Terms of References for Engaging Women Right Organization in Bauchi and Sokoto State at Plan International

Project background

The ASPIRE Project aims to improve the realization of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for adolescent girls and women, including vulnerable populations, in Bauchi and Sokoto States. Aligned with Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP) and Plan International’s Global Policy: Gender Equality and Inclusion (GE&I), ASPIRE will be guided by a feminist, multi-sectoral approach to improving women’s and girls’ agency and leadership, informing and empowering adolescents and young people with the right information and economic leverage to demand adequate SRHR information and services, and advocate for government duty bearers to establish strong policies and programs that respond to their demands. 

ASPIRE will pursue partnerships that bring together government, civil society, coalitions, networks, national partners and associations to promote an integrated approach to SRHR, especially for adolescents. This will be achieved through three intermediate outcomes 

• 1100 - Increased individual and collective agency of women and adolescent girls in their diversity to exercise their SRH rights and access to gender and adolescent-responsive and inclusive SRH services 
• 1200 - Strengthened health systems to provide gender and adolescent-responsive, inclusive, integrated and innovative SRHR and protection services for women and adolescent girls and 
• 1300 - Improved responsiveness of local stakeholders to provide evidence-based, integrated, accountable and equitable policies, legal frameworks and SRHR and protection services.

Plan International Nigeria aims to contribute to the advancement of Children’s rights and is committed to achieving program quality, which calls for effective and efficient allocation and use of resources (time, money and staff) for the attainment of its program quality and organization’s objectives. Vulnerable money and staff) for the attainment of its program quality and organization’s objectives. Vulnerable women and adolescent girls and boys in Nigeria continue to have little or no access to quality health information and services needed to exercise their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). 

Use of any form of modern contraception by married women aged 15-49 is only 5.2% in Bauchi and 2.1% in Sokoto, both well below the national average of 12%. Likewise, in Bauchi state, 40.7% of adolescent girls aged 15-19 have begun childbearing and 32.1% in Sokoto. The national average is 18.7%. Some poor families from rural Nigeria send their children to Islamic boarding schools in the northern cities of the country. Islamiyah schools are mixed gender that enroll girls and boys; Tsangayas enroll only boys, called Almajiris. There are an estimated 9.5 million Almajiris, the name given to highly vulnerable adolescent boys who attend Tsangaya schools and beg in the streets for survival. The most vulnerable—poor women and adolescent girls (and boys) in rural areas, out-of-school children (OOSC) and adolescents, and Almajiri and Islamiyah students—are especially disadvantaged by socio-cultural traditions, strict gender norms and weak health systems that limit access to SRHR information and quality services. Most Almajiris and Islamiyah students face significant challenges in accessing basic SRHR information and services increasing their risk of abuse, exploitation and mental disorders.

Project objectives

To achieve these goals, this project has two main objectives:

• To map out the WROs to partner with in implementing identified and workplan developed advocacy issue through the project 
• To build the capacity of WROs in other to access other opportunities in terms of grants access
• To build the capacity of WROs in other to have access with information, responding on gender gender equality and inclusion issues in our dear states

The selected partner(s) will be expected to deliver on the following terms of reference (ToR) in line with the objectives of the project. 

• Work with Plan International Nigeria to transform power relations in favor of girls
• Must be based in project state. 
• Must have presence or ability to be present in the targeted project communities of Bauchi and Sokoto state
• Work within the provisions of mutually agreed partnership agreement which will be reviewed on annual basis and signed by both parties
• Must be a registered local or national civil society organization (NGO) that know the terrain and culture of the project implementation sites (Bauchi & Sokoto)
• Demonstrate adequate experience working around gender responsive Adolescent sexual reproductive health and right specific programming at State, LGA and community level. 
• Membership of state Association of Civil Society Organizations working in the Area of Health, Education and Gender equality and inclusion will be an added advantage.
• Have a network of local stakeholders in project States
• Have a good understanding of workings with International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs)
• Must be a non-political, Nonprofit making and non-ethnic organization
• Must have proficient knowledge of project management, monitoring and evaluation and stakeholders’/community mapping strategy
• Must promote gender equality and inclusion within the organization. 

Scope of work of the potential partner

• Prepare and submit cost effective monthly and quarterly programmatic and financial reports, plans and budget 
• Contribute to project work plan development and project reporting
• Contribute to knowledge management processes
• Contribute to adherence to Plan International Nigerian and global policies during implementation.
• Contribute to the implementation of the project monitoring and evaluation system.
• Establish and maintain excellent working relationship with State, LGA and community stakeholders. 

Deliverables of the partner

• Advocacy to State, LGA and Community stakeholders
• Community Mobilization and sensitization activities that will influence changes towards positive behaviour
• Support campaigns that will be organized by Aspire Project and Plan International Nigeria
• Implementation of Project women rights organization and youth led organizations activities
• Capacity building of the WROs & YLOs in the community.
• Regular monitoring and supervision of the community activities including follow up of advocacy issues
• Document and submit success stories and other Knowledge Management materials.
• Monthly and quarterly report of activities
• Project review meetings with community structures and project staff
• Provide technical support to WROs & YLOs at the community level during implementation 
• Engage with other community level WROs & YLOs to implement agreed activities.
• Work closely with relevant project staff to deliver on the above tasks. 

Project location

Bauchi and Sokoto State

Intervention LGAs

Expression of Interest Requirements

Interested WROs and YLOs are expected to submit the following as maximum requirements

• Organizational chart (describing the different management levels of the organization)
• List of Board of Trustees/Directors (with beginning and end dates of terms and short bios/résumé)
• List of key management personnel (with short bios/resumes)
• Organizational profile, indicating the year of establishment, staff strength, projects implemented and location, the extent to which stakeholders (women, men and children (Girls & Boys), People with special needs (PLWD) were involved in the implementation process
• Trainings attended by staff and position of staff attending
• At least two references from notable individuals/organizations familiar with your organization
• Detailed and verifiable description of similar actions managed by your organization over the past three years
• Copy of organization’s most recent independent annual financial audit report and/or at least 2 years’ financial report 
• Evidence of organization’s legal registration with relevant state and/or national authorities 
• Evidence of registration with relevant civil society coalition such as CONSS/SCHEFA.

The above requirements are specific to WROs or their networks interested in submitting their Expression of Interest (EoI) no later than the 3rd of November, 2025.