Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare
Government of Malawi
CONSULTANCY TO FACILITATE THE REVIEW AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE
NATIONAL CHILD PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES
Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare
P/ Bag 330,
Lilongwe 3
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The National Child Participation Guidelines were launched in 2020 by the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare to provide for a standardized approach in the implementation of child participation initiatives in Malawi.
Since the launch of the National Child Participation Guidelines, several initiatives have been implemented, including children’s parliaments, child reference groups, children’s corners, child manifesto and other child-led groups at the national, district, and community levels. In addition, children have been engaged in various processes such as national and district budget consultations, policy development, social accountability sessions, advocacy and awareness for children’s rights.
However, experience has shown that child participation initiatives are mostly partner-driven, and there has been limited financial support from the government. This has affected the sustainability of children’s participation interventions at the national, district and community levels. Furthermore, there have been weak linkages between the children’s participation structures and the governance structures at the community,
district and national levels. In light of these emerging reforms, developments, challenges and the evolving child rights landscape, there is a need to review and strengthen the National Child Participation Guidelines to enhance their relevance, responsiveness, efficiency and effectiveness. The revised guidelines should better
reflect the current context, address implementation gaps, and provide practical and actionable recommendations for institutionalizing child participation at all levels.
It is against this background that the MoGCDSW in collaboration with Non- Governmental Organization Coalition on Children’s Rights (NGO-CCR) and with support from Save the Children International under the NORAD Funded Program locally known as Tikwaniritse ndi Kuteteza Ma Ufulu Aana (TikuMA) Project, wishes to engage a consultant to facilitate the process of reviewing and developing the National Child Participation Guidelines. These terms of reference (ToRs) are therefore highlighting the scope of work, the required deliverables, qualifications and experience of suitable candidates for the said Consultancy. The ToRs also highlight the timeframe within which the task will be expected to be completed by the Consultant.
2.0 OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTANCY
The main objective of the Consultancy is to facilitate the review of the 2019 Guidelines and development of the successor National Child Participation Guidelines in close collaboration with the National Child Participation Task Force (NCPTF). The following are the specific objectives:
2.1 Specific Objectives
- To conduct a desk review of various strategies, national and international instruments and frameworks on child participation;
- To facilitate consultations with children and stakeholders in close collaboration with the NCPTF;
- To review the 2019 Guidelines and document among other things challenges, best practices and lessons learnt;
- To develop the successor National Child Participation Guidelines in close collaboration with the NCPTF; and
- To facilitate stakeholder validation workshops in close collaboration with the NCPTF.
3.0 SCOPE OF WORK
The Consultancy will involve several processes. There will be some tasks which the Consultant will undertake on his/her own with supervision by the NCPTF. Other tasks with be done by the Consultant in close collaboration with the NCPTF as follows:
| Tasks to be done independently by the Consultant | Tasks to be done by the Consultant in close collaboration with the NCPTF |
| A situational analysis on relevant international and national legal frameworks, including legislations, policies, strategies, frameworks, plans and reports on Child Participation through a desk study ; | Consultations with key stakeholders, including children, at national, district and community levels to identify gaps, issues, practices, stakeholders, and interventions on Child Participation |
| Finalize and submit the National Child Participation Guidelines. | Develop the National Child Participation Guidelines with a clear coordination framework |
| Validate the National Child Participation Guidelines |
4.0 DELIVERABLES
The following deliverables will be expected from the Consultant:
- Inception Report showing the Consultants understanding of the task at hand, including a detailed work plan and process for the task, proposal for data collection tools and stakeholder engagement approach.
- Draft National Child Participation Guidelines.
- A task report highlighting the processes engaged during the review and the development of the National Child Participation Guidelines.
- Final copy of the revised National Child Participation Guide in both electronic and hard copies, and a PowerPoint Presentation of the same.
5.0 TIMEFRAME
The Consultancy will be conducted for not more than 20 (Twenty) man days.
6.0 QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
The Consultant must have:
- At least 5 years’ institutional experience in the development of children’s programmes, especially child rights, child protection and meaningful child participation.
- Master’s in Social Sciences, Law, Child Development, Child Rights, Development Studies, Psychology, Anthropology, or Sociology.
- In-depth understanding of Child Rights and other development issues affecting children in Malawi and a thorough understanding of local and international child rights instruments, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC).
- Experience in convening and facilitating work involving multiple stakeholders, including children.
- Track record on successful and timely delivery of high-quality outputs on relatively similar tasks.
7.0 SCHEDULE OF PAYMENT
| S/n | Deliverables | Payment | Condition |
| 1 | Inception Report | 30% | Approved by NCPTF |
| 2 | Draft National Child Participation Guidelines | 30% | Approved by NCPTF |
| 3 | Final National Child Participation Guidelines and Task Report | 40% | Validated by NCPTF |
8.0 METHOD OF APPLICATION
Interested candidates must send a Technical and Financial proposal to the address below not later than Monday, 11th August 2025. The Technical Proposal should not be more than five (5) pages long and should clearly outline how the candidate will approach the assignment and ensure that the task is completed within the defined timeline. The Financial Proposal should detail the Consultancy fee and all other costs associated with the delivery of the assignment.
The Secretary For Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare,
Capital Hill,
Private Bag 330,
Capital City,
Lilongwe 3.
Attention: The Acting Director of Child Affairs
Soft Copy to be sent to: ngoccrmalawi@gmail.com