Job Description

TERMS OF REFERENCE

05th December 2023

Program Title:  Empowering Youth Bike Riders as Sustainable Agents of Peace in Sierra Leone

1. Brief Overview

Trócaire is an Irish development agency that was established in 1973 by the Catholic Bishops of Ireland and whose work is inspired by Catholic Social teachings, with an overarching commitment to social justice. Trócaire works in 20 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Trócaire works in partnership with local organizations in developing countries and with the people in Ireland to tackle the root causes of poverty and injustice.

In Sierra Leone Trócaire was established in 1995 implementing programmes on governance, human rights, women’s empowerment, prevention, response to gender-based violence, sustainable livelihoods, climate change, peacebuilding, and humanitarian response. We work in partnership with several local Civil Society Organizations that directly implement projects in communities in Port Loko, Kambia, Karene, Bombali, Kono, Bo, Kenema, Western Area Rural and Urban districts. 

About the project

 Trocaire is co-implementing the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (UNPBF) funded project titled: Empowering Youth Bike Riders as Sustainable Agents of Peace in Sierra Leone Project. A project developed based on participatory data collection and community-based consultations, which has allowed for the selection of the target district areas for intervention for the pilot phase. 

Extensive consultations have been conducted with the bike rider’s union leaders and bike riders themselves in Kenema, Bombali, Bo, Western Area Rural. Senior Leadership of the Bike Rider’s Union and the Gender and Community Affairs Unit of the Sierra Leone Police in Freetown. There was a specific interview session with female bike riders in Freetown where they explained their experiences. They particularly highlighted being victims of sexual harassment and violence from either male customer or male bikers, with some having suffered gang rape. These engagements pointed to growing levels of distrust between the police and bike in what is increasingly a combative and retaliatory relationship. Consultations were also done with the Minister of Youth Affairs together with his technical team and the National Youth Commission on the bike riders dynamics as a key youth group in the country. 

The project will engage and work with bike riders as champions of change and peace to shift norms and practices that contribute to violence against women and girls before, during and after elections. This will be done by supporting the development of a communications strategy that addresses negative masculinity and support the engagement of the bike riders as key champions of change. As key community players, the bike riders will play an influencing role in disseminating GBV (Gender Based Violence) messages and in transforming community behaviours and practices. They will also act as agent of change in challenging violations perpetuated against the female bike riders and in channelling gender interests with state institutions. The trainings will contribute to changing behaviours and practices that safeguards the rights of women and girls to participate in decision making and mitigate violence against women and girls. 

In summary, the project addresses gender equality and women’s empowerment by: 

• Directly addressing negative masculinities in the communities through SGBV sensitization sessions involving male and female bike riders, police, security state authorities, boys, girls, men, and women in their communities. This will likely reduce negative coping mechanism related to violence against women and girls. 
• Engaging bike riders as champions of change to shift norms and practices that contribute to violence against women and girls. 
• Providing training for female and male bike riders on legal rights, civic education, and the penalties related to SGBV. 
• Providing financial and digital literacy platform for female and male youth bike riders to be more financially empowered. 
• Reinforcing the entrepreneurial and financial skills (savings, insurance, pension, etc) of female and male bike riders to be more sustainable in their activities. 

The project is further built on the following theory of change and programming approaches. UNDP and UNCDF will contribute to building more peaceful relationships and governance structures between the and state authorities whilst supporting bike riders as agents of peace with improved livelihoods. The theory of change below consists of three interlinked sub-theories of change and related assumptions. 

• Facilitating conflict actors dialogue, supporting capacity development, and increasing accountability mechanisms to strengthen the social contract between youth bike riders and the State. By improving the bike rider’s’ relationship with state authorities through the development of formalized dialogue spaces between the two parties to discuss issues affecting them, they will be able to find agreeable solutions. These formalized dialogue spaces will improve public governance, engagement with the authorities and enhance accountability mechanisms. 

• Improving access to information and services for bike riders. By establishing helpdesks within bike riders’ union office in targeted districts, youth bike riders will have increased access to information on licences, protection and legal advisory services and support. Therefore, this will contribute to the reduction of their vulnerabilities and increase trust in the State institutions. 

• Sensitization, communication, and education of Okada riders and the police on SGBV, political instrumentalization and non-violence to equip them to become peace agents. Youth bike riders will improve their positive masculinity communication and behaviour. For instance, they will be supported in launching a country-wide sensitization on non-violence campaigns that will spread peace messages.

2. Objectives of the assignment:

A key component of the project is to provide 20 education sessions with bike riders on positive masculinity, SGBV, reproductive health and family planning. 

Trócaire Sierra Leone seeks a consultant that will lead the training with bike riders and police officers on SGBV, sexual penetration. 

3. Methodology  

• With supervision from Trocaire, the consultant will develop training materials on SGBV, reproductive health and family planning with content that are friendly to less/non-educated audience. 
• The consultant will be responsible for the designing and conduction of 20 rounds of training targeting the project districts of Kenema, Bombali, Bo Western Area Rural.
• Consultant will ensure inclusivity in the training process particularly including ideas from the youth-commercial bike riders, ataya base, women, police and persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.  

• Consultants should use superior training manuals and materials for all sessions.

4. Activities Envisaged  

5. Key Deliverables: 

• Inception report detailing methodology of assigned animation work.
• Training manuals produced with relevant handouts.
• Final consultancy report

6. Profile of the Consultant 

The consultant should have the following profile:  

• A relevant degree in gender and communication studies/development communication/social sciences or any relevant field of study.
• At least 3 years’ experience working in the field of gender and Information Education and Communication sector including development/ national and or international organizations and other agencies.
• Extensive experience in providing training on SGBV, reproductive health and family planning and related communications, documents for international organisations.
• Solid understanding and knowledge of the political and social context of bike riders, police, and or development work in Sierra Leone    
• Proven knowledge in the design and production of training materials on the subject matter.
• Commitment to safeguarding of programme participants, as demonstrated by signing Trócaire’s Safeguarding Programme Participants Policy.  

7. Working Modalities 

The entire consultancy is expected to last for 30 days (dates will be discussed) including design and production of training materials, presentation for review, training to bike riders and police. The consultant is responsible for her/his own internal travels and medical insurance while performing this function. 

8. Consultancy Management 

The Trocaire Project Officer (PO) UNDP will have oversight responsibility for the consultancy management with support from Trocaire’s Chief of Party who will ensure quality production and training is adhered at all levels and ensure participants sign consent forms prior to their participation in the content collection exercise.

9. Safeguarding 

All consultants who work for Trócaire will be required to sign and abide by Trócaire’s Safeguarding and Data Protection principles. Any instances of breach of Trócaire’s safeguarding and data protection policy by the consultant and his or her team members will result into the immediate cancellation of the contract between Trócaire and the consultant. In addition, any pictures taken of the participants by the consultant should be only after the consent of the project participant and signing of the Consent Form. 

10. Submission Guidelines 

Requirements:

• Technical Proposal – outlining your understanding of the TOR, the methodology that will be used in undertaking the assignment, work plan, and team composition, including CVs and 3 references for similar assignments. 
• Financial proposal (maximum 1 page) outlining all relevant costs, including consultant fees.
• At least 2-3 samples of previous materials done in Sierra Leone.

APPLICATION

For expression of interest to undertake the consultancy should be submitted to: tenders@Trócaire.org    copying samuel.koroma@trocaire.org

Deadline for Submitting the Expressions of Interest is by Monday 11th  December 2023. 

(Only shortlisted consultants will be contacted for an interview).