Sierra Leone: Communication Expert - Consultancy to Develop a National Communication Strategy for the Reduction of Teenage Pregnancy
Country: Sierra Leone
Closing date: 12 Aug 2013
TERMS OF REFERENCE
COMMUNICATION EXPERT
Consultancy to Develop a National Communication Strategy
For the Reduction of Teenage Pregnancy
Background
In Sierra Leone, teenage pregnancy is one of the more pervasive problems affecting the health, social, economic and political progress and empowerment of women and girls. The issue to address is alarming and is reflected in the following national statistics: 34% of all pregnancies occur amongst teenage girls (SLDHS 2008), 26% of women age 15-19 have already had a birth (MICS 2010), 40% of maternal death occur as a result of teenage pregnancy (MICS 2010) and the untimely pregnancy of young girls is ranked as the third most common reason for them dropping out of school (UNICEF 2008).
Adolescent pregnancy is dangerous, with serious long-term health consequences for the young mother and the baby. Pregnancy is the leading cause of death for adolescent girls and the youngest girls are particularly at risk and babies born to adolescent mothers are also at greater risk. But the impacts of adolescent pregnancy are felt far beyond the walls of the family home. It also has a demonstrable impact on the social and economic development of communities and countries.
In the multiplicity of interacting influences or causes of teenage pregnancy, strong emphasis must be put on social norms, which are key drivers of this problem (on this topic, see Wessell’s M. (2011). A rapid ethnographic study: Interagency Learning Initiative on Community-Based Child Protection Mechanisms and Child Protection Systems). Often, girls view it as normal – even expected and desirable – that they become pregnant at an early age. The fact that many girls decide at an early age that they want to have a baby is itself an indication of a social norm. The importance of social norms is also visible in regard to contraceptives — in Sierra Leone, it is not a social norm to use them and there is peer pressure against using them. Peer-pressure in general plays a central role. Bullying, teasing and name-calling are worldwide problems, which especially happen in schools.
The National Strategy
Under the leadership of H.E. the President, a multi-sectoral committee was set up in 2012, involving key Ministries as well as key stakeholders (UN-Agencies, NGOs, civil society), to develop a comprehensive strategy. The strategy’s expected outcome is to reduce teenage pregnancy in Sierra Leone by 2015, through integrated and coordinated interventions of all partners. By 2015, the strategy intends to have reduced the adolescent fertility rate from 122/1000 (MICS4-2010) to 110/1000.
At the Launching ceremony of the National Strategy, on 13 May 2013, His Excellency the President indicated that: “The Government of Sierra Leone will make all efforts necessary to achieve the ambitious objectives that the National Strategy is setting. (…) This strategy presents a multisectoral approach to empowering adolescents and young people, particularly girls. It involves all key stakeholders and present simple but ambitious solution to Teenage Pregnancy. But more than that, it is a commitment that we make for the younger generations.”
Purpose and rationale
To contribute to the efforts on promoting social change, there is a need to develop a national strategy that will guide activities aimed at creating behavior change in all sectors covered by the National Strategy (Health, Social Protection, Education, Gender, Youth Empowerement and Employment, etc.); strengthen technical expertise among government staff, community workers and implementing partners; and support the development of a monitoring framework for social and behavior change.
Existing strategies have focused mostly on top-down sensitization and awareness raising through workshops, meetings, radio discussions, drama, jingles and IEC using messages developed by the organizations with little coordination, minimal consultation with their target audience and limited feedback.
Sensitization messages have been varied and to some extent have conflicted from organization to organization. Sensitizations messages have been mostly general and have neglected the heterogeneity of the stakeholders. Moreover, they have often stressed information with little regard for cultural appropriateness and delivered in a didactic and top-down manner.
The national communication strategy for behavior and social change is needed to harmonize disparate communication strategies; approaches and messages. Such a strategy also needs to understand and appreciate local contexts and build on them for sustainable behavior and social change. Therefore the strategy would identify ways to work with communities that is not only participatory but appreciative of enabling customs and norms. The objective is to empower communities, promote meaningful engagement and lead to the adoption of sustainable positive social behaviors for adolescents, young people and other community members.
Objectives
There are two specific objectives of this consultancy:
1. To develop a national communication strategy for the reduction of Teenage Pregnancy
2. Develop an implementation and M&E plan for the strategy
Expected Deliverables
1. Development of first draft strategy – shared internally with the National Secretariat
2. Second draft – to be shared with all partners and presented at a meeting of the Multisectoral Technical Committee
3. Final draft communication strategy
4. Validated strategy by MCC
5. Implementation and M&E plan
Methodology
The consultant will implement this process using the following methodology:
1. Desk review of existing literature, including research studies, communication plans and strategies.
2. Consultations with partners of the National Strategy (concerned Ministries, UN agencies, NGOs, regional and district level actors) – the consultant will hold meetings/consultations with the partners and the wider forums and with community representatives to brainstorm on culturally appropriate methods of communication.
3. Focus group discussions – the consultant will hold focus discussions with community people including women, adolescents and young people, teachers, health and social workers, traditional and religious leaders to discuss the main issues related to Teenage Pregnancy and better understand community perceptions around existing behaviors and as a guide to the strategy development.
4. Engage different media groups to assess existing work and arrangement and identify possible forums for collaboration or adaptation of existing materials. Pretest materials with community /NGO workers on the strategy to be developed.
5. Finalize the communication strategy.
6. Develop an implementation and M&E plan for the strategy
7. Develop ToR for TP strategy Communication sub-commitee
8. Develop and operationalize planning and coordination tools for use by TP Strategy Communication sub-commitee
Geographical scope
The consultancy will be national in scope with the consultant dividing his/her time in Freetown and the provinces.
Supervision
Under the supervision of the National Secretariat for the Reduction of Teenage Pregnancy, in consultation with the Multisectoral Technical Committee, the international consultant is expected to produce the above-mentioned deliverables.
Responsibilities of the consultant
• Ensure that all deliverables outlined in these ToRs are carried out
• Give the property rights of documents produced to the National Secretariat for the Reduction of Teenage Pregnancy
• Secure own laptop
Time frame
The contract will be for a period of 50 days (with 40 days in country).
Qualifications sought for the contractor/consultant
• Advanced university degree in Social Sciences or any relevant fields
• Over ten years of experience in C4D strategy development
• Over eight years of experience in toolkit development and participatory learning
• Experience in facilitating participatory processes and consensus building with stakeholders
• Good communication and writing skills in English
• Substantial experience of having worked in West Africa would be desirable.
How to apply:
Candidates will be selected further to a written test and interview. If interested, please send a CV to Philippe Lust-Bianchi at lustbianchi@nationalsecretariat.org . The closing date for the receipt of application is 12 Aug 2013
