Terms of Reference (ToR) for 2017/18 for Consultancy services for NBFP and
Ministerial Policy Statement analysis and presentation as of 2nd May 2017.
1.0 Introduction
Uganda Youth Network (UYONET) is a leading national youth organization that works to mainstream
young peoples’ engagement in development and governance processes in Uganda and East Africa. It
draws its mandate from the increasing demand for a collective platform for research, training and policy
advocacy for young people by young people. UYONET is a National Alliance of local youth-led networks
of CSOs/Associations, with a secretariat in Kampala a vision to facilitate an empowered youth population
participating in governance and development processes through building, empowering and sustaining a
vibrant youth network through advocacy, coordination and capacity building.
Through partnership with Plan international Uganda, CEDOVIP, and Straight Talk Foundation and in
collaboration with 5 district lead CSOs including Action for behavioural change (ABC) in Tororo district,
Foundation for Integrated Rural Development (FIRD) in Lira district, Community Action for Sustainable
Livelihood (CASUL) in Alebtong district, Girl Up Initiative Uganda in Kampala and Aids Education Group
for youth (AEGY) in Kamuli district, Youth representatives, district and local community authorities are
implementing a three and a half-year participatory youth-led social empowerment program, code-named
‘Ni-Yetu’ Youth Program. The project integrates promotion of Youth SRH&R and prevention of and
response to GBV among young people in five districts of Tororo, Kamuli, Lira, Alebtong and Kampala with
Advocacy at its centre.
The program seeks to empower young people to demand for and fulfil their rights in a participatory and
inclusive manner that also recognizes and actively engages with CSOs, key public sector agencies at
various levels as well as relevant community-level actors. To achieve this, the program directly targets
and works with and through the youth and their networks, while also strengthening the local civil society
to influence the spaces for CSOs operations and advocacy for youth rights and policies, governance and
participation in decision making processes. The program’s over-all objective is to contribute to a healthy
youth population, free from violence and empowered in an inclusive civil society that promotes state
accountability.
2.0 Background to Youth friendly sexual reproductive health budget advocacy
During the first year of Ni-yetu program, a Participatory rural appraisal was employed in the project
districts of Lira, Alebtong, Kampala, Kamuli and Tororo with a total of 100 participants taking part in
directly engaging with target data sources within the communities.
Key emerging findings confirmed the grounded challenges of;
i.
Limited availability and access to relevant age appropriate and quality SRH&R and GBV
information both at dissemination and uptake level,
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ii.
iii.
Lack of youth friendly services at both SRH services and GBV protection points, including health
and legal redress services points especially in aspects of confidentiality and capacity of the
providers to accord the appropriate courtesy and understanding and appropriate service of the
adolescent clientele e.g. by not further victimizing, chastising or conducting tasks in a way that
further endangers the clients but rather encouraging them to open up with due will for according
to the required standard service.
Continuance of harmful social-cultural practices against adolescents/youth especially the girls
and young women i.e. Early/forced marriages, unfair inheritance practices, culture of silence,
domestic violence, etc.”
Uganda’s National Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health Policy enacted in 2004 mandates all health
facilities to provide youth friendly services to young people. Unfortunately only 5% of public health
facilities in Uganda offer youth friendly health services (SRHR alliance 2016). In a study by Plan
international Uganda 77% of the young people interviewed never wished to go back to the health facilities
they had been before because of the poor quality services characterized by i) lack of privacy and
confidentiality within health facilities resulting in a hostile and intimidating service environments for
adolescents/youth; ii) longer waiting time and general lack of medicines; iii) negative attitudes of health
workers towards adolescents/youth (and especially the girls) seeking SRH support; iv) limited varieties of
modern FP methods and irregular supply of essential RH/FP commodities available as well as access to
health facilities with only 11% of the population living within a 5 km radius of a hospital, 23% for Health
Centres and 49% for Private Clinics [10].
