Background
This lobby and advocacy strategy is commissioned by Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMwA) and Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD). The two organizations are presently undertaking a Power of Dialogue Project(POD) in Uganda as part of a global consortium program by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The project seeks to enhance political and civic actors to collaborate, influence and participate in legitimate and accountable political processes. The joint Lobby & Advocacy strategy will provide shared policy objectives for the POD project Consortium, partner networks and local CSOs to effectively enable change.
Civil and political participation of youth and women is a key component in both NIMD and AMwA’s strategic interventions since youth and women in Uganda continue to be marginalised and excluded from intra and inter party political processes through structural and attitudinal impediments. However, the political landscape in Uganda has persistently excluded women, youths from mainstream politics. As a result the youth and women have not had enough opportunity to meaningfully contribute to the politics and governance of Uganda. Driving factors include dysfunctional structures in the political parties, socio-cultural stereotypes against women participation in politics and unfriendly legislative frameworks. Thus, enhancing voices of diverse young men and women, supporting civic actors to become effective enablers of change, facilitating advocacy for inclusive participation for youth and women in decision-making processes, and engaging in lobby and advocacy programmes at Sub national, National and international levels is a critical end.
Evidently, an exhaustive Lobby and Advocacy strategy is required to adequately inform interventions that shall counter and challenge narratives about youth and women’s political participation in order to increase their influence in democratic processes. The Project and by extension the Lobby and Advocacy strategy will capitalise on the numbers, energy and drive as well as spaces offered by social media and political platforms, which the youth and women associate with, to articulate and voice their views and aspirations.
The purpose of the consultancy is therefore to support AMwA, NIMD and their advocacy implementing partners to develop a comprehensive strategy to support the programme. The consultancy will build on some of the work that has been done, review the finished pieces, and advise and support AMwA and NIMD to address any key gaps.
2. Objectives of the Consultancy
2.1 Overall Objective
Support the development of an evidence based lobbying and advocacy strategy for the Power of Dialogue programme. The strategy will include the following key elements: agreed aim and objectives; opportunities for creation of new spaces for lobbying and advocating, how the two partner organisations can use the available spaces to achieve the program objectives, a short position statement (key messages); identified key decision-makers to influence; and a calendar of political opportunities and activities.
2.2 Specific Objectives:
▪ Develop a clear understanding of the problem to examine the underlying analysis behind selection of advocacy objectives. Verify that these are still relevant advocacy objectives.
▪ Following the re-affirmation (or selection of revised) advocacy objectives identify the relevant policies to monitor and to influence.
▪ In conjunction with AMwA, NIMD and partners, develop a full stakeholder power analysis for both decision makers and potential partners at national level and sub-regional level in Uganda for supporting youth and women’s political leadership.
▪ Define the aspects of policy that the programme aims to influence and which the programme will monitor in line with findings from the research.
▪ Define the influencing objectives and what evidence the programme will gather to support the objectives.
▪ Define a clear advocacy strategy based on the power analysis, calendar and monitoring objectives including
– Target audience (key decision-makers and key decision-influencers)
– Forms of engagement
– Desired outcomes
– Role of each partner
– Calendar of key events (both policy-making timelines and programme activities to influence the decision-making opportunities)
▪ Assess the document capacity of NIMD, AMwA and her partners to implement the advocacy strategy highlighting opportunities and gaps.
Methodology
3.1 Desktop Review
Desk-based review of key AMwA, NIMD and partners’ documentation including: Country strategic plan, Advocacy partner proposal documents, the partially developed advocacy programme guide, relevant laws and policies for youth and women’s political participation, policies, reports on findings from other partners and reviewing policy documents from political parties.
3.2 Gender and Feminist approach:
Throughout the assignment, the consultant is expected to document, profile and generate gender disaggregated data on women’s leadership and infuse an intersectional feminist lens so as to capture the experiences and voices of women in their diversity in the final strategy.
This should particularly be reflected in the data collection process through use of an inclusive and participatory information gathering method. The proposal is expected to include details of the target groups for the research, methods of data collection and the sample size.
3.2 Interviews with key stakeholders
The consultant will collect information from key government MDAs, where applicable, political actors, political parties, youth and women leaders, civil society groups, as well as from any other advocacy partners. It is proposed that this information can be collected through structured interviews and key informant interviews both physically or online. The Consultant is however expected to propose an alternative methodology in case this does not fit the approach he/she intends to use.
