National Consultant for Men and Boys Engagement

TERMS OF REFERENCE  

Hiring Office:

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Philippines

Purpose of consultancy:

Background and Rationale

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) 9th Country Programme Document (CPD) for the Philippines (2024–2028) is committed to advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, with a particular focus on those who are marginalized and at heightened risk of gender-based violence (GBV) and harmful practices, including child, early, and forced marriages/unions. One of the key priorities of the programme is to strengthen the capacity of communities and institutions to challenge discriminatory gender and social norms, promote gender-equitable behaviors, and expand access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), particularly for adolescents, youth, and other marginalised groups.

To deliver on the mandated and priority areas, UNFPA has a strategic collaboration with government departments/entities and institutions such as Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health, Department of Health (DOH) Philippine National Police (PNP) and Philippine Commission on Women (PCW).   

Under the National Action Plan to End Violence Against Women (NAP-EVAW) 2025–2030, led by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) with support from UNFPA, GBV prevention has been identified as an area for investment. This is mainly because of the fact that the GBV prevention pillar  has remained the weakest pillar in national strategies to address gender-based violence. To enhance GBV prevention,communities through a consultative process identified the importance of engaging men and boys in addressing the root causes of GBV , particularly focusing  transforming on toxic  masculinities and prevailing discriminatory gender & social norms

In line with national priorities in partnership with PCW, UNFPA aims to support the development of a national strategy to engage men and boys as proactive allies in promoting gender equality and addressing GBV. This strategy will unify existing efforts, leveraging on global and national best practices into a comprehensive, evidence-based strategy framework. It aims to promote positive transformations in attitudes and behaviors among men and boys, enabling them to become champions of change in their families, communities, and institutions.

As part of this effort, UNFPA will further support the development and rollout of two (2) training modules, to translate the strategy’s principles into practical context-specific capacity-building interventions that will be designed to engage men and boys at two different levels of society, one at the national level and another for community level. At the national level, one module will focus on the capacity building of diverse and relevant stakeholders including government agencies, frontline workers from communities and service providers, civil society organization, relevant training institutions and mentors. A pool of trainers will be built and trained, with some level of sustained guidance. The second training module will focus on men and boys’ CBOs to carry forward the national strategy, enabling them to lead localized advocacy efforts, challenge discriminatory gender and social norms, and contribute meaningfully to GBV prevention at the grassroots level.

To lead this initiative, UNFPA is seeking an experienced individual consultant who will develop the national strategy and corresponding training modules, train the national stakeholders as trainers and mentors, and CBOs as community champions. The consultant will be responsible for designing and delivering evidence-informed, contextually relevant, and gender-transformative strategy and training content aligned with national priorities and international standards outlined in NAP-EVAW.

Through this engagement, UNFPA aims to build a national capacity and a movement of empowered men and boys advocates who actively contribute gender equality through addressing GBV and CEFMU, and help to create safer, more inclusive, and equitable communities.

Objectives:

The primary objective of the consultancy is to contribute to the long-term reduction of GBV in the Philippines by strengthening efforts to meaningfully engage men and boys as partners in advancing gender equality. Anchored in the NAP-EVAW 2025–2030 and aligned with UNFPA 9th Country Programme Document 204-2028, this strategy aims to support the development of a coherent and sustainable national and local approach that challenges harmful masculinities, promotes positive gender & social norms, and enables both institutions and communities to foster more equitable relationships and safer environments.

Through this engagement, the consultancy seeks to:

• Strengthen institutional and community capacities to work with men and boys in addressing the root causes of GBV, CEFMU and inequality;
• Promote inclusive, context-sensitive, and gender-transformative approaches in national and local programming on GBV and CEFMU;
• Support the creation of an enabling environment for sustained advocacy, capacity-building, and policy implementation that positions men and boys as proactive contributors and enablers to violence prevention and gender justice.

Scope of work:

Duties and Responsibilities of the Consultant

Under the overall leadership of PCW and  guidance of UNFPA, the consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

1. Conduct a situational analysis and desk review of relevant national policies, existing programs of different male groups within the government and non-government sectors, relevant modules, and global and national best practices on engaging men and boys in GBV prevention and gender equality to inform the strategy development process.
2. Facilitate consultations and key informant interviews with national and local stakeholders, including government agencies, civil society organizations, sectoral partners(community level and government), and community-based organizations, women, girls, boys, men, and women with disabilities to ensure that the strategy and training tools are inclusive, evidence-based, and responsive to local contexts.
3. Develop a comprehensive national strategy that provides a structured and scalable framework for engaging men and boys in transforming harmful gender norms and preventing GBV. The strategy should define the roles of men and boys as proactive allies, advocates, and community influencers, and propose age- and role-specific engagement approaches across individual, community, and institutional levels. It should outline key strategies such as but not limited to peer education, male mentorship, positive fatherhood, male-led advocacy, and advocacy collaborations with key partners like schools, workplaces, faith-based or religious groups, community-based organizations and local government. The strategy must articulate core principles, stakeholder roles, implementation pathways, and mechanisms for sustainability, and ensure coherence with relevant international and national guidelines.
4. Design and develop a capacity-building training module for national stakeholders (e.g., government agencies, sectoral bodies, civil society organizations, men and boys groups), focusing on their roles as trainers and mentors in promoting and cascading the strategy to sub-national and community levels.
5. Design and develop a localized training module for community-based organizations (CBOs), tailored for local implementation of the national strategy and promoting grassroots-level advocacy, norm change, and community mobilization among men and boys.
6. Integrate gender-transformative and intersectional approaches in both the strategy and training tools, ensuring the content emphasises an understanding of the structural and cultural drivers of GBV and considers the needs of diverse and marginalized populations.
7. Design a result framework to accompany the strategy and training tools, identifying key indicators, methods for data collection, and approaches for measuring progress, effectiveness, and impact over time.
8. Present and validate the draft strategy and training modules with key stakeholders through structured validation workshops and incorporate feedback into the final outputs.
9. Conduct training sessions for national stakeholders, focusing on their roles as champions, trainers and mentors in cascading the strategy to sub-national and community levels.
10. Conduct training sessions for men and boys community-based organizations (CBOs) on implementing the national strategy and promoting grassroots-level advocacy and norm change
11. Post-training surveys and interviews with participants to gather detailed feedback on the training content and delivery
12. Prepare and submit all final deliverables, including the final and approved national strategy, two training modules (for national and community stakeholders), sustainability and institutionalization plan, and M&E framework, along with a final consultancy report documenting the process, key findings, and recommendations.

