Development of Awareness strategies and Activities within IGAD member states

Duty station: Home based with travel within the IGAD Region to all 7 countries of the IGAD states.
Type of Contract: Service
Contract Post Level: Short-term Consultancy
Starting Date: February 2013
Duration: 7 weeks spread between 1 February and 27th of March 2013. 1 week per country
Dead Line: 1 February 2013

Background

The Inland Water Resources Management Programme (INWRMP) forms part of a major donor-supported effort to strengthen and reinforce the mandate of IGAD on behalf of its member states. The key issues that the region has faced in the past decade are related, among others, to instability arising from scarcity of water resources, coupled with the vagaries of the climate. Shortage of water undermines the people’s well-being and is a source of conflicts.

The focus of the INWRMP is, among others, on the establishment and institutionalization of regional cooperation( result area 1), the improvement of policy and legal frameworks for water resources management  (result area 2) , the strengthening of regional and national water resources management institutions,( result area 3) and the setting up of adequate information systems for decision making in water management.(result area 4) In particular, Result 4 – places emphasis on the  promotion of  water information systems
The development and implementation of an awareness raising strategy is an activity under result area 2 relating to policy and legal frameworks. The target group of the strategy consist of decision makers and water resource managers who should know the principles, objectives  , costs and benefits, best practices  of IWRM of trans boundary water basins. IWRM is still a rather new and unexplored area for most decision makers and institutions. The annual event for the water dialogue can play a pivotal role in the development of awareness on IWRM issues.

At this stage it is important to have a consultancy arranged which can do an all encompassing inventory on all awareness activities per country, measure the baseline of the awareness ( knowledge and attitudes)among the present generation of  water managers of the member states, ( the presence of a written and approved water awareness /communication strategy), identify the ongoing activities on policy awareness activities, ( state of the art) and advices on the development of an effective awareness strategy related to any national water policy.

The Development of National and Regional Awareness Strategies within the IGAD Region

Each member state will operate a number of water awareness activities within the water sector with different objectives, different communication tools and with different target groups. A number will relate to the improvement of health hygiene and education, others will focus on pollution issues and or water demand and water quantity issues (water rights and concessions for allocation). Some countries will use mass media, others will use more personal lines of communication like education in schools, participatory planning of actions plans in districts or demonstration projects.

The rationale behind the strategy in the IWRM is fore most the promotion, explanation, acceptance and understanding of adequate Water policy and frameworks to undertake trans boundary water resource management on a national and regional scale. Why it is necessary to undertake sustainable water resource management, what are the consequences if you do not do it and what are the benefits and costs of water resource management measures like land use and regulations?  Important is that awareness strategies are closely linked to the water policy and to the knowledge management and research on issues like drought, climate change, pollutions (polluter pays), and possible solutions like water storage, water loss measures.
INWRM program wants to start a consultancy which will make an inventory of the existing awareness strategies and activities within each member state.

The consultant should make in each country an inventory of ongoing awareness initiatives, the effectiveness, the outreach in terms of target groups, the gaps, the duration of the activities and its costs.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the IGAD-INWRMP Programme Manager, the incumbent shall:

1.    Are there any written and approved water policy related awareness and information strategies in the country? Review and analyze them on messages, reach out and target groups.
2.    Make an inventory of the past and ongoing awareness activities (campaigns)in the water sector per country.  Look at the existing feasibility of the information   as the simplicity/complexity of the content of the messages, the outreach, the extents to which the public (or decisions makers) are involved, the amount of influence with the view on national and trans boundary water resource management policies and strategies.
3.    Conduct interviews with decision makers to determine   baselines regarding the knowledge and attitude towards the existing policy and legal framework per country.( Line ministries, NGO umbrella’s, urban managers, farmers  and industry associations.)
4.    What awareness information tools have been used or are in use to explain and promote the implementation of new laws in water policy? Collection and copies of the leaflets, photo’s , illustrations, posters, video’s, and texts used.
5.    What has been the impact of awareness campaigns in the water sector in terms of outreach and effectiveness?
6.    What were the financing mechanisms behind the awareness campaigns? Costs of the activities?
7.    What are the major gaps and shortcoming for in the knowledge and attitudes of the target groups on water policy and implementations/
8.    What are the recommendations for the development of a national and regional awareness? Outline of a strategy for water resource management .Is there sufficient capacity to conduct awareness campaigns?

Qualifications and Experience

An independent consultant or agency or organization with a background in advocacy planning, social marketing, demonstrations, education and campaigns with at least five years experience 
Knowledge of public communication and information media and the water sector is essential.
BA Degree minimum in social or natural sciences

Procedure for the submission of applications

Applications shall include:
-Company profile
-Evidence showing that the Firm or individual consultant has relevant experiences in the field of   communication and in the water sector is a requirement 
The above should be sent to the following address: ayenew.mequanent@igad.int, Procurement Officer-IGAD/INWRM-Programme, Cc. Debalkew Berhe, Program Manager –IGAD – debalkew.berhe@igad.int