Article
Development of a Progress Report (2022-2024) for the Ministerial Commitment on Education for the Health and Wellbeing of Adolescents and Young People in Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA)
UNESCO, on behalf of the ESA Commitment Technical Coordinating Group, seeks the services of an Individual Consultant or Firm (herein referred to as Contractor in the ToR) to develop a concise Progress Report for the ESA Commitment for the period 2022-2024. The report will be informed by existing reports, including the validated and approved country progress reports, research studies in relevant areas, and other technical reports and documentation.
1. BACKGROUND
In December 2013, Ministers of Education and Health from 201 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) affirmed and endorsed their commitment to scaling up Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) and youth-friendly Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) services for adolescents and young people in the region. Together they agreed to work collaboratively towards a vision of young Africans who are global citizens of the future, who are educated, healthy, resilient, socially responsible, informed decision-makers, and have capacity to contribute to their community, country, and region.
The historic declaration, now commonly known as the ESA Commitment, addresses the critical sexual and reproductive health (SRH) challenges faced by adolescents and young people aged 10–24 in the region. These include HIV, gender-based violence (GBV), early and unintended pregnancy (EUP), child marriage, discrimination, and limited access to youth-friendly health services—issues that often hinder educational attainment, particularly for girls, and compromise future health and opportunities.
The initial phase of the ESA Commitment (2013–2020) achieved notable progress in improving sexual and reproductive health outcomes for adolescents and young people. However, critical gaps remained, highlighting the need for continued efforts to address persistent challenges. Building on the successes and lessons of the initial phase, the ESA Commitment was renewed and extended to 2030 in December 2021. Ministers of Education, Health, Gender and Youth from the ESA region re-affirmed their commitment and shared vision of empowering adolescents and young people to become educated, healthy, resilient, and socially responsible global citizens.
Endorsed by 14 countries as of November 2024, the remains instrumental in accelerating investments and efforts to address the aforementioned SRH challenges faced by adolescents and young people in the region. The renewed ESA Commitment aligns with global and regional frameworks, supporting countries to meet their obligations under the UN High-Level Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS, the commitments of the ICPD+25 Nairobi Summit, the Addis Ababa Declaration on Population and Development, and the African Union’s Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want. This alignment ensures a holistic approach to advancing adolescent and youth development while addressing structural drivers of vulnerability and inequality.
Table 1: Country endorsements of the ESA Commitment 2021-2030
| Endorsed | Not yet endorsed |
|---|---|
| 1. Angola (WCA) | 1. Comoros |
| 2. Botswana | 2. Eritrea |
| 3. Burundi | 3. Ethiopia |
| 4. DRC (WCA) | 4. Kenya |
| 5. Eswatini | 5. Malawi |
| 6. Lesotho | 6. Rwanda |
| 7. Madagascar | 7. Uganda |
| 8. Mauritius | |
| 9. Mozambique | |
| 10. Namibia | |
| 11. Seychelles | |
| 12. South Sudan | |
| 13. South Africa | |
| 14. Tanzania and Zanzibar | |
| 15. Zambia | |
| 16. Zimbabwe |
The Regional Accountability Framework
An Accountability Framework was established to monitor progress against the ten (10) targets outlined in the ESA Ministerial Commitment document. This framework breaks down the ESA Commitment targets into several process, outcome, and impact indicators, enabling systematic tracking of both country-level and regional progress. The ESA Commitment Technical Coordinating Group (TCG), led by UNAIDS with support from the SADC and EAC Secretariats, plays a central role in the operationalization of the Accountability Framework.
The intended users of the framework include governments across the ESA countries, civil society partners (including young people and community based organizations) and development partners. Member States are expected to provide annual progress reports on the implementation of the ESA Commitment and against the Accountability Framework, with coordination facilitated by the SADC and EAC Secretariats.
The ESA Commitment Targets
Table 2: ESA Commitment targets
| 2025 Targets | 2030 Targets |
|---|---|
| • TARGET 1 : All adolescents and young people are reached with good-quality, age-appropriate and evidence-based-sexuality education through in- and out of-school programmes. | • TARGET 6: Fast-track regional and country level actions to reduce EUPs among adolescents and young people aged 10-24 years by 40%. |
| • TARGET 2 : Adolescent and youth SRHR services are integrated into Universal Health Care packages. | • TARGET 7: Reduce new HIV infections among adolescents and young people aged 15-24 years by 60%. |
| • TARGET 3: A functional multi-sectoral framework is in place to facilitate linkages between sexuality education and youth-friendly SRH and psychosocial services. | • TARGET 8: Eliminate all forms of violence, including sexual and gender based violence, against adolescent girls and young women. |
| • TARGET 4: Laws and regulations guarantee full and equal access to both men and women aged 15 years and older to SRH care, information, and education. | • TARGET 9: Eliminate harmful practices such as child marriage and FGM among adolescents and young people. |
| • TARGET 5: There is an increased number of youth-led organizations, groups, or networks who are regularly engaged and participate in policy- and decision making processes relating to SRHR. | • TARGET 10: Establish sustainable financing modalities including direct allocation of domestic resources, innovative financing, and blended financing modalities to mobilize resources to be allocated to all the relevant sectors contributing to the realization of the SRHR of adolescents and young people. |
2. THE ASSIGNMENT
UNESCO, on behalf of the ESA Commitment TCG, is seeking a Contractor to develop a concise regional Progress Report covering the period from January 2022 to June 2024 across the relevant targets. To produce this report, the Contractor will undertake a desk review of relevant materials and synthesize existing qualitative and quantitative data. Data sources will include, but are not limited to, country progress reports which were already validated and approved2, population-based surveys such as the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), AIDS Indicator Surveys (AIS), and the UNICEF-supported
Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and research reports in relevant areas. While primary data collection is not anticipated, it may be undertaken if deemed essential.
