The USAID Your Rights Activity, which is led by the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA), aims to expand civic space in Uganda, to pave the way for enhanced democratic freedoms and liberties. The project responds to the shrinking civic space characterised by human rights violations, declining media freedom, hostility towards political opponents and critics, increasing restrictions on civil society, and limited citizen participation.

The main objectives of the Your Rights Activity include;

1. Improving the environment for media and digital technology;
2. Supporting media to inform, engage, and empower citizens to better understand, demand and exercise their human rights; and
3. Enhancing the capacity of human rights defenders (HRDs), activists, journalists, and civil society organisations (CSOs) to operate effectively.

Under objective 3, CIPESA is working to build the capacity of HRDs and CSOs to embrace digital technologies in their work and to advocate for digital rights in their various forms.

It is against this background that CIPESA is looking for a team of consultants to conduct communication and advocacy needs assessments of 15 selected CSOs working in the area of democracy, human rights and governance. Up to a third of the CSOs will be based upcountry.

Scope of the Assignment

The first phase of the consultancy will involve the development of a tool(s) for the organisational needs assessments. The second phase will involve conducting the needs assessment. In both phases, the consultant(s) will work closely with CIPESA programme staff.

Key areas of the organisational needs assessment will include the following:

• Advocacy (including digital) capacity
• Communication (including media and public relations) capacity
• Gender mainstreaming efforts
• Digitalisation plans
• Incorporation of digital rights in programming

The needs assessment will feed into the development of curriculum for thematic training on digital rights and advocacy. The training will be complemented by mentorship.

Deliverables

1. An inception report.
2. Comprehensive tool(s) for organisational needs assessments.
3. Detailed needs assessment report(s) highlighting key areas for capacity enhancement at the 15 CSOs.
4. Recommendations for curriculum development and mentorship programmes.

Attributes of the Consultants We are Looking For

• Demonstrated experience and expertise in conducting organisational capacity assessments, preferably in the civil society sector.
• Good understanding of the civil society, media, and digital landscape in Uganda.
• Deep understanding of democracy, human rights, and advocacy issues in Uganda.
• Demonstrated understanding of digital and data-driven advocacy.
• Demonstrated understanding of strategic communication planning.
• Proficiency in analysing complex organisational structures and identifying capacity gaps.
• Excellent writing skills.
• Ability to work closely with CIPESA programme staff throughout the consultancy.