1. Introduction and Background

Country Context

Men are husbands, fathers, partners, brothers and sons, and their lives are intertwined with the lives of women, other men, and children. Rigid gender norms and harmful perceptions of what it means to be a man have far-reaching consequences on health and well‑being. These norms lead to gender inequalities that drastically impact the lives and choices and act as barriers to optimal health for women, men, adolescents, girls and boys. In many contexts, women do not control decision-making in terms of their health, including SRHR choices, yet they bear a significant burden of contraceptive use, HIV, labour and delivery.  When men and adolescent boys are engaged in tackling gender inequality and promoting women’s choices, the outcomes are positive and both men and women are able to enjoy equitable and happy relationships.

Why an Information Package for Men and Adolescent Boys?

Development of a Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Information Package for Men and Adolescent boys has been proposed to support men and boys with standard information on integrated SRHR, HIV and SGBV services.  Men and adolescent boys have substantial SRHR needs, but, they usually do not seek health care services early enough.  They are also less likely to access early treatment and therefore, more likely to need ongoing care—both from loved ones (often women) and from the health care system. As a result, not only do men fall sick unnecessarily, but also their sexual partners, their families, and their communities. In some instances, when men do not know their HIV positive status, they are less likely to practice safer sex and are thus much more likely to transmit HIV to their female and male partners.

To optimize public health outcomes and reduce the likelihood for long-term and costly interventions, where possible, prevention is favoured over treatment through a primary prevention approach. When prevention is also gender transformative, it can help avert the detrimental SRHR outcomes that so disproportionately impact women and girls.

The information package will focus specifically on information related to the provision of sexual and reproductive health services that are integrated within clinical and non-clinical contexts and follows a gender-transformative approach which promotes gender equality, decision-making, shared control of resources and women's empowerment central to any intervention.

The package will cover men and adolescent boys in all their diversity and takes a positive approach to SRHR, seeing this not just as the absence of disease, but the positive expression of sex and sexuality. In doing so, the information package will contribute to efforts on ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), HIV and SGBV services.

Hence the package will be a high level advocacy tool for scale up and increased access to integrated SRHR, HIV and SGBV information and services for men and boys.

Justification

• Integrating gender‑equitable norms in men and adolescent boys’ SRHR gives them the tools to take responsibility and protect their health while also being respectful, encouraging and supportive of women and girls protecting theirs.

• Men have substantial SRHR needs for contraception, prevention and treatment of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), sexual dysfunction, infertility and male reproductive tract cancers.

• Men’s SRHR needs are often unmet due to a combination of factors that include a lack of service availability, poor health-seeking behavior among men.  SRHR facilities often are not being seen as “male friendly spaces” and a lack of agreed standards for delivering SRHR clinical and preventive services to men and adolescent boys

• Better meeting the diverse SRHR needs of men and adolescent boys improves their own health. It also improves the SRHR of their partners, and is an effective way to promote sexual and reproductive health and rights for all.

• Ensuring that the SRHR needs of men and adolescent boys are sufficiently addressed, along with those of women and girls, is also part of a comprehensive gender-transformative approach. Existing gender inequalities, in large part due to rigid gender norms and harmful perceptions of what it means to be a man, have far-reaching consequences on health and well-being. For example, in many contexts, women do not control decision making, including SRHR choices, yet they bear a significant burden of contraceptive use and childbearing.

• Where men and adolescent boys are engaged in tackling gender inequality and promoting women’s choices, the resulting outcomes are positive and men and women are able to enjoy equitable, healthy and happy relationships.

Analysis of Evidence in Zimbabwe indicates the following:

• Ages and other demographic characteristics of boys and men that are highly impacted by HIV and AIDS as well as the extent in which men utilize HIV prevention and care service, the ZDHS 2015 notes that 52 % of all new infections in Zimbabwe are associated with uncircumcised men or sexual unions involving uncircumcised men. It is also important to note that 86 % of men aged 15-49 are not circumcised in Zimbabwe despite a 5 year catch up program rolled out to accelerate access to services.
• Age mixing has been increasing among women 15-24 in both rural and urban settings in Zimbabwe leading to more women acquiring HIV at young age probably from older men as the highest prevalence of HIV is found in males of ages 40-54 years where one in every three of this age group is infected. It is noted that prevalence among men 50-54 increased from 19.5 % in 2010 to 28.8% in 2015 and is the only age group that had an increased prevalence.
• In terms of service utilization, 4 out of every 10 men have never tested for HIV and received results. In-fact 8 out of 10 men never test for HIV as partner during PMTCT uptake by their partners.
• In terms of Voluntary Medical male circumcision, even though there was a slight increase in voluntary medical male circumcision among age groups 20-29 by 21 % in 5 years compared to 360 % among boys 15-19, 86 % of men, those aged 15-49 remained uncircumcised and in fact percentage of men circumcised reduced by 6 % among 25-49 year olds. It is therefore important to address the response using the gender lens and design information package that addresses the gender practices that inhibit utilization of HIV/AIDS services due to gender norms and practices. Reducing Gender Inequality is one of the five pillars of the UNAIDS Strategy for Ending AIDS by 2030.

2. Goal of the SRHR/HIV/SGBV Integrated Information Package for Men and Boys

The proposed SRHR/HIV/SGBV integrated information package for men and adolescent boys is aimed at promoting more gender-equitable relationships between men and women to reduce HIV, SGBV and promote positive sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in communities.

