Request for Proposals for Consultancy services to Translate and Develop a Parent-Child Communication (PCC) on sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) in Kinyarwanda (Deadline: 10 February 2023)

Request for Proposals for Consultancy services to Translate and Develop a Parent-Child Communication (PCC) on sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) in Kinyarwanda (Deadline: 10 February 2023)

• Background

Sub-Saharan Africa is home to 31.7% young people ages 10-24 years of the 1 billion people, a number that is expected to rise to 281 million by 2050. This young population comes with tremendous potential for achieving Africa’s development, but only if sustained investments are made to address the education and health challenges that continue to undermine young people’s wellbeing. Despite significant progress in recent years, sub-Saharan Africa remains the region most affected by the HIV epidemic, early and unintended pregnancy (EUP), and gender-based violence (GBV). Three out of four new HIV infections among those aged 15-19 are among young women, and seven out of ten young women do not have comprehensive knowledge about HIV.

In December 2013, Ministers of Health and Education from 20 countries affirmed to the Eastern and Southern African Ministerial Commitments aimed at strengthening HIV prevention, treatment, care and support, and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) efforts in Eastern and Southern Africa by ensuring access to good and quality sexuality education (SE) and life skills-based HIV education and youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services for all adolescents and young people, recognizing each country’s socio-cultural context.  This was documented in the ESA Ministerial Commitment in 2013-2020. The goal of the commitment was to enable and support governments, civil society, and communities to expand access to good quality life skills-based, gender-sensitive sexuality education and related support services.  The 9 key areas of intervention under the ESA Commitment were: Work together on a common agenda; Urgently review – and where necessary amend – existing laws and policies on the age of consent, child protection, and teacher codes of conduct; Make an AIDS-free future a reality; Maximize the protective effect of education;  Initiate and scale-up age-appropriate SE during primary school education; Ensure that the design and delivery of SE and SRH programs include ample participation by communities and families; Integrate and scale-up youth-friendly HIV and SRH services; Ensure that health services are youth-friendly; Strengthen gender equality and rights; and, Mobilize national and external resources.

To actualize the ESA commitment, in 2018, UNESCO launched the “Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future” (O3 Programme) in 33 countries across Sub- Saharan Africa (SSA) which envisages a sub-Saharan Africa where all adolescents and young people attain positive health, education, and gender equality outcomes. The O3 programme seeks to improve sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, gender, and education outcomes for adolescents and young people (AYP) aged 10-24 years through sustained reduction in new HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), early and unintended pregnancy (EUP), and gender-based violence (GBV).

To achieve the vision and mission, the program pursues 4 outcomes namely:

• Securing and sustaining strong political commitment and support for adolescents and young people’s access to SE and SRH services across SSA.
• Delivery of accurate, rights-based and good quality SE programmes that provide knowledge, attitudes and skills essential for safer behaviors, reduced adolescent pregnancy, and gender equality.
• Support delivery of safer, healthier and inclusive schools and community environments for all young people.
• Strengthening evidence base on SE and safer school environments.

2.0. Rationale

Lacking access to CSE services leads to unwilled results in all nations. For instance, globally, 225 million have an unmet need for family planning which increases the rate of unplanned pregnancies, with 2.5 million adolescent girls under 16 years giving birth. Like elsewhere globally, CSE services and information in Rwanda are still limited and considered taboo, as adults, especially parents, consider it unacceptable to discuss it with children. Adults and children rely on partial and often inaccurate knowledge about sexual and reproductive health from the media and their peers, limiting their service-seeking behaviors. The situation aggravates unmarried people who seek SRHR services because culturally sexual activities are accepted within wedlock. The Demographic Health Survey published in 2020 highlighted that 1 out of 2 sexually active unmarried women, including girls, do not use a contraceptive method.

By 2020, 5% of women aged 15-19 have begun childbearing and the number of teenage mothers increased to 15% of children at the age of 19% which reflects a rapid increase by age. Unprotected sex for young people is also linked to legal restrictions on contraceptives, where the Reproductive Health law states that adolescents should access SRHR services through parental consent. In this regard, parental consent raises a concern as parents’ beliefs may not allow their children to access contraceptives. In addition to the legal constraints; adolescent girls and young women are reluctant to use contraceptives for fear of stigmatization.

This stigmatization is mainly due to the deep-rooted cultural beliefs that hold sexuality in the Private sphere for adults and children. In development and humanitarian settings, the SRHR rights of adolescents and young people, including those with disabilities, are violated the most. This stage of life is a significant transition period and an essential window for young people to protect and plan for their lives as they transition to adulthood. However, thousands of young people around the country remain vulnerable to risks such as HIV, violence, and unintended pregnancy, among others.   Therefore, it is both timely and necessary to focus on their SRHR and their potential. With more adolescents and young people today than ever before, the Government of Rwanda has recognized the critical importance of addressing their needs and securing their aspirations. Young People will also be able to confidently stand up and challenge harmful social norms affecting their rights to SRHR and wellbeing and work with families and community leaders to change attitudes and challenge harmful, social, gendered norms to create an enabling environment supportive of the SRHR.

It is against this background that UNESCO through 0³ programme in collaboration with Government of Rwanda, local NGOs, CSOs, and other service providers planned various activities to ensure they provide supportive legal frameworks and appropriate services, and information which will help young people make better-informed choices about their SRHR and access responsive and friendly services in their communities, leading to much improved SRHR outcomes for adolescents and young people.

