Development of a 3D Animated Character for SRHR

1. About FEMNET

The African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) is a pan-African, feminist and membership-based network based in Nairobi, Kenya with over 800 individual and institutional members across 50 African countries and in the diaspora. FEMNET envisions a society where African women and girls thrive in dignity and well-being, free from patriarchal and neoliberal oppression and injustices.

FEMNET recognizes that the commitment to alter relations of power, structural injustices, and systemic oppression lies at the heart of feminism. FEMNET is therefore committed to pushing towards altering power structures that perpetuate gender inequality by nurturing the African women’s movement to enable women and girls in their diversity to effectively claim, affirm, and use their collective power to end all forms of exclusion, oppression, exploitation, and injustices against them.

1. Background and rationale

Sexual and reproductive health is a human and women rights, essential to human development and to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. FEMNET is firmly committed to the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and will continue to support Women Rights Organizations, networks, and its partners to achieve reproductive health for all. Since the International Conference on Population and Development (1994) and the Beijing Platform for Action (1995), national SRHR policies have been demonstrated to support societies and contribute to a country’s wealth [Lancet. 2014). The importance of SRHR is further underscored by section 5.6 of Sustainable Development Goal 5, dedicated to achieving SRHR for all. [United Nations. Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 2015].

Despite the progressive human rights policies and frameworks into place to address Women Rights issues in the continent, SRHR still remains unguided and counterproductive due to unguided principles promoting women sexual reproductive health and rights issues across the continent. For instance, some organizations and institutions working on ending teenage and early pregnancies, are still vocal opponents on abortion, those working on rights to services, but are still homophobic etc. Importantly, increased opposition in the continent that SRHR is foreign agenda calls for us to reclaim SRHR and provide guidance on key principles on SRHR so that, it attains transformative results and alter relations of power and situate African women as the autonomous.

Since 2013, FEMNET entered a partnership with RFSU to engage women, religious and cultural leaders in Migori, Meru, Homabay and Tharaka Nithi in promoting the SRHR for women and girls. This intervention aimed to transform cultural, religious leaders and institutions to acknowledge and promote holistic SRHR for women and girls. Since its inception, religious and cultural leaders have led advocacy actions at national and county level institutions to promote SRHR for women and girls. This has contributed to development of SRHR related policies and better articulation by religious, cultural and women leaders. FEMNET has used the impact of this project to conduct a sharing of lessons and skills across 10 countries through the regional exchange and learning visits. The main goal of this project is ***“***Cultural and religious institutions leading actions to eradicate harmful cultural practices and religious teachings that prevent women and girls from realizing and enjoying their holistic Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights in Kenya”. The project has five key result areas which include:

1. Religious and cultural institutions working to promote holistic SRHR for women, girls and discriminated groups as a human rights and development agenda.
2. Strengthened capacity of religious and cultural leaders leading community transformation to promote holistic SRHR for women and girls in their institutions.
3. Developed advocacy and campaign materials supporting rights holders in demanding their SRHR for women, girls and discriminated from duty bearers at county and national levels.
4. Strengthened advocacy capacity of women, girls and discriminated groups in demanding their SRHR.
5. Established SRHR dialogue forum championing SRHR for women, girls and discriminated groups in Tharaka Nithi, Homabay, Migori and Meru Kenya.

FEMNET designed interventions to reach out to communities through religious, cultural and women leaders and their local institutions. Some of the institutions include churches, cultural organization and meetings and organized women groups and related events. This report is focusing on intensive community mobilization and outreach activities that were conducted in the four counties including Homabay, Tharaka Nithi Meru and Migori in the month of June 2022. The activities included community SRHR rallies, Engagement with Christian Communities and advocacy targeting county administrators.

The objectives were to boost capacity of local champions including religious, cultural and women leaders with additional skills for facilitating SRHR at local level and finally, create a safe space in the communities where SRHR is discussed as a critical development and human right issue within the local context.

Why Develop FEMNET’s SRHR Comic film?

