Consultant to Conduct a Scoping of the Sub-National CSOs Engagement in Enhancing Governance & Accoun

Details Job Role: Experienced Position Type: Consultant Organization Type: NGO Location Other Dar es Salaam District Dar Es Salaam Description PANITA is looking for Consultant to conduct a Scoping to provide information which can assist PANITA in gaining a better understanding of how to best support member CSOs in engaging systems and structures for nutrition accountability. 1.1 Background Partnership for Nutrition in Tanzania (PANITA) Partnership for Nutrition in Tanzania (PANITA) is a civil society network (CSN) that aims at advancing advocacy effort; improve coordination of civil society organizations (CSO), the media, political leaders and other development partners to facilitate a more effective national and local response to addressing malnutrition in Tanzania. With a membership base of more than 300 local CSOs throughout Tanzania, including some international NGOs; the network is registered and the board of directors and the secretariat is in operation with the essential systems and structures. In light of its Five Years Strategic Plan (2015-2020), PANITA is positioned to support its members for a meaningful engagement and participation in the existing dialogue structures for value-added accountability thus enhance nutrition governance, especially at the Council level. Meaningful support is possible when sub-national CSOs are empowered with advocacy and implementation skills that will translate into improved knowledge, action and practice. It is worthwhile noting that, whereas CSO engagement has been more on implementation of nutrition interventions, there seem to have little and fragmented focus in advocacy which leads into inconsistent messaging that will influence local and national efforts through meaningful dialogue, advocacy with government and private sector. 1.2 Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) PANITA actively contributed in its development through government led consultative process. Despite declining from 42% in 2010 to about 34% in 2015/16, the prevalence of stunting (low height-for-age or chronic malnutrition) in children 6-59 months is still categorized as severe in public health significance. Though the prevalence of wasting (low weight-for height or acute malnutrition) has been maintained at about the World Health Assembly’s (WHA) 2025 prevalence target of below 5% since 1999, the absolute numbers are high due to the rapid population growth. In 2016, the number of children acutely malnourished was estimated to be 600,000 of whom 340,000 were severely wasted. 1.3 Rationale The current Government commitment to SUN movement has provided a framework for and more favourable environment for various stakeholder to work and support country effort to fight malnutrition in the country. Currently we have Civil Societies organisation, UN agencies, Academia, Development partners, and Business entities , all coordinated by SUN Focal Person at the Prime Minister’s Office. The technical support to the SUN focal person is provided by Tanzania Food and Nutrition Centre. Father to this the government has provided space for dialogue among platforms and Partners working on Nutrition; these include Higher Level Nutrition Steering Committee; regional and District Nutrition steering Committees. Further to these development; the Government have developed and Five years National Mult-sectoral Nutrition action plan-MNAP (2016-21) which is a blue print for harmonising and coordinating nutrition response in Tanzania. As part of the success of higher level advocacy on domestic resources mobilisation for Nutrition; the government of Tanzania made a pledge during World Bank Human Capital Summit held in November 2016; to allocate $ 115 million for the next five years for nutrition sector under the MNAP. As a result of this commitment government has allocated a total of 11 billion TZS for region and councils to implement nutrition interventions in the FY 2017/18. Although a formal mult sectoral nutrition dialogue structures, including council and regional mult sectoral steering committee, public-private business dialogue (through business councils) exists, little is known on the extent to which CSOs are engaged in promoting accountability and ownership of the dialogue process with nutrition stakeholders including government and private sector and thus contribute to a successful roll-out of the MNNAP. Scoping study is therefore necessary to provide contextual information necessary to make a well-informed decision on the appropriate support to the CSOs. 2.0 Objectives The purpose of the scoping study is to provide information which can assist PANITA in gaining a better understanding of how to best support member CSOs in engaging systems and structures for nutrition accountability. This implies gaining a better understanding of: CSOs engagement in policy dialogue for nutrition issues; the relevance and effectiveness of their work; what difference they make; and the constraining and enabling factors among others The coordination mechanisms for CSOs within the same location for effective nutrition dialogue Enable PANITA to get a better understanding of the capacity of the CSOs for supporting advocacy