Consultant at KANCO

Terms of Reference

Request for Expression of Interest: Consultancy to Develop a CSO’s Immunization Advocacy Framework

Background

KANCO is the primary recipient of the GAVI Health System Strengthening funding in Kenya, the CSO component.

The grant aims at achieving two objectives that will contribute to improved immunization outcomes:

These are:

1. Accelerating strong political engagement, improve governance and financial sustainability for immunization outcomes in line with devolution by 2020
2. Achieving equitable access to and utilization of routine immunisation services in 17 focus counties and in special populations in Nairobi County by 2020

The GAVI HSS grant is being implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Health -Kenya in seventeen high priority counties in Kenya. To achieve these two objectives, advocacy, strong and strategic partnerships are important.

With devolution, effective partnerships and advocacy engagements with County Governments, Civil society, the media and partners at the county and community level are required for improved health outcomes.

The media is a key ally in advocacy and thus the need to develop a close working relationship.

Civil Society plays an important role in increasing immunisation coverage and equity. Civil Society Organisations often contribute to immunisation and health systems by creating demand for and uptake of immunisation services. There is need to build the capacity of CSOs, provide leadership and platforms for CSOs to engage effectively in immunization advocacy.

To enable CSOs effectively hold decision and policy makers accountable, there is need to develop an advocacy framework, focusing on immunization and child health.

This is essential in guiding CSOs in holding policy and decision makers to account, how to address immunization coverage and help reduce inequity. When CSOs join forces and coordinate their lobbying and advocacy instruments and methods, their overall effectiveness will be enhanced.

The Importance of CSO Immunization Advocacy Frame work

The framework will guide the CSOs in undertaking advocacy at national and county level in Kenya to improve coverage and equity. It will support in identifying relevant advocacy issues that when taken up through the comparative advantage of CSOs will help improve immunizations outcome.

Additionally, the framework will support in the documentation of CSOs contributions towards the impact of immunisations in a systematic way including attributing to systems and services. Having a clear CSO advocacy framework is key in measuring and sharing the impact of their work.

Deliverables:

The consultant is expected to:

• Develop inception report for the assignment.
• Engage CSOs to inform the development of draft CSO advocacy framework.
• Organize a review and consultative forum on the Draft Advocacy framework with MOH, GAVI HSS Implementing Partners and CSO’s.
• Solicit and incorporate feedback on the draft framework.
• Finalize the advocacy framework and support the dissemination.

Expected outputs:

• A CSO Immunization Advocacy Frame work.

Timelines:

• Duration of the consultancy – 20 working days.
• Development of first draft of the framework and associated tools – 1st week of January 2019.
• Review the draft framework with Key immunization stakeholders and update in readiness for dissemination meeting – 3rd week of January 2019.
• Submission of the finalised CSO advocacy immunization framework – 1st Week of February 2019.
• Support the dissemination of CSO advocacy immunization framework at the national level – End of February 2019.

Qualifications and experience required:

The consultant should possess the following qualifications

• Masters in Public Health, Social Sciences, Development Policy or related fields.
• Relevant experiences in immunisation and health systems strengthening
• Familiarity and experience with the GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance is desirable.
• Experience in designing or developing CSO related frameworks e.g advocacy, communication
• Country-level experience in policy and advocacy engagements in health.