Consultancy For Leadership, Accountability, Advocacy And Lobbying For Women Leaders
Project: Stronger Together: Supporting A Cohesive Women’s Movement In West Nile, Uganda_Bread For The World_Phase Two.
Starting Date: 24th April 2023
Duration: 24th – 26th April 2023 (3 Days)
location: Arua, Uganda
Organisation Background
The Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA) is a civil society coalition bringing together grassroots women’s rights organisations from Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Somaliland, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya and Uganda. It was established in 1995 by a collection of women’s rights activists, with the view of strengthening the capacity of women’s rights organisations in the Horn of Africa. SIHA aims to contribute to unlocking the massive potential of women’s rights movements in the horn of Africa, by improving the capacity of local organisations, and to build a strong network of grassroots civil society members that are able to interact and support one another in advocating for effective change. More information about SIHA is available at www.sihanet.org

Project Description
SIHA, with support from Protestant Agency for Diakonie and Development for Bread for the World is implementing a project dubbed “Stronger Together: Supporting a cohesive Women’s Movement in West Nile, Uganda Phase 2”, with the aim of ensuring that Women market vendors in Arua improve their living conditions by influencing the development and implementation of local policies on issues that impact them directly. The phase two project is working directly with local policy makers, city authorities, women’s rights organizations, women market vendors, persons with disability, religious and cultural leaders in Arua city. The project seeks to build capacity of the target beneficiaries as well as providing women with access to a comprehensive understanding of mobilizing and organizing to enhance their participation in local policy platforms such as local Governments and Local councils either as actors and or/candidates with the collective agenda.
Uganda adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and was one of the first countries to integrate them into its National Development Plan. Under Goal 5, countries commit to promoting and guaranteeing women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making. According to a survey reportconducted by Economic Policy Research Centre noted that women’s political participation in Uganda only accounts for about 30 percent of the total membership of parish councils; this is below the mandatory one-third of the membership of each LG council as provided for in the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda.
Despite the fact there has been tremendous increase in women’s political participation, women local policy makers still struggle when it comes to active political participation, at the local/grassroots level women councillors are still faced with “the pull her down syndrome” which they face from both male and female local policy makers especially during meetings including council meetings. During safe space conversations where SIHA Network engaged over 15 women local policy makers, they noted that they lack support while on the council floor and noted that lack of civic education, accountability, policy making and budget process skills among local councillors contributes to a huge hinderance to women’s active political participation, thus women’s issues and demands are not fully taken into consideration because of lack of support from their fellow local policy makers.

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Justification for the training
Following the general elections that took place in 2021, new city women councillors were elected in Arua. Some of these women are new to the position and have limited understanding of their role and responsibilities, and low capacity to engage their constituency. Similarly, other women leaders, such as members of the local women’s council or female market leaders are ill-equipped or lack the confidence to actively participate in decision-making and defend their positions in front of their male counterparts and have little or no knowledge on budgeting processes and local governance structures which are key in policy making at the local level.
It’s against this back ground that SIHA sees to conduct a three-day training workshop to 20 women leaders that will help them gain: i) increased understanding of how they can use their position to bring about the desired change with regard to gender equality and women’s rights; ii) enhanced skills on how to effectively participate in local government processes to promote improved, gender-responsive service delivery, iii) improved capacity to engage their constituency.

Objectives Of The Assignment
• To build the capacity of women local leaders on leadership, accountability, policy making and budgeting processes for women leaders
• To build capacity of the women local to engage their constituency and effectively participate in policy making and budget process at the local government level.
Methodology
The consultant will be expected to design a participatory training plan that suits the needs and dynamics of the target audience. A pre and post-test evaluation will also be conducted to assess their level of understanding on the modules before and after the training. The training for the groups will be phased to allow meaningful participation of the women market vendors and the schedules for the training will be discussed and agreed upon with the group leaders and in consultation with SIHA team on ground.

Expected Results
• Increased number of women local policy makers participating in decision making arenas.
• Women local councillors exhibit confidence in public speaking, accountability and lobbying skills.
• Increased number of leaders exhibit increased knowledge of local policymaking and budgeting processes

Expected Deliverables
• Detailed inception report with clear methodology.
• Deliver 3-day training on leadership, accountability, advocacy, policy making and budget process training for women local policy makers.
• Clear action plan and work plan developed.
• Training report with clear action photos.

Payments
SIHA will pay the consultant for the assignment an amount that shall be agreed upon following identification of the individual to undertake the exercise.
Payment to the consultant shall be made in two instalments. The schedule shall be agreed upon by SIHA and the consultant before contract signing.
The payment is inclusive of WHT and VAT

Timeline for the assignment
The assignment will be a 3-day training for 20 women local leaders both councillors and women market leaders, this will be scheduled for 19th – 21st April 2023, the report is expected not later than 5th May 2023.

consultants desired qualifications and experience
Education:
• Relevant degree in the field of Gender, Social Science, Development Studies and any other related field

Consultants Required Skills: The ideal Consultant will have knowledge of and proven expertise on the following
• Excellent knowledge in leadership, accountability and lobbying skills.
• Exceptional understanding of local governance structures and budget processes.
• Exceptional leadership skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills including in knowledge of local in country languages
• Knowledge and sensitivity to the cultural context in west Nile region of Uganda
• Contextual knowledge and experience of vulnerable women in Arua
• Fluent in Lugbara and English

Procedures for submission of expression of interest
SIHA Network requests Interested Candidates to provide their current CV and expression of Interest to human.resources@sihanet.org and copy jackie@sihanet.org and mercy@sihanet.org by 18th, April 2023. In the emailsubject line please write ‘Consultancy- Leadership, Accountability policy making and budget process training”
Applications not following these guidelines correctly will not be considered. SIHA is committed to offer fair compensation based on the successful candidate’s experience and qualifications. Due to the volume of applications SIHA receives, only short-listed candidates will be contacted for scheduling of interviews. Thank you for your interest in SIHA’s work.