The Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA Network) is Hiring Consultants-Capacity Building for Young Women in Governance and Leadership: Apply!!

Consultant Invitation: Capacity Building for Young Women in Governance and Leadership

Introduction

The Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA Network) is a regional feminist organization dedicated to advancing the rights of women and girls in conflict and post-conflict settings across the Horn of Africa. Through initiatives aimed at increasing young women’s leadership, advocating for gender justice, and enhancing women’s participation in governance, SIHA seeks to build stronger, more inclusive decision-making spaces.

As part of its ongoing efforts to empower young women in South Sudan, SIHA is implementing a capacity-building initiative focused on improving young women’s participation in leadership and governance. The initiative addresses systemic barriers and equips young women with the necessary knowledge, skills, and networks to navigate political, civic, and local governance structures, in line with global and regional commitments such as the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) and the United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR) 1325 & 2250.

Background

Despite global efforts to promote women’s political participation, South Sudanese women remain significantly underrepresented in governance and peacebuilding. Although women play pivotal roles in advocating for peace and community stability, patriarchal structures, insecurity, and lack of institutional support have hindered their participation in decision-making. Many young women face numerous barriers, such as limited leadership training, social stigma, threats of violence, and insufficient mentorship, which obstruct their effective political engagement.

The Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) mandates a 35% quota for women’s representation in governance. However, implementation remains slow, with many young women still unable to access leadership roles due to entrenched barriers. Similarly, UNSCR 1325 (Women, Peace, and Security) and UNSCR 2250 (Youth, Peace, and Security) underscore the importance of youth and women in peacebuilding and the need for greater inclusion in decision-making.

A needs assessment conducted in Juba, Yambio, and Western Bahr el Ghazal State (Wau & Raja) identified key challenges to young women’s political participation. These included:

• Limited access to decision-making spaces and leadership roles.
• Lack of leadership training and mentorship opportunities.
• Gender norms and social stigma hindering civic participation.
• Insecurity and financial constraints limiting governance involvement.
• Absence of structured political education.

This assessment emphasized the need for targeted capacity-building initiatives that would help young women understand governance structures and engage meaningfully in decision-making processes.

Objectives of the Training
The training aims to:

1. Strengthen young women’s understanding of leadership and governance structures in South Sudan, focusing on local government systems.
2. Enhance young women’s capacity to leverage the 35% quota under the R-ARCSS to engage in governance.
3. Introduce the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) and Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS) agendas, contextualizing UNSCR 1325 and UNSCR 2250.
4. Equip participants with tools to engage in local governance, electoral processes, and community leadership structures.
5. Develop leadership competencies such as public speaking, negotiation, and confidence-building skills.
6. Facilitate the creation of individual and collective action plans for sustained engagement in political spaces.

Scope of Work for the Consultant

The consultant will be responsible for the following:

1. Developing a Training Module tailored to young women’s leadership, governance, and civic engagement, incorporating:
   • The 35% women’s quota under R-ARCSS.
   • The Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) and Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS) agendas.
   • Practical knowledge of local governance structures, electoral processes, and stakeholder engagement.
2. Facilitating a two-day interactive training that:
   • Explores leadership roles and opportunities in local governance.
   • Provides practical sessions on public speaking, negotiation, and confidence-building.
   • Utilizes group exercises, case studies, and scenario-based learning.
3. Documenting the training process, including:
   • Key discussions, insights, and lessons learned.
   • Participant feedback and actionable recommendations for enhancing young women’s engagement in governance.
4. Providing follow-up recommendations on how to sustain young women’s engagement in political and civic spaces post-training.

Deliverables & Timeline
The training will be conducted across three locations, each with a session lasting three days. The total timeline for the consultant’s assignment is 15 working days from March 17 to April 10, 2025.

Key deliverables include:

1. Inception Report (March 16–19, 2025) with training materials.
2. Training in Central Equatoria (March 20–21, 2025).
3. Final Report (March 29–April 2, 2025) summarizing training outcomes, participant feedback, and recommendations.
4. Final Clean Report incorporating feedback (April 8, 2025).

Profile of the Consultant
The ideal consultant should possess:

• Extensive experience in gender, governance, and peacebuilding training, particularly in South Sudan.
• Strong knowledge of South Sudan’s governance structures, electoral processes, and civic engagement.
• Proven expertise in designing and delivering interactive training programs for young women leaders.
• Ability to develop comprehensive reports detailing training outcomes, assessment findings, and strategic recommendations.
• Strong facilitation and mentorship skills with a track record in working with women human rights defenders (WHRDs) and youth-led organizations.

Expected Impact and Sustainability
The training will:

• Increase young women’s representation in political decision-making spaces.
• Enhance their ability to advocate for gender-responsive governance.
• Develop long-term mentorship networks and peer learning platforms.
• Encourage community stakeholders to support young women’s political participation.

Application Process
Interested consultants are invited to submit:

1. A 2-3 page technical and financial proposal outlining their approach, methodology, timeline, and budget.
2. A detailed CV highlighting relevant experience in gender, governance, and peacebuilding training.

Application Deadline: March 10, 2025, by 11:59 PM (EAT). Applications can be submitted through the provided link. Shortlisting will be done on a rolling basis, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

For more information or to apply, please visit the provided link here

Join SIHA in empowering young women to take their place in the leadership spaces of South Sudan and beyond!

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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the hiring company. For any inquiries, please contact the hiring organization directly. Please do not send your applications to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.