Recruitment for a Short Term Consultancy

Connecting Voices Against Child Marriage in Nigeria

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A Short-Term Consultancy on the Development of  a Toolkit for data gathering and Reporting Mechanisms for Youth Champions in 6 Communities of Katsina State (Ajiwa, Dandangoro, Koda, Rimaye, and Tafashiya Communities) 

Location: Katsina State

Type of Contract: Individual Contract

Post Level: Consultant

Languages Required: English, Hausa

Deadline: July 18, 2023

Duration of Initial Contract: 5 days

Line Manager: Programme Coordinator 

• Background

Nigeria carries the 3rd largest burden of child brides globally, after India and Bangladesh, with nearly 22 million married or in union before the age of 18. Child Marriage (CM) is a key factor contributing to socio-economic challenges throughout Northern Nigeria, leading to school drop-out, and adolescent pregnancy, which is also linked to high maternal mortality and malnutrition, among others. The recent MICS 2021 shows that there has been a 14% decrease in the prevalence of child marriage from 5 years ago, with three out of every ten women aged 20-24 years (30%) married or in a union before their 18th birthday. However, because of the rapid increase in population, the number of child brides will increase by more than a million by 2030 and double by 2050. Child Marriage prevalence is highest in the Northwestern part of Nigeria, followed by the Northeast and North Central. The states with the highest levels for girls under the age of 15 years include Jigawa (38%), Bauchi (33%), Zamfara (24%), Katsina (24%), Kano (23%), Borno (22%), and Kebbi (22%) (MICS, 2021).

Katsina State is one of the states with the highest prevalence of Child Marriage in Northwest Nigeria. The vision of Nigeria’s National Strategy (2016-2021) is to end child marriage by 2030. Nigeria has signed the Child Rights Act 2003, which prohibits and criminalises the marriage of a child under 18 years of age. While Katsina State domesticated CRA 2003 as the Child Protection Law in 2021, there is a legal lacuna as the law does not prescribe the legal age of marriage, with the implication that child marriage is neither prohibited nor criminalised by the state. Recent guidance by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) recommends that all States ensure “that a minimum legal age of marriage for girls and boys, with or without parental consent, is established at 18 years.’’ The position of the state law is a tacit endorsement of CM, and the issue of the legal age of marriage remains a sensitive and controversial subject.

2.   Recruitment Objective

To engage a consultant that will work independently to develop a toolkit to improve reportage through obtaining evidence-based data for the elimination of Child Marriage, Gender violence, Violence Against Women and children, and other harmful practices over the period of the project’s 7 months of implementation in Ajiwa, Dandangoro, Koda, Rimaye, and Tafashiya Communities. 

3.   Duties and Responsibilities

1. Develop a practical toolkit for data gathering and reporting mechanisms consisting of specified community and state referral pathways for reporting CM, GBV, VAWC, and Harmful practices for Youth Champions to step down for onward engagement.
2. Review the toolkit and submit a final version based on the pilot.
3. Desk review of the project documentation covering all six (6) communities.

4.   Expected Deliverables

1. A practical toolkit for data collection and reporting
2. Training stepdown for Youth Champions on a virtual engagement 
3. A community referral directory is included in the toolkit of existing GBV surveillance structures for timely review in six project communities.

5.   Education and personal qualifications

The successful candidate will possess all or most of the following:

1. University Degree in Computer Science, Technical Education, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Information Systems, Business, Science;
2. Fluency in written and spoken English and Hausa;
3. At least 5 years of work experience working in the field of development, specifically Child Rights;
4. Possess a PSEA (Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse) Certificate;
5. Commitment, willingness, and ability to work long hours (at least 90% of contract time, including working in the evenings and night);
6. a proven interest in issues of human rights, social justice, and gender justice in northern Nigeria;
7. In-depth understanding of the social, institutional, and political environment in Katsina, including an understanding of local power structures;
8. Knowledge of computer programs, including Microsoft Word and Excel;
9. Evidence in program management and remote logistics support;
10. Positive team player with the ability to maintain good relationships across diversities of cultures, gender, religion, nationality, age sensitivities, and a capacity for adaptability.

Click Here to Apply

Deadline: 18th July 2023.