Limited or lack of friendly services increases vulnerability and exposes young people to negative
outcomes such as teenage pregnancy which currently stands at 24% in urban areas and 26% in rural
areas (UDHS2011), early marriage 20% girls and 1.2 boys, unsafe abortion- contributing to between 2030% maternal mortality in Uganda, majority (33%) of which are young people aged 15-24 years; STIs
including HIV as well as gender based violence. In a validation exercise by Plan International, Uganda
(2016), young people felt the negative attitude of some health workers made them fear accessing
services at public health facilities. “I feel so shy in expressing myself knowing that the health worker is
going to laugh at me,” For instance, “If I go (to the health worker) and ask for a condom, they ask – are
you having a boyfriend or what are you going to do with it.”
Whereas, Uganda has continued to increase budget allocation to health from 6% in (2014/15 FY) to 7%
(2015/16 FY), it still falls short of the 15% Abuja declaration where Uganda committed itself to allocate
15% of it national budget to health. But even the 7% allocation, has little or no evidence of allocated funds
for improving youth friendly health services.
It is from this background that Ni-yetu through the District Advocacy Networks and partners has been
engaging the duty bearers at sub local, local and national level regarding the health sector allocation. As
we move towards the end of the 2017/18 planning cycle, the project intends to count the cost in form of a
ONE DAY accountability forum that will bring together over 100 key actors in the advocacy structures
within Ni-yetu, coalitions, partners, district local government and National level players
3.0 Purpose of the ToR
Ni-Yetu youth project is committed to working with different stakeholders to increase availability and
access to youth friendly health services. In that regard, Ni-Yetu under the leadership of UYONET is
seeking for consultancy services to broadly the critic the National Budget Framework paper and the
Ministerial Policy Statement to identify allocation changes as a result of the consultative processes that
were the centre of focus for health budget advocacy engagement with the view of teasing out the gains
attained.
The output through the context of coalition advocacy engagement experience will further detail the
lessons learnt emanating from the anticipated and un-anticipated methodologies, challenges and
successes that should provide informed guidance to the advocacy action that will focus monitoring the
budget allocation and subsequent implementation.
4.0 Objectives of the assignment
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The action purposes to critic the National Budget Framework Paper 2017/18 and the Ministerial Policy
statement to;
 Deduce the changes/Milestones that were attained after the consultative processes that could be
attributed to the advocacy efforts.
 Document lessons drawn that should inform next year’s advocacy effort but more importantly
equip the DANs to meaningfully participate in budget implementation monitoring at national and
local level through accumulated experiences
5.0 Scope of work.
The terms of reference will include:
1. National Budget Framework Paper 2017/18
2. Ministerial Policy statement
3. The protracted budget advocacy engagement process from Sept 2016 to May 2017
6.0 Deliverables
 A brief write up detailing milestones and changes in the National Budget Framework Paper
2017/18 and the Ministerial Policy statement

A brief write up on the lessons drawn from the health budget advocacy processes that will inform
work planning for meaningful participation in budget implementation monitoring at national and
local level and the next year’s advocacy

Presentation of the brief to the National accountability forum that is tentatively scheduled for 30th
May 2017 in Mukono District
7.0 Timeframe and estimated working days
The assignment will be undertaken from 14th May 2017 to 31st May 2017
8.0 Qualification and experience of the consultant/team
 The consultant should at least have University level training in Demography, MPH, Reproductive
Health, Gender studies, Social Sciences and related fields.
 At least five years of experience in programs and advocacy (preferably linked to health sector and
young people)
 Have substantive experience with the planning and budgeting processes and stages of Uganda
 Have extensive knowledge in SRH&R programming and advocacy
 Previous experience in policy analysis and policy research
 Have a detailed knowledge of SRH&R situation and challenges in Uganda
 Have experience of developing policy options and recommendations for policy makers and
beneficiary
 Strong background in capacity building and training on advocacy, policy implementation and
youth participation
 Be fluent in both written and spoken English
9.0 Submission of Technical and Financial Proposal
If you are interested in being considered for this opportunity, please send your CV and work plan setting
out your relevant experience and skills, timeline and methodology, to [email protected] before end of
working day 5th May 2017. Please write ‘Consultancy services for NBFP and Ministerial Policy Statement
analysis’ in the subject of the e-mail.
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