3. Objective

The main purpose of the development of the SRHR/HIV/SGBV integrated information package for men and boys is to catalyze the scaling up of the participation and involvement of men and boys in the HIV prevention, care and treatment, and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), and promotion of SRHR services to achieve SDGs 3 and 5

4. Scope of Work/Methodology

This will include:

4.1. Situation Analysis

4.1.1 Literature review

4.1.2 Key informant interviews (MoHCC departments, stakeholders and CSOs that deal with men and boys) to understand:

a) Health problems faced by men and boys with regards to SRHR, HIV, and SGBV issues. These include the following amongst others;

• Sexually Transmitted Infections
• HIV
• Prostate Cancer
• Testicular Cancer
• Enlarged Prostate
• Infertility
• Hydrocele
• Erectile dysfunction
• Varicose Veins around the testicles
• Hypospadias – abnormal development of the urethra
• Benign prostatic hypertrophy
• Premature Ejaculation
• Undescended Testes
• Testosterone deficiency, etc.

b) Male participation in SRHR, HIV and SGBV issues inclusive of;

• Participating in HIV Prevention Programmes, e.g. HTS, ART, PMTCT, Male circumcision, etc.
• Promoting and Participating in SRHR and RMNCAH e.g. ANC, PNC, PNC, safe delivery, family Planning
• Challenging and transforming harmful male gender norms/promoting gender equality
• Preferred media by both men and boys.

c) Barriers to utilizing SRHR, HIV and SGBV services by men and boys

4.1.3 Conduct Focus Group Discussions (FGDS with Men and Boys (separately) to assess their problems and their information needs

 -Analyze the findings of the FGDs and define the specific SRHR, HIV and SGBV needs for men and boys;

4.2. Message design and development

• Develop key messages that address the SRHR, HIV and SGBV needs of Men and adolescent boys and the importance of meeting these needs;
• The key messages should encourage men and boys to be active participants in seeking/accessing the SRHR, HIV and SGBV services;

• Determine a minimum package of SRHR, HIV, SGBV information and services for men and adolescent boys that should be provided at a facility and develop the promotional banner or billboard;

• Develop educational, promotional and advocacy messages {Print materials - posters, pamphlets, leaflets, stickers, banners, T-shirt and Caps etc.} and {electronic scripts -Based on the preferred media by men and boys – social media, radio and TV spots and programmes)
• Address the importance of meeting these needs and the principles for addressing them;
• Encourage men and boys to be active participants in seeking/accessing SRHR services;

4.3. Pretest the messages with the target groups

• Check the relevance, comprehensiveness, acceptability and suitability of the proposed messages

4.4. Mass production of the materials

The mass production of the approved messages into various forms for:

• Public dissemination and education
• Advocacy

5. Deliverables

1. An Inception report, to be submitted within 5 days after the signing of the contract, detailing proposed concrete activities and outputs with timelines for the assignment, method of work and intended approach.
2. Situation Analysis Report
3. FGDs report
4. First Drafts of the information package for comments to be presented to MOHCC/UNFPA and stakeholders for comments.
5. Presentation of draft Information Package in Word, and Power-Point presentations to a team of stakeholders incorporating feedback from stakeholders
6. Final Information Package in Word, PDF, Electronic formats and other materials
7. Camera-ready drafts of the Information Package for printing

6. Duration of Consultancy

The consultancy is expected to take 40 consultancy days from the date you sign the contract.

7. Qualifications and Experience

The successful candidate would have demonstrated the following professional qualifications, skills and experience:

1. Relevant educational background in Public Health or other relevant field at Masters level or higher
2. Minimum 5 years of experience in the field of Public Health or other relevant field
3. High Level of technical knowledge of SRHR, HIV and SGBV issues
4. Experience in Information and Service Package Development
5. Excellent writing and editing skills
6. Excellent computer skills (software) in MS Word, MS PowerPoint, to produce materials that are visually (in terms of layout and format) of a high quality and that can be duplicated with ease
7. Prior experience of conducting related work will be an added advantage

8. Application Process

1. A cover letter that demonstrates how the consultant meets the criteria set out above
2. Detailed curriculum vitae detailing the consultant’s professional experience,
3. The names, email addresses and phone numbers of at least three traceable and contactable references with whom the consultant has worked for or with in the last 3 years.
4. A detailed budget, specifying all the costs required to execute the scope of work and the deliverables
5. Brief proposal – (maximum 2 pages) indicating how the consultant proposes to undertake the assignment.

Application Process

Interested persons should submit electronic copy of application letter with the following accompanying documents: Curriculum Vitae (CV), copies of related previous work done, brief proposal (maximum 2.5 pages) on how the consultant intends to carry out the assignment.

The closing date for submission of applications is Monday, 7 September 2020 at 1700 hours.  All applications should be submitted electronically to zimbabwe.office@unfpa.org   

Please take note that due to the Covid 19 pandemic, all applications and accompanying documents should be submitted in electronic form. No hard copies will be accepted. 

Notice:

• There are no advance fees, application, processing or other fees at any stage of the application and recruitment process.

• UNFPA does not solicit, screen or discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.

• Please note that UNFPA will respond and contact ONLY shortlisted applicants.

• UNFPA is an equal opportunity employer and qualified women are encouraged to apply.