TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR) Individual Consultancy Services for Position of State Support Officer – Menstrual Health and Hygiene (MH-NoW Project)

Location: Bauchi, Kano, Lagos, Nasarawa, Sokoto, Akwa Ibom

A. Background

Population Services International (PSI) is a global nonprofit organization working to achieve consumer-powered healthcare — people-centered health systems that ensure quality, affordable care wherever and whenever it is needed. Our origins in sexual and reproductive health have grown into a broader mission. Today, we work with the public and private sectors as well as local communities, prioritizing people’s voice and choice and developing solutions to meet their essential health needs. Over the past five decades, we have helped push boundaries, break taboos, set trends, and develop innovative solutions to complex health challenges.

Menstrual Health and Hygiene (MH) is a critical yet often neglected issue affecting over 300 million people menstruating daily worldwide. Approximately 500 million women and girls face challenges managing menstruation due to inadequate sanitation, healthcare, agency, and the stigma surrounding it. In Nigeria, women and girls encounter numerous obstacles, including lack of education, stigma, unaffordable menstrual products, and the absence of supportive national policies.

PSI Nigeria is implementing ‘MH-NoW’, a three-year project addressing challenges related to easy access to affordable and quality menstrual hygiene products and services. PSI Nigeria is addressing these issues by stimulating local production of affordable menstrual hygiene products, providing MH education, and counseling, and advocating for government policies to subsidize low-cost MH products.

1. Scope of assignment

The consultant will play a pivotal role in the successful implementation of the Menstrual Health and Hygiene (MH-NoW) project at the state level. This consultancy is responsible for supporting project activities, coordinating with local stakeholders, and ensuring the effective delivery of project outcomes. The officer will work closely with the Team Lead, state government officials, community leaders, and other partners to improve access to affordable and quality menstrual hygiene products and services, enhance MH education, and advocate for supportive policies.

1. Roles of the Consultant
2. Project Implementation
   • Support the rollout and implementation of MH-NoW project activities in the assigned state, ensuring alignment with project goals and timelines.
   • Coordinate the local production and distribution of affordable menstrual hygiene products.
   • Oversee the implementation of community outreach and MH education campaigns.
3. Stakeholder Engagement
   • Develop and maintain strong relationships with state government officials, local health authorities, community leaders, and other key stakeholders.
   • Facilitate regular meetings and workshops with stakeholders to discuss project progress, challenges, and strategies.
   • Advocate for the integration of menstrual health into state health policies and programs.
4. Capacity Building
   • Assist in organizing and conducting training sessions for local women’s groups on the production and distribution of menstrual hygiene products.
   • Support the development of community champions and peer educators in the state to promote MH awareness and education.
   • Ensure the dissemination and adoption of Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials within the state.
5. Monitoring and Evaluation
   • Monitor project activities in the state to ensure adherence to project objectives and timelines.
   • Collect and analyze data on project indicators, including the number of MH products distributed, education sessions held, and policy advocacy efforts.
   • Prepare and submit regular progress reports to the Team Lead.
6. Advocacy and Policy Support
   • Collaborate with local stakeholders to advocate for the inclusion of menstrual hygiene management (MHM) in state budgets and policies.
   • Support the development and adaptation of state-level MH policies and frameworks in line with national guidelines.
   • Participate in state-level technical working groups (TWGs) on MHM and contribute to policy discussions.
7. Communication and Reporting
   • Serve as the primary point of contact for the MH-NoW project in the state, ensuring effective communication between PSI Nigeria, state stakeholders, and community partners.
   • Contribute to the documentation of project successes, challenges, and lessons learned for internal and external dissemination.
   • Assist in the development of communication materials and social media content to raise awareness of MH issues in the state.
8. Deliverables and Timelines

The assignment will be spread over a 50-days period as follows:

1. Project Implementation

• Work Plan and Implementation Strategy: Draft, share and implement a detailed state-based work plan and implementation strategy for the rollout of MH-NoW project activities in the assigned state, ensuring they align with project goals and timelines.
• Production and Distribution Plan: In collaboration with state and non-state actors, coordinate and document the local production and distribution process of affordable menstrual hygiene products, including timelines, targets, and distribution channels.
• Outreach and Education Campaigns: Successfully implement and oversee at least three community outreach and menstrual health (MH) education campaigns, ensuring active community participation and engagement.

2. Stakeholder Engagement

• Stakeholder Engagement Plan: Engage regularly with relevant state government officials, local health and school authorities, community leaders, and other stakeholders.
• Meeting and Workshop Reports: Facilitate at least one MH technical working group meeting per quarter in addition to other related stakeholders’ meetings with documented minutes, progress updates, and action items.
• Advocacy Strategy: With monthly updates, provide support to integrating menstrual health into state health policies and programs, with specific action steps and measurable objectives.

3. Capacity Building

• Training Curriculum Development: Ensure adoption of the draft MHHM Training curriculum by stakeholders for use in implementing sites as well as other interested training programmes within the state
• Training Sessions for Local Women’s Groups: Organize and conduct a minimum of two training sessions for local women’s groups on the production and distribution of menstrual hygiene products.
• Community Champions and Peer Educators: Develop a network of at least five community champions in implementing sites within the state, trained to promote menstrual health awareness and education.
• IEC Materials Dissemination: Ensure that Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials are disseminated and adopted in at least 80% of the targeted communities within the catchment implementing sites.

4. Monitoring and Evaluation

• Data Collection and Analysis: Collect and analyze data on key project indicators
• Progress Reports: Prepare and submit monthly progress reports detailing project achievements, challenges, lessons learned, and recommendations for improvement.
• Monitoring Visits: Conduct a periodic monitoring visit to sites and providers to assess the quality of project implementation in the state.

6. Communication and Reporting

• Communication Coordination: Serve as the primary contact for MH-NoW in the state, facilitating effective communication with PSI Nigeria, state stakeholders, and community partners.
• Documentation of Successes and Challenges: Document at least three project successes, challenges, and lessons learned for dissemination to internal and external audiences. This would also include sections on success story, human angle stories with appropriate audio-visual documentation
• Content Development: Assist in the creation of at least five communication materials or social media posts to raise awareness of menstrual health issues within the state.

1. Qualification and experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Health, Social Sciences, Development Studies, or a related field. A Master’s degree will be an added advantage.
• At least 3 years of experience in project management, health programming, or community development, preferably in the context of reproductive health or WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene).
• Strong understanding of the menstrual health and hygiene landscape in Nigeria, including policy and regulatory frameworks.
• Experience working with government agencies, NGOs, and community-based organizations at the state or local level.
• Proven ability to engage and coordinate with diverse stakeholders, including government officials, community leaders, and civil society organizations.
• Excellent communication, advocacy, and interpersonal skills.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

Desirable Attributes

• Experience in capacity building and training, especially in the context of women’s health or community empowerment.
• Familiarity with the local languages and cultural context of the assigned state.
• A commitment to gender equity and the empowerment of women and girls.

1. Reporting and supervision:

The consultant will report to the Team Lead MH-NoW Project or his designate.

1. Time Frame

The estimated effort to undertake the assignment is 50 days spread over 3 months from the date of contract signing. Renewal of the contract is based on performance.