Terms of Reference Gender Sensitive Media Training and Contest

Who We Are

Girl Effect is an international non-profit organization dedicated to addressing challenges faced by adolescent girls and youth in Ethiopia. Operating in the country since 2013, the organization leverages Social and Behavior Change (SBC) strategies, combining media and on-the-ground interventions to tackle various societal issues and empower young people. Girl Effect Ethiopia created the youth brand Yegna in 2014, since then has reached over 10 million people through multiple products, outreach programs, girl networks, and research pieces done all for the betterment of adolescent lives.

We create safe spaces for girls, sharing facts and answering questions about health, nutrition, education, relationships, etc. And we use innovative technology so we can reach girls at scale. We arm girls with the skills to negotiate and redefine what they are told is possible, so every girl can choose to be in control of her body, her health, her learning and livelihood.

When a girl unlocks her power to make different choices that change her life, it inspires others to do so too. She starts a ripple effect that impacts her family, community, and country. 

That’s the Girl Effect.

Background

Girl Effect aims to address the challenges faced by young people in accessing sustainable livelihoods and entrepreneurial opportunities across Ethiopia. In many regions, youth face high unemployment rates, limited access to resources, and a lack of knowledge about viable business opportunities. This Project seeks to empower young people by building their skills, fostering entrepreneurship, and supporting the establishment of profitable businesses. Implementation will focus on six target regions: Amhara, Central Ethiopia, Oromia, Sidama, South Ethiopia, and Tigray.

This engagement aims to support the overarching goals of the initiative by addressing and transforming the gender norms reinforced through various forms of media. Specifically, it seeks to reduce the prevalence of negative gender stereotypes in film, advertising, print, music, and digital content, which often limit perceptions of women’s roles and capabilities. In parallel, the engagement will promote the creation and dissemination of content that portrays women and men in equitable, empowering ways, particularly highlighting women’s leadership and participation in entrepreneurship and in Ethiopia’s priority sectors, including agriculture, manufacturing, the digital economy, and STEM. By influencing how gender roles are depicted in the media, the engagement contributes to broader societal change and supports the development of a more inclusive and gender-responsive employment landscape.

The broader SEE project aims to:

• Cultivate a positive mindset among young people towards diverse employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, particularly within priority sectors.
• Positively transform community attitudes regarding various forms of employment, gender roles in the workplace, and entrepreneurial initiatives.
• Improve gender inclusivity within the workforce, fostering an equitable and diverse employment landscape within the priority sectors.

This Term of Reference is specifically for a partner to contribute to these objectives by addressing gender norms perpetuated through the media.

Objectives of this Engagement

The primary objectives of this engagement are to:

• Reduce negative gender stereotypes portrayed in various forms of media, including films, advertisements, print media, and music.
• Promote positive and equitable representations of gender roles, particularly showcasing women's capabilities and participation in entrepreneurship and priority economic sectors.

Scope of Work

The selected partner will be responsible for designing, managing, and executing two interconnected activities across the six target regions:

Activity 1: Gender Sensitivity Training for Media Professionals and Content Creators

Objective: To enhance the capacity of media professionals and content creators to produce content that challenges negative gender stereotypes, promotes gender-positive language, and fosters a more inclusive and equitable representation of gender roles in media products.

Target Participants: Media professionals (journalists, editors), filmmakers, content creators (including online/social media), music producers, lyric writers, and representatives from production houses within the six target regions.

Implementation Approach & Key Tasks:

• Collaborate with regional media organizations and associations to identify and recruit participants.
• Develop comprehensive, culturally relevant training packages addressing gender sensitivity, unconscious bias, positive gender portrayal, gender-transformative language, and ethical reporting on gender issues.
• Organize and deliver high-quality training workshops at the regional level.
• Conduct annual tailored/refresher training sessions for content creators, potentially segmented by sector, focusing on practical application.

Activity 2: Content Creation Contest Promoting Positive Gender Representation

Objective: To incentivize and showcase creative content that actively challenges harmful gender stereotypes and the gendered segregation of jobs, particularly within entrepreneurship and the priority sectors (agriculture, manufacturing, digital economy), including STEM fields. To encourage the use of positive gender language and portrayals in locally produced content.

Target Participants: Local filmmakers, content creators (digital, print, audio-visual), musicians, writers, and production houses operating within the target regions.

Implementation Approach & Key Tasks

• Design a comprehensive contest format, including clear themes, submission guidelines, evaluation criteria (emphasizing positive gender portrayal, creativity, reach potential), and timelines. Final categories to be reviewed/finalized, suggestions include Music, Short Film, Digital Content/Animation, Written Piece.
• Widely advertise the contest across the six regions using appropriate channels.
• Establish a system for receiving and managing submissions.
• Constitute diverse and qualified regional evaluation panels.
• Oversee the evaluation process and select winners (aiming for one winner per category in each of the six regions, totaling 30 winners).
• Organize and manage the distribution of awards.
• Develop and implement a strategy to showcase winning works (e.g., regional exhibition events, broadcasts, online promotion).

Expected Outputs & Deliverables

For Activity 1: Gender Sensitivity Training:

• Developed and finalized training curriculum/package.
• Database of trained participants (disaggregated by gender, region, profession).
• Training session reports (including participant feedback).
• Plan and execution report for annual tailored training.

For Activity 2: Content Creation Contest:

• Contest design document (rules, criteria, categories, timeline).
• Promotional materials and outreach plan.
• Database of contest submissions.
• List of selected winners (disaggregated by category, region, gender).
• Report on award distribution.
• Plan and report on showcasing activities (including evidence like photos, broadcast schedules).

