INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANCY - LEAD THEMATIC CONSULTANT OF THE AFRICA GOVERNANCE REPORT 2027 ON YOUTH IN GOVERNANCE: FROM PROMISE TO PROSPERITY

Hiring Office:  UNFPA East and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO) -  Youth Team in partnership with the African Peer Review Mechanism .               

UNFPA and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) have established a strategic collaboration to advance youth leadership, good governance and realizing the demographic dividend across the continent. UNFPA ESARO is supporting the APRM in developing the Africa Governance Report 2027. As part of this collaboration, UNFPA is recruiting an individual consultant to be the Lead Thematic Consultant of the Africa Governance Report 2027 on Youth in Governance: From Promise to Prosperity. The consultant will be either based at the African Peer Review Mechanism Continental Office in Centurion, South Africa or work remotely.

The Africa Governance Report (AGR) is a biennial publication of the AU on the state of governance in Africa. The report is produced by the APRM Continental Secretariat in collaboration with members of the African Governance Platform (AGP) of the AGA, according to the AU Assembly Decision Assembly/AU/Dec.720 (XXXII).

The inaugural AGR (2019): Promoting African Union Shared Values established a baseline by assessing the implementation of AU shared values, including democracy, rule of law, and institutional accountability. Building on this, the second AGR (2021): Africa Governance Futures for the Africa We Want used scenario-based analysis to project Africa’s governance futures, identifying critical drivers like youth demographics, climate change, and digitalization. In response to emerging peace and security threats, AGR (2023) focused on the resurgence of Unconstitutional Changes of Government (UCG) on the continent, analysing their root causes and proposing preventive strategies. The AGR 2025: Natural Resource Governance in Africa, focused on three sub-themes of land resource governance, mineral resource governance, and marine resource/blue economy governance highlighting innovative measures to maximise Africa’s natural resource wealth. 

These reports are interlinked through their commitment to evidence-based reporting, gradually deepening Africa’s understanding of systemic governance challenges while informing responsive and forward-looking policy frameworks.

The fifth African Governance Report (AGR 2027), shall, therefore, examine “Youth in Governance: From Promise to Prosperity”. This theme positions Africa’s youth, alongside its vast natural resources, as the most underutilized asset in realizing Africa’s aspirations The theme has been further defined into three sub-themes i) Realising the Demographic Dividend through Investment in Youth as Human Capital for Development, ii) Youth Leadership in Entrepreneurship, Industry, and the Public Sector; iii) Harnessing Youth Tech Innovation for E-Governance.

The 5th edition of the report (AGR27) importantly, therefore, aims to examine human capital development and related governance requirements to harness the youth dividend. The AGR27 is envisioned to propose recommendations that position Africa’s youth as assets as opposed to liabilities. Additionally, it is important to see young people as agents of transformation as opposed to subjects of their own realities. Young people are at the heart of Africa’s governance transformation. The development of the AGR27 aligns with the 20th Anniversary of the adoption of the African Youth Charter and its launch in 2027, which marks ten years since the AU dedicated 2017 as the “Year of African Youth”. Therefore, the AGR 2027 takes stock of the governance trends on the continent and examines their implication for human capital development, leadership, technological innovation and Africa’s position on the global stage.

The overall objective of the consultancy is to provide consolidation of data, editing and proofreading of the overall report to coherence and preservation of the scientific and political integrity of the report. This includes incorporating additional feedback from contributing authors and APRM staff, and ensuring references are complete and accurate.

1. →Analyse the research findings and draft key recommendations.
2. →Substantive and comprehensive content consolidation and editing, which aims at improving the overall coverage and presentation of the product, its content, scope, length, level and organization. 
3. →When applicable, weaving chapters and contributions together to form a coherent and consistent chapter, including editing to avoid repetition. 
4. →Checking for consistency. This involves reinforcement of the APRM Editorial Committee Standards regarding spelling and language style. This also includes checking the numbering of illustrations, tables and notes, and any cross-references to them, as well as the consistency of bibliographical references. 
5. →Checking quotations or illustrations that may need permission from the copyright owner. 
6. →Creating, when applicable, the list of acronyms and the table of contents.
7. →Support any other writing tasks related to communications of the secretariat, as required.

