
In Africa the Maputo Plan of Action for SRHR refers explicitly to adolescents and young people. The African Youth Charter adopted in the Conference of Ministers in May 2006, Article 11 (2b) declares that State parties should 'Facilitate the creation or strengthening of platforms for youth participation in decision-making at local, national, regional, and continental levels of governance', and this includes the creation of national youth policies. 39 countries in the Africa region signed the Youth Charter 28 ratified it at national level and deposited investments for its implementation.
The Africa Commission's Report (2009) 'Realising the Potential of Africa's Youth' and the declaration of 2010 as the UN International Year of Youth have created a renewed impetus towards youth policy development.
UNFPA supported the establishment of AfriYAN in December 2005. Its' mission is to strengthen leadership and advocacy skills of young people to be actively involved in policy formulation and program implementation at the national, sub-regional and regional levels. Through joint efforts of UNFPA and AfriYAN, young people and their needs have been more present in regional and national policy meetings, including AU heads of state and youth ministers meetings and regional and global ICPD agenda events, were specific fora were conducted for youth to voice their concerns, pledges and requests to decision-makers. These fora were used by UNFPA to train young people on SRH issues and advocacy, including through the use of social media for advocacy, mobilization for access to services, among others. Youth advocacy strategies and social media platforms have been created for decisive regional and global SRH processes like the Campaign for the Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMMA) and the ICPD post 2014 review. In a number of countries explicit reference to Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) and youth-friendly services (YFS) is being made in National SRH/HIV frameworks, however several countries are still missing and gaps persist in curricula revision and program implementation.
Further mechanisms for promoting youth participation include: Youth Parliaments, National Youth Councils and Youth Networks. Members from these networks are often participants at regional summits. In 3 Batches, 200 young people were trained as AU volunteers and deployed in International Organizations based in Africa. Whilst many countries in the Africa region have significant experience of youth participation in the form of peer education in HIV prevention programmes, there is still much to be done with scaling up these initiatives, as well as ensuring the implementation and monitoring of national youth policy action plans. UNFPA has been supporting these processes guided by the newly developed global and regional adolescents and youth strategies, where Evidence-Based Advocacy for Development, Investment and Implementation and Young people's Leadership, Participation & Empowerment are two strategic keys out of 5, which also include CSE, Youth-Friendly Services (YFS) and reach-out to marginalized young people.
To support Africa's Development with updated and accurate data, UNFPA ESARO is supporting capacity building programme of young Statisticians. UNFPA partners with Statistics South Africa since 2009, a major institution for capacity building programmes in survey methodology and in census analysis in the SADC region. The overall objective of the joint ISIbalo programme is to enhance the participation of young statisticians in statistical research and training through stimulating their participation in the methodological and technological development of the discipline of statistics, and their involvement in various aspect of census taking and Civil registration and Vital Statistics.
III. Rationale for the consultancy
Variety of youth participation and leadership promotion efforts across the 23 ESA countries
Youth advocacy, participation and network capacity and activities vary from country to country, based on the support they receive from UNFPA Country Offices and from their respective National Ministries of Youth and National Youth Councils. To support the regional coordination and strengthen regional visibility of UNFPA's supported youth leaders and their efforts, it is important to assess the appropriateness and effectiveness of the strategy used, document best practices and lessons learned and make recommendations for UNFPA's new Regional Strategy for 2014-2017.
Specific Objectives of the consultancy
To document the effectiveness of the UNFPA youth participation strategies at the national, regional and global levels assessing
a) the extent to which capacity building led to a critical mass of youth leaders for the ICPD agenda and the post MDGs development agenda and
b) the extent to which capacity building contributed to improvement of young people's own goals and skills;
To assess the level of integration of youth issues into national, regional and global strategy documents, development frameworks and other outcome documents across countries of the region;
To document good practices and lessons learned at the national and/or regional level.
Specific Tasks will include:
a) Conducting a literature review on youth participation and leadership strategies and activities in general including best practices and documents emanating from UNFPA supported youth participation activities.;
b) Working with UNFPA Regional and Country offices to compile a list of young people (with contact details) who benefitted from UFNPA capacity building activities including participation in national, regional and global events related to young people
c) Conduct a questionnaire-based survey and additional in-depth interviews with key stakeholders of youth, AU, Ministries of Youth, national youth councils and youth networks (AfriYAN, young Statisticians, AU Youth Volunteer Corp members), UNFPA youth focal persons, on how these young people benefitted from the UNFPA youth participation strategy and how they grew skills and experience in the activities at country, regional and global level.
d) Write a comprehensive report with good practices and with clear recommendations for UNFPA and its partners in the area of youth participation and leadership development in the region.
Expected outputs
IV. Organizational Information
The consultant will work with UNFPA ESARO staff and youth focal persons in country offices, AfriYAN, Y-Peer, Young Statisticians' leadership and AUC's Youth Department. The consultant is expected to be hired for 40 working days between the day of contract in August to 30th of November, including travel to one country (Ethiopia) and to Johannesburg (ESARO) for preliminary results presentation.
