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PLAN INTERNATIONAL ZAMBIA

TERMS OF REFERENCE – RESEARCH ON RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN, POLICY, NORMS AND
PRACTICES ON CHILD, EARLY AND FORCED MARRIAGE (CEFM) IN MIDDLE EAST, EASTERN
AND SOUTHERN AFRICAN REGION (MEESA).

1\. ABOUT PLAN INTERNATIONAL

Founded 80 years ago, Plan International is one of the oldest and largest
children’s centered development and humanitarian organisation in the world. We
work in 50 developing countries across Africa, Asia and the Americas to
promote child rights and lift millions of children out of poverty particularly
those who are excluded or marginalized with high quality programs that deliver
long lasting benefits by increasing its income, working in partnership with
others and operating effectively. Plan is independent, with no religious,
political or governmental affiliations.
Plan International purpose statement “We strive for a just world that advances
children’s rights and equality for girls”.

We engage people and partners to

> Empower children, young people and communities to make vital changes that tackle the root causes of discrimination against girls, exclusion and vulnerability.
> Drive change in practice and policy at local, national and global levels through our reach, experience and knowledge of the realities children face.
> Work with children and communities to prepare for and respond to crises and to overcome adversity.
> Support the safe and successful progression of children from birth to adulthood.
Plan International core values are

> We strive for lasting impact
> We are open and accountable
> We work well together
> We are inclusive and empowering

1.1 About the 18+ Centre of Excellence

The 18+ Centre of Excellence (CoE) on Ending Child Marriage, and Teenage
Pregnancy is Plan International’s Middle East,Eastern and Southern Africa
(MEESA) regional hub for ending Child, Early, and Forced marriage (CEFM)
programmes as well as a shared service providing expertise for programming and
evidence-based influencing to end CEFM, and teenage pregnancy in the region.
The CoE implements multi-country ending CEFM projects, facilitates processes
for sharing and learning to scale up best practices. Further the 18+ CoE
mobilises expertise from a network of internal and external professionals to
provide support that enables 15 Plan International Country Offices and partner
organisations in MEESA region of Middle to design and implement programmes,
influencing strategies that address CEFM, and Adolescent Sexual Reproductive
Health Rights (ASRHR).

The 18+ CoE is hosted by Plan International Zambia in Lusaka and was set up in
July 2018. The current focus of the CoE is to scale up ending child marriage
programmes from in all the 15 countries in MEESA by building capacities of
Plan staff and partners as well as providing programming tools, and leading
regional influencing and research activities that benefit countries.

2\. BACKGROUND ON THE TOPIC/ ISSUE

Despite global declines in rates of child marriage, an estimated one in five
women worldwide are married as children. More than half of the girls from the
poorest families in the developing world are married. According to UNICEF
data, child, early and forced marriage (CEFM) is most common in sub-Saharan
Africa, and six countries (South Sudan, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, and
Uganda) with the highest prevalence of CEFM in the world are in Eastern and
Southern African region. The drivers of child marriage in the region are
common and include social norms, gender inequality, poverty, inconsistent and
weak legislation including polices .
Despite a steady decline in some countries in the region for example from 42
percent to 31 percent over seven years in Zambia, the rates are still very
high in many countries.
However, the impact of COVID 19 is likely to reverse this progress recorded in
the past few years. The effects of the global pandemic will impact negatively
on planned efforts to end child marriage resulting in an additional 13 million
child marriages taking place that otherwise would not have occurred between
2020 and 2030.
CEFM is a violation of children’s rights and denies children (especially
girls) an opportunity to realise their full potential. Child marriages affect
how young women and men’s lives unfold — shortening their childhoods, limiting
their education and economic opportunities, and subjecting them to social
isolation and vulnerability to violence.
CEFM also affects boys, but to a far lesser degree than girls. Data on the
number of boys affected by child marriage is scarce, but data from 2016
suggests that in nine countries, more than 10 per cent of boys are married
before age 18. CEFM is driven by issues of gender inequality and compounds the
impact of poverty. This results in the loss of educational and economic
opportunities for girls and women and limits the power that they have in a
wider range of matters.
Girls who marry are not only denied their childhood, they are often socially
isolated – cut off from family and friends and other sources of support.
Teenage pregnancy is also a major social and health issue which can cause
severe issues for both adolescent mothers and children. According to UNFPA,
7.3 million girls in developing countries become pregnant before the age of 18
each year. Early childbearing increases health risks for both mothers and
children. The impacts of CEFM and teenage pregnancy are thus physical,
psychological and emotional as well as social and economic.
Research has shown that the underlying factors that contribute to CEFM and
teenage pregnancy are complex and inter-related and have different dynamics in
every context. For instance, poverty denies girls the ability to stay in
school and delay marriage while at the same time hinders access to SRHR
services such as contraception, resulting in high teenage pregnancy and
consequently high CEFM prevalence in some contexts. Ending child, early and
forced marriage and teen pregnancy requires work across all sectors and at all
levels. It requires understanding the complex drivers behind the practices in
different contexts in order to adapt interventions.
In the last seven years countries such as Ethiopia, South Sudan, Tanzania,
Uganda, Mozambique, Egypt, Zimbabwe, and Zambia have developed and launched
national policies, strategies and costed national action plans to end child
marriage. By 2019 Malawi, Kenya, and Sudan were still in the process of
developing their national strategies to end child marriage.
The Southern African Development Community Parliamentary (SADC-PF) has moved
into action to provide regional programmatic and legislative guidance to
countries as they design laws and strategies to end child marriage through the
development (2016) of the SADC Model Law on Eradicating Child Marriage and
Protection of those Already in Marriage.

