TERMS OF REFERENCE – STAKEHOLDER MOBILIZATION AND POLICY ENGAGEMENT CONSULTANCY-BURKINA FASO

Introduction

The African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) is the continent’s premier research institution and think tank, exploring questions of population health and wellbeing. Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, and with a West Africa Regional Office (WARO) in Dakar, Senegal, the Center seeks to drive change with evidence led by a growing cadre of research leaders from across sub-Saharan Africa. According to global and continental development priorities, our teams orient their research agendas, driven by the belief that Africa and African-generated evidence must be at the forefront of decisions supporting improved growth and development.

Project overview

APHRC is implementing a four-year research-to-policy program called ‘Challenging the Politics of Social Exclusion’ (CPSE). The program seeks to support the full domestication and translation into practice of continental commitments forged collectively by African States. CPSE’s work is anchored on partnerships with key government and civil society bodies at national, regional and sub-regional levels, in Eastern, Southern and Western Africa in seven countries: Kenya, Rwanda, Zambia, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, and Liberia.

In 2021, APHRC collaborated with Institut Supérieur des Sciences de la Population (ISSP) to conduct a cross-sectional study in Burkina Faso to document the lived experiences of pregnant and parenting adolescents (PPAs), the impact of pregnancy and childbearing on them, as well as policies and interventions to cushion the adversity faced by these adolescents. The study was inspired by the soaring cases of adolescent pregnancy and childbearing in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) despite drastic reductions in global rates.

The concluded PPA study in Burkina Faso captures lived experiences of PPAs, including how they perceive their roles as parents, the challenges they experience, and the support they would need to improve their life chances. APHRC and partners intend to conduct nationwide dissemination workshops and engage with key policy and decision makers in Burkina Faso to raise awareness on the plight of PPAs.

In this regard, APHRC seeks to recruit a consultant based in Burkina Faso to support advocacy and policy engagement actions informed by the PPA study findings.

Scope of work

The consultant is expected to mobilize key state and non-state actors in Burkina Faso, engage them in policy actions to influence commitments in the promotion of adolescent sexual reproductive health and wellbeing of PPAs, as well as produce knowledge products from the research work to amplify stakeholders’ recommendations and inform relevant policy change and practice. In partnership with the Policy Engagement and Communication (PEC) team, the consultant will also lead capacity building for ISSP staff on research uptake.

Responsibilities of the consultant

• Keep abreast with trending government and stakeholder conversations on adolescent sexual reproductive health and rights and share opportunities for engagement with APHRC and partners.
• Mobilize state and non-state actors to participate in project advocacy activities.
• Engage relevant ministries and their agencies in policy dialogues and draw practical action plans reflective of feasible solutions to the plight of PPAs.
• Coordinate national mainstream media and social media advocacy.
• Working with APHRC’s PEC team, organize and facilitate capacity building sessions for research uptake.
• In collaboration with APHRC’s Senior Advocacy Officer and Communication Officer produce knowledge products; a social media toolkit, 1 fact sheet, 1 policy brief, 2 blogs and workshop and stakeholder presentation documents.
• Document and keep a record of all national policy and advocacy activities and their outcomes including translating them from English to French and vice versa.
• Support in the selection of service providers as well as coordination in Burkina Faso and ensure their delivery of quality service.
• Provide weekly updates to APHRC on the progress of the project advocacy activities.
• Participate in APHRC and partners led project briefings.

Deliverables

• Three (3) stakeholder workshops, meeting reports and action plans in English and French.
• Links to audio visual and publications from delivered media advocacy actions.
• A consolidated national project report on agreed upon advocacy activities and their outcomes in English and French.
• One pager weekly updates on the progress of the project advocacy activities and ongoing nationwide conversations/trends in adolescent sexual reproductive health and rights.
• National service providers’ accountability documents i.e. official invoices and receipts.
• Quality knowledge products, a social media toolkit, 1 fact sheet, 1 policy brief, 1 blog in English and French versions.
• Organize and deliver one training workshop on research uptake for ISSP staff and provide follow up technical support as needed.
• Provide and document recommendations for APHRC to integrate in research uptake activities.
• Submit a training report with recommendations.

Duration of the consultancy

The assignment will commence immediately after the signing of the consultancy contract and in line with an agreed upon action plan. Payments will be done according to milestones agreed in the signed contract. The consultancy is expected to start in March through to October 2022.

Qualifications, skills and experience

1. Bachelor’s degree in political science, diplomacy, international relations, communications, law or equivalent social sciences; Master’s degree is desirable.
2. Experience working with different stakeholders in Burkina Faso and the region, including national government ministries & their agencies, media, cultural leaders, religious leaders, NGOs, CSOs, to inform and influence policy development.
3. Experience working in SRHR advocacy, communication and policy engagement in Burkina Faso and the region is critical.
4. Experience in using social media channels and extending their reach.
5. Experience working with the ministries or departments overseeing education, gender, health and social protection given the focus on pregnant and parenting adolescents.
6. Ability to operate effectively under extreme circumstances including stress, high security risks and harsh living conditions.
7. Ability to prepare high quality and impactful knowledge translation products and reports for specialist and non-specialist audiences, including policymakers and decision makers.
8. Flexible and adaptable approach to responding to shifting priorities and a rapidly evolving external environment.
9. Excellent engagement, coordination, and communication (written and spoken) skills to be able to absorb complex information and present it to different audiences in a clear and accessible way.
10. Good interpersonal and negotiation skills including ability to work and build relationships with a wide range of people and partners holding different views.
11. Experience in policy development and advocacy in social or economic policy areas at a national level, regional or international level.
12. Proficiency in spoken and written English and French desirable.

Supervision

The consultant will work closely with the Senior Advocacy Officer at APHRC.

Expression of Interest

Interested candidates (preferably Burkinabe) are encouraged to submit an Expression of Interest accompanied by their CV or resume via email to consultancies@aphrc.org and cc procument@aphrc.org with the subject ‘Stakeholder Mobilization and Policy Engagement Consultancy’ by 28^th February, 2022. A portfolio of the following samples of work will be needed:

1. A previously written or published policy or advocacy brief
2. A sample factsheet, position paper or conference outcome statement previously developed
3. Proof of networks in SRHR in Burkina Faso and the region.

Only short listed candidates will be contacted.

APHRC is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to the protection of vulnerable persons.