V. Profile of Consultant
Master's degree or higher in the field of public health, social sciences or related field
At least 15 years of experience working in international health with special focus on adolescents and young people and preferably in the Africa Region
At least 5 experience in designing, implementing, evaluating and or documenting youth participation interventions and activities including theoretical underpinnings and historical progress in the field
Experience working with UNFPA or other UN agencies involved in youth participation
Demonstrated understanding of policy and development frameworks in the Africa Region
Evidence of excellent writing and communication skills targeting a cross section of stakeholders
How to apply:
Interested consultants should send their expression of interest, their CVs and their daily rates to Mr. Keneth Ehouzou ( kehouzou@unfpa.org) and Ms. Renata Tallarico ( tallarico@unfpa.org) at UNFPA Eastern and Southern Regional Office latest by 23.08.2013.-
Once UNFPA contract has been awarded, the consultant will be expected to submit an inception report, outlining the study methodology and timelines which will ensure achievement of study objectives by 15th of September, 2013 (date can be adapted, within two weeks after being hired).
Closing Date: Friday, 23 August 2013
How to Apply
http://unjobs.org/vacancies/1376519136344
Organization: UN Population Fund
Location:Johannesburg,South Africa
Country: South Africa
I. Introduction
UNFPA's Adolescents and Youth Strategy has two strategic prongs which complement each other to ensure that young people are empowered with the knowledge and skills necessary to lead their age mates and participate effectively in evidence-based policy advocacy, for the integration of youth issues in national development frameworks. These are: Prong 1: 'Evidence-Based Advocacy for Development, Investment and Implementation and Prong 5: 'Youth Leadership and Participation'. The same two prongs were part of UNFPA's earlier Framework for Action: 4 Keys for Opening Doors for Adolescents and Young People. Consequently, the Africa Region has been implementing Youth Leadership and Participation activities since 2005, when the African Youth Charter was developed. After 8 years of building the capacity of young people in national, regional and global platforms for them to lead the ICPD agenda, UNFPA ESARO plans to conduct a comprehensive documentation of work done and examine the effectiveness of its youth participation and leadership strategy.
Since the African Adolescents and Youth Network for Population and Development (AfriYAN), the African Young Positives Network, the African Young Statisticians, the AU Youth Volunteer Corps and the African Chapter of the Global Youth Coalition worked with UNFPA, the assessment will include their activities and achievements. For this purpose, a consultant will be hired to work with ESARO and all Country Offices (COs) in the region to generate a database of young people that UNFPA has worked with over the past 8 years and assess the outcomes in youth participation, advocacy and leadership at national, regional and global level.
II. Background
Adolescents and young people have been estimated at 160.2 million in the 23 countries of the ESA region in 2013, representing nearly 33 per cent of the total population. This number is expected to reach 282.2 million by the year 2050, with their proportion decreasing to 23 per cent in Southern Africa and 29 per cent in Eastern Africa . They require access to education, health care, other social services and development of marketable skills for the foreseeable future. Meaningful children and youth participation in policy dialogue and programming has been a critical component of youth programming since the UN CRC in 1990.
This was strengthened by the ICPD PoA which called for active involvement of young people 'in the planning, implementation and evaluation of development activities that have a direct impact on their daily lives.' (Report of the ICPD and Plan of Action, 1994, pr. 6.15).
In Africa the Maputo Plan of Action for SRHR refers explicitly to adolescents and young people. The African Youth Charter adopted in the Conference of Ministers in May 2006, Article 11 (2b) declares that State parties should 'Facilitate the creation or strengthening of platforms for youth participation in decision-making at local, national, regional, and continental levels of governance', and this includes the creation of national youth policies. 39 countries in the Africa region signed the Youth Charter 28 ratified it at national level and deposited investments for its implementation.
The Africa Commission's Report (2009) 'Realising the Potential of Africa's Youth' and the declaration of 2010 as the UN International Year of Youth have created a renewed impetus towards youth policy development.
UNFPA supported the establishment of AfriYAN in December 2005. Its' mission is to strengthen leadership and advocacy skills of young people to be actively involved in policy formulation and program implementation at the national, sub-regional and regional levels. Through joint efforts of UNFPA and AfriYAN, young people and their needs have been more present in regional and national policy meetings, including AU heads of state and youth ministers meetings and regional and global ICPD agenda events, were specific fora were conducted for youth to voice their concerns, pledges and requests to decision-makers. These fora were used by UNFPA to train young people on SRH issues and advocacy, including through the use of social media for advocacy, mobilization for access to services, among others. Youth advocacy strategies and social media platforms have been created for decisive regional and global SRH processes like the Campaign for the Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMMA) and the ICPD post 2014 review. In a number of countries explicit reference to Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) and youth-friendly services (YFS) is being made in National SRH/HIV frameworks, however several countries are still missing and gaps persist in curricula revision and program implementation.