3\. RESEARCH FOCUS

Important progress has been made in understanding the drivers of child
marriage and what it takes to address child, early and forced marriage (CEFM),
including the social norms that contribute to it. However, we know that there
is a gap between the policy landscape and understanding social norms that
drive the practice. This research will therefore, explore how policies and
social norms interact, and focus on identifying social norms related to
adolescent sexuality and access to SRHR information and services that drive
CEFM in communities, where there is high prevalence of CEFM.

4\. PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH

The purpose of this research is to generate evidence to inform quality
programme and policy interventions that are gender transformative, to address
harmful social norms related to adolescent sexuality within Plan
International´s work on CEFM. These programmes will also support young people,
their families, community leaders, Plan staff, and other key government
stakeholders to transform behaviours/practices.

Therefore, this research will seek to understand the interaction between
policies and social norms related to control of adolescent sexuality, the
reference groups for the norms, as well as sanctions and rewards for
disobeying and obeying the norms respectively.

4.1 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1\. What is the policy landscape in each target country, and how is this
communicated
2\. How effective are current policies in addressing social norms that
contribute to child marriage in communities where there is high prevalence of
CEFM
3\. What are the social norms at community level which contribute to child
marriages, particularly related to adolescent sexuality and access to SRHR for
adolescents in each target country
4\. Who are the reference groups that sustain the norms
5\. What are the sanctions for defying the norms, and conversely what are the
rewards for upholding the norms Who benefits from the system
6\. What existing social norms, behaviours and attitudes related to adolescent
sexuality can be promoted to discourage the practice of CEFM

4.2 USERS OF THE RESEARCH

The primary users of the research will be Plan International staff at global,
regional and especially country level. Other audiences include policy makers
in the region, young activists campaigning to end child marriage, communities
and traditional leaders, various partners working to end CEFM such as Civil
Society Organisations, Corporate institutions, research/academic institutions,
and the UN Family.

4.3 METHODS FOR DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

The consultant(s)/ researcher(s) is expected to propose a methodology for data
collection and analysis, but broadly the approach will be qualitative and
quantitative to include desk review, data collection through key informants
and focus group discussions (FGDs) derived from the target population (girls,
boys, parents, caregivers, religious/traditional leaders, traditional
initiators, Faith Based Organisations) and other strategic institutions such
as Civil Society organisations working to ending CEFM, including governments.

4.4. SAMPLE

The consultant(s)/ researcher(s) is expected to propose the sample size and
sampling methods in identifying and selecting the target respondents and
locations in MEESA. A good mix and sub-regional representation of three
countries representing the three sub-regional block (Mozambique, Uganda, and
Ethiopia). In each targeted country, the research will be conducted in one
province with the high prevalence of CEFM covering at least three districts.

4.5. PARTICIPANT SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT

The consultant(s)/ researcher(s) shall seek the information and views on
current situation regarding policy, social norms and practices on CEFM from
girls, boys, women and men, community members and traditional authorities in
the project region. Furthermore the consultant shall involve relevant public
authorities during the study.

4.6. ETHICS AND CHILD PROTECTION

Plan International is committed to ensuring that the rights of those
participating in data collection or analysis are respected and protected, in
accordance with Ethical MERL Framework and our Global Policy on Safeguarding
Children and Young People. All applicants should include details in their
proposal on how they will ensure ethics and child protection in the data
collection process. Specifically, the consultant(s) shall explain how
appropriate, safe, non-discriminatory participation of all stakeholders will
be ensured and how special attention will be paid to the needs of children and
other vulnerable groups. The consultant(s) shall also explain how
confidentiality and anonymity of participants will be guaranteed. The
consultant is expected to submit for ethical approval by Plan International
Ethical Committee or another relevant local ethics committee. Please note,
Plan International Ethical Committee usually takes two weeks to provide
clearance.

