Terms of Reference (ToR) for Conducting a Youth Participation and Inclusion Audit of Key Political Parties in Malawi
1. Introduction
Youth and Society (YAS), established in 2012, is a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) dedicated to promoting and defending human rights and democratic governance in Malawi, with a particular focus on young people and marginalised groups. YAS employs core strategies such as capacity building, public interest litigation, civic education, advocacy, constructive dialogue, research, and coalition building. Currently, YAS operates four main programs: Human Rights and Civil Society Strengthening; Gender and Social Inclusion; Wealth Creation and Economic Justice; Anti-Corruption and Rule of Law.
2. Background and Scope of Work
With funding from the Foreign Federal Government of Germany through the Zivik Foundation, YAS is implementing the “Youth in Elections (YES)” project. This initiative aims to foster meaningful inclusion and participation of youth (aged 18-35) in the 2025 Presidential, Parliamentary, and Local Government elections to strengthen democracy and the social contract in Malawi.
The purpose of this assignment is to conduct a comprehensive youth participation and inclusion audit of key political parties in Malawi. The audit will assess internal processes, practices, and regulations to evaluate their impact on meaningful youth participation and inclusion at all levels. The findings will inform YAS’s advocacy initiatives to encourage political parties to adopt reforms that promote meaningful participation of youth in political activities and decision-making.
3. Overall Objective of the Assignment
The primary goal of this audit is to identify best practices and gaps within the internal operations of the key political parties concerning meaningful youth participation and inclusion.
Specifically, the consultant will:
- Examine party regulations, structures, and policies related to youth engagement.
- Analyse practices and processes that support or hinder meaningful youth participation and inclusion in politics and decision-making.
- Provide actionable recommendations to enhance youth engagement in political and decision-making processes
4. Key Deliverables
The consultant is expected to deliver the following:
- Inception Report: A detailed plan outlining the methodology, data collection tools, and timeline.
- Comprehensive Draft Audit Report: A draft summarising findings, best practices, gaps, and reform recommendations.
- Stakeholder Validation Workshop: Facilitation of a workshop to present and validate findings with stakeholders.
- Final Audit Report: A refined report incorporating feedback from the validation workshop.
- Power-Point Presentation of Findings: A summary presentation for YAS and key stakeholders.
5. Qualifications and Experience
The ideal consultant should meet the following requirements:
- Advanced university degree in Political Science, Public Policy, Law, Governance, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Gender Studies, Human Rights, or Youth Development.
- Proven expertise in conducting political, social, or governance audits, particularly in the context of youth inclusion and inclusive democratic processes.
- Experience in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.
- Demonstrated ability to engage with political parties and conduct field research.
6. Duration
The assignment will be conducted over a period of 20 person-days.
7. Duration
The assignment will be conducted over a period of 20 person-days.
8. Safeguarding and Child Protection
YAS adheres to global best practices in safeguarding and child protection. The selected consultant and team members will be required to sign the Safeguarding Code of Conduct before commencing the assignment.
Application Process
Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following:
- Technical and financial proposals
- Cover letter explaining their suitability for the assignment
- Resume with three traceable referees
Submit applications via email to:
Internal Procurement Committee
Youth and Society (YAS)
Area 4
P. O. Box 545,
Mzuzu
Email: info@yasmw.org | youthssociety@gmail.com
Deadline for submission: 26th November 2024