Consultant- Africa Advocacy and Policy Strategy Development at Habitat for Humanity International

Specific Objectives

1. Development of the evidence-based, feasible and time bound advocacy strategy that will include recommendations regarding the structure and operation of a regional advocacy platform that brings together key stakeholders working on the key advocacy priorities in the African region to coordinate joint advocacy efforts on access to decent and affordable housing for vulnerable communities.
2. To assess and provide recommendations on the identification, selection, and effective engagement of key policymakers and rights holders at all levels, including civil society organizations across diverse sectors
3. Conduct power mapping and distill decision making bodies, the gate keepers, supporters/allies, opponents and streamline key approaches to draw political wins that align with country’s national priorities.

Scope of the Consultancy
Create the advocacy strategy based on the HFH Africa Regional strategy and the outcomes from the interviews with the stakeholders, the document reviews & analysis and others;

1. Develop workable guidelines to help Operationalize the advocacy plan that will include Africa Union Engagement strategy and suggesting context-based areas of influence for the national offices in the continent.
2. Develop a comprehensive advocacy strategy, detailing distinct objectives, clear targets, doable activities, allies, deliverables, and indicators, clear advocacy messages, tactics as well as a three-year implementation plan and cost estimate for such effort.
3. Conduct a review, consisting of desktop interviews and individual in-depth interviews, of existing regional advocacy networks or platforms, exploring their mandate, structure, and functioning within the HFHI network, including National Organizations and partners, and make recommendations for an advocacy platform.
4. Conduct rigorous review of experiences from similar engagement strategies if available from other international INGOs in the Africa region, by including analysis of power, the governance and decision-making architecture of the AU including other regional bodies such as ECOWAS, AFDB, ECA, EAC, SADC etc (key aspects of power- visible, hidden, and invisible).
5. As deemed relevant, it highlights practical instances of housing successes and gaps in those NOs where HFH AO operates.
6. Collaborate with important regional stakeholders to identify champions / supporters from various constituencies (political leaders, civil society, researchers, social media influencers, and media) who can be mobilized to support Access to –adequate and affordable housing in the region.
7. present a draft of the advocacy strategy at the validation meeting (to be held virtually or face to face)
8. Finalize the advocacy strategy with specific action plan which will be presented to the relevant policy makers, regional CSOs, including relevant AU, ECA, AFDB departments etc., either virtually or physically.

Duration of the assignment
This contract will be executed for 65 working days from the day of signing the contract.

1. Inception report outlining methodology and work plan within three days of contract signing. (10 days)
2. Situation analysis/Data collection/Research (20 days)
3. Report and presentation on the analysis of current regional Housing and Human Settlement advocacy networks or platforms, as well as proposals for the operation of the Platform for Regional Advocacy and Africa union engagements (10 days)
4. Develop Advocacy Strategy that has implementation plan and key advocacy messages & tactics (12 days)
5. Validate Advocacy Strategy (10 days)
6. Presentations to relevant stakeholders within Habitat for Humanity International entities (3-day) and accommodate reflections & feedback for submissions at the end

Expected profile of the consultant (s)/ Firm

1. Consultancy firm that has more than seven (7) years working experience in developing continental advocacy strategy for INGO, Multilaterals, bilateral etc.
2. Track record of sounding knowledge & experience on public policy, development framework with focus on Africa
3. Knowledge of donors and stakeholders mapping both for the development and humanitarian contexts
4. Sounding experience on descriptive research on relevant areas
5. A graduate degree in the social sciences, politics, or Urban development and housing, land administration, and tenure security
6. Be familiar with regional processes and policy frameworks that address climate resilience, tenure of security, housing sector and water and sanitation value chain.
7. Minimum of seven years of experience working on/or managing land and housing policy development and human settlements in Africa, including the development of advocacy strategies for an individual consultant.
8. Prior experience in strategic planning, which includes the development of advocacy strategies
9. Knowledge of key actors and stakeholders involved in land management and sector administration, housing, and human settlements in Africa.