National Consultant for the Revision of Out-of-School Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) Delivery Manual

Liberia has a young population with 46% (2.4 million people) under the age of  19 years. Adolescents (10 to 19 years) constitute approximately 35.6% of the population. The young generation represents a powerful force that can drive the  country’s development agenda. Adolescents are at a time of tremendous physical, cognitive, and social change and require a range of support to thrive,  ensure safe transition into adulthood, and adopt lifelong healthy behaviors that  support their journey through education, learning, and skill development, free from violence, abuse, and all forms of exploitation. Adolescent girls often  initiate sex at an early age, between 14 and 16 years, and 47% of sexually active  adolescent girls who wish to use contraception do not use any modern method, and as a result, 32% of girls are already mothers by age 19. The high rate of  teenage pregnancies contributes to lower educational attainment and a higher rate of school dropout amongst girls. 

Pervasive poverty, limited access to sexual reproductive health and rights,  including contraception, and prevalent harmful social and gender norms, coupled with the disconnect between laws and policies and their  implementation, hamper adolescent girls from realizing their rights and  potential. 

Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) plays a crucial role in empowering  young people with the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values to make informed  decisions about their sexuality and relationships. 

With support from the Government of the Kingdom of Sweden through the  United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Ministry of Education carried out a series of activities that resulted in a significant reform of the National  School Curriculum in 2019. The Ministry of Education successfully created a competency-based curriculum that enabled students to gain knowledge, skills,  attitudes, and values to promote positive behavioral change by integrating Sexuality Education into the curriculum across multiple subjects from Grades 1  to 12, especially in mathematics, social studies, integrated sciences, and  biology, as part of enhancing the School Health programs of the Ministry of Education. 

UNFPA also worked with partners to develop a CSE Facilitator’s Manual for out-of-school children and young people, aimed at helping them to make informed choices, exercise self-care, and achieve bodily autonomy – which are  prerequisites for upholding human rights and reaching gender equality.

The primary objective of this consultancy is to revise, adapt, and simplify the  existing Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) Facilitator’s Manual to  ensure it is accessible, age-appropriate, culturally sensitive, and highly effective  for out-of-school children and young people with no or limited literacy skills. 

Specific objectives: 

• To maintain/include participatory, interactive, and visually driven  learning modules, including storytelling, role-play, picture codes, and  games. 

• To ensure the revised manual aligns with national guidelines and  international standards for CSE (such as the UN International Technical  Guidance on Sexuality Education). 

               • Ensure the revised manual equips community facilitators with clear, easy to-follow, step-by-step instructions on how to deliver CSE concepts to  non-literate

                 or semi-literate audiences. 

This consultant is expected to travel to parts of Liberia to collect data and  complete the consultancy within 60 calendar days of the contract signing date.

The National Consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

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This consultant is expected to travel to parts of Liberia to collect data .

The consultant is expected to produce the following deliverables: 

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aids/interactive activities. (Due 25 days after signing) 

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The consultant will work under the overall supervision of the UNFPA Liberia  Country Office Deputy Representative and the direct supervision of the  Programme Specialist     for Adolescents and Youth Empowerment, Leadership and  Participation. 

     All deliverables will be subject to review and formal approval by UNFPA.  Consolidated feedback will be provided within an agreed timeframe

The consultant must meet the following criteria: 

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● Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in developing curricula,  training manuals, or educational materials. 

              ● Demonstrated expertise in Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), and youth  empowerment.

      ● Proven experience designing educational programs for out-of-school  youth, vulnerable populations, or individuals with low/no literacy skills. ● Experience          in            applying participatory methodologies and developing visual/interactive learning aids. 

● Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.  Knowledge of local dialects is an asset. 

              ● Ability to translate complex health and social concepts into simple, accessible, and culturally sensitive language.

        • 20% upon submission and approval of the inception report. 

        • 35% upon submission and approval of the needs assessment/consultation  report, first draft of the               revised manual, and validation workshop report

       . • 45% upon submission and approval of the final CSE Facilitator’s Manual.

UNFPA will provide: 

● Relevant documents 

● Administrative support 

● Stakeholder coordination 

The consultant will provide their own equipment

Interested consultants should submit the following:

● A detailed technical proposal that outlines the methodology and approach for conducting the assignment. 

A current CV detailing relevant qualifications and experience