Short Term Technical Assistance for the SADC Orphans, Vulnerable Children and Youth (OVCY) Programme

REPSSI is supporting SADC to secure a consultant to provide short term technical assistance (TA) for the orphans, vulnerable children and youth programme. The consultant will provide overall advisory and programme management support to ensure that child and youth vulnerability, development and empowerment take centre stage in a systematic manner, in the social, economic and political development agenda of SADC at regional and national levels.

The consultancy is for 6 months from July – December 2017.

Applications must be submitted to: hradmin@repssi.org by the 23rd of June 2017.

For more information click here. 

Webinar: Ending Child Marriage and Stopping the Spread of HIV in Africa

Research by the African Union Commission and RIATT-ESA examines some of the existing literature to highlight what is known about the links between child marriage and HIV, and spotlights opportunities for further action.

This webinar explores the findings of the research and examines the implications for programmes and advocacy.  

  • Moderator by Ms Nyaradzayi, Gumbonzvanda - CEO, Rozaria Memorial Trust and AU Goodwill Ambassador on Ending Child Marriage.
  • Presenter: Dr.Kwalombota M.Kwalombota- Researcher
  • Presenter: Ruth Koshal- The Senior Africa Engagement Officer at Girls Not Brides the Global Partnership to End Child Marriage, based in Nairobi, Kenya. Prior to joining Girls Not Brides, she was the Director of Social Enterprise at Africa Centre for Entrepreneurship and Leadership in Kenya.  Ruth previously worked with Save the Children International as a Senior Manager and World Vision International as a Senior Policy and Advocacy Advisor. 
  • Presenter: Ramatou Tore- Merlo- The Regional Senior Child Protection Specialist for UNICEF West and Central Africa Regional Office located in Dakar. In her capacity she oversees and provides strategic direction and guidance on UNICEF programmes addressing Child Marriage, Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting, Violence against Children and Child Protection Systems Strengtheningin 24 countries across West and Central Africa. Prior to this position, she was the UNICEF Chief of the Child Protection programme in Rwanda from 2012 to 2016. Ramatou Toure also served as a Child Protection Specialist in the Democratic Republic of Congo in Kinshasa and Lubumbashi from 2008 to 2011. From 2006 to 2008 she worked in the Global Emergency Office at UNICEF Headquarters in New York, USA, as a Policy and Advocacy Officer in charge of children affected by armed conflict. Before joining UNICEF, she worked with government institutions and non-governmental organizations across Europe and Africa.

Click here to register

Click the link to share on twitter

Webinar hosted by RIATT-ESA and The African Union

PATA Promising Practices of HIV Adherence and Support for your People Living with HIV

PATA has recently published a series of promising practices of HIV adherence and support for your people living with HIV. These series highlights the calls for:

  • Health care provider sensitisation, to improve treatment of adolescents to make them feel appreciated, accepted and respected.
  • Care giver support, a crucial part of improving adolescents mental health, adherence and resilience.
  • A renewed focus on peer support, as AYPLHIV are well-placed to understand, support and respond to the needs of other young people in their communities. 
  • HIV and SRH services that are comprehensive, amongst others this should include psychosocial support and family planning services.

Click on the links below to read the full papers.

Press release: Less words, more action required to improve the wellbeing of children in Africa

JOHANNESBURG, 12 May 2017 - The African Child Policy Forum (ACPF), in collaboration with Graça Machel Trust, launched the 4th edition of its flagship report series today in Johannesburg, South Africa. The report entitled “The African Report on Child Wellbeing 2016, Getting It Rights: Bridging the gap between policy and practice” examines efforts being made in various African countries to implement children’s rights and ensure their wellbeing. It reveals that while governments have made significant stride to put appropriate laws and policies, weak enforcement remains a major barrier to enhance children’s protection from abuse and exploitation and ensure their overall wellbeing.

The report finds that government institutions responsible for children’s affairs in a number of African countries have very weak institutional authority and capacity to carry out their responsibilities. It also shows that allocation of inadequate budgets and human resources to these structures further exacerbated the problem and seriously affected their ability to effectively coordinate national programmes benefiting children and achieve better results.

While launching the report, Ms Graça Machel, Founder of the Graça Machel Trust and Chairperson of the International Board of Trustees of the African Child Policy Forum (ACPF) said, “Here in Africa, we are not short of laws and policies, as we have done tremendous work in this regard over the last decades. What we fundamentally lack is implementation, commitment and capacity to translate them into action and improve the situation of women and children. She added, “Despite the visible and pressing challenges we have in effectively implementing laws and policies, there are very limited initiatives to explore and understand the underlying causes and barriers. This report provides a glimpse into these issues and suggests solutions to address the gaps between policy and practice”.

The report makes the case that after nearly three decades of interventions to realise children’s rights, it is unacceptable that two-thirds of children in Africa experience multiple deprivations that are detrimental to their survival and development. It highlights that there are countries where half of children under the age of five are stunted and where access to healthcare and education, especially at a secondary level, is inequitable and of very poor quality. The report identifies these realities as manifestations of institutional and systemic challenges that hinder effective implementation of laws, policies and programmes targeting children.

Mr Theophane Nikyema, Executive Director of the African Child Policy Forum (ACPF) says, “Enhancing effectiveness of implementation efforts requires thorough planning and continuous review of performance of implementing agencies to learn what is working and what is not working. It also requires commitment to take corrective measures to strengthen and support these institutions to improve efficiency and deliver quality services to children”. 


