Media Brokering Consultant

Terms of Reference

MEDIA BROKERING CONSULTANT

1.0 Introduction

For over 50 years, Oxfam has been working in the Horn, East, and Central Africa (HECA) region, focussing its programs in ten countries: Burundi, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. We have a strong network of country teams who deliver our work and are augmented by regional and global capacity on fundraising, advocacy, and learning advisory support. We aim to support activities that will achieve change at scale at all levels. Raising the voices of the communities we work with is critical to influencing a sustainable shift in local, national, regional, and global policies and practices of both state and private sectors.

2.0 Our Vision

A transformed and stable Horn, East and Central Africa region, where people exercise their right to challenge power and have dignity and security to drive transformative change in their lived experiences. For more information about Oxfam in HECA visit: https://heca.oxfam.org/who-we-are.

3.0 Background to the consultancy

The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed millions into poverty in East Africa region, and worsened inequality. The economic crisis continues, supercharged by the continuing obscene global vaccine inequality, which means that just 4% of East African citizens have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, compared to high income countries which have now offered a third booster dose to more than a third of their populations.

Many East African governments were already hamstrung by high debt and budget deficits before the pandemic, constraining them from responding with large recovery programmes. Some governments increased spending but are now forecasting major budget cuts for 2022– 26. These cuts will inhibit them from combatting the increases in poverty and inequality that have resulted from the pandemic.

Recovering from the pandemic, however, offers East African governments a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build forward fairer and do what their citizens want: increase taxes on the wealthy and large corporations, boost public spending (especially on healthcare, education, and social protection), and improve workers’ rights.

In February 2022, Oxfam launched the East African Commitment to Reducing Inequality Index (CRII) report in a hybrid event hosted at the KICC in Nairobi(see report: https://www.oxfam.org/en/research/inequality-crisis-east-africa)The event attracted participants from Civil Society, private sectors and business communities, policymakers, activists, trade unions, the media, the donor community other stakeholders from across the region. The launch provided opportunities to discuss how countries in the region can build forward fairer post-COVID-19.

The event which got significant media attention (reports available) raised public awareness about inequality in East Africa exacerbated by COVID-19 pandemic. It also contributed towards building relationships with East African governments, bodies & International Financial Institutions and called upon them to meet their commitments to addressing gaps in health, social protection debt education agriculture, labour and tax progressivity.

In October 2022, Oxfam in partnership with Development Finance International will be launching the global Commitment to Reducing Inequality Index. The report in a compilation of country and regional reports from around the world which will paint a picture of the progress being made to reduce inequality globally and also make recommendations to different national, regional and global actors.

While the physical event will take place in the US, Oxfam in the Horn, East & Central Africa would like to use the moment to generate discussion about the global report, but also re-ignite the regional level discussion on the subject. Whereas Oxfam in HECA does not plan a physical launch event, we would like to generate media coverage around the launch of the global CRII report withing the region, with messages tailored for our regional audience. We would like to hire services of a media consultant to undertake this assignment, building on messages contained in the global CRII report but also recommendations made in the HECA report. We would like our messaging to commence on 17th November, International Day for the eradication of poverty.

3.0 Consultancy objectives

The main objective of the consultancy is to ensure that the traditional and Social Media raise public awareness about inequality in East Africa exacerbated by COVID-19 pandemic. The consultant will be required to undertake the following:

1. Working with Oxfam, Sector specialist, ensure that we are talking about the issue in a way that’s easy for the audience to understand and relate to.
2. Ensure that you’re talking about the issue in a way that will encourage people to take action, whether it’s by sharing information or contacting elected officials or other stakeholders.
3. Be prepared for the inevitable pushback from those who don’t agree with our message and develop Reponses as necessary particularly in the Social Media.

4.0 Project deliverables

The project strategic deliverables will include the following

1. A multi-media plan identifying the key communities and stakeholders that is likely to be impacted by an issue and how to reach them.
2. Effective messages for different audiences, using terminology and methods that is specific to their interests, roles and power to take action. These will be designed jointly with Oxfam.
3. Assignment report, showing coverage by different media houses (social media, digital and print e.t.c)

The activities will include the following:

• Create a communications plan as well as a content calendar that will capture messaging around the report.
• Create awareness messaging plan with Oxfam, by developing key compelling messages from the report, in form of short articles to be shared with national traditional media houses and social media
• Work with Oxfam representatives to organise media interviews to enable a discussion on topical issues that arise from the report. This will include Oxfam staff and other stakeholders agreed by Oxfam and the consultant
• Create social media messaging that will create interest and more awareness
• Create and engage a list of relevant influencers to drive more visibility
• Brief all the influencers and ensure the content is posted as per the content calendar driving registration
• Mobilize the influencers to get the event trending on Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp groups and Tic Tok

5.0 Duration

The short-term consultancy is expected to begin in October 2022 and end in December 2022. While there will be no physical launch of the report in East Africa, we envisage generating discussions around the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, November 17th, 2022.

6.0 Reporting

The consultant will perform weekly, monthly, and final media monitoring reports on the major media outlets (printed and online, including but not limited to daily and weekly newspapers, news agencies, think tanks, online news websites, radio and TV stations), as well as social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and other), that mention Oxfam CRII report and sector related issues.

All reports should include the information outlined below in the Media Report Format, but not limited to it:

• Title (original and translated into English)
• Top topics over the covered period
• News extracts with links
• Source (name of media; type of media (TV, printed edition, webpage, news agency, think tank, Facebook/Twitter account, YouTube); type of material (article/opinion/report/analysis); reach; engagements
• Date published
• The tone of coverage (positive, neutral, or negative)
• Relevant topics (keywords), as agreed with Oxfam
• Relevant indicators, as agreed with Oxfam

Infographics, including comparison infographics, illustrating dynamics of specific topics and relevant media engagement trends

Prepare monthly and quarterly press clipping reports, which will include supporting electronic copies and scanned copies of all the materials mentioned in the media monitoring report for the period.

Develop a final report covering the whole assignment, followed with all relevant Annexes with all outputs produced. The consultant will report to Oxfam Media and Communications Coordinator, copying the Regional Advisor, Extractive Industries and Fiscal Justice.

7.0 Invitation to tender

Oxfam in HECA is inviting tenders from suitably qualified companies/consultants to carry out this work. Consultants fluent in English, French and Swahili are encouraged to apply.

Your proposal should contain:

1. A technical Approach to the work.
2. Name and CV/s of consultants
3. Summary of experience in similar assignments
4. A budget breakdown for both professional fees and reimbursable expenses, including daily fee rates for each consultant proposed.