Child marriage affects 12 million girls every year, across countries, cultures and religions. Like many other forms of harmful practices, it is a violation of human rights, 40% of girls in Uganda are married before their 18th birthday and one in 10 is married before the age of 15. It denies girls their rights to health, education and safety, and exposes them to a range of increased risks and violence.
With little access to education and economic opportunities, girls and their families are more likely to live in poverty. With its far-reaching consequences, child marriage is a barrier to achieving many development goals, including those on poverty, nutrition, health, education, gender equality, economic growth and reduction of inequality. Ending child marriage is complicated partly because the causes of child marriage are so complex.
Overview of GNBU
Started in 2013, Girls Not Brides Uganda is an alliance of 89 Civil Society Organisations working to end child marriages and teenage pregnancies across the country. Girls Not Brides Uganda engages a diverse range of stakeholders from government and religious leaders, girls and others within affected communities, to international donors.
In this way, GNBU mobilizes the ecosystem that influence girls’ lives, and with a critical mass of supporters, strengthen the movement to ensure quicker, widespread and sustainable change. GNBU is an affiliate to Girls Not Brides Global Partnership working across the globe with a membership of over 100 countries to End child marriage. GNBU is co-chaired by Joy for Children Uganda and World Vision International Uganda.
The Project Background
In 2019, with concerted efforts to achieve Girls Not Bride’s global vision of a world without child marriage, where girls are equal to boys and can achieve their full potential. A project proposal was developed, with funding support from People’s Post Code Lottery through Girls Not Brides, Girls Not Brides Uganda received a one-year grant titled ‘Accelerating Progress towards Ending Child Marriage in Uganda’.
The project is supporting five members of Girls Not Brides Uganda in refugee hosting communities of Kamwenge, Isingiro, Kiryandongo, Kyegegwa and Arua districts. Using the Accelerator Approach, the project aims to unlock the potential of a wide range of partners, encouraging them to increase efforts and collaboration to demonstrate that accelerated change at scale is possible. This project envisages that ending child marriage is possible at a scale that is currently unimaginable when: All relevant actors addressing child marriage in Uganda align with each other; and each actor individually intensifies and accelerates their efforts.
Expected Deliverables
The consultant will be expected to deliver the following;
- Girls Not Brides Uganda Communications Strategy with implementation framework.
- Draft messaging toolkit synthesized from the communication strategy objectives and identified target stakeholders/audiences with appropriate tools/platforms.
- Delivery of training workshop on the communication strategy to members of Girls Not Brides Uganda taking into consideration the ethical and safe guarding dimensions
- A report for the training
Scope of the Communication and Media Engagement Strategy:
- Background
- Context Analysis- PESTLE & SWOT Analysis
- Stakeholder Mapping
- Internal and External Communication Pillars
- Crisis Communication Management Approach/Plan
- Monitoring and Evaluation
- 2020-2025 Implementation work plan
- Communication Policies/Guidelines for members (Safeguarding sensitive)
- Broadcast Media Mapping opportunities at national level and in 5 priority districts
- Proposed Structure of Communications working Group
Scope of the Communication Strategy Training Workshop
- To equip members of GNBU to understand the GNBU Communication Strategy framework and key messaging.
- Equip GNBU members with communication basic practices applicable to all targeted stakeholders and audiences for advocacy work on Ending Child Marriages.
- To validate the Girls Not Brides Uganda’s communication and Media Strategy, and review components of the draft communications Toolkit.
- Enable GNBU members to develop a shared approach on public engagement and joint advocacy efforts as one partnership committed to Ending Child Marriages agenda.
- Establish the mechanisms through which GNBU members and the Communications Working Group will work together, and approve the communications strategy M&E framework.
Duration of work
The joint exercise- communications strategy development and the training workshop is expected to be delivered within 15 days commencing immediately upon signature of the contract. The consultant is expected to adhere to the specified dates as the deliverables.
Eligibility or Required Qualifications
- Minimum of 10 years of relevant national/international working experience in the area of strategic communications and policy implementation.
- Proven record of developing communication strategies for international/national development/policy implementing organizations
- Experience in delivering training workshops for international/national development/policy implementing organizations.
- Have at least a master’s degree in mass communication, or journalism from a reputable academic institution.
- Proven experience in working in a media station at senior editorial level or leading a communications department.
- Expert knowledge of combining broadcast, policy lobbying and social media tools
Contract Reporting Framework;
The consultant will be directly reporting to the Joy for Children Uganda supported by the GNB Secretariat Communications consultant.
Application
Submit a technical proposal not more than 3 pages and CV annexed with referees to Girls Not Brides Uganda (C/o the Secretariat Joy for Children Uganda). Applications should be submitted in soft copy to JFCU by email to info@joyforchildren.org
GNBU C/O JFCU espouses equal participation of men and women.
