Job Description

TERMS OF REFERENCE

FOR CONSULTANT TO DEVELOP IMPLANTATION STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN FOR THE SOMALILAND NATIONAL YOUTH POLICY

                                                                                                                 Date:03 February 2024

1. Background

SONYO- abbreviated for Somaliland National Youth Organization. Are non-profit, non-partisan, non-political humanitarian, and voluntary national youth umbrella whereby 56 Members of youth organizations are currently members. SONYO, established on June 5, 2003, is the first and the only nationwide youth umbrella in the country committed to empowering and improving youth quality of life through the provision of programs and services. Umbrella members include Youth NGOs, Associations, and Student Unions from higher educational institutions, particularly Amoud University, University of Hargeisa and Burao University. The organization has a hierarchical structure with various lines and functions that define the roles, responsibilities, chain of command, units, departments and sections that execute project activities. It aims to identify, present and represent issues pertaining to youth at the national level.

Strengthening the operating environment of CSOs ability to participate in advocacy for policy change and equality of marginalized groups is a project funded by the European Union and implementing as consortium by SONYO Umbrella, SONSAF and SNDF. The project is intended to institutionally strengthen the capacity of Somaliland civil society organizations (CSOs) and to improve the operating environment for vulnerable groups, and also to promote good governance, accountability, better coordination, and prioritization of the actions in order to ensure that CSOs participation and contribution both national and regional level is effective and sustainable.

The specific target groups of this project are – 26 CSOs, especially umbrella groups (SONYO, NAGAAD, NAFIS, SNDF and Adams Academy) and their member organizations and an intentional focus on CSOs representing these vulnerable groups that are focused on advocacy and policy dialogue (Youth, Women, Minorities and People with disabilities). The Consortium (SONSAF, SONYO and SNDF) will implement this project in the six regions of Somaliland (Marodijeh, Saahil, Togdheer, Awdal, Sanaag and Sool). 

The New Revised National Youth Policy 2024 in Somaliland demonstrates a strong commitment to adaptability and responsiveness. It replaces the outdated National Youth Policy 2022, reflecting a dynamic approach to policymaking. The revision process involved extensive stakeholder engagement, including regional consultation workshops, key interviews, and an online survey. This iterative approach ensures the policy remains current, addressing emerging issues and aligning with the needs of young people.

The National Youth Policy responds to global economic challenges by outlining strategic interventions to foster a positive environment for youth development. It aims to empower young people and position them as vital contributors to economic and societal transformation. The policy includes targeted interventions to address key obstacles and foster skills and talents. It also envisions an integrated development strategy with a collaborative, multi-stakeholder approach for implementation.

2. Objectives of the National Youth Policy

The main objective of National Youth Policy 2024 is to strategically craft to address the evolving needs of young people in Somaliland and to proactively respond to emerging challenges. This objective aims to create a comprehensive and dynamic framework that integrates youth development seamlessly into government policies, programs, and the national budget.

3. Key specific objectives of NYP

• Empower youth from diverse backgrounds for active societal participation.
• Create opportunities for education, employment, and skills development.
• Foster civic engagement, promoting responsibility and citizenship.
• Prioritize the health and well-being of youth, addressing physical and mental health challenges.
• Enhance inclusivity, diversity, and gender equality among the youth.
• Ensure peace and security, preventing violence, crime, and exploitation.
• Improve information access and promote media literacy for informed decision-making.
• Encourage innovation and technology for economic empowerment and digital skills.
• Focus on capacity building for key institutions, NGOs, private sectors, and youth themselves.
• Integrate youth development into government policies, programs, and the national budget.

4. The objectives of the assignment

The Somaliland National Youth Organization (SONYO), in partnership with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, seeks a qualified individual consultant to develop a robust implementation strategy and action plan for the National Youth Policy.

Scope of the Work

The consultant should be guided by the draft of the Somaliland National Youth Policy. The consultant will work with stakeholders such as the established task force that will guide the development process of the policy, the relevant ministries that have the mandates of crosscutting issues of the youth programs, as well as civil society organizations (CSOs) working on youth issues.

5. Methodology

The following are some of the proposed methods for the development process of the policy:

1. Review and Analysis:

• Policy Documents: Deep dive into the final draft of the Somaliland National Youth Policy 2024, understanding its context, objectives, key priorities, and target groups.
• Background Documents: Review relevant assessments, reports, and data on youth development in Somaliland, including challenges, needs, and existing initiatives.
• National Development Plans: Analyze relevant sections of the National Development Plan 3 to ensure alignment and integration of the Youth Policy.
• Best Practices: Research and analyze successful case studies of youth policy implementation strategies from other countries and regions with similar contexts.

1. Data Analysis:

• Demographic Data: Analyze existing data on youth demographics, including age, gender, education, location, and socio-economic background.
• Needs Assessments: Review recent needs assessments and surveys conducted on young people in Somaliland to understand their aspirations, challenges, and priorities.
• Program Data: Analyze data on existing youth development programs and initiatives to identify successful approaches, gaps, and potential synergies.

1.  Action Plan Development:

• Develop SMART goals: Formulate specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals aligned with the National Youth Policy objectives.
• Identify key interventions: Prioritize targeted strategies that address specific needs and challenges faced by different youth groups.
• Define stakeholder roles and responsibilities: Clearly outline the roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder group in implementing the action plan.
• Develop activities and timelines: Establish a detailed action plan with concrete activities, milestones, timelines, and responsible parties for each intervention.
• Resource allocation: Estimate the resource requirements (human, financial, and logistical) for each activity and develop a resource mobilization strategy.
• Monitoring and evaluation: Design a monitoring and evaluation framework to track progress, measure impact, and identify areas for improvement.

6. Deliverables:

The consultant is expected to produce the following deliverables at the end of the assignment:

2024. Comprehensive implementation strategy and action plan for the National Youth Policy 2024. This strategy should:
2025. Align with the policy objectives
2026. Prioritize key interventions targeting the specific needs of the youth
2027. Clearly define the roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders, including government agencies, civil society organizations, the private sector, and youth groups.
2028. Establish a concrete action plan with specific activities, timelines, resource allocation, and monitoring indicators.
2029. Be adaptable and responsive to emerging challenges and opportunities.
2030. Duration and timeline

The duration of the assignment is expected to be two consecutive months. The working schedule will be determined by the established technical task force of the policy.

8. Reporting

The consultant will directly report to the Somaliland National Youth Organization (SONYO). The consultant will also provide weekly updates to SONYO and the established technical task force.

Experiences and Qualifications

 Master's degree in policy or strategies development, international relations, public administration, management, social or behavioral sciences, or a related technical field.

-          6+ years of experience in policy and strategy development, with a focus on youth development.

-          Prior experience working with public institutions on international and national policy development, as well as national and action plans and M&E plans.

-          Knowledge of youth-related good practices and trends in youth engagement.

-          Proven experience in working on youth development-related policies, programs, and/or guidelines for social sectors and/or programs specifically focusing on strengthening youth policies and capacities.

-          Must have good knowledge of the Somaliland National Development Plan, SDGs, youth development, economics, community engagement, and political participation, and technical expertise in project management, data analysis, research, and drafting implementation plans.

-          Experience working in Somaliland is an asset.

-          First-hand knowledge of the socio-cultural, economic, and political situation in Somaliland will be an added advantage.

-          Willingness to work in difficult circumstances, including traveling to Somaliland regions.

-          Experience in working with the Government of Somaliland will be an asset.

Skills Required

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