Further mechanisms for promoting youth participation include: Youth Parliaments, National Youth Councils and Youth Networks. Members from these networks are often participants at regional summits. In 3 Batches, 200 young people were trained as AU volunteers and deployed in International Organizations based in Africa. Whilst many countries in the Africa region have significant experience of youth participation in the form of peer education in HIV prevention programmes, there is still much to be done with scaling up these initiatives, as well as ensuring the implementation and monitoring of national youth policy action plans. UNFPA has been supporting these processes guided by the newly developed global and regional adolescents and youth strategies, where Evidence-Based Advocacy for Development, Investment and Implementation and Young people's Leadership, Participation & Empowerment are two strategic keys out of 5, which also include CSE, Youth-Friendly Services (YFS) and reach-out to marginalized young people.
To support Africa's Development with updated and accurate data, UNFPA ESARO is supporting capacity building programme of young Statisticians. UNFPA partners with Statistics South Africa since 2009, a major institution for capacity building programmes in survey methodology and in census analysis in the SADC region. The overall objective of the joint ISIbalo programme is to enhance the participation of young statisticians in statistical research and training through stimulating their participation in the methodological and technological development of the discipline of statistics, and their involvement in various aspect of census taking and Civil registration and Vital Statistics.
III. Rationale for the consultancy
Variety of youth participation and leadership promotion efforts across the 23 ESA countries
Youth advocacy, participation and network capacity and activities vary from country to country, based on the support they receive from UNFPA Country Offices and from their respective National Ministries of Youth and National Youth Councils. To support the regional coordination and strengthen regional visibility of UNFPA's supported youth leaders and their efforts, it is important to assess the appropriateness and effectiveness of the strategy used, document best practices and lessons learned and make recommendations for UNFPA's new Regional Strategy for 2014-2017.
Specific Objectives of the consultancy
To document the effectiveness of the UNFPA youth participation strategies at the national, regional and global levels assessing
a) the extent to which capacity building led to a critical mass of youth leaders for the ICPD agenda and the post MDGs development agenda and
b) the extent to which capacity building contributed to improvement of young people's own goals and skills;
To assess the level of integration of youth issues into national, regional and global strategy documents, development frameworks and other outcome documents across countries of the region;
To document good practices and lessons learned at the national and/or regional level.
Specific Tasks will include:
a) Conducting a literature review on youth participation and leadership strategies and activities in general including best practices and documents emanating from UNFPA supported youth participation activities.;
b) Working with UNFPA Regional and Country offices to compile a list of young people (with contact details) who benefitted from UFNPA capacity building activities including participation in national, regional and global events related to young people
c) Conduct a questionnaire-based survey and additional in-depth interviews with key stakeholders of youth, AU, Ministries of Youth, national youth councils and youth networks (AfriYAN, young Statisticians, AU Youth Volunteer Corp members), UNFPA youth focal persons, on how these young people benefitted from the UNFPA youth participation strategy and how they grew skills and experience in the activities at country, regional and global level.
d) Write a comprehensive report with good practices and with clear recommendations for UNFPA and its partners in the area of youth participation and leadership development in the region.
Expected outputs
- A basic table database of young people and youth networks who benefited from UNFPA youth participation and leadership activities (with contact details)
- A report outlining the key findings based on the study objectives (outline will be agreed upon with UNFPA) including recommendations for UNFPA's new Regional Programme for 2014-2017 as well as challenges in conducting the study that are relevant for future researchers. Documentation of best practices and lessons learned in the area of youth participation and leadership embedded in the report as pull out sections or as an annex to the main report.
IV. Organizational Information
The consultant will work with UNFPA ESARO staff and youth focal persons in country offices, AfriYAN, Y-Peer, Young Statisticians' leadership and AUC's Youth Department. The consultant is expected to be hired for 40 working days between the day of contract in August to 30th of November, including travel to one country (Ethiopia) and to Johannesburg (ESARO) for preliminary results presentation.
V. Profile of Consultant
Master's degree or higher in the field of public health, social sciences or related field
At least 15 years of experience working in international health with special focus on adolescents and young people and preferably in the Africa Region
At least 5 experience in designing, implementing, evaluating and or documenting youth participation interventions and activities including theoretical underpinnings and historical progress in the field
Experience working with UNFPA or other UN agencies involved in youth participation
Demonstrated understanding of policy and development frameworks in the Africa Region
Evidence of excellent writing and communication skills targeting a cross section of stakeholders
How to apply:
Interested consultants should send their expression of interest, their CVs and their daily rates to Mr. Keneth Ehouzou ( kehouzou@unfpa.org) and Ms. Renata Tallarico ( tallarico@unfpa.org) at UNFPA Eastern and Southern Regional Office latest by 23.08.2013.-
Once UNFPA contract has been awarded, the consultant will be expected to submit an inception report, outlining the study methodology and timelines which will ensure achievement of study objectives by 15th of September, 2013 (date can be adapted, within two weeks after being hired).
Closing Date: Friday, 23 August 2013
How to Apply
http://unjobs.org/vacancies/1376519136344
