SUBSCRIBE TO THE GENDER JOBS NEWSLETTER

Background 

Womandla Foundation Trust (Womandla) is a feminist, youth-centred civil society organisation working on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in Zvishavane and beyond. Under the Ndiine Ruzivo – Ngilolwazi (PACCESS) initiative, Womandla is commissioning a policy recommendation paper to: (1) identify gaps and implementation bottlenecks in the Termination of Pregnancy (ToP) Act and related SRHR policies; (2) produce evidence-based, youth- and gender-sensitive policy asks to improve access to safe abortion and post-abortion care (PAC); and (3) map practical advocacy pathways across national, district, community, and parliamentary levels.

Objective of the Consultancy 
Produce a high-quality, evidence-based Policy Recommendation Paper (approx. 12–15 pages plus annexes) that: 
1. Analyses legal, policy and implementation gaps in the ToP Act and related SRHR frameworks, with a focus on implications for young people (18–24) in Zvishavane. 
2. Provides actionable, prioritized policy asks and a pragmatic roadmap for advocacy targeting parliamentarians, district authorities, traditional & religious leaders, health managers, and youth networks. 
3. Uses primary and secondary quantitative data triangulated with qualitative evidence to justify recommendations. 

 Scope of Work 
The consultant will: 
1. Conduct a rapid but rigorous desk review (national laws, MoHCC policies, ZIMSTAT, UN, WHO, and other relevant literature). 
2. Analyse national and sub-national quantitative data sources (ZIMSTAT, MoHCC service statistics, UNFPA, health facility records, WoMandla’s existing datasets, KAP survey inputs). Strong quantitative analysis using SPSS or equivalent required. 
3. Lead light-touch primary data collection in Zvishavane as needed (e.g., short quantitative survey, facility data pulls). Womandla will facilitate local access and community mobilization. 
4. Conduct 12 - 15 Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) e.g., MoHCC officials, district health managers, selected parliamentarians or their staff, clinic managers, progressive traditional leaders. 
5. Synthesize findings into a concise policy paper with clear recommendations, priority actions, suggested timelines, responsible actors, and monitoring indicators. 
6. Produce an executive summary (1 page), a 1-page advocacy brief (policy asks), and a slide deck (10 slides) summarizing findings and asks for stakeholder meetings. 
7. Present draft findings in a validation session (virtual or in-person) with Womandla and selected stakeholders; incorporate feedback into final submission. 

 Required Qualifications & Experience 
• Advanced degree (MA/MSc/MPH or higher) in Public Health, Social Sciences, Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Law or related field. 
• At least 7 years’ experience in SRHR research and policy analysis in Southern Africa; demonstrable experience in Zimbabwe is essential. 
• Strong quantitative skills: proven experience using SPSS (required); familiarity with STATA/R is an advantage.
 • Prior experience producing policy briefs and working directly with policymakers, parliamentarians, and district health management teams. 
• Experience with feminist and youth-centred methodologies; track record of ethical, participatory research in sensitive SRHR topics. 
• Excellent report writing and presentation skills in English; ability to write succinct policy asks and produce stakeholder-facing briefs. 
• Two referees and samples of 1–2 previous policy papers or related deliverables.