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) / Targets

For Activity 1: Gender Sensitivity Training:

• 500 participants trained per region (Total: 3,000 participants across 6 regions over the project duration). At least 300 media professionals trained by December 2025, and 60 professionals trained by June 2025.
• Delivery of training workshops in all 6 regions.
• Delivery of annual tailored training sessions as planned.

For Activity 2: Content Creation Contest:

• Minimum of 200 submissions per region (Total: 1,200 submissions).
• 30 winners selected and awarded across 5 categories and 6 regions.
• Estimated mass media reach of showcased content: 55,000 young people per region, contributing to a total reach of 325,000 individuals (youth and general public).
• Successful execution of showcase events/broadcasts in target regions.

Documentation and Impact Story Gathering

Effective monitoring, evaluation, learning (MEL), and communication are vital. The implementing partner is required to proactively integrate systematic documentation and compelling impact story gathering throughout the implementation of both activities. This includes:

• Identifying Touchpoints: Detail points for collecting quantitative and qualitative data, including stories, photos, videos, and quotes.
• Methods & Tools: Describe methods for collecting quantitative data, qualitative feedback, compelling visual documentation (photos with quotes), and engaging video content (testimonials, interviews). Include plans for interview guides, consent procedures, and media monitoring.
• Capturing Change and Impact Stories: Explain the strategy for capturing evidence of shifting attitudes and practices, and for identifying and documenting compelling human-interest stories through video interviews and photographic series with quotes and captions.
• Resource Allocation: Indicate dedicated resources (personnel, equipment, budget) for these activities.
• Collaboration: Outline collaboration with the SEE project's Evidence and insight and communications team for data sharing and alignment.

Location

The consultant must be based in Ethiopia and have extensive experience in the country. The Assignment will be carried out in Ethiopia within the six targeted regions (Tigray, Oromia, Amhara, Central Ethiopia, Sidama, and South Ethiopia).

Management

The consultant will have a primary point of contact within our Ethiopia Programs team. The language of the materials and reports shall be English. The contract supervisor shall approve all deliverables submitted before any payment is made.

Expected Commitment & Timeline

Project Duration: Start Date –  May 2025 – June 2027. 

The selected partner will commit to full delivery of all outputs within the specified timeframe.

Procurement Timeline

• Terms of Reference Published: May 12, 2025
• Deadline for Proposal Submission: May 22, 2025

Proposal Submission

Interested agencies/organizations should submit a comprehensive proposal that includes the following:

Technical Proposal:

• Understanding of the TOR and proposed methodology for undertaking both Activity 1 (Training) and Activity 2 (Contest).
• Detailed work plan and timeline for execution, indicating how the KPI targets (e.g., 300 trained by Dec 2025, 60 by June 2025) will be met.
• Demonstrated experience in gender sensitivity training, media content creation, contest management, and working on gender equality issues in the Ethiopian context.
• Proposed team structure with CVs of key personnel, highlighting relevant experience.
• Approach to implementing activities across the six diverse regions, including strategies for cultural relevance and local engagement.
• Detailed plan for Documentation and Impact Story Gathering as outlined in Section 7.
• Risk assessment and mitigation plan.

Financial Proposal:

• Itemized budget with a clear breakdown of costs for each activity (Training and Contest). Costs should be in Ethiopian Birr (ETB).
• All applicable taxes should be quoted separately.
• Payment schedule aligned with deliverables.
• Brief justification of the budget line items.

Proposals should demonstrate a clear understanding of the requirements described in this TOR and how the bidder will meet the evaluation criteria.

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Technical Approach (40%) – The feasibility, depth, and strategic alignment of the proposed methodology.
• Relevant Experience (30%) – Demonstrated experience in branding, campaign strategy, and multi-platform media execution.
• Team Composition (10%)  –  Qualifications and expertise of the proposed personnel.
• Financial Proposal (20%) – Cost-effectiveness, value for money, and alignment with project deliverables.

How To Apply

To apply for this opportunity, please submit your complete Technical and Financial proposals by email with the subject line: “Gender-Sensitive Media and Content Creation Initiative-Ethiopia” to suppliers@girleffect.org by May 22, 2025.

Copyright

All materials/documents arising from this consultancy work shall remain the property of Girl Effect.

Equal Opportunities

Girl Effect is committed to equal opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity, or expression. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

We are committed to building an organization that is truly representative of the communities that we serve. To this end, due regard will be paid to procuring consultancy services of organizations and individuals with a deep understanding and experience of our programming markets and diverse professional, academic and cultural backgrounds.

Safeguarding

You may be required to undertake safeguarding checks. Shortlisted consultants will be assessed on our organizational values at the interview stage. The successful consultant will be expected to adhere to our safeguarding policy. We encourage you to read and understand our safeguarding policy, the executive summary of which can be found here. We have zero tolerance for all forms of violence against children, beneficiaries and staff. 

Tax

Girl Effect Ethiopia is obliged by the Ethiopian tax authorities to ensure all taxes are charged where applicable. Applicants are advised to ensure that they have a clear understanding of their tax position regarding provisions of Ethiopian tax legislation when developing their proposals.

Disclaimer

GE reserves the right to determine the structure of the process, the number of shortlisted participants, the right to withdraw from the proposal process, the right to change this timetable at any time without notice and reserves the right to withdraw this tender at any time, without prior notice and without liability to compensate and/or reimburse any party. GE shall inform the ONLY successful applicant(s). The process of negotiation and signing of the contract with the successful applicant(s) will follow.

Please note: We will evaluate only proposals submitted following the application process outlined in the TOR  and using our specified email address (suppliers@girleffect.org).