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For every child, the right to Opportunity

How can you make a difference?

The overall purpose of this consultancy is to provide technical leadership in the development of:
1. A five-year strategic plan for the Kyabazinga Initiatives.
2. A Monitoring and Evaluation framework to track progress, measure impact, and ensure accountability – including a culturally grounded accountability regional framework for stakeholders.
3. A Resource mobilization strategy to secure and diversify funding for the Initiative’s sustainability.
If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:

Background and Purpose

The Kyabazinga Initiatives (KI), established by royal order of His Majesty, is an extension of the King’s mandate and a response to the deteriorating development indicators in Busoga Kingdom. The KI seeks to strengthen Kingdom delivery structures, undertake unique strategic multisectoral interventions that complement Government and development partners’ efforts, and provide a platform for stakeholder engagement with the Kingdom, while supporting His Majesty’s role and accountability mandate. Guided by values of cultural consciousness, integrity, accountability, inclusiveness, stewardship, innovation, and partnership, The KI harnesses culture to deliver high-impact interventions Health, Nutrition, WASH and Climate Action, Education, Gender, Tourism and Social Protection including poverty reduction, which will unlock community potential, advance human capital development, and drive socioeconomic empowerment. The KI vision is to realize a Busoga that is united, culturally conscious, healthy, and empowered.

The Kyabazinga Initiatives seeks to align with national priorities and with global commitments including the National Development Plan IV, existing sectoral policy frameworks and the Sustainable Development Goals.
To guide its implementation, the KI requires a 5 -year Strategic Plan (SP) 2026-2030, inclusive of a robust monitoring and evaluation (M and E) framework, and a resource mobilization Strategy to ensure sustainability.

Justification

Despite sustained efforts by Government and development partners, Busoga region faces a range of persistent development challenges that undermine health, nutrition, education, protection, and socio-economic outcomes. High rates of teenage pregnancy, child marriage, and school dropouts are compounded by family unit and community values breakdown, gender-based violence, poverty, and weak access to essential health and nutrition - especially SRHR services with indicators consistently lagging behind national averages. The region has the second-highest dependency ratio in Uganda, 108 dependents per 100 working-age population, compared to the national average of 96. Teenage pregnancy prevalence is the highest in the country at 28%, above the national average of 24%. Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is also alarmingly high at 44.1%, significantly above the national figure of 36%. Education outcomes are equally concerning as only 10.9% of children in Busoga complete primary school, compared to 13% nationally, and secondary school completion stands at 18% for girls and 12% for boys, well below the national average of 28%. Child marriage remains widespread, affecting 40% of girls, compared to 34% nationally.

These outcomes are driven by entrenched cultural and social norms, poverty, and limited access to services, compounded by gender inequality and low male engagement in social services including SRHR/broader health and nutrition, education, gender, social protection among others. Despite ongoing Government and development partner efforts, structural challenges persist, and Kingdom delivery structures remain under-utilized. Cultural institutions, particularly the Kyabazinga Initiatives (KI), provide a unique neutral and trusted platform to mobilize communities, restore positive cultural values, engage men and boys, and hold actors accountable.

