Zimbabwe Network of Early Childhood Development Actors (ZINECDA)

Deadline:15 May 2021

Introduction

Zimbabwe Network of Early Childhood Development Actors (ZINECDA) in partnership with Lesotho National ECD Coalition of Lesotho (NECDOL), and the Malawi ECD Coalition are implementing a transnational advocacy capacity building project which seeks to develop stronger and vibrant Early Child Development and Education (ECDE) in southern Africa. The strengthened CSOs will engage in transnational advocacy to make governments in Southern Africa more transparent and accountable to their citizens on ECDE issues. Transparent and accountable governments ultimately improve the development and implementation of sustainable, equitable, inclusive and gender responsive ECDE policies, legislation, and systems as well as improved ECDE financing by governments, CSOs and donors. This three-year project to be implemented in Lesotho, Malawi, and Zimbabwe will run from 2021 through to 2023.

The TRANAC consortium is made of up of ECDE CSO national coalitions from Eswatini, Mozambique, Zambia, Lesotho (NECDOL), the Malawi ECD Coalition and the Zimbabwe Network of Early Childhood Development Actors (ZINECDA) in the implementation of the project. The design of the project is premised on the human rights-based approach (HRBA), whereby regional and global education frameworks such as SDGs, UNCRC and ACRWC guide implementation. HRBA is adopted including such issues as participation, accountability, non-discrimination and equality, empowerment and legality at national and regional level. The right to education emphasizing that children are active agents in their own learning and that education is designed to promote and respect their rights.

The implementing organisations, through the lead agency ZINECDA, are seeking the services of Policy Advocacy, Communications and Learning firms or consultants to design and develop a Policy advocacy, Communications and Learning Strategy Plans, assess policy advocacy, communication and learning capacity of consortium members and provide a capacity building plan of TRANAC partner staff in Advocacy, Learning and Communications aspects of the project.

Objectives of the project

Specific Objectives

To strengthen the capacity of ECDE national coalitions on areas of internal governance, advocacy, and research in order for them to effectively hold governments accountable and demand transparency in the formulation and implementation of ECD policies and strategies related to SDG 4.2 and GPE at transnational level by December 2023; To engage in national and transnational advocacy to influence the development of comprehensive and inclusive ECDE policies, legislation, and systems by governments in Lesotho, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and other Southern African countries by December 2023; To improve ECDE decision making process through availing of ECDE data, research, monitoring, and evaluation and for use at national and transnational level in advocacy, learning and decision making for the attainment of SDG 4.2 and GPE related targets on ECDE in Lesotho, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and other Southern African countries by 2023.

Purpose and objectives of the assignment

Develop an ECD communications, capacity building, policy advocacy and learning collaboration strategy plan for (TRANAC); Conduct a mapping exercise to better understand ECD gaps, challenges, and opportunities that the project faces in pursuing a stronger institutional role in learning collaboratives, capacity building, knowledge generation, policy advocacy, communications, and policy framework national and transnational level in Southern Africa; Consult with staff and management and external partners to better understand the needs, capacities and perceptions that are critical to incorporate ECD learning, policy advocacy and communication plan; Identify the key audiences (stakeholders, duty bearers, actors, influencers, etc) for the Learning Collaboratives, Knowledge generation, Capacity building, Policy Advocacy and Communications Strategy Plan. Who are we trying to reach and why? Conduct meetings with staff, management and national/transnational actors to collect input and perspectives from across project partners, build ownership of the plan and ensure successful implementation with the support of all teams.