FEMNET in partnership with RFSU, through a multi-sectoral approach and leveraging on a creative medium, will be creating an info- comic on focused SRHR messaging for social change. The comic film will be designed to foster positive attitudes and highlight through an ongoing dialogue on the importance of comprehensive sexuality education, to prevent HIV and AIDS and early pregnancy, fight gender discrimination and violence. As a result, the creative approach will real stories into art, education and promote SRHR advocacy materials. The comic film will be an avenue to openly discuss the questions and experiences that many young people face related to their SRHR, encourage a sex-positive approach, and call for open conversations and accurate information about sex and demystify negative narratives that have been dominated by patriarchal beliefs.

1. Objectives of the Assignment

• Design, develop and animate a FEMNET 3D character for promoting SRHR for women and girls.
• Produce and pilot the character depicting religious, cultural and religious context in SRHR for women and girls in Homabay, Migori and Tharaka Nithi Counties.
• Produce and develop high quality versions of the character that can be used in the mainstream social media channels (YouTube, Facebook and twitter) and a lighter version to be used on android phones.

1. Scope of work

• The consultant will develop a FEMNET 3D animated character for promoting SRHR for women and girls in Kenya.
• The consultant will ensure that the process of developing the 3D SRHR character embraces the highest value of feminist principles
• The consultant will deeply and technically consultant with all relevant groups and ensure that the character is reflective of the diverse realities of stakeholders and African women
• The consultant will deliver a character in versions that can be used in Android phones and other social media platforms.

1. Deliverables & expected results
2. Inception report: Outlining methodology and provide a detailed plan for developing the FEMNET’s 3D character on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Principles structure and the story line.
3. Develop questionnaire or tools to guide the development.
4. Lead consultation meetings with the core technical team at FEMNET.
5. Be 1080p video resolution
6. Have translation in French in written and English in spoken to reach a wider audience
7. Be rendered using no copyright music/ instrumental to avoid any claims
8. NOT be reproduced anywhere
9. First version of the 3D character within the SRHR Principles
10. Present first version of the assignment to the technical working group and for final input to the material.
11. Deliver the final version of the assignment for review and approval by FEMNET

6. Required Qualification, Skills and Competencies

For this consultancy, we are searching for a candidate who fulfils the following criteria:

Academic Qualification

• Relevant academic qualification in TV production and Animation of 3D characters.

Experience

• At least 5 years of progressive experience in in the field of 3D animation production.
• Proven ability to work on strict timelines
• Current knowledge of the latest developments and trends in the field of SRHR programming.
• Flexible and pro-active

Technical Expertise

• Have good knowledge of animation production and communication.
• Have good knowledge of SRHR for women and girls
• Have strong communication skills and be able to lead meetings and lead/facilitate consultation workshops.

Other attributes

• An African feminist and a national of an any African country
• Be flexible, organized, and responsive
• Have a good command of English or Kiswahili will be added advantage
• Good information and communication technology (ICT) skills (virtual meetings, Microsoft Office package)

1. Duration of Assignment

This is a 1-month assignment, and the consultant is expected to submit their bid and share their workplan for the assignment with expectation end date for the assignment by November 2022.

1. Liaison, Coordination and Reporting

The consultant will report to the SRHR Lead, Men to Men Officer and will work closely with the communication team at FEMNET secretariate.

1. Selection of Consultant

The consultant shall be contracted by FEMNET. The contract will include Withholding Tax (WHT) deduction in line with laws of contracting where FEMNET is headquartered. A WHT certificate will be issued to the consultant. Payment will be done through bank transfer to the consultant bank account. FEMNET will not meet the costs of bank charges. Payment schedule will be agreed upon with the consultant upon successful selection. In case of team/firm applicants, a designated assignment contract manager will be the contact between FEMNET and the team and responsible for all deliverables.

1. Intellectual Property Rights

The consultant expressly assigns to FEMNET any copyright arising from the outputs produced while executing the service contract. The consultant may not use, reproduce, disseminate, or authorize others to use, reproduce or disseminate any output produced under the service contract without prior consent from FEMNET.

1. Terms of Service

This is a non-staff contract and therefore the consultant is not entitled to insurance, medical cover or any other status or conditions as FEMNET staff.