TOR for Consultancy service call for a trainer TO Develop Organizational Advocacy Strategy Manual for four (4) Women-led Organizations.”

Introduction:

Women’s Led Organizations (WLOs) play a vital role in advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment in Ethiopia. These organizations are deeply embedded within their communities and leverage strong local trust to drive change. By advocating for policy reforms and legal protections, WLOs work to create a more equitable environment where women’s rights are recognized and supported.

At the heart of their advocacy efforts, WLOs focus on the creation, amendment, and enforcement of policies and laws that prioritize women’s rights and gender equality. They engage with policymakers at local, regional, and national levels, ensuring women’s voices are included in decision-making processes and that gender-responsive policies are developed and implemented.

In addition to policy work, WLOs are at the forefront of community engagement. Through awareness campaigns, they educate the public on issues related to women’s rights, gender equality, and the importance of empowering women and girls. These campaigns help shift societal attitudes, challenge discriminatory practices, and foster a culture of equality and respect for women.

Furthermore, WLOs are instrumental in building local capacity by training community leaders, service providers, and stakeholders to support women’s empowerment. They organize workshops, forums, and advocacy campaigns to strengthen the skills and knowledge of individuals and organizations working on gender equality issues.
Despite their critical role, WLOs in Ethiopia face several challenges, including limited resources, restricted access to policy dialogues, and insufficient support for capacity building. These barriers often hinder their ability to scale their impact and fully realize their potential in advocating for systemic change.

To address these challenges, NEWA is dedicated to strengthening the capacity of women-led organizations in Ethiopia. Through its project, “Enhance WLOs to Strengthen Their Capacity in Conducting Effective Advocacy”, NEWA aims to empower WLOs by providing capacity-building opportunities, raising awareness, and offering key resources.
As part of this initiative, NEWA plans to develop an organizational advocacy strategy manual for four women-led organizations. This manual will guide the organizations in shaping and strengthening their advocacy efforts, helping them push for policy reforms and legal protections that achieve gender equality and combat gender-based violence.”
The Overall objective of the training:

” To develop and strengthen the organizational advocacy strategies of four women-led organizations, enhancing their capacity to advocate for women’s rights, empower women, and effectively combat gender-based violence.”

2.3. Specific Objectives of the Training:

• To enhance the advocacy capacity of the four women-led organizations by providing essential materials, resources, and tools to support their efforts in advocating for women’s rights and combating gender-based violence.
• To assist the four women-led organizations in strategizing and refining their advocacy initiatives, with the aim of creating a stronger impact on policy and legal reforms to achieve gender equality and address gender-based violence.

Expected Outcomes of the Training:

• Increased advocacy capacity of the four women-led organizations through the provision of essential materials, resources, and tools, enhancing their effectiveness in advocating for women’s rights and combating gender-based violence.
•  Enhanced strategic planning and advocacy initiatives within the women-led organizations, leading to a more substantial impact on policy reforms and advancing gender equality and efforts to combat gender-based violence.

Scope of the Assignment 

This manual aims to provide a comprehensive framework for four women-led organizations in their advocacy efforts to empower women, fight gender-based violence (GBV), and achieve gender equality. The focus is on equipping these organizations with the tools, strategies, and practical guidance they need to drive lasting change in their communities.

The primary users of this manual are four women-led organizations advocating for gender equality and women’s empowerment. The strategy is designed to offer actionable recommendations, provide templates, and develop skills for effective advocacy campaigns. It will also focus on how to overcome common challenges and ensure sustainable and impactful advocacy.
Target of the assignment 

The target of this advocacy strategy manual is four women-led organizations dedicated to advancing women’s rights and improving the situation for women, with a particular focus on empowering women and addressing gender-based violence (GBV). These organizations are working on the ground to create meaningful change in their communities, influence policies, and challenge harmful gender norms.
Each organization faces unique challenges and opportunities in their advocacy efforts, but they share the common goal of empowering women and achieving gender equality. This manual provides a tailored framework to help these organizations strengthen their advocacy capacity, improve their effectiveness in driving change, and ensure the long-term sustainability of their work.

Methodology of the Assessment

The primary objective of this assessment is to strengthen and frame the organizational advocacy strategies of four women-led organizations, with a focus on empowering women and combating gender-based violence (GBV). To achieve this goal, the manual developmnt will employ a multi-faceted, qualitative approach to gather comprehensive insights into the current practices, challenges, and needs of these organizations. The data collected will inform the development of a tailored advocacy strategy manual that enhances their efforts in addressing GBV and advancing women’s rights.

5.1. Desk Review

The desk review will serve as the foundational step to understand the existing context and the advocacy landscape within the four women-led organizations. Key activities include:

• Reviewing Existing Documents: Analyzing reports, advocacy strategies, manuals, policies, and evaluations produced by the four organizations, as well as relevant regional or global frameworks on women’s rights and GBV.
• Organizational Profiles: Understanding the mission, vision, and core activities of each organization, particularly focusing on their advocacy efforts aimed at addressing GBV.
• Best Practices and Challenges: Identifying successful strategies and the challenges faced by these organizations in implementing advocacy activities and initiatives.
• Data and Evidence Gathering: Reviewing any available data, surveys, or research reports on women’s experiences with GBV, as well as any baseline assessments conducted by the organizations.

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