Support to ACERWC Response Measures to the Impact of COVID-19 on the Rights and Welfare of Children in Africa 79 views0 applications

Invitation to Bid

Reference No: 83368440

The Covid-19 global pandemic has resulted in unprecedented disruption of the health, social and economic order of the world and that of Africa. Its direct impact on health has already resulted in the death of hundreds of thousands and left millions in dire situations. The resulting macroeconomic downturn has affected every country and every sector resulting in mass disruption or loss of household incomes. The United Nations (UN) reported that COVID-19 is having a devastating impact on all 17 Sustainable Development Goals. It threatens to reverse years of progress on poverty, hunger, healthcare and education. It is noted that while the pandemic has impacted everyone, it is affecting the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people the most. Hence its overall consequences for Africa are overwhelming. Children, as the most vulnerable groups of society, they bear the brunt of economic and social disruptions brought by COVID-19. A significant portion of African children are facing the wrath of the negative impacts of the pandemic on top of already dire situations exacerbated by conflict and poverty.

Cognizant of the consequences of COVID-19 on the rights and welfare of children in Africa, and noting the unprecedented nature of the pandemic and the measures taken to curb its spread, the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) is responding to policy gaps in mitigating the crisis. The Committee has, among others, developed Guiding Notes to Member States of the African Union (AU) on measures to be taken to uphold children’s rights during COVID-19 outbreak.

The Guiding Notes indicate the various ways in which children in Africa are being affected by the pandemic and further give recommendations to Member States on measures that should be taken to minimize and limit these impacts, while upholding the rights in the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, with the principle of the best interest of the child at heart. The document assists Member States in ensuring that children’s rights and welfare are not neglected or violated unnecessarily in the various measures introduced to curb and mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

The Guiding Notes reiterate that millions of children in Africa are likely to face increasing threats to their safety and wellbeing, including sexual and gender-based violence, exploitation, and separation from families. Millions of others are temporarily out of school due to the COVID-19 preventive measures, with the risk of permanent drop out, especially of children in vulnerable situations, such as the girl child, children with disabilities, children who belong to economically disadvantaged parents and children living in rural areas to mention but a few. The pandemic is likely to result in a devastating effect on family functioning by limiting sources of income for households, resulting in limited access to adequate nutritious food, health care, appropriate shelter and other basic needs, which will then have an immediate and longer-term consequences on the life, survival and development of children.

Following the issuance of these Guiding Notes, the ACERWC, during its 35th Ordinary Session, which took place virtually from 31 August to 8 September 2020, undertook consultation with selected Member States, Civil Society Organizations and Representative of Children. Deliberations during the consultations focused in child protection issues during the COVID-19 Pandemic and on ongoing efforts to curb the impact of the pandemic on the rights and welfare of Children. The discussions highlighted, among others, the specific challenges faced by Member States and available good practices on the Continent. As one of the outcomes of the consultation, the ACERWC decided to undertake an assessment of the impact of COVID-19 on the rights and welfare of Children, including continuous monitoring and reporting on the same to among others, AU Policy Organs.

As such, within the context of the current cooperation between ACERWC and the GIZ implemented Programme, Strengthening Good Governance and Human Rights in Africa – African Governance Architecture, services of a Consultant are sought to support the Committee response measures to the Impact of COVID-19 on the Rights and Welfare of Children in Africa. The overall objective of the service is to support ACERWC response measures to the impact of COVID-19 on the Rights and Welfare of Children in Africa. This is specifically intended to enhance the capacity of the ACERWC Secretariat to effectively support the Committee’s efforts to promote and protect the rights and welfare of children during the unprecedented times of COVID-19 pandemic. The support is further envisaged the facilitate timely decision and policy making processes by ACERWC and other AU Policy Organs related to the rights and welfare of children as well as support Member States response measures in the same regard.

2. Tasks to be performed by the contractor

The Consultant is expected to deliver on tasks as highlighted below:

· Provide technical backstopping to the Consortium procured to undertake the Continental Assessment on the Impact of Covid-19 on the Rights and Welfare of Children in Africa, including facilitating access and communication with key stakeholders and where necessary other AU Member States Line Ministries, Departments and Agencies;

. Support the development of a Dissemination Strategy for the report and findings of the Continental Assessment;

· Develop a template to guide Member States towards the development of National Action Plans to implement the recommendations of the Continental Assessment;

· Develop a monitoring and evaluation tool to monitor the implementation of the Continental Assessment recommendations by Member States;

· Develop and facilitate the deployment of a tool to monitor the situation of the rights and welfare of children in the context of the pandemic;

· Develop a template for Member States Reports on ACERWC Guiding notes on Covid-19;

· Generate content for the Communication team to support the development of communication material on the rights and welfare of children within the context of the COVID-19 Pandemic;

· Draft press releases and organize press conferences on topical issues related to COVID-19 and the rights and welfare of children in Africa;

· Facilitate ACERWC coordination with the African Union Department of Social Affairs and Africa Centre for Disease Control among other Organs of the AU on joint activities related to children and Covid-19; and

· Participate in the ACERWC regular assessment of Member States’ response to COVID-19 and its impact on children’s rights.

Consultant qualification:

· Education/training (2.1.1): At least a master’s degree or equivalent in Law, Human Rights, Health, Sociology, Psychology, Social Work, Economics or other related fields;

· Language (2.1.2): Fluent in English. Knowledge of any other AU working language is an advantage.

· General professional experience (2.1.3): At least 8 years’ experience in project management, research, stakeholder engagement and/or policy development or related expertise;

· Specific professional experience (2.1.4): Demonstrable experience on child protection issues in Africa and excellent knowledge of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and the work of ACERWC, as well as first-hand knowledge and experience of the cultural, social, economic and political context of Africa;

· Regional experience (2.1.6): Work experience in the AU, UN, and/or other international organizations is desirable;

· Other (2.1.8): Excellent analytical skills, using both qualitative and quantitative methods and demonstrable report writing skills.

Number of work days: 120 days

Flexible Work Days (the tasks are to be completed within 12 Months)

Period of assignment: From 5 December 2020 until 5 December 2021.

Before submitting any bid, interested bidders should collect further bidding documents listed down by contacting the e-mail address: [email protected]

• Terms of reference

• Technical evaluation criteria’s

• Bid sheet

•GIZ General terms and conditions local/international