The expected commencement date for the assignment is 6 July 2026, and the consultant is expected to work a total of 66 working days between July and November 2026 with July-September being the months with highest engagement.

The Consultant shall preferably work physically at the APRM continental offices in Centurion, South Africa. 

Where physical presence is not possible the consultant shall work remotely.

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy etc.):

The APRM and UNFPA shall supervise the assignment virtually every week through video conference, telephone, and emails to assess the progress. Where necessary, meetings shall be held at the APRM Continental Secretariat in Centurion, South Africa. The Consultant shall therefore be required to prepare progress reports for discussion.

1. First draft of the initial Report comprising the analysis of background papers and desktop studies by 31 July, 2026 (20% of Contract price upon paid acceptance of initial report - 13 working days)
2. Second draft report and related outputs by 15 August, 2026 (22% of contract price paid upon acceptance of the second draft report - 15 working days)
3. A consolidated Final draft Africa Governance Report (AGR27) in English by 15 September, 2026  submitted to the APRM Continental Secretariat (48% of contract price paid upon acceptance of final draft report - 32 working days)

Presentation of report at validation meeting and incorporation of feedback into the final zero draft report at latest 5 days after the meeting. Final timeline for this deliverable will be communicated at a later stage, estimated for October/November 2026 (10% of contract price -6 working days)

The consultant is expected to attend regular meetings with the APRM and submit weekly updates to the Director of the Governance and Specialised Reporting Directorate - through the APRM Continental Secretariat and the Thematic Consultant for the AGR 2027.

Monthly update reports shall be submitted to UNFPA ESARO Youth Team Lead.

The Consultant reports to the UNFPA ESARO Youth Team lead and the Director of the Governance and Specialised Reporting Directorate at the APRM on all issues pertaining to the management of the project and progress on technical aspects of the assignment.

The AGR2027 Co-ordinator shall assign tasks and provide day-to-day supervision to the Consultant in line with the Terms of Reference. Performance will be assessed based on deliverables outlined above.

The consultant is expected to travel to one of the 6 case study countries and for the final validation meeting of the report, as necessary. DSA and flights will be covered by UNFPA ESARO.

• Advanced University Degree (Master’s Degree required, PhD is an asset) in development studies or relevant discipline.

• Minimum of 7-10 years of relevant experience in youth, human capital development and data analysis sectors in Africa, with experience in an African Union or national institution. 
• Project management with relevant experience in the African Union or related national and international institutions. (Relevant experience with international institutions will be considered as 60% of the specification.)
• Demonstrated ability to write to a very high standard as evidenced by previous examples of relevant work accomplished in the field.
• Strong technical background in Development Studies, Demography and Population Studies, Law, Management, Economics, Legal Studies and/or African Jurisprudence, Political Science, Public Administration, International Relations, and any other relevant field. 

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of French, and/or Portuguese is an asset.

Inputs / services to be provided by UNFPA or implementing partner (e.g support services, office space, equipment), if applicable

1. Access to information and stakeholders to facilitate the assignment.
2. Adequate office space with essential office furniture and office equipment, when necessary; and
3. Access to the Internet, network resources and any relevant records that may be required. 

No DSA will be paid if the consultant works physically at the APRM continental office. 

• The consultant undertakes to maintain confidentiality on all information that is not the public domain and shall not be involved in another assignment that represents a conflict of interest to the prevailing assignment. The Consultant shall undertake to refrain from promoting any political or religious beliefs in the documentary movie which is the subject of this contract

• Exemplifying integrity, 
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system, 
• Embracing cultural diversity, 
• Embracing change

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements. 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts. 

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.