COALITION ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN TENDER OCTOBER 2025
| REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL |
DEVELOPMENT OF END FGM NETWORK AFRICA STRATEGIC PLAN 2025-2030 AND ADVOCACY POLICY CONSULTANCY
Closing date: 26 Oct 2025
Background
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) remains one of the most entrenched forms of gender-based violence globally. It is a socio-cultural practice with no medical justification, cutting across ethnic and religious contexts.
Globally, according to research, more than 230 million women and girls live with the effects of FGM, while an estimated 3.6 million are at risk annually. In Africa, prevalence remains alarmingly high. Among women aged 15-49, FGM rates reach 98% in Somalia, 97% in Guinea, and 93% in Djibouti. Girls under 14 are also highly vulnerable, with prevalence at 56% in Gambia and 54% in Mauritania. Although some countries report declining rates, rapid population growth in practicing regions threatens to increase the overall number of affected women and girls by 2030.
Despite progress in legislation, advocacy, and awareness, FGM persists due to deeply rooted social norms, weak enforcement of protective laws, and limited resources for community-led initiatives. The practice not only violates the fundamental rights of women and girls but also undermines their health, dignity, and empowerment across generations.
The global urgency to address FGM is reinforced by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 5, Target 5.3.2), which aim to eliminate all harmful practices, including FGM, by 2030. Achieving this target is pivotal for advancing gender equality, safeguarding human rights, and ensuring that women and girls in Africa and beyond live free from violence and discrimination.
It is against this background that the End FGM/C Network was formed back in 2023.
About the End FGM Network Africa.
End FGM/C Network Africa (The African Network) is an African-led coalition launched on October 10, 2023, during the African Union’s 2nd International Conference on FGM in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The Network aims to eliminate Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) across the continent. Conceived in 2022 through Orchid Project workshops, its mission is to amplify African voices in advocating for human rights protections for women and girls. Co-hosted by Covenant Foundation for Girls (Liberia) and ONG Éducation Universelle (Niger), with Orchid Project as interim secretariat and Coalition on Violence Against Women (COVAW) as the network’s treasurer, the Network unites diverse African organizations to coordinate grassroots advocacy, policy influence, and legislative reform efforts. Members have engaged in community sensitization, survivor support, and participation in regional platforms like the AU Gender Observatory and ACERWC meetings, strengthening partnerships and advancing child protection and gender equality initiatives.
Overview of the Amplify Change-funded project
Presently, the African Network is implementing a three-year grant with funding from Amplify Change, with a strategic priority of strengthening the Network’s governance structure, expanding membership, generating evidence on FGM, amplifying regional & global advocacy, and forging stronger partnerships. This funding will further improve the African Network’s capacity to champion African-led solutions, as the leading regional movement to end FGM/C. One of the activities under Organizational Strengthening (OS 1) is supporting the development of the Network’s Strategic Plan 2025-2030 and the Network’s Advocacy Policy.
The Consultancy Service
Purpose
The End FGM Africa Network seeks to engage a highly qualified and experienced consultant to lead the development of its Strategic Plan (2025–2030) and Advocacy Policy. The consultancy aims to produce two distinct but complementary documents, a Strategic Plan (SP) and an Advocacy Policy (AP), that will collectively define the Network’s vision, strategic direction, advocacy priorities, and operational framework for the next five years.
These documents will serve as the cornerstone of the Network’s coordination and accountability mechanisms, reinforcing its leadership in the continental movement to end Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C). The consultant will facilitate a participatory and evidence-based process that reflects the diversity of voices within the movement — from survivors and grassroots activists to policymakers and regional partners.
Both documents are expected to articulate a clear vision, mission, strategic priorities, and actionable goals, while embedding sustainability, accountability, and measurable impact indicators. They will guide the Network’s partnerships, advocacy engagements, and institutional strengthening, ensuring long-term alignment with regional and global frameworks such as Agenda 2063, SDG 5, and the Maputo Protocol on Women’s Rights.
The ultimate goal is to ensure that the End FGM Africa Network emerges as a stronger, more resilient, and more influential voice for women’s and girls’ rights across Africa.
Specific Objectives of the Consultancy
The main objective of this consultancy is to design a forward-looking, inclusive, and actionable Strategic Plan and Advocacy Policy that will serve as a roadmap for the Network’s growth, influence, and sustainability. Specifically, the consultant will:
- Facilitate a structured and inclusive planning process that ensures full participation of members and key stakeholders.
- Provide technical and strategic leadership in the development of the strategic plan and advocacy brief.