The Contractor's primary deliverable will be the Progress Report, which highlights both regional and country-level achievements on the ESA Commitment, along with key recommendations and lessons learned from its implementation. Additionally, the Contractor will create content for a graphic visual representation of findings, such as an infographic summarizing progress on the ESA Commitment.
The Progress Report will be produced in English, with an expected length of maximum 40 pages. It is expected to include: Executive Summary; Progress, Achievements and Challenges; Innovations/Promising Practices; Lessons Learned; and Conclusions and Recommendations.
Target Audience
The Progress Report is aimed at policy makers, primarily Ministers and senior government officials. It should summarize the progress and challenges related and make recommendations for redirecting country efforts as necessary.
The Progress Report is also aimed at civil society partners, including young people, parents and religious leaders to support implementation of the ESA Commitment while holding their governments accountable for provision of CSE and SRH services.
3. TASKS AND DELIVERABLES
The consultancy is anticipated to take 21.5 days, with the Progress Report expected to be delivered by early April 2025. Key tasks and deliverables are shown in table 3 below.
Table 3: Tasks and Deliverables
| No. | Task | Deliverable | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Develop a Work Plan and comprehensive Report Outline for the assignment | Work plan and Report Outline | ½ day |
| 2. | Undertake desk review of relevant material | - | 3.5 days |
| 3. | Conduct data extraction and synthesis | - | 9 days |
| 4. | Compile draft progress report | Draft Report | 4.5 days |
| 5. | Compile final report, incorporating comments from the TCG | Final Report | 2 days |
| 6. | Produce content for an infographic summary of progress on the ESA Commitment | Infographic Content | 2 days |
4. PROFILE OF THE CONTRACTOR
Firm
Mandatory
ï‚· Registered in an ESA country or formally affiliated with a registered firm based in an ESA country, with verifiable documentation of registration or affiliation
 7 years of experience in implementation, research or evaluation in education, adolescent and young people’s SRH, or youth programming within the ESA region.
 Demonstrable experience in the ESA region in education, adolescent and young people’s SRH, or youth programming, supported by at least three (3) relevant examples / references
ï‚· Proven ability to develop high-quality progress reports, publications, or similar deliverables at a regional or international level, supported by at least three (3) examples/references. These must have been developed and published under the firm's name, not solely by individual team members in their personal capacity.
Desirable
 Experience working with government ministries, regional bodies, or major development partners in education, adolescents and young people’s SRH, or youth programming.
ï‚· Experience working with UN on previous assignments
Team Leader for the firm, also the Individual Consultant
Mandatory
 Advanced degree (Master’s or equivalent) in public health, social sciences, development studies, or a related field; a PhD will be an added advantage
 Minimum of 6 years of professional experience or research within the context of adolescent and young people’s SRH, education, or youth programming within the ESA region
 In-depth knowledge of the ESA region’s context, particularly concerning the ESA Commitment’s priority areas, supported by three (3) examples
ï‚· Demonstrated ability to analyze and synthesize quantitative and qualitative data using relevant software, supported by at least three (3) examples
ï‚· Proven experience in developing progress reports, publications or similar deliverables at a regional or international level, supported by at least two (2) examples/references
ï‚· Fluency in English, additional regional languages (French and Portuguese) desirable
Desirable
ï‚· Experience working with UN on previous assignments is an asset
5. CONTRACTING AND REPORTING
The contract will be managed by the UNESCO Regional Education for Health and Wellbeing (EHW) team based in Johannesburg and Harare. Overall technical support for the assignments will be provided by the TCG’s Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Working Group.
6. SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS
Interested Contractors must submit a Technical and Financial proposal separately via email. The technical proposal will be evaluated on:
ï‚· Approach to the assignment that demonstrates understanding of the study requirements outlined in the ToR.
 Feasible and technically sound methodology aligned with the assignment’s overall purpose.
ï‚· Realistic work plan with specific deliverables.
ï‚· Qualifications and experience.
The financial proposal should include:
ï‚· A detailed price schedule with consultancy rates per day and workdays per main activity, facilitating budget negotiation if applicable. All fees must be quoted in USD.
Additionally, the Contractor must submit a sample report of previous work completed within the last 5 years.
Proposals are to be submitted to: vacancies.harare@unesco.org no later than 18 February 2025 at 17:00 Harare time, without a copy to any other email addresses. Offers addressed to other e-mail accounts will be disqualified.