Please note that if the consultant determines that additional experts or personnel are needed to complete all deliverables in this project, all associated expenses, including travel costs, professional fees, and any other related expenses, will be covered by the consultant.

Work Schedule Arrangements:

The consultancy entails a commitment to accomplish the project, commencing promptly upon contract approval. This includes consultation workshops and back to back meetings with UNFPA and its strategic partner; PCW. The rest of the processes can be efficiently carried out via virtual means, facilitating a flexible home-based work environment

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

The consultant will be paid on a per deliverable basis, following the schedule below:

Consultancy Period: The consultancy will involve 60-person days spread over a duration of 6 months

1. The first payment of 30% will be made upon receipt and acceptance of the first deliverable as per the table of deliverables (electronically);
2. The second payment of 30% will be made upon acceptance of the second deliverable as per the table of deliverables (electronically);
3. The remaining 40% will be made upon approval by the representative and acceptance of the fourth deliverable as per the table of deliverables (electronically).

A detailed project timeline, including specific deliverables and their associated deadlines, will be mutually agreed upon by the consultant and UNFPA. This timeline will be outlined in an inception report to be submitted by the consultant at the commencement of the engagement.

Place where services are to be delivered:

Kindly note that final site selection will be undertaken in coordination with DSWD and PCW. The project is expected to focus in Metro Manila for national-level activities in Catanduanes and Eastern Samar for provincial-level activities.

Location of Activities::

Please note that UNFPA will cover only the travel-related costs for the consultant (1 pax), including airfare, land transportation, daily subsistence allowance, and incidentals related to fieldwork such as consultations, validation activities, and training sessions, in addition to the professional fee. Should the consultant opt to bring additional staff to support the delivery of activities, all associated travel expenses for the additional personnel shall be borne by the consultant.

Monitoring, Supervisory, and quality check arrangements: 

The UNFPA Gender/GBV Programme Team and PCW will work hand in hand to monitor the progress of all deliverables and the entire consultancy.

Supervisory Arrangements:

The project will be under the overall management of UNFPA with day-to-day technical backstopping from PCW. The consultant is expected to work closely with both parties involved.

UNFPA and PCW will have frequent interactions with the consultant at various stages to:

1. Brief the consultant and provide clarity on the assignment; the process, and the deliverables;
2. Provide key documents relevant to the deliverables;
3. Introduce and facilitate the consultant to work with key stakeholders and counterparts if necessary; and
4. Provide feedback and get agreement on the next steps of the assignment.

Required expertise, qualifications, and competencies, including language requirements:

The following experience and qualifications are required for the IC:

Education

• Advanced university degree in social sciences, such as social work, sociology, public health, child development, development studies, social policy, social protection, economics, or other related fields relevant to the assignment. 

Knowledge and Expertise

• Proven expertise in gender equality, GBV prevention, and social norm change, with a particular focus on engaging men and boys in transformative, rights-based programming.
• Strong understanding of the socio-cultural and institutional dynamics surrounding GBV, masculinities, and gender-based power relations in the Philippine context.
• Demonstrated knowledge of global and national strategies, tools, and evidence-based practices for working with men and boys to address harmful gender norms.
• Familiarity with the National Action Plan to End Violence Against Women (NAP-EVAW) and related national and sectoral policies on GBV, gender, and SRHR.

Experience

• At least 5 years of progressive experience in designing and implementing gender-transformative strategies or programmes, particularly those targeting men and boys in GBV prevention or SRHR advocacy.
• Substantial experience in conducting qualitative research, stakeholder consultations, and participatory approaches to inform strategy development.
• Proven track record in developing training curricula and delivering capacity-building interventions for both national stakeholders (government, CSOs) and community-based organizations.
• Experience in developing and applying monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks for social change or advocacy initiatives.

Skills and Competencies

• Excellent analytical and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to translate complex concepts into practical, context-sensitive tools and strategies.
• Strong facilitation and communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders across government, civil society, and community levels.
• Ability to work independently and manage diverse tasks in a timely and efficient manner.
• Commitment to gender equality, inclusion, and the rights of marginalized populations, including adolescents, youth, women with disability and indigenous peoples.

Please note that if the consultant determines that additional experts or personnel are needed to complete all deliverables in this project, all associated expenses, including travel costs, professional fees, and any other related expenses, will be covered by the consultant.

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

UNFPA will manage the logistical aspects required for the activities outlined in this TOR, including arranging the venue and accommodations (if necessary), and meals. The PCW will assist with specific logistical requirements.

UNFPA and PCW teams will provide essential reports, databases, research, and other relevant documents to support this project.