- Produce two high-quality, standalone documents, the Advocacy Policy and the Strategic Plan (2025–2030), grounded in evidence and the African context.
Scope of Service
The consultant’s role will encompass the following:
- a)Support the Policy and Strategic Planning Process
Design and lead a structured and participatory process involving the Network’s leadership, membership, and partners to ensure alignment with the Network’s values, mission, and goals. The process should promote ownership, collaboration, and shared accountability.
- b)Provide Technical Expertise
Apply extensive knowledge of organizational development, gender equality, advocacy, and human rights frameworks to guide the process. The consultant will integrate best practices in advocacy planning, policy formulation, and sustainability strategies tailored to the African context.
- c)Collaborate with Key Stakeholders
Work closely with the Network’s leadership and secretariat while engaging civil society organizations, government representatives, survivors, traditional leaders, and advocacy champions to ensure inclusivity and representation in the process.
- d)Embed Sustainability and Accountability
Identify practical mechanisms for governance strengthening, resource mobilization, partnership development, and institutional sustainability that will be reflected in both documents.
Scope of Work and Key Activities
The consultant will be responsible for leading, coordinating, and delivering all components of the assignment, in close collaboration with the Network’s leadership, members, and partners.
- a)Coordination and Consultations
- Establish a clear work plan and methodology with the Network’s leadership and Secretariat.
- Facilitate inclusive consultations (virtual and in-person, where feasible) with members, partners, government stakeholders, survivors, and youth-led organizations.
- Ensure representation from grassroots movements and key regional actors.
Deliverables:
- Inception report with methodology, work plan, and consultation schedule
- Consultation summaries and stakeholder engagement reports
- b)Situational Analysis
- Conduct a review of existing documents, reports, and evaluations related to the Network’s past work and the continental movement to end FGM/C.
- Carry out a SWOT analysis to assess the Network’s position, capacity, and opportunities for growth.
- Map stakeholders, partnerships, and allies at national, regional, and global levels.
- Identify emerging issues (e.g., climate justice, youth leadership, digital advocacy, funding trends) affecting the Network’s agenda.
Deliverables:
- Situational Analysis Report (including SWOT, stakeholder mapping, and landscape analysis).
- Presentation of findings for validation by the Network’s leadership and members.
- c)Strategic Plan 2025-2030 and Advocacy Policy Development
- Draft a comprehensive Advocacy Policy integrating insights from consultations and situational analyses
- Draft a comprehensive Strategic Plan (2025–2030) integrating insights from consultations and situational analyses
- Redefine the Network’s vision, mission, and core values, and develop strategic objectives and thematic priorities
- Establish evidence-based advocacy strategies aligned with global and continental frameworks
- Create measurable indicators for policy influence and programmatic impact
- Develop an Implementation and Advocacy Roadmap with clear actions, roles, timelines, and accountability mechanisms
- Integrate a Resource Mobilization and Partnership component within the Strategic Plan as well as a logical framework in both the Advocacy Policy and the Strategic Plan.
Deliverables:
- Draft Advocacy Policy
- Draft Strategic Plan (2025–2030)
- Implementation and Advocacy Roadmap with MEAL framework and accountability matrix
- d)Validation and Finalization
- Facilitate a validation workshop with the Network’s members, partners, and regional allies to review and refine the drafts
- Incorporate stakeholder feedback and finalize both documents
- Oversee professional editing, formatting, and design for publication
- Prepare a dissemination brief summarizing key priorities and recommendations for donor and partner engagement. This will be a power point presentation.
- Provide a handover and orientation session for the Network’s leadership and Secretariat
Deliverables:
- Validation Workshops Report with stakeholder feedback
- Final Advocacy Policy
- Final Strategic Plan (2025–2030)
- Dissemination Brief / Power point presentation
- Handover Note and Implementation Follow-up Plan
How to apply
Interested candidates who meet the criteria are invited to apply by responding to these Terms of Reference.
- Applications must include the following:
- A detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV) with at least three professional references;
- A proposed methodology (maximum four pages) outlining the approach to the consultancy, including strategies for stakeholder engagement and participatory processes, including participants with special needs;
- A work schedule indicating key deliverables and an indicative timeline;
- A detailed financial proposal/budget, clearly indicating the daily consultancy rate and any anticipated costs related to communication, travel, and logistics. Please note that the consultations shall primarily be held online.
- At least two samples of strategic plans previously developed and/or led by the applicant, demonstrating experience in high-quality, participatory strategic planning, including any link.
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