and accountability efforts in the respective district/ regions The scoping study will focus on CSO engagement at the LGA level and shall have the following specific objectives: Assess how CSO have contributed in the nutrition dialogue – the relevance, effectiveness and outcomes of their work, and identification of what works and what does not Establish an understanding of how CSOs engage with LGA sin addressing nutrition issues at different levels (issues, strategies and type of interaction/ engagement), including how aspects of the enabling environment (such as power structure, social institutions) influence the approached CSO choose. Identify the enabling and the disabling factors, which affect CSO ability and willingness to play an effective role in the dialogue and accountability structures, including the space and capacity constraints among others. Discuss the strengths and weakness of different support mechanisms for effective engagement in the dialogue structure – in terms of local coordination within and among CSOs Identify lessons and provide recommendation for effective support to CSOs in the area of enhancing nutrition governance. 3.0 Scope of work The study will focus on the following themes: 1) CSOs effectiveness – what are the ways in which CSO engagement in the nutrition dialogue structure at the Council level is most effective and how best this is linked to National level advocacy on Nutrition; what does this mean, and how can this be facilitated in the future? 2) What outcomes can be identified from engagement in the nutrition dialogue, and what have been the factors contributing to them? 3) Enabling and disabling conditions – what are the enablers and barriers to CSO engagement and how could they be addressed? 4) How can PANITA support and facilitate (directly or indirectly) effective CSOs nutrition engagement at the council level? Key activities of the Scoping Study 5) Desk review: undertake preliminary desk review of data sources relevant to CSO engagement in enhancing nutrition governance and provide initial analysis to support and guide field mission. A method of analysis for documents will be developed by the consultant undertaking the exercise. 6) Conduct semi-structured interview with selected CSOs, LGA officials, private sector, and councilors at the Council level and other nutrition stakeholders depending on their availability 7) Facilitate a validation working session with PANITA staff 8) Analyze and present key findings in a concise analytical report, with more detailed data annexed in matrixes and relational overviews Deliverables 9) An inception report that provide a brief outline of the consultant understanding of the work, proposed methodology, detailed schedule, itinerary and logistics. 10) A desk review report summarizing key issues and implication to the CSO engagement at the council level in furthering nutrition governance in Tanzania. 11) A short analytical report based on the field work and preliminary desk review, presented based on the themes of the scoping study. This report will also summarizes activities undertaken, key conclusion that cover all thematic areas and recommendations. 4.0 Duration of the assignment It is expected that the assignment will take a maximum of 14 working days spread over 30 Calendar days. 5.0 Required Competencies/ Consultant Profile Sound academic qualification, preferable Masters’ Degree in Public Health, Social Science, or related field with experience in doing similar assignment Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in the areas of advocacy, SBCC, partnership management, process development. Extensive technical and practical development expertise and familiarity with how government operates at the national and council level, especially in the nutrition. A strong track record of working with Civil Society Organizations and evidence of knowledge of and networks within the Tanzanian non-state actor landscape. Knowledge of the Multi-sectoral nutrition landscape in Tanzania. A strong commitment to delivering timely and high-quality results Good communication, advocacy and people skills; demonstrable ability to communicate with various stakeholders and to express concisely and clearly ideas and concepts in written and oral form. Language proficiency: Fluency in Swahili and English is mandatory 6.0 Accountabilities The overall management of the contract is under the Executive Director of PANITA. However the Consultant shall on day to day basis work under the direct supervision from PANITA Program Coordinator. Upon signing the contract, the consultant shall agree with PANITA on the final schedule and timelines for delivering the work. Application Process: All interested eligible applicants should send applications enclosing the following: A 2 page concept indicating how you will execute the assignment with financial proposal. Detailed CV of the consultant with a sample report of a similar exercise in the past. Availability of the consultant as of Fed, 2018. The application should be received via email by 15th March 2018, at the very latest, using the following email: info@panita.or.tz Candidates should also indicate in the email subject “Consultancy for Scoping Study”

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