Retainer Consultant to provide technical support towards the development of Ending Child Marriages and Promoting Girls Education Programme in Malawi
UN Women
Consultancy Background:
UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.
UN Women Malawi Country Office (CO), works with partners, including the Malawi Government, civil society organizations, the private sector, influencers, media, and other UN agencies in promoting Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment (GEWE) in Malawi, guided by the Strategic Note 2024–2028, which serves as the underlying strategic plan for achieving its operational and programmatic results, The CO is dedicated to GEWE through various initiatives. Key areas of focus include the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls (EVAW), encompassing actions that strengthen efforts to address and transform harmful social norms, ensuring communities and leaders are equipped to challenge practices that perpetuate violence and discrimination against women and girls.
Malawi continues to face alarmingly high rates of child marriage, with 38% of girls married before the age of 18 and 8% before age 15 (World Bank, 2022). This practice, driven by poverty, gender inequality, discriminatory social norms, and limited access to education which undermines the rights and potential of girls and perpetuates cycles of poverty and inequality. Despite national legal frameworks and the 2024 National Strategy to End Child Marriage, implementation remains inconsistent, and accountability mechanisms are weak.
Efforts to end child marriage in Malawi have seen significant progress through the collaboration of traditional leaders, civil society, government, and international organizations. Thousands of child marriages have been annulled, and many girls have returned to school, thanks to community-driven initiatives and strong leadership, notably by Chief Theresa Kachindamoto. Despite these achievements, structural barriers such as limited resources, weak law enforcement, and entrenched gender inequalities persist. The Government of Malawi has responded with the National Strategy on Ending Child Marriage (2024), aiming to eliminate child marriage and promote girls’ education by 2030.
UN Women has played a pivotal role through policy advocacy, pilot projects, and campaigns like HeForShe, which engage men and boys in challenging harmful norms. Recognizing the influence of cultural institutions, UN Women’s Africa Strategic Plan places traditional leadership at the heart of efforts to eliminate harmful practices, with over 140 chiefs committing to end child marriage. These collective actions highlight the importance of a holistic, culturally grounded approach to achieving lasting change. The ending child marriages programme is a key component of the Spotlight Initiative 2.0 and is therefore a strategic initiative to drive progress in addressing the scourge of violence against women and girls in Malawi. Its implementation will be very much aligned to and contributing to achieving the ambitious goals of Malawi’s Spotlight 2.0.
Overall objective of the assignment
The international consultant will provide high-level technical expertise to support the design and effective implementation of the Ending Child Marriages and Promoting Girls Education Programme in Malawi, ensuring alignment with UN Women’s global mandate, Malawi’s national development frameworks, and international human rights obligations.
Specifically, the international consultant will contribute to the following objectives:
Scope of work and Responsibilities
Under the supervision and overall guidance of the UN Women Malawi CO Programme Management Specialist, the international consultant will undertake the following:
Expected Deliverables
The International Consultant will produce the following deliverables:
| # | Deliverables | Timeline |
| 1 | Produce a Concept Note outlining interventions to address child marriage and enhance girls’ school retention through traditional leaders. | Target submission date will be determined when the assignments are given |
| 2 | A grant making fund conceptualized and designed to target traditional leaders, and local CSOs to drive change towards ending child marriages in Malawi. | Target submission date will be determined when the assignments are given |
| 3 | concept notes for specific activities including International Day of the Girl Child, themed around honoring Chief Theresa Kachindamoto’s legacy, the Life and Legacy of Chief Theresa Kachindamoto Celebration, awards to chiefs that denounce child marriages and contribute to child marriage-free zones #childmarriageterminator, and the launch of the Chief Theresa Kachindamoto Fund on Ending Child Marriages among others | Target submission date will be determined when the assignments are given |
| 4 | Design and Coordination Plan for the Chief Theresa Kachindamoto Art Award, including criteria, outreach strategy, and judging framework. | Target submission date will be determined when the assignments are given |
| 5 | Strategic Advisory Report summarizing technical and operational advice provided to stakeholders | Target submission date will be determined when the assignments are given |
| 6 | Monitoring and Documentation Report capturing outcomes, media coverage, stakeholder feedback, and lessons learned from each activity. | Target submission date will be determined when the assignments are given |
| 7 | Capacity Building Report covering workshops and trainings conducted on gender-responsive, rights-based approaches | Target submission date will be determined when the assignments are given |
| 8 | Knowledge Products such as advocacy briefs, policy papers, and communication tools including press releases, social media content, and briefing notes for all events and launches developed and disseminated. | Target submission date will be determined when the assignments are given |
| 9 | Final Consultancy Report consolidating all activities, deliverables, and recommendations for future programming and sustainability | Target submission date will be determined when the assignments are given |
Contractual Engagement
The international consultant will be contracted on a retainer contract, which facilitates direct engagement of the consultant depending on the need and availability within the contract period. The fee will be disbursed as a lump sum basis payable by the end of the number of days agreed upon and worked for each assignment.
All deliverables, including annexes, notes, and reports, must be submitted in writing and in English. Upon submission, deliverables and related documentation will be reviewed and approved by UN Women prior to the release of the first payment instalment.
Entry into the retainer system of experts does not guarantee a contract with UN Women. When services are required, UN Women will directly engage consultants with the most relevant expertise from the roster of retained experts.
Consultant’s Workplace and Travel
This is a home-based consultancy. The consultant will be required to travel to Lilongwe, Malawi on a need basis. In case of any official trip, approved by the office, the travel-related costs will be covered as per the associated duty travel policy.
Competencies :
Core Values:
Core Competencies:
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Functional Competencies:
Education and Certification:
Experience:
Languages:
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