As evidenced from the experience of countries that have made relative advances in promotion of child rights, effective implementation rests, among other things, on having functional accountability systems with appropriate mechanisms for monitoring progress and imposing sanctions in times of unsatisfactory performance. “Encouraging efforts are being made to enhance transparency and accountability in Africa”, says Professor Julia Sloth-Nielsen from University of Western Cape. “However, lack of good governance at all levels still lies at the heart of the failure to fulfil human rights obligations including commitments to children and women in the African context”, Professor Sloth-Nielsen underscores.


Ensuring the wellbeing of all children is not an easy task, the report argues. It highlights that such endeavour demands unwavering commitment to change the status quo and transform the way business is done in the public sector, particularly in sectors targeting vulnerable groups such as children and women. “Urgent action is long overdue” says Ms Nomsa Daniels, Chief Executive Officer of the Graça Machel Trust, “Conscious effort needs to be made at all levels to build capacity and improve services to children and mothers, in terms of both quality and outreach, to lift them out of poverty and deprivations”.

Source: African Child Policy Forum

Employment Opportunity – Senior Technical Advisor, Social Service Workforce Strengthening

The Global Social Service Workforce Alliance is seeking a Senior Technical Advisor, Social Service Workforce Strengthening

POSITION SUMMARY

The primary role of the Alliance Senior Technical Advisor for Social Service Workforce Strengthening (STA) is to provide technical leadership and guidance on effective approaches of strengthening the social service workforce. The STA will demonstrate the skills and knowledge needed to manage a portfolio of partnerships, initiatives and special activities. The STA will bring technical expertise and experience in social service workforce strengthening, case management and child protection programming.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Represent the Alliance and strategically engage as a technical expert and global advocate on behalf of social service workforce strengthening and the Alliance

  • Serve as a resource person on key aspects of social service workforce strengthening to the Alliance membership and partners, facilitating technical support, learning exchanges and knowledge sharing, the documentation and dissemination of best practices, and the development and utilization of relevant strategies, guidelines, tools and resources related to social service workforce strengthening
  • Represent the Alliance at various forums including international, regional and local meetings and conferences to communicate the work of the Alliance and build and maintain contacts and strategic relationships with key stakeholders, including donors, governments, multilaterals, academic institutions, professional associations and NGOs
  • Support proposal development, project implementation, monitoring and evaluation and reporting
  • Write and collaborate on appropriate policy and advocacy papers, technical briefs and reports
  • Assist in the development and implementation of webinars and other Alliance-hosted learning events
  • Identify experts in the field of social service workforce strengthening, invite them to join and contribute to the work of the Alliance and field requests from members and partners for their assistance

Manage and provide oversight of an Alliance project on the workforce implications of case management

  • Stay abreast of state of the art developments and innovations relevant to case management and child protection
  • Identify and facilitate collaboration on case management with other global partnerships and initiatives, regional platforms and networks
  • Systematically promote information exchange, cross-fertilization and learning between and among Alliance members and partners working on case management, identifying areas for collaboration and further investment
  • Facilitate participatory communication with case management interest group advisory committee members as well as interest group members to support them in the development of program approaches and a workplan with timeline
  • Organize and facilitate interest group meetings and associated events or conferences
  • Ensure and foster effective alignment of activities and smooth coordination between the case management project and other Alliance activities
  • Oversee the relevant scopes of work, associated budgets, sub-agreements and contracts of all consultants related to this work
  • Ensure timely submission of high quality project narrative reports

TO APPLY

Send your cover letter and resume to:  contact@socialserviceworkforce.org  

Click here to review the full education, skills and experience requirements as well as additional information on benefits and working for the Alliance. 

PATA Employment Opportunity​​​​​​​: Finance and operations head

JOB SUMMARY:

The Finance and Operations Head is accountable for the fiscal hygiene and comprehensive financial management of PATA’s financial, currency, reserve and investment assets and owns PATA's operational and service capability. Internally s/he leads the cross-functional integration of PATA’s operations with programme, research, advocacy and knowledge objectives. Externally s/he oversees PATA's contractual and regulatory interface with funders, sub-grantees, partners and service providers. S/he accounts for PATA's operating budgets, ensuring compliance with the terms of multiple grants both for PATAs and for their sub-grantees. Overseeing excellent governance, prudent management of funds and robust operational processes, the role reports to PATA’s Director and works with the Board’s Audit Committee.

The role also includes people management practices, cost-effective service solutions for HR, payroll, finance processing and all information and communication systems, oversight of logistics and events management and a grant management capacity in support of PATA's many partners. All regulatory, fiscal, risk and financial reporting, as well as the entire budgeting cycle to close-out also belong to the role.

For the full TOR's or to apply click here. 

HOW TO APPLY
Submit the following to glynis@teampata.org by Friday, 7 April 2017 at 17h00:

  • The e-mail subject line should include the advertised job title
  • Your CV and cover letter
  • This post is open to South African citizens or individuals with permanent residency
  • Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Should you not have received feedback within two weeks of the closing date, consider your application unsuccessful
  • All applications received after the above-listed date and time will not be reviewed.

‘Being Heard’ Project - Call for Evidence: Participatory Approaches to Children and Young People’s Involvement in Research and Consultation Addressing Sexual Violence

The International Centre (IC): researching child sexual exploitation, violence and trafficking (University of Bedfordshire) in partnership with Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) are undertaking an international review of evidence relating to participatory methodologies used in research and consultation relating to sexual violence involving children and young people. The research team are looking for information about documents and/or related materials on participatory work with children and young people in research or consultation on sexual violence (or related subjects).

Deadline: The deadline for the call for evidence is: 30th April 2017

Contact: To share examples of work or if you have any further questions about this work, please contact: Dr Silvie Bovarnick/ Silvie.bovarnick@beds.ac.uk

Click here to download the full call for evidence.