The UK Government (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office - FCDO) has a vision of a world free from the practice of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) by 2030, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The importance of eliminating FGM/C is reflected in Target 5.3 of the SDGs: “Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation”. The ‘Support to the Africa-Led Movement (ALM) to end FGM/C’ programme has been established to contribute to global efforts to achieve that vision.
Building on the foundations of the first five-year investment (2013-2018) of the Department for International Development, this programme will focus on accelerating the pace of change and achieving results to contribute to the vision of the SDGs of a world free from FGM/C by 2030.
The intended impact of this 5-year programme is an accelerated reduction in the practice of FGM/C in focus countries/regions by 2025. The programme envisions a world where girls and women can exercise their power and rights, have expanded choice and agency, and be free from all forms of violence, including FGM/C.
Phase II is composed of two consortia working in close collaboration. Options consultancy services Ltd will engage with Amref Health Africa, Actionaid UK, Orchid Project, ACCAF, and University of Portsmouth to implement the ‘Support to the ALM to End FGM/C’ in cooperation with Population Council and Greenmash that will implement the ‘The FGM/C Data Hub: Data and Measurement Support to the ALM to end FGM/C’. This programme will support and build the capacity of the already existing Africa-led Movement to end FGM/C at multiple levels and at scale.
The programme will work innovatively to address FGM/C at scale through three complementary and mutually reinforcing approaches, namely:
The consortium’s approach to support the Africa-led movement is girl-centred, recognises the intersecting identities that inform their lives, and aims to empower all girls and women - promoting health, bodily autonomy, and their right to live free from violence. The work of the programme is framed within a learning and adaptive programming approach.
Purpose of the consultancy
Orchid Project works collaboratively within the ALM consortium on global advocacy. As a member of the ALM Advocacy Team, we aim to build and strengthen the visibility of the end FGM/C movement towards postively influencing commitments, funding, and action to end this harmful practice. Central to this is ensuring that the voices of key stakeholders are at the forefront of the end FGM/C movement, this includes (but is not limited to) survivors, activists, organisations working for social change at the community level, and young people, especially girls.
Towards this, Orchid Project in its role as a consortium member will hold an online youth forum bringing together young end FGM/C actvists in Africa and Asia to coincide with International Youth Day 2022 (Friday August 12th).
According to UNFPA FGM/C is currently documented in 92 countries around the world. However all too often the practice is viewed, and tackled, as an African problem, potentially leaving millions of girls and women in Asia at risk. If SDG 5.3 is to be achieved, then global advocacy and action efforts will have to be accelerated.
The purpose of the forum is to bring together youth in practising regions, and provide a space where they are able to share experiences, and understand how they might work together collaboratively.
The purpose of this consultancy is to plan, manage and deliver the forum,, and the forum final report.
Please see the attached ToR for more information about deliverables
Consultant requirement
We are look for a consultant who meets the following requirements:
Application process
Interested consultants who meet the requirements above should submit an expression of interest (maximum 5 pages) which should include the following:
Expressions of interest should be sent to HR@Orchidproject.org
Orchid Project has a vision of a world free from female genital cutting (FGC). We are a small but growing, dynamic not-for-profit organisation with a proven track record of delivering programmes, policy, advocacy and communications in support of an end to FGC. More than 4 million girls a year are subjected to female genital cutting. This involves partly or fully removal of a girl's external female genitalia. In the short term, it can cause serious bleeding, infection and sometimes death. It dramatically disadvantages girls for the future: many girls never return to school and are often forced into early marriage. As well as the physical damage, cutting significantly curtails the education, incomes, and independence of women and girls. It is a fundamental breach of the human rights of women and girls, and it causes lasting health, education, economic and social harm. Many communities are ending cutting - and we know this can be accelerated to meet the world’s target of ending this practice by 2030 – but the population is growing faster than the prevalence is falling, leading to a rising number of girls being cut each year. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, programme work to end cutting has been disrupted worldwide and an additional 2 million girls are now at risk of being cut in the next ten years according to UNFPA.
Orchid Project works in three ways:
Orchid Project is currently a team of 10 full-time staff. For additional information and to read our strategy please visit our website orchidproject.org
ValuesWe are collaborative, we are respectful, and we are open and accountable. All staff are expected to uphold Orchid Project’s values and work together to achieve transformational change.
