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In 2021, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), with support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), launched the Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future PLUS (O^{3 PLUS}) project in Zambia and Zimbabwe.  With additional support from the governments of Sweden, Norway, and France, the O^{3 PLUS} project expanded to four more countries in the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) region: Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, and Uganda. The O^{3 PLUS} project builds on and extends the Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future (O³) programme. Launched in 2018, the O³ programme has grown to become the largest comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) programme in Africa. The programme has been implemented across 33 countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and aims to improve sexual and reproductive health, gender, and education outcomes for young people. 

As a complement to the O³, the O^{3 PLUS} edition focuses specifically on the higher and tertiary education cohort. The project aims to empower students in 38 higher and tertiary education institutions (HTEIs) across six project countries to achieve positive health, education, and gender equality outcomes. The project is aligned with UNESCO’s Medium-Term Strategy 2022-2029 (C/4) and Programme and Budget (C/5) notably; it directly responds to the organization’s two global priorities – Africa and gender equality. Working closely with regional structures, national ministries, particularly health and education, HTEIs, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and young people, the project seeks to achieve a sustained reduction of new HIV infections, unintended pregnancies, and gender-based violence (GBV) through the promotion of innovation to access comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. The project is building capacities to integrate gender both as a key concept and as a cross-cutting issue, ensuring a gender transformative approach is prevalent throughout. O^{3 PLUS} seeks to transform gender norms and attitudes of students, and challenge rigid notions of masculinity.

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the UNESCO Education for Health and Well-being (EHW) Team Leader, the consultant will work with regional and national colleagues to deliver on the following tasks:

1. Oversee the O^{3 PLUS} project programming and implementation at regional level and provide technical guidance to NPOs with regards to the implementation of the O^{3 PLUS} project in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, and Uganda. In particular provide technical support for the below:

   a. Key documentation submitted by NPOs (concept notes, policies, training materials, CSE modules)

   b. Roll-out of CSE mobile apps (Future+, OwnU, Buzzer, Yamba) and launch of the regional competition to popularize the mobile apps.

   c. Development and implementation of the Safer Campuses campaign

2. Support quality monitoring, evaluation and reporting of the O^{3 PLUS} project in ESA.

   a. Prepare the annual O^{3 PLUS} report to be submitted to SDC.

   b. Support the O^{3 PLUS} mid-term evaluation conducted across the six O^{3 PLUS} participating countries.

   c. Contribute to the strategic planning and annual review process for the O³ and O^{3 PLUS} programmes. Support the development of the concept note and agenda of the annual review meeting.

3. Enhance evidence-building and knowledge sharing between countries participating in the O^{3 PLUS} project.

   a. Establish a UNITWIN network gathering HTEIs participating in the O^{3 PLUS} project in Zambia and Zimbabwe.

   b. Organize at least one virtual skill share meeting to share O^{3 PLUS} project resources /lessons learned/successes.

   c. Support the research on GBV in HTEIs in collaboration with HQ and IESALC. 

   d. Support SDC to conduct research on provision and utilization of SRHR services in HTEIs.

   e. Based on the research conducted by UNESCO, support the EHW team’s engagement at the International AIDS Conference and other research fora.

4. Support budget monitoring and resource mobilization for Comprehensive Sexuality Education and SRHR projects in East and Southern Africa.

   a. Support monitoring of O^{3 PLUS} project expenditure in line with the approved budget.

   b. Secure in-kind contribution reports from O^{3 PLUS} project countries.

   c. Identify funding opportunities / linkages with other platforms working with HTEIs and support the development of EHW project/grant proposals, including the development of results assessment frameworks (log frames) where need be.

Required

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in a relevant field, such as education, health, social sciences, development studies, public health or related areas.

• Minimum 4 years of relevant professional experience.

• Experience in leading projects in the education sector designed to address sexual and reproductive health issues of young people in higher and tertiary institutions.

• Experience engaging with high-level development partners.

• Knowledge of sexual and reproductive health rights, HIV prevention programming for young people particularly those in higher and tertiary education institutions, and comprehensive sexuality education in the context of ESA.

Desirable

• Previous work in Government, Civil Society, or the UN system an asset.

• Strong understanding of the region and solid development understanding

• Extensive professional knowledge in HIV, with expertise in UNESCO’s key leadership and main partner responsibilities within the UNAIDS division of labor and familiarity with UNAIDS 

• Highly skilled in maintaining liaison with partners.

Proficiency in English

The contract will run from March to August 2024

Payments in arrears upon submission of satisfactory deliverables