Terms of Reference for a Consultant
“The Voice2Protect Project”

 Title: Short-term Consultant for the Voice2Protect Project. | Deadline: 14th June, 2023

The Learn2Protect initiative of Path 4 Health Uganda is intended to Explore Links between Sexuality Education, Environmental Conservation, and WASH for Adolescents and Teachers in Primary and Secondary Schools in Uganda

About Path 4 Health:
Path for Health is a non-profit organization that has been registered since 2019 with the objective of promoting sexual reproductive health and rights, economic empowerment, providing mental, and psychosocial support and counseling services to desperate people and victims of domestic violence from poor, vulnerable and marginalized communities.

Background:
Uganda is faced with significant challenges related to sexual and reproductive health (SRH), environmental conservation, and sanitation and hygiene (S&H). The country has high rates of teenage pregnancies, environmental degradation, and poor S&H practices, particularly in rural areas. Schools can play a crucial role in promoting healthy behaviors and practices among children, including those related to SRH, environmental conservation, and S&H. However, there is hardly any standardized sexuality education curriculum for primary school students in Uganda, and the sexual education programs which are in place are often for secondary education and out-of-school adolescents.

Objective:
The overall objective of this study is to explore the experiences and perceptions of adolescents and teachers regarding school-based sexuality education, environmental concerns and practices, and sanitation and hygiene in rural primary schools in Uganda. The specific objectives are to:

1. Examine the relationship between SRH, environmental conservation, S&H, and healthy behaviors among primary and secondary schools kids in Uganda.
2. Identify the barriers and facilitators to promoting healthy behaviors related to SRH, environmental conservation, and S&H in primary and secondary schools in Uganda.
3. Map out vulnerable sub-regions in terms of socio-demographic characteristics and predisposing factors.
4. Provide recommendations for policymakers and stakeholders to implement integrated approaches to promote healthy behaviors related to SRH, environmental conservation, and S&H in primary and secondary schools.

Scope of Work:
The consultant will undertake the following activities:

1. Conduct a literature review on the linkages between SRH, environmental conservation, S&H, and healthy behaviors among primary school children in Uganda. The literature review should identify research gaps in the field.
2. Prepare and present a research protocol/inception report aligned with the latest research standards.
3. Develop and pre-test a survey tool to collect quantitative data from primary and secondary school-going adolescents aged 12-16 years and teachers aged 28-52 in urban and rural-based schools from the four regions of Uganda. The survey tool should be designed to capture information on SRH, environmental conservation, S&H, and healthy behaviors.
4. Conduct qualitative interviews with primary school-going adolescents aged 12-16 years and teachers aged 28-52 in urban and rural-based schools from the four regions of Uganda. The qualitative interviews should explore the experiences and perceptions of adolescents and teachers regarding school-based sexuality education, environmental concerns and practices, and sanitation and hygiene in rural primary schools in Uganda.
5. Analyze the quantitative and qualitative data collected from the survey and interviews and present findings in a report.
6. Provide recommendations for policymakers and stakeholders to implement integrated approaches to promote healthy behaviors related to SRH, environmental conservation, and S&H in primary and secondary schools in Uganda.

Throughout all the above-mentioned work, the consultant will coordinate, consult and seek approval from the technical team at Path4Health.

Scope of research and methodological approach:
Path4Health anticipates that a cross-sectional survey that employs both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection will be undertaken. Quantitative methods will focus on partly answering objective one and qualitative methods will focus on answering objective a,b,c, and d. Quantitative data analysis is expected to make use of both descriptive statistics as well as regression analysis and to rely on available specialized software, both for the quantitative and qualitative components.

Deliverables:
The consultant is expected to produce the following deliverables:

1. Inception report detailing the consultant’s understanding of the TOR and methodology for the study.
2. A survey tool for collecting quantitative data from primary school-going adolescents aged 12-16 years and teachers aged 28-52 in urban and rural-based schools from the four regions of Uganda.
3. Comprehensive write-up of all meetings held
4. Authorization letters from other relevant institutions.
5. Final clean datasets.
6. Final technical report answering all objectives of the research.
7. A final report containing the findings from the literature review, qualitative interviews, and survey analysis. The report should include recommendations for policymakers and stakeholders to implement integrated approaches to promote healthy behaviors related to SRH, environmental conservation, and S&H in primary and secondary schools in Uganda.

Duration:
The duration of the consultancy will be 8 weeks, starting from the date of signing the contract.

Qualifications:
The consultant should possess the following qualifications:

1. Experience working with International Organizations
2. Relevant academic background in Social sciences and development, environmental management, water engineering, development studies, public health & sanitation or any other related field.
3. Experience conducting research on SRH, environmental conservation, and S&H.
4. Knowledge of the Ugandan education system and policies.
5. Experience working with primary school-going adolescents and teachers.
6. Training in M&E from a recognized institution is a requirement
7. Experience facilitating focus group discussions or related workshops.
8. Excellent writing and reporting skills (English) and ability to conceptualize WASH issues; g) Ability to work efficiently and deliver on committed outputs under the assignment within agreed timelines and deadlines

Payments
Modest professional fees will be given to the consultant as compensation for his technical expertise, competence, and time. This will be agreed upon based on the interpretation by the intending consultants and available resources.

Contractual conditions

1. The Consultant shall be a person of high integrity and competence in the application of the task at hand for the period required.
2. Except with prior agreement with Path 4 Health, the Consultant shall not publicize or make public through media or in private any (part) of the raw or finished material, recommendations, or information provided within the framework of this contract.
3. All reference materials belonging to Path 4 Heath that the Consultant may have in possession by virtue of the contract shall be surrendered to Path 4 Health at the end of the contract.

Application Submission process

All interested parties should submit a concept proposal of 5-10 pages detailing their understanding of the assignment, the methodology proposed, time frame, budget, qualifications, and list of similar assignments conducted. This should be submitted and addressed to the Executive Director, Path 4 Health Uganda P.O. Box ….., Kampala, Uganda. Or email: learn2protect@path4health.org with a copy to info@path4health.org not later than 14^th June 2023.