The Strategic Plan will serve as a catalytic roadmap for transformative change, enabling coordinated and multisectoral interventions that strengthen the Kingdom’s service delivery structures while leveraging cultural leadership as a driver of social mobilization and accountability. The plan will align KI’s work with national priorities, Uganda’s Vision 2040, the National Development Plan IV, and the SDGs, thereby positioning the Kingdom as a strategic partner in regional and national development. Specifically, the plan will:
• Reduce teenage pregnancy, child marriage, and all forms of gender-based violence, while keeping girls in school.
• Improve maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health and nutrition outcomes by promoting integrated, equitable services.
• Advance WASH and climate action, improving resilience and access to safe environments.
• Promote regional tourism and cultural assets as engines for economic growth.
• Strengthen social protection and household incomes, contributing to poverty reduction and community empowerment.
With robust monitoring, evaluation, and accountability framework and a resource mobilization strategy, the strategic plan will ensure results are measurable, sustainable, and adequately financed. It will also anchor the Kyabazinga Initiatives as a credible, self-coordinating institution capable of convening stakeholders and delivering impact at scale.
UNICEF, together with other UN partners, is committed to strengthening the institutional capacity of cultural structures to respond to these challenges. Within this effort, the Kyabazinga Initiatives of Busoga Kingdom has emerged as a critical platform for community mobilization, advocacy and coordination. The flagship campaign, Men are the Pillars – Abasaadha Ne Mpanga, has successfully positioned men and boys as protectors and mentors, restoring cultural values, advancing responsible parenting, and promoting girls’ education as a pathway to empowerment. The campaign has provided new learning about the drivers of teenage pregnancy and churned out new evidence which will require urgent strategic pivoting.
However, to deliver sustainable and scaled impact, there is now a need to broaden the initiative beyond a single campaign. An overarching 5-year Kyabazinga Strategic Plan (2026–2030) will:
• Provide a comprehensive framework integrated health and nutrition, WASH and climate Action, education, gender, tourism and social protection including poverty reduction interventions.
• Institutionalize cultural-led approaches to address harmful norms and strengthen positive male engagement.
• Establish a robust Monitoring and Evaluation framework to track progress and drive accountability.
• Include a Resource Mobilization Strategy to attract sustainable funding and partnerships.
• Align the Kingdom’s initiatives with national development priorities and the 2030 SDG agenda.
The strategic plan will therefore serve as a catalytic and overarching roadmap, consolidating gains from the Men are the Pillars campaign while expanding the scope to tackle structural drivers of poor outcomes. It aims to address the multiple deprivations faced by the region by 2030, strengthen protective family and community structures, and advance the rights and wellbeing of women, children, and adolescents.

Objectives
1. Conduct a situational analysis to inform strategic priorities.
2. Develop a cost-results-oriented SP with clear strategic objectives, interventions, targets, and indicators.
3. Design an M and E framework aligned to the KI Strategic plan (SP) and national M and E systems.
4. Develop a comprehensive resource mobilization strategy, identifying domestic, bilateral, multilateral, and private sector funding opportunities as well as internal KI resources mobilization opportunities.
5. Review and finalize existent draft operational standard operational standards for KI for effective HR, Financial, Procurement, ICT, and general administrative functions.

Scope of Work

Major Tasks:
1. Inception Phase
 Hold inception meetings with the Kyabazinga Initiatives Secretariat and key stakeholders.
 Develop an inception report outlining methodology, work plan, and timelines.
2. Strategic Planning
 Review relevant documents (draft KI strategic plan; regional development plans; previous initiatives; Sectoral normative guidance for health and nutrition, WASH and climate Action, education, gender, tourism and social protection including poverty reduction).
 Facilitate consultative workshops with stakeholders, including government ministries, district leadership, development partners, CSOs, youth, and cultural institutions.
 Draft and finalize a cost SP with measurable results and implementation arrangements.
3. M and E Framework Development
 Identify key indicators, data sources, and reporting mechanisms.
 Align M and E tools and indicators with national health information systems and SDG monitoring.
 Include mechanisms for participatory community monitoring and learning.
4. Resource Mobilization Strategy
 Map potential funding sources and strategic partners.
 Propose innovative financing mechanisms, including public–private partnerships, cultural diplomacy, diaspora engagement, and corporate social responsibility.
 Outline an action plan for donor engagement and proposal development.
5. Validation and Finalization
 Present draft outputs to the Kyabazinga Initiatives Secretariat and stakeholders for feedback.
 Incorporate input and produce final, approved versions of all deliverables.
6. Operational standard operational standards for KI
 Review relevant documents [draft HR, ICT, procurement, financial and administrative SOPs]
 Facilitate consultative workshops with Kyabazinga Initiatives to finalize all operational policy, regulations and SOPs
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
• Advanced degree in Public Health, Development Studies, Strategic Management, Economics, or a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in strategic planning, M AND E, and resource mobilization within the health or development sector.
• Proven track record in developing national strategic plans and M AND E frameworks for health and social development programs.
• Experience working with cultural institutions, community-based programs, and multi-stakeholder initiatives.
• Strong facilitation, analytical, and report-writing skills.
• Knowledge of Uganda’s health sector, HIV response, and adolescent health issues.
For every Child, you demonstrate...
UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values
The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…
(1)Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others
Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.
UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.
UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.
UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.
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Remarks:
As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce.
For this position, eligible and suitable [Insert candidates from targeted underrepresented groups] are encouraged to apply.

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