3.4 Workshop
This will involve engaging with partners in a half day virtual process to validate and discuss the draft Joint Lobby and Advocacy Strategy.
4 Analysis and Reporting
The consultant should analyse and present the findings to NIMD and AMwA. The analysis phase needs to include a clear analysis of previous work and of the information gathered in the workshop. The draft report will incorporate the comments from NIMD/AMwA and key stakeholders to develop a final report.
4.1 Deliverables
4.1 Inception Report
The consultant will prepare a short inception report (not more than 5 pages) to be submitted within 3 days of award of the consultancy. The inception report is also an opportunity for the consultant to discuss any concerns and/or challenges that s/he may be having and engage with NIMD and AMwA to resolve.
4.2 Reports
● A draft strategy in English will be reviewed by the NIMD / AMwA and if it is deemed of sufficient quality it will be shared with a broader group of stakeholders for comments and will be presented at the feedback workshop.
● A final Strategy in English based on the required format which has incorporated the feedback provided by NIMD /AMwA and our stakeholders.
4.3 Feedback Workshop
The feedback workshop will be a half day activity where the consultant will receive comments from NIMD / AMwA and the partners so as to work on final comments.
5 Timeframe
It is expected the work will take 15 working days.
No. Major Activity Days Remark
1 Inception report 3
2 Desk Review 3
3 Interviews with key stakeholders 2
4 Preparation for Validation 1/2
5 Validation Workshop 2
6 Report and Strategy Writing 3
7 Feedback meeting 1/2
8 Making final changes on the report 1
Total Number of Days 15
6. Responsibilities
6.1 Responsibilities of Consultant
● Ensure the objectives of the consultancy are met to a high standard.
● Review of key documents including the partially developed advocacy programme guide, the study reports on the issue that the advocacy work seeks to address as well as other documents that will be provided.
● Write an inception report which incorporates feedback from NIMD /AMwA.
● Lead the partner workshop on Advocacy Strategy Development.
● Develop and submit the advocacy programme guide.
● Produce consultancy invoices timely.
6.2 Responsibilities of NIMD/AMwA
● Provide Consultant with all relevant internal and partner documentation.
● All logistic and administration that relates to the partner workshop on Advocacy Strategy Development.
● Provide timely feedback on all relevant deliverables and coordinate the partner feedback.
● Provide all the required logistics for the consultant to accomplish the assignment as will be agreed upon.
● Settle the agreed consultancy fees.
6.3 Budget
The indicative budget is 200 US Dollars per day, payable in Uganda Shillings. However, a value for money analysis on the bids will be done and a consultant with a lower or higher price may be chosen.
This excludes transport, accommodation and food costs for the consultant which will be paid separately based on the AMwA/ NIMD Finance procedures and should not be included in the bid.
6.4 Supervision and oversight.
The consultant will be managed by the Akina Mama wa Afrika Women’s Political Leadership Programme Manager with additional support will provided by NIMD.
7 Profile and Qualification of the Consultant
a. Academic Qualifications: Master’s degree in public administration, political science, gender, sociology, law, human rights or any other relevant.
b. Minimum of 10 years of progressive relevant experience, preferably in the promotion of women’s rights, democracy and political governance policy, human rights training and regional and international and knowledge of global, regional and national laws and policies on gender equality and women’s rights.
c. The consultant should have demonstrated expertise in developing Advocacy for development strategies, conducting feminist research in the field of democracy and good governance, youth and women’s participation in governance processes, facilitating multi-stakeholder processes and human rights-based approach.
d. Extensive experience in conducting feminist action research.
e. Knowledge of recent developments related to the topic
f. Excellent communication skills in English.
g. Demonstrated ability to complete complex assignments in a timely manner and delivery quality results.
6.1. Application process:
Applications should be sent by email to: [email protected] by 10 September 2021.
Your application should include:
▪ A cover letter stating your motivation and summarizing relevant experience.
▪ Applicant’s profile and a sample of previous work in a related field.
▪ Narrative and financial proposal.
▪ Contact details of at least two independent referees with in-depth and proven knowledge of the applicant’s expertise in the field.