5\. KEY DELIVERABLES

– Inception Report or Research Protocol including

> an overview of available literature on the topic / a literature review
> an updated timeline;
> detailed methodology, including draft sampling methodology and sample size;
> draft data collection tools;
> ethical considerations;
> consent forms for any primary data collection;
> (draft) methods for data analysis;
> Brief justification of the methods and techniques to be used (including relevant underlying values and assumptions/ theories) with a justification of the selections made (e.g. number of persons be interviewed).

– Approval from an ethical review body, or written justification of why this
is not needed
– Draft Research Report
– Final Research Report as outlined below

1\. Forward
2\. Executive summary
3\. Introduction
4\. Methodology
4.1 Research methodology
4.2 Research limitations
5\. Key findings
6\. Recommendations

> Discussion, research and guidance needed on strategies in relation to changing adolescent harmful sexuality social norms
> Recommendations for programme implementers
> Recommendations for researchers
> Recommendation for funders
> Recommendations for advocates and young activists

7\. Case studies
8\. Annexes

> Final Data Collection Tools
> Final Sampling methodology (including unit of sampling and sampling frame) and size
> Cleaned Data (including data files), transcripts of qualitative data, syntax/ code books etc.)
> Completed Consent Forms (including for children and their caregivers and adults)
> Other Communication Products for Dissemination, as required

9\. A journal article developed and published

6\. TIMELINE

The table below outlines what we assess as an estimated reasonable amount of
time for this work to be done within the budget available and is subject to
change in negotiation with the consultant(s)/ researcher(s). This work must be
completed by April 2021. Penalties will be incurred for delays
Activity Days of work (estimate) Month (tentative)
Inception 5 days December 2020
Ethical approval 1 day December 2020
Desk review of external evidence 15 days January 2021
Methodology Design and Tool Design 10 days January 2021
Preparation meetings with country teams 5 days January- Feb 2021
Country data collection 15 days (including in country travel) Feb – 2020
Final report draft (allowing for three rounds of comments) 10 days Feb – March
2021
Development and submission of journal article for publishing 5 days March –
April 2021
*These days can be discussed with the successful candidate and are adjustable across the different tasks.

7\. BUDGET

The consultant(s)/ researcher(s) shall lead the field data gathering and is
expected to propose a budget that covers all related costs for the study
including taxes.
Given the COVID-19 travel restrictions there will be no international travel
in conducting this research. The consultant(s) / researcher (s) are advised to
devise remote methods of working including having in-country contact(s) in
research targeted countries who can travel locally to engage in physical data
gathering where this might be possible.
Plan International will support the consultant(s)/researcher(s) in making
appointments with research participants during data collection.

8\. SELECTION CRITERIA FOR RESEARCHER/CONSULTANTS

a) Post graduate degree or PhD preferably in Social Sciences, Gender Studies
Development Studies, must have extensive experience in research
b) Strong experience in carrying out research in the area of ending child
marriage, children’s rights including in Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health
Rights (ASRHR) issues.
c) Strong technical knowledge and practical field experience in gender
equality, social norm change, including in children’s rights and gender
transformation approaches.
d) Strong grasp of current thinking and approaches within the development
sector with respect to gender-sensitive, gender-responsive and gender-
transformative approaches.
e) Experience of rights-based approaches for inclusive programming and
influencing
f) Experience in qualitative data collection and participatory research
methods
g) Proven experience of working on multi-country evaluations and/or research
h) Excellent verbal and written communications skills in English, French and
Portuguese.

9\. Applications

All applicants should provide a proposal covering the following aspects

> Detailed response to the TOR
> Proposed methodology
> Ethics and child safeguarding approaches, including any identified risks and associated mitigation strategies
> Proposed timelines
> CVs
> Example of previous work
> Detailed budget, including daily fee rates, expenses, etc.
> Police Certificates of Good Conduct – especially where there is primary data collection

10\. HOW TO APPLY

Please send your applications to PlanZamtenders@plan-international.org
ccwendy.chileshe@plan-international.org by 10th December 2020. Please note
that those who already applied need NOT*> to reapply as this is an
extension.Only those who meet the requirements will be contacted. The
assignment will be managed by the 18+ Centre of Excellence on Ending Child
Marriage in Middle East, Eastern and Southern Africa located in Lusaka Zambia
together with a research reference group that will be constituted at a later
stage.



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