3.0. Purpose of the Consultancy

3.1. General objectives

UNESCO invites competent individuals to submit proposals to support in the translation and development of a parent-child communication (PCC) on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) toolkit and training materials in Kinyarwanda language.

The main objective of the consultancy is to develop tools and materials necessary for building the capacity of parent and children in the community  through various activities so as to contribute to improved sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, gender, and education outcomes for learners in primary and secondary school levels through sustained reduction in new HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), early and unintended pregnancy (EUP), and school-related gender-based violence (GBV).

3.2. Specific objectives

Through this activity, the following specific objectives will be pursued:

1. To conduct a technical review of existing learning and teaching materials on HIV, Gender and SRHR to determine the existing gaps in implementing the National sexuality education framework in the Education sector in line with the International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education towards existing Eastern and Southern regional module on parent-child communication (PCC) on sexual and reproductive health (SRH).
2. To translate and develop relevant materials into Kinyarwanda, on education for HIV, Gender, sexuality and sexual and reproductive health for building the capacity of parent and child on sexual and reproductive health (SRH).

4.0. Scope of Work and Approach

The tasks under this activity will be conducted as follows:

Development of Relevant teaching materials for parent-child communication (PCC) on HIV, Gender, sexuality and sexual and reproductive health.

This phase will involve:

1. Conducting a technical review of existing learning and teaching materials on HIV, Gender and SRHR to determine the existing gaps in implementing the National sexuality education framework in the Education sector
2. Conducting consultations with relevant stakeholders and Ministries including but not limited to the HIV unit, Gender Unit, national curriculum development department, UN Agencies, CSOs, other Education development agencies among others to obtain primary information on the status of parent-child communication (PCC) model.

• Convene and facilitate review meetings of relevant stakeholders to develop key materials including a parent-child communication (PCC) on sexuality education.

1. Conducting a validation meeting for the developed Kinyarwanda parent-child communication (PCC) manual on sexuality education.

5.0. Expected Deliverables

Below are the expected deliverables/targets:

• A background paper detailing the findings from the technical review and consultations with relevant Ministries and other stakeholders.
• Workshop/meeting reports for all meetings held.
• A report for the validation meeting of the draft parent-child communication (PCC) materials.
• Final validated parent-child communication (PCC) Kinyarwanda version manual and materials ready for use.

6.0. Duration and Timelines

This activity will be implemented within a period of 60 working days; spread across a period of 2 months beginning in March 2023 to April 2023. However, the 30 days are detailed by deliverable as per the table below:

8.0. Eligibility Requirements

Proposals are invited from qualified and competent individuals.

Mandatory

1. Master’s Degree in any of the following fields: Education, Translation and Interpreting studies, linguistics and Literature, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Public Health, Evaluation or other related studies; a PhD will be an added advantage.
2. At least 10 years of relevant experience in Translating official documents.
3. Experience in designing needs-based teaching or training programmes in the Education sector at National or regional levels.
4. Proven experience in conducting needs assessments; facilitating participatory workshops and developing training curricula; supported by at least two (2) references.
5. Proven experience in conducting training using adult learning methodologies, supported by at least two (2) references.

Desirable

1. Previous experience working with the UN or other Multilateral agencies on related assignments

Note: Failure to meet any of the mandatory criteria will result in disqualification of the submission.

9.0. Evaluation of proposals

All interested individuals are required to submit a Technical and Financial proposal separately via email. The technical proposal should be no more than 15 pages, and will be assessed on the following:

• Approach to assignment that demonstrates extent to which the Contractor understands the requirements as set out in the terms of reference.
• Feasible and technically sound methodology, appropriate for fulfilling the overall purpose of the assignment.
• Realistic work plan with specific treatment of key deliverables and priorities
• Expertise and experience of the Individual applicant.

The financial proposal should be no more than 4 pages and should detail the following:

• An appropriate Price Schedule which includes, as a minimum, the consultancy rate per day.
• A number of workdays per main activity in order to assist the Contracting Unit to determine, which items may be negotiated, if applicable, or which items can be modified as per the budget.

All prices shall be quoted in Rwandan Francs.

10. Management

The Contractor will report to UNESCO Eastern Africa Regional office and will be supervised by UNESCO Rwanda Antenna. The Contractor will be responsible for own overheads and logistical requirements such as office space, administrative and secretarial support, telecommunications, and printing of documentation as well as mobilization of participants for workshops in collaboration with the lead Ministry of Education (MINEDUC), Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF), Ministry of local government (MINALOC)and Ministry of Health (MINISANTE) and focal institutions.

All deliverables will be prepared in English.

11. Application Process

Interested individual consultants are requested to submit a technical proposal specifying a detailed work plan and budget. Besides, they should submit the following documents to UNESCO Rwanda antenna Coordination, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization at Ebenezer House, 1370 Umuganda Boulevard, Kacyiru, Kigali- Rwanda or via email at ba.mpozembizi@unesco.org NOT LATER THAN February 10th, 2023 at 11:00 AM Kigali time.

• A letter of application addressed to the Director of UNESCO Eastern Africa Regional office and Representative.
• A CV and photocopy of the degrees, diplomas and certificates; and all documents related to working experience.
• A list of three reference people with their complete addresses.

Incomplete applications and applications that are not similar to the wanted profile will not be examined.

Only pre-selected candidates will be contacted.

Done at Kigali on 16^th January 2023

Dr. Ben Alexandre MPOZEMBIZI, PhD

National Project officer for O3 programme (Education for Health and Wellbeing)

UNESCO/ Rwanda antenna coordination.