Background

The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child states that” the implementation of the principles and the provisions of the Convention requires that priority be given to children’s issues, particularly in light of the best interest of the child. It is recommended therefore that in the formulation of policy options and proposals there should be an accompanying assessment of its impact on children so that decision makers can be better advised as to their public actions’ effect on the right of children. One of the tools which can be used to test the effect of policies on children is Child Rights Impact Assessment/mainstreaming child rights perspectives. Child rights mainstreaming entails a systematic assessment of the effects (positive, direct or indirect) of a policy or program on child rights. Before decisions are taken, governments are duty-bound by the CRC to determine how their actions will affect girl and boy children, how negative effects can be minimized and what can be done to respect, protect and fulfil rights for all children. Thus, child rights mainstreaming is a means to fulfil governments obligations under the CRC. It is about making children visible in the policy and programming process, by systematically considering their rights and making their voices and interests heard. This is critical and existing public instruments such as policies, programmes, structures, legal and policy framework etc. focusing on their impact on the rights of children.

The government of Ethiopia has taken commendable measures to advance the implementation of child rights. Save the Children has been supporting the government especially the Federal Ministry of Women, Children and Youth to strengthen the national child rights systems and mechanisms. One of the key national initiatives is ensuring all relevant sector ministries and bureaus mainstream child rights and protection issues in their sectoral plans and budgets, and supporting the implementation of the national Child Policy. As part of this initiative, the Ministry of Women, Children and Youth has developed a child mainstreaming guideline in 2015 with detail mainstreaming checklist to be contextualized by each sector ministry. Efforts were made to roll out the guideline at least for federal sector ministries and regional bureaus. Further, the National Child Policy was rolled out to most regions. As part of disseminating the policy, the Ministry of Women, Children and Youth Affairs with financial and technical support of Save the Children, conducted a series of capacity building trainings to federal and regional bureau experts and officials. It is expected that the Women, Children and Youth Affairs bureaus shall ensure that the child policy issues and more importantly the key child rights principles (Children’s Right to Live, Survival and Development; Best Interest of the Child, Nondiscrimination, and Child Participation) are prioritized and integrated into government sector plans and programs; and adequate resource is allocated for the implementation of the child policy.

Although available reports indicate that a good number of public agencies have started incorporating children’s issues in their plans and programs, there is still a need to strengthen mainstreaming of child rights issues and coordination among different stakeholders. This assessment is intended to explore the status of mainstreaming of child rights including child policy issues in their plans and budgeting. 

To identify ways child rights and protection is being mainstreamed in public sectors (ministries) in Ethiopia. And address gaps and challenges that exist within mainstreaming of child rights and protection with the aim of advocating and lobbying for an inclusive legal and policy reform.

Rationale of the assessment 

Children constitute the majority of the population in Ethiopia. Regardless of positive changes in children’s rights, children and young people are not adequately including in the decision making processes affecting them and their communities. As the result, their issues are not adequately promoted when new policies are designed and programmes are developed, and when sectoral plans and budget are developed by sector government ministries and other stakeholders. As key step to promote child rights, the Ethiopian government has taken commendable policy and legislative measures, developed strategies and guidelines to advance the promotion and protection of children’s rights. One of the initiatives is developing and rolling out national child policy, mainstreaming child rights issues through developing mainstreaming guidelines, providing trainings and other technical supports, conducting review meetings, and reviewing plans and programs of sector plans and budgets. Despite this, there is little evidence showing the extent to which each sector ministry has mainstreamed child rights including key child policy issues in their strategies, plans and programs.  

Objective

To assess the extent to which child rights and protection and key national child policy issues are being mainstreamed in public sectors (ministries).

Scope of the assessment

Thematic scope

• Asses what child rights and protection mainstreaming entails in a government plans and programs. 
• Identify and describe the existing initiatives to mainstream child rights and protection, including key child policy issues in the plans and budgets of sector ministries. 
• Identify which sector ministries progressing well (good practice) and lagging behind, and why?
• Identify the monitoring and evaluation mechanisms used by the Ministry of Women, Children, and Youth to ensure mainstreaming of children’s rights in their plans and budgets.
• Identify feasible recommendations to further strengthen mainstreaming of child rights and child policy issues. 

Geographical Scope

• The assessment will be conducted in Addis Ababa focusing on federal ministries and agencies.

Organizational Scope/ Target Groups

• The organizations to be included in this assessment are sector ministries established by the “Definition of Power and Duties of the Executive Organs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Proclamation No. 1097/2018“; the House of People’s Representatives and sectoral agencies and authorities. 

Job Requirements

Eligibility criteria

• The consulting firm should have at least two team members having multi-disciplines especially Masters in law, social work, sociology, psychology, human rights, and related fields.
• Proven experience in conducting social research using mixed method on child rights and protection issues. Solid experience in conducting interviews with multiple groups of respondents.
• A solid record of managing and coordinating high quality research projects.
• Demonstrated familiarity with child rights standards and principles, including UNCRC and ACRWC. 
• Strict procedures for quality control of field work.
• Solid internal guidelines for handling of confidential information.
• Solid internal guidelines on research ethics and a code of conduct for interviewing vulnerable respondents and children.

How to Apply

Application procedures

Letter of confirmation of interest clearly stating an understanding of the assignment and availability.

• Personal CVs of team members indicating all past experience from similar assignments, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate.
• Brief description of why the consultant considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and technical proposal, including on how they will approach and complete the assignment.
• Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs.
•  A completed timeline for the process with implementation plan
• Two previous similar pieces of work that include quantitative and qualitative analysis.
• A proof legal entity status (required)

Qualified and interested candidates are hereby requested to apply (either as a team or individually).

The application should contain the following:

• A technical proposal with a brief description of why the the firm and individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a detailed clear methodology, on how they will approach and complete the assignment; a duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability;
• The technical proposal should also contain a personal CV, indicating education background/professional qualifications, all experience, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the candidate and at least three (3) professional references;
• Financial proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided.

1. TOR detailed should be collected from Save the Children International from February 9,2021 up to February 24,2021
2. Detailed EOI for the Consultancy work should be Submitted in hard copy to Save the Children Ethiopia Country Office in Addis Ababa, situated around Bisrate Gabriel Church before or one February 24,2021 at 4:00PM

Save the Children Ethiopia Office

At the Main Security Gate Dire Complex, Behind Bisrate Gabriel Church P.O Box 387 Tel 011372845561/0116535174 Addis Ababa

Interested applicants should submit two separate sealed documents in which one document should include the technical proposal including of the proposed professional(s) with supporting document that shows previous work experience. The second document should include professional fee stated work along with copy of renewed Consultancy License to the above mentioned address of Save the Children, Ethiopia Country Office before or on February 24,2020 at 4:00 P.M in person.

Bid shall be submitted in the box ready at reception for this purpose

Save the children reserved the right to cancel all the bid or partially