Remote Consultancy Opportunity: National Strategic Framework and Survey Protocol for Harmful Practices in Kenya-Girls Not Brides ( 3-month consultancy)

National Strategic Framework and Survey Protocol Consultancy in Kenya

Position: Short-Term Consultancy

Location: Remote
Job Type: Consultancy
Contract Type: Consultant Project

About Girls Not Brides

Girls Not Brides is a global partnership of over 1,400 civil society organizations across 100+ countries, united in the mission to end child marriage and empower girls to achieve their full potential. Our network spans Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas, advocating for comprehensive solutions to child marriage and related harmful practices.

By fostering collaboration, we aim to ensure that children’s rights are recognized globally, with laws, policies, and programs that protect their well-being and dignity.

Understanding Harmful Practices in Kenya

In Kenya, harmful practices affecting children are deeply rooted in cultural and religious traditions. According to Section 23 of the Children Act (2022), harmful practices include:

• Forced male circumcision
• Female genital mutilation (FGM)
• Child marriage
• Virginity testing
• Girl child beading
• Intersex genital mutilation
• Other cultural, religious, or traditional rites harmful to children’s health, dignity, and well-being

While efforts to combat harmful practices like FGM have made progress (with a national prevalence decline from 21% to 14.8%), child marriage remains a persistent challenge. Currently, 12.5% of girls are married before the age of 18, with some counties like Samburu, Kilifi, and regions in northern and coastal Kenya facing alarmingly higher rates.

The Government of Kenya, through the Directorate of Children Services (DCS), spearheads efforts to prevent and respond to harmful practices. A consultant is sought to assist in these efforts, focusing on strategic frameworks, male engagement, and survey protocols.

Objective of the Consultancy

The consultant will provide technical support to the Directorate of Children’s Services (DCS) by:

• Finalizing the National Strategic Framework on preventing and responding to harmful practices affecting children in Kenya.
• Developing a Male Engagement Program to support the prevention and response to child marriage.
• Finalizing the Protocol for the National Survey on Harmful Practices.

Scope of Work

The consultant will be responsible for completing the following tasks:

1. Finalization of the National Strategic Framework

• Review and Alignment: Review the draft strategic framework to ensure its consistency with national policies, human rights frameworks, and international best practices.
• Stakeholder Consultation: Facilitate consultations with relevant stakeholders, including children, to integrate their feedback into the final draft.
• National Validation Workshop: Organize and support a national validation workshop for the framework.
• Implementation Plan: Develop an actionable implementation plan for the framework.
• Finalization: Submit the final framework in both editable and designed formats.

2. Finalization of the Survey Protocol on Harmful Practices

• Protocol Refinement: Finalize the survey protocol to align with national and international standards.
• Tool Development: Create data collection tools, including questionnaires, interview guides, and focus group templates.
• Ethical Compliance: Secure ethical approvals and ensure that tools meet child protection standards.
• Safeguarding and Data Management: Develop response plans for safeguarding, data handling, and referrals.
• Budget Creation: Develop a comprehensive budget for the survey.
• Review and Submission: Facilitate expert reviews and submit the finalized protocol, tools, and response plans.

3. Development of the Male Engagement Program

• Best Practices Review: Investigate effective strategies for male engagement in preventing child marriage.
• Stakeholder Mapping: Identify organizations already working on male engagement initiatives.
• Program Framework: Develop a male engagement program with clear objectives, activities, key messages, and a budget for the nine hotspot counties.
• Stakeholder Validation: Facilitate a validation meeting with stakeholders and integrate feedback into the final program.
• Program Document: Submit the completed male engagement program framework.

Deliverables

The consultant is expected to deliver the following:

• Inception Report: An outline of the approach, methodology, and work plan.
• National Strategic Framework: A finalized framework on preventing and responding to harmful practices affecting children.
• Survey Protocol: A comprehensive protocol for the National Survey on Harmful Practices.
• Male Engagement Program: A detailed document outlining the male engagement strategy.
• Final Consultancy Report: A report summarizing key findings, challenges, and recommendations.

Duration and Timeline

The consultancy is expected to be completed within three (3) months with the following timeline:

• Weeks 1-2: Desk review, stakeholder consultations, and initial revisions.
• Weeks 3-4: Development of the survey protocol.
• Weeks 5-6: Design and validation of the male engagement program.
• Weeks 7-8: Final revisions, submission of deliverables, and stakeholder validation.

Qualifications and Experience

The ideal candidate should possess the following:

• Education: Advanced degree in Public Policy, Social Sciences, Gender Studies, or a related field.
• Experience: Proven expertise in policy development, research methodologies, and gender-responsive programming. Previous experience in working on harmful practices is an advantage.
• Skills: Strong facilitation skills and experience engaging diverse stakeholders.
• Language Proficiency: Full computer literacy and fluency in English (both written and spoken).

Reporting and Supervision

The consultant will report to the Girls Not Brides team and collaborate with representatives from the Directorate of Children’s Services, Girls Not Brides Kenya, and the global secretariat for validation meetings.

Application Process

Interested candidates should submit the following documents:

• A cover letter detailing relevant experience.
• A technical proposal outlining the approach and methodology.
• A financial proposal with a cost breakdown.
• An updated CV and references.

APPLY NOW

This consultancy provides an exciting opportunity to contribute to the prevention and response to harmful practices affecting children in Kenya, ensuring a brighter future for all girls.

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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