Background:
 
UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency and its mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s new strategic plan (2022-2025), focuses on three transformative results: end unmet need for family planning; to end preventable maternal deaths; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. UNFPA is implementing with the support of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg the Regional Project: Leaving No One Behind: Reduction of Adolescent Pregnancy.

Belize is developing a comprehensive strategic plan through its Ministry of Youth, Sports and Transport to improve the situation of young people. In 2020 a National Youth Development Policy was drafted however it required updating to include a methodology on how the policy would be implemented. In the following year, 2021, the Department of Youth Services (DYS) engaged in a Youth and Wellness Assessment Survey to help determine what services are needed to meet the needs of young people and to better aid individuals and families in the community. This study focuses on discovering the most prominent needs and areas of concern of youths, especially as they relate to youth and wellness services. The obtained information will inform strategic policy making that aligns to the vision and concerns of the youth. Recognizing the need to empower and inform youths on Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights, along with the consolidation of both documents, there is a need to update the draft National Youth Development Policy with a SRHR framework with a focus on youths.

In partnership with the Department of Youth Services, this consultancy aims to strengthen the draft National Youth Development Policy of Belize specifically, with the inclusion of a component on universal access to health, ensuring a young person’s right to a healthy body and bodily autonomy, to contribute to the reduction of teenage pregnancies and the prevention of transmission of sexually transmitted infections.

Purpose of the Consultancy:

The objective of the consultancy is to strengthen, update and consolidate the draft National Youth Development Policy of Belize and to integrate a component on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.

Specific Objectives:

• Review and consolidate the draft National Youth Development Policy of Belize (2020) and results from the National Youth Needs and Wellness Assessment Survey (2021) and update the consolidated 2025-2030 draft National Youth Development Policy with a methodology to implement the policy.
• Integrate Sexual & Reproductive Health and Rights in the health component of the updated draft policy.

Scope of work: (Description of services, activities, or outputs)

The consultant will:

• Develop an updated and consolidated 2025-2030 draft National Youth Development Policy of Belize with the inclusion of universal access to health with focus on Sexual & Reproductive Health and Rights targeting young people for submission to UNFPA and the Department of Youth Services.
• Ensure that the SRHR component
  • Aligns with sector-specific policies and programs, to define structure and key components of SRHR to facilitate mainstreaming in all sectoral planning activities
  • Outlines the principles, objectives, priority areas and actions for SRHR, including the management, coordination, provision of SRHR based on global evidence, and the roles and responsibilities of the relevant sectors and stakeholders, within the National Youth Development Policy of Belize.
• Conduct a mapping of key stakeholders from relevant sectors and key technical SRH advisors to support the needs and gaps to support in the development of the comprehensive SRH component in the National Youth Development Policy
• Conduct consultation sessions with key stakeholders from the relevant sectors and key technical SRH advisors to understand needs and gaps to support in the development of the comprehensive SRH component in the National Youth Development Policy
• Conduct consultation sessions with young people to understand their perspective of key challenges/ gaps and key policy directions from adolescent youth perspectives.
• Consult with other key technical divisions such as Rehabilitation, Transition Homes and protection services to ensure that the SRHR component includes inter sectoral synergies.
• Conduct and facilitate one joint validation session with key informants to validate the contents of the SRH component to be integrated in the draft National Youth Development Policy.
• Develop final draft National Youth Development Policy inclusive of SRHR component and M&E framework for submission to UNFPA and the Department of Youth Services.
• Attend pre-scheduled bi-weekly check-in meetings with UNFPA and DYS programme team to provide technical support and guidance for the duration of the consultancy.

Required Expertise, qualifications and competencies

The required profile of the consultant is as follows:

1. Graduate qualifications in Law, Health, Social and/or related Science;
2. Must have 5 or more years working in Sexual and Reproductive Health;
3. Experience in drafting comprehensive reports and health policies
4. Possess sound knowledge and/or familiarity with the field of SRHR; in Belize;
5. Possess excellent verbal, writing and analytical skills;
6. Must be proficient in English.

REQUIREMENTS: 

To apply, kindly submit application letter and CV to: