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.

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:

• Content Adaptation: Review the existing CSE manual and identify areas  that require modification or adaptation for low-literacy learners.

• Development of Visual and Oral Tools: Maintain and/or design and  integrate alternative pedagogical tools, including visual aids (illustrations,  flashcards), storytelling prompts, interactive games, and role-playing  scenarios.  

• Facilitator Guidance: Draft clear, jargon-free instructions for  facilitators. This includes guidance on managing sensitive topics,  establishing safe spaces, and assessing participant understanding without  written tests.
• Addressing Vulnerabilities: Ensure the content directly addresses the  unique vulnerabilities of out-of-school youth, including gender-based  violence (GBV), early marriage, substance abuse, and access to youth friendly reproductive health services. 
• Validation: Co-facilitate a validation workshop with key stakeholders to  review the draft manual and incorporate final feedback

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

The consultant is expected to employ a participatory and evidence-based  approach, which should include, but is not limited to: 

● Desk Review: Thorough review of the current CSE manual, national  youth policies, and best practices in adult learning and low-literacy  educational frameworks. 

● Stakeholder Consultations: Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with CSE  experts, community facilitators, youth workers, and representatives from  marginalized youth groups to gather practical insights. 

● Focus Group Discussions (FGDs): Engagement with a sample of the  target demographic to understand their learning preferences and current  knowledge gaps. 

                ● Iterative Drafting & Piloting: Developing draft modules and testing  selected activities in a real-world community setting to gauge  comprehension and                       engagement before finalizing the content.

The consultant must meet the following criteria: 

● Master’s degree in Education, Public Health, Social Sciences, Gender  Studies, or a related field. 

● 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.

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

        • 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