EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI) TO DEVELOP A MEDIA COMMUNICATION PLAN FOR THE ACERWC
One of the major roles of the Committee is to monitor the implementation and ensure the protection of the rights enshrined in the Charter. Article 42 of the Charter outlines the mandate of the Committee, providing the basis for better information flow from the Committee. The Plan of Action/Strategy of ACERWC (2010-2014) defined the broad thrust and focus of the work of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child for the five year period. It sets out the major objectives that the Committee will need to achieve during this period, highlighting the need for better communication and promotion of the work of the ACERWC. It attempts to outline concrete and feasible activities that the Committee undertook within the limits of both its mandate as well as expected available resources.
Accordingly the ACERWC needs to develop a media communication plan for the Committee to help with better coordination and sharing of the work of the ACERWC and lessons learned internally and externally to mobilise critical stakeholders around its mandate. As the Committee works to champion the promotion and protection of children’s rights in Africa and improve on its internal (within the AUC) and external communication, there is the recognition of the need for a media communication plan. The media communication plan envisaged through this consultancy should include existing communication tools and propose new and better modes for the ACERWC to promote the Charter, itself and its work and mobilise stakeholders and in Africa and outside around its work.
The Objectives of the media communication Consultancy would be to: 1. Enhance the visibility and accessibility of the ACERWC; 2. Support the ACERWC to develop a media communication and popular mobilization plan; 3. Raise the profile of ACERWC with the African Union Commission, Others AU Organs, the AU Member States and globally with Policymakers, Donors and Partners; 4. Ensure effective and coordinated media advocacy with critical stakeholders around ACERWC’s mandate and Initiatives; 5. Develop a media advocacy plan on engaging African children/young people based on its agenda and mandate; 6. Advice on how best to boost media work and publicity for the annual Days that promote rights and welfare of children;
7. Advice on how to popularise the Committee among academics and universities to improve research and academic collaboration with them and the Committee.
Scope of Consultancy: The consultant will liaise with the ACERWC, the AUC Department of Social Affairs, the AUC Communication Directorate to: • Develop the ACERWC five years (2013-2017) Media Communication Plan this will include establishing a system for getting out the quarterly bi-lingual “Update” and annual reports (brochure); and identifying additional communication needs of ACERWC members and ; as well as developing the ideal distribution system for all of the above (e-newsletter, websites, etc) • Develop a concept note for communication and media training workshops for ACERWC secretariat, ACERWC members and AUC Communication Directorate on how to show case the work of the ACERWC • Assist in development of key message templates for the ACERWC Work plan, especially around key dates and events (Day of the African Child, ACERWC sessions, International Human Rights Day, etc) • Additionally, the Communication Consultant will develop a strategy in the communication plan for engaging children and other stakeholders in any ACERWC Campaign. This strategy will take into account existing ACERWC programs working with children; identify opportunities for developing and coordinating messages for and by children on ACERWC.
In order to carry out the above the consultant will carry out the following activities: • Assess the adequacy of ACERWC communication capacity to fulfil its mandate. Conduct what is called a “communication audit” and find out what staff at the secretariat is doing in the way of communication, what the Chairperson/Bureau is doing, and Committee members are doing, what the end result of each communication activity is and finally assess how effective each of those activities are. • Establish constraints faced or likely constraints to be faced by Experts Committee in implementing successfully a Media/Communication Plan. • Examine the AUC communication plan, if any, and investigate ways in which the ACERWC Communication plan can fit into that plan.
The consultant will, among others: • Fully review all relevant documents including the Charter on the Right and Welfare of the Child , Committee guidelines, report of the Committee sessions, and the current Plan of Action of the ACERWC 2010-2014
• Follow up with Committee Members, DSA, AUC Communication Directorate and other stakeholders on their views, needs and recommendations with regards to a media communication agenda/strategy and how to implement the ACERWC Plan of Action and the strategic Plan. In addition s/he takes into account the Recommendations of sessions of the Committee, the Recommendations of the CSO Forum and the UN Agencies ‘ • Consult with current and other AUC related (especially African Human Rights Institutions) to determine their media and communication plans as well as their constraints encountered for learning. • Collect, compile and consolidate recommendations from all stakeholders to guide the drafting of a comprehensive media communication plan 2013-2017.
The Consultant must have experience in the following: At least eight to ten years experience in working on media and communication programmes; Research and or Experience of working on social issues such as children’s rights and welfare; Knowledge and experience of Africa’s media systems and organisations as well as how to use the ‘new’ social media for advocacy and communication is essential; Knowledge of the AU, the ACERWC and its programmes desirable; Work experience in the UN, NGO or other international organisations desirable; Excellent and proven report writing skills; Excellent knowledge of English and good working knowledge of French would be an advantage; Good knowledge of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint (to create and format documents, spreadsheets, and presentations); Ability to deliver quality product on time.
Schedule: The consultant will work for fifteen (15) days starting 14th May 2012.
Reporting lines: The Consultant will work under the direct supervision and guidance of the Secretary of the ACERWC.However during the course of work the consultant will be expected to liase and consult directly with Save the Children Sweden for financial matters.
Working Environment: The Consultant will work at his/her duty station. E-mail communication will constitute a vital part of the work and will be considered as official communication. Transmission of document and draft to the Chairperson of the ACERWC and to the AUC Department of Social Affairs as well as progress report will be done via E-mail.
The Committee and the African Union Commission will make their comments and inputs on the draft Communication Plan within a period of 10 days. These comments will be forwarded to the consultant by the Secretariat of the Committee as soon as received.
The hard copy of the final Communication Plan will be submitted to the Chairperson of the ACERWC, the Department of Social Affairs and to Save the Children Sweden under cover of a signed letter. Accordingly, they will reply in writing with a signed letter in hard copy acknowledging the receipt of the document The electronic version of the final Plan will be forwarded to the secretariat of the ACERWC.
At least one visit to Addis Ababa will be arranged accordingly.
Remuneration: The total budget available for the consultancy is Five thousand, Two Hundred and Fifty dollars - US$350 per day x 15days = US$5250(Five thousand, Two Hundred and Fifty dollars): The terms of payment are as follows: - 30% - upon signing of contract; - 70 % - upon approbation of the final version of the communication plan, concept note and key message templates, by the DSA and the ACERWC.
Remuneration is based on submission of deliverables.
Save the Children Sweden will cover for the remuneration, the consultant’s air tickets on economy class to Addis Ababa, accommodation on bed and breakfast plus airport transfers in the field. All other costs shall be borne directly by the consultant.
Kenyan Taxation law will apply.
Documentation: The title rights, copyrights and all other rights of whatever nature in any materials used or generated under the provisions of this consultancy will exclusively be vested with the Secretariat of the ACERWC.
The following should be included in the application: • A Curriculum Vitae • A two page proposal on how they are going to carry out the consultancy • Company/individual profile including a minimum of three recent referees • Evidence of programmatic and technical expertise
Application should be submitted no later than 7th May 2012 to:
Ms Susan Wambui Mbugua Pan-African Child Rights Advocacy Advisor E-mail susanm@ecaf.savethechildren.se
Copying: Mainac@africa-union.org and Beatrice.Arionget@plan-international.org
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted, and the final decision reached no later than 11th May 2012.
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