Re-advertised – consultancy – Training of Facilitators

TERMS OF REFERENCE

TRAINING OF FACILITATORS (ToF) ON YOUNG PEOPLE’S SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS (SRHR)

Project: Masarouna/ Our pathway

Country: Iraq – Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI)

Preferred typology of the consultancy: in person

Background

Oxfam is an international confederation counting 17 organizations working together with partners and local communities in more than 90 countries.

Oxfam has been working in Iraq since the 1990s with both an expanding and contracting presence. In 2014, Oxfam established its first office in Mosul when the conflict with ISIS began and the country was thrown into a new humanitarian crisis, in an already fragile context. In 2021, Oxfam is amongst the largest NGOs operating in the country. With nine offices and almost 200 employees.

Oxfam in Iraq’s strategy is shaped around 3 key pillars 1) Humanitarian response 2) Governance and 3) Equality. Within each of these pillars, intervention covers the following sectors: Emergency Food Security and Vulnerable Livelihoods, Water and Sanitation and Hygiene, Gender and Protection, Emergency lifesaving support, and Local Humanitarian Leadership.

In this framework, Oxfam in Iraq has recently launched a new project, Masarouna, aiming at supporting young people’s advocacy to achieve their Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). 

Masarouna program

In a context where securing Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) is challenging, the Masarouna “Our Pathway” program will mobilize the power of young people (YP), for collective action to support their fight for greater freedom of choice and respect for their SRHR.

The program is implemented in six countries/territories: Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), and Tunisia. Masarouna identifies two main interlinked pathways to achieve the desired change. Pathway 1 is focused on the direct influencing of decision-makers and society to address inadequate legislation and harmful traditional social and cultural norms through strengthened youth engagement. Pathway 2 is focused on strengthening civil society, reclaiming civic space, and formation of new partnerships and alliances.

In the specific context of Iraq, young people face a series of challenges that limit their full enjoyment of SRHR: lack of evidence-based information about SRHR, limited access to information, lack of YP-friendly SRHR services, discrimination, and stigmatization of sexual diversity.

In this context, the Masarouna project in Iraq supports YP in accessing comprehensive information about SRHR, with a specific geographical focus on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Through increased knowledge and the building of alliances and solidarity, Masarouna in Iraq will equip YP individuals to demand their SRHR and create a supportive environment to enjoy them.

Overview of the sensitization sessions on Young People’s SRHR

In this framework, Oxfam and its implementing partners (REACH Iraq, Together Ngo, Emma Ngo) designed a curriculum to sensitize YP about their SRHR. The target group of the session includes young people in the schools (16-18 years old) and young people 18-35 years old. The targeted facilitators are both females and males below 35 years old, mostly with a background in health (for example students in the last year of medical school) and with previous experiences in the facilitation of similar sessions to their peers.

The curriculum comprises 6 modules, currently available in the English language only, ranging from body anatomy to reproduction, contraception, and protection from Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI). The curriculum can be covered in its totality through 3,5 days, or each module can be covered separately (duration is 3 to 4 hours), depending on the availability of the target group and on the most important topics to be covered.

The contents of the sessions are not going to tell participants how to be adults or what values they should have, the aim is to share science-based information that is relevant for YP to make informed decisions on their body, their health, and well-being. The sessions have been formulated in a way that contents are shared with the targeted audience in a meaningful and participatory way, where games, simulations, and presentations alternate. Particular attention is given to participants’ feedbacks and questions, as well as facilitators’ reflections on their performance.

Objectives of the consultancy

The consultant, or team of consultants, will be in charge of designing and conducting the Training of Facilitators (ToF) based on the curriculum developed for a total of 30 trainers from the Erbil and Sulaymaniah areas. Two training sessions shall be organized, one in Sulaymaniah and one in Erbil with approximately 15 participants each.

The language of the training will be Kurdish. Proficiency in English is required to communicate with Oxfam, the project partners, to consult the project documents and the curriculum.

Given the high number of participants, it is mandatory that the service provider selects a team of consultants composed of at least a lead facilitator and co-facilitator.

The training duration will be will range between 3-6 days in each of the location. Considering that the majority of facilitators are university students, during week days the trainings will take place in the afternoons (after 1 PM) and Friday, Saturday full day.

It is expected that by the end of the ToF participants:

• Have achieved a full understanding and improved their skills of how to plan and facilitate each module of the curriculum on YP’s SRHR,
• Have improved their facilitation skills such as organization and planning, active listening, self-awareness, flexibility, time management, communication, conflict prevention, and mitigation,
• Have improved their knowledge of young people’s SRHR needs in KRI,
• Have questioned their own beliefs and perception on young people’s SRHR

Methodology

The consultant will adopt a gender-sensitive approach, inclusive of all participants, culturally sensitive and participatory, he/she will ensure the application of the “do no harm” principle.

The consultant shall conduct two inception sessions, one with all the Masarouna partners’ key staff (project managers) and one with a group representative of the facilitators (5 to 10 people max) to gather the needed information on the facilitators’ skills and expectations to identify those areas to be prioritized.

During the ToF, the consultant should alternate frontal sessions to scenarios, practical exercises, and group activities, where each participant is engaged and gets the chance to interact and showcase his/her skills and knowledge.

A final evaluation and feedback form should be designed by the consultant and filled by participants at the end of the ToT.

Deliverables and timeframe

The ToT shall be completed by the 28th of February, delivery before such date is considered a plus.

Please note, there will be multiple rounds of feedback on content and language. The service provider is expected to have the flexibility for amendments and adjustments after the delivery of the first draft of the outline, training materials, and PowerPoint presentation.

Supervision and management

The Masarouna Project Manager and the Oxfam Head of Program will provide technical and practical supervision to the consultant, in coordination with project partners.

Logistics

Oxfam will organize the day-to-day logistics related to the arrangement of venues and distribution of materials during the training. All fees related to the training of facilitators (accommodation of facilitators, transportation and per diem of facilitators, venue rental, lunches and coffee-break) will be covered by Oxfam.

Skills and experiences:

• Proved experience in design and conduction of training packages, especially for youth and SHRH
• Expertise in gender and human rights-based approaches is a plus
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills

Language:

• Fluency in written and spoken English and Iraqi Kurdish is mandatory
• Knowledge of Arab is an asset

Interested individuals or consultancy firms, with relevant experience and skills based on the ToR, can submit their Expression of Interest (EOI), including the following:

1. Cover letter of no more than 1 page introducing the consultant/company and intention to deliver the assignment. The cover letter should also indicate the consultants’ availability for the proposed period.
2. The technical proposal should provide details on the capacity in line with the competencies required for the assignment, including experience with similar assignments, CVs of the consulting team directly involved in the assignment, and their specific roles. A work plan detailing the anticipated timeline to undertake the assignment and finalize the deliverables, clearly indicating the dates of delivery. The technical proposal should not be longer than 10 pages, including all annexes.
3. Financial proposal consisting in a one-page budget of the offer, covering all major anticipated costs.

Please submit the EOI and other documents by 11:59 PM Iraq time by 17^th February 2022 to  [email protected] with TRAINING OF FACILITATORS (ToF) ON YOUNG PEOPLE’S SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RIGHTS (SRHR) in the subject line. No EOIs will be accepted after the deadline.

TOR Link:https://jobs.oxfam.org.uk/vacancy/16581/description

*only Application through email will be accepted*