Terms of Reference (ToR) for Developing Simplified and Youth-friendly School Health and Nutrition Policy and Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy Policy
1. Background
In Africa, young people aged 10-24 years’ account for 32% of the population which is above the world average of 24% (SWOT, 2017). The population structure in Africa brings a promise to African countries, Lesotho included, of reaping demographic dividend. For demographic dividend to be harnessed, countries need to move towards implementing policies and programs focused on family planning and reproductive health, quality education, creating jobs and work opportunities, investments in women and girls, and good governance[1]. Investing in secondary education is particularly important for adolescent girls and young women because it contributes towards ending gender inequalities and addresses factors that lead to high HIV infections. In this context UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNESCO, UN Women and UNICEF are co-leading `Education Plus’ Initiative, which is a high-profile, high-level political advocacy drive to accelerate actions and investments to effectively prevent HIV and empower adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa. The Initiative envisions a world in which every adolescent girl and young woman completes secondary education and is empowered to lead a secure, healthy, fulfilling, and productive life—free of gender discrimination, violence, and HIV/AIDS. Its focus is on ensuring girls’ completion of quality secondary education; and on leveraging education systems as a strategic entry point for enabling access to a gender-responsive, `plus’ package of multi-sectoral interventions. These include comprehensive sexuality education, sexual and reproductive health and rights and related services, addressing gender-based and sexual violence, and fostering economic security and empowerment for adolescent girls and young women through successful school-to-work transitions.
Lesotho is one of the first five countries that signed on to champion the initiative with a wide range of commitments that would tackle the urgency of effectively addressing the alarming numbers of adolescent girls and young women acquiring HIV and dying from AIDS-related illnesses, among other threats to their survival, including sexual and gender-based violence and teenage pregnancy. The country subsequently launched the Initiative in August 2022.
1.2 Rationale and objectives
At the global launch of Education Plus Initiative in Paris in 2021, Lesotho committed to expanding secondary education for adolescent girls and young women and boys with a focus on the rural areas, strengthening access to friendly sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services for adolescent girls and young women and boys, strengthening collaboration between Ministries of Health, Education and Social Development, implement revised Basic Education Curriculum Policy (BECP) and introducing vocational and technical streams to solidify efforts on school-to-work transitions as well as strengthening implementation of CSE in schools.
The country has since finalised the BECP and is working on curriculum packages for its implementation. These packages include comprehensive sexuality education. More secondary schools have been constructed in the hard-to-reach areas to increase access to secondary education. The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has issued grants for 1000 teachers to teach CSE in schools and with support from the UN, Lesotho College of Education (LCE) is in the process of developing a continuous professional development (CPD) programme for training of in-service teachers in CSE. There are also interventions linking schools to facilities to facilitate provision of friendly SRH to learners in schools.
Most importantly, the country has formulated two important policies relevant to the aspirations of Education Plus Initiative. The two policies are School Health and Nutrition Policy and the Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy Policy. These two documents provide an enabling environment and provide guidance regarding access to friendly SRH services by learners, prevention of early and unintended pregnancy as well as re-entry for girls who become pregnant and prevention and response to school-related gender-based violence.
The usual practice is that important documents like these are not disseminated at all or generally disseminated among a few duty-bearers. This in turn, leads to very limited or no implementation and right holders and intended beneficiaries on the other hand are generally in the dark regarding such protective instruments and thus cannot claim their rights. Building on one of Education Plus Initiative pillar of Young Women’s Leadership and Engagement, as lead protagonists and activists, and from a human rights point of view, UNAIDS Lesotho Country Office intends to socialise these two documents among adolescent girls and young women as well as the public in general. In this connection, UNAIDS seeks services of consultancy to develop simplified and youth-friendly policies.
2. Purpose: To develop simplified and youth-friendly School Health and Nutrition Policy and Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy Policy to facilitate socialisation and popularisation among and better utilisation by AGYW.
3. Objectives
The objectives of this assignment are:
- To facilitate adapt the policies into language that facilitates easy reading and comprehension of the documents.
- To put the documents into formats that are easily accessible to AYP e.g. pocket size document
- To enhance user engagement by including multi-media audio visual graphics.
4. Scope
The scope of the consultancy will include developing:
- Simplifying the content to make it understandable to youth. This will include simplifying the technical terminologies and jargon into plain everyday use language
- Reproduce the policies into simpler youth friendly print and electronic media formats that are suitable for use in social media platforms.
- Translating the content into Sesotho.
- Incorporating visual aids such as infographics and tables
5. Deliverables
The following deliverables are expected:
- Simplified versions of Policies in Sesotho and English in PDF and audiovisual formats.
- Summary report detailing changes made and rationale.
- User feedback summary.
6. Methodology
It is expected that the consultancy will follow some or all of the following methodology:
- Research and Analysis: Involve young people in the development process and test the products with a sample of the intended users.
- Design and Development: Shorten/summarise the lengthy documents, redesign layout, and integrate audio and visual elements.
- Review and Testing: Conduct user testing with a sample audience and revise based on feedback.
- Finalization: Prepare the final version of the documents and short audio visuals like videos that can be uploaded on WhatsApp and FB and implement any last adjustments.
7. Qualifications:
The consultants must have the following qualifications and experience:
- A degree in communications including multimedia, linguistics, education, or a related field.
- Proven track record in simplifying complex documents and creating audio/visual, such as legal texts, technical manuals, or academic papers.
- Demonstrate exceptional writing skills, with the ability to convey complex information clearly and concisely.
- Experience in tailoring content to specific audiences, particularly those with varying literacy levels or language proficiencies.
- Knowledge of plain language guidelines and techniques for making information more accessible.
- Proficiency in editing to ensure clarity, coherence, and grammatical accuracy.
- Ability to manage timelines and collaborate effectively with stakeholders throughout the simplification process.
- Capability to conduct thorough research to understand the subject matter and context of the documents.
- Familiarity with incorporating feedback from users or stakeholders to refine documents.
- Proficiency in relevant software tools for document creation and editing, as well as an understanding of digital accessibility standards if applicable.
8. Timeline
The consultancy will be for 20 days or less.
9. Supervision of Consultancy:
The Consultancy will be under the overall supervision of UNAIDS Lesotho Country Director and direct supervision of Equality and Rights For All Adviser.
Interested consultants may submit their CVs to Ms Matlali Matlanyane at [email protected] with a copy to Mr Lethola Mafisa at [email protected] on or before 25 October 2024.
[1] https://populationeducation.org/what-demographic-dividend/#:~:text=%20What%20are%20the%20benefits%20of%20a%20demographic,and%20fewer%20economic%20pressures%20at%20home.%20More%20
