Context

CLV is a unique 360° entertainment education program run by the African Health Education Network (RAES). It revolves around a soap opera focused on reproductive health and rights, reaching millions of people across Western Africa. The campaign’s primary goal is to provide access to a broad range of information to promote female empowerment, and behavioral and social change in relation to sexual and reproductive health and rights, and gender violence issues.

During the first phase (November 2017 to December 2021), CLV content were broadcasted on TV, radio, social media, as well as mobile cinemas in villages or school/community clubs, CLV targets young people aged 15-35 and tackles FP, maternal and child health, gender-based violence and women empowerment issues through engaging health storylines. The mix between fiction and health messages, the use of strong fictional characters who embody the topics and the messages, and the production of additional health content to enhance debate online impact women and girls’ knowledge, attitude and motivation to act on their FP decisions. These actions were conducted in 4 countries (Burkina Faso, Côte d’ivoire, Niger and Senegal) in collaboration with a range of partners in each country.

In partnership with the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Drexel University, and Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD), RAES created and implemented a mixed methods impact evaluation designed to measure changes in knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, norms and gender equity among women and young people exposed to the CLV campaign. A few key results from the evaluation are :

• Different stories and characters impacted audiences differently. In terms of viewers gaining knowledge and changing attitudes, the most impactful story was about Emergency Contraception.
• Facebook, Instagram and YouTube are strong channels to conduct advanced SBC campaigns. For example, with one post on Facebook, RAES can reach hundreds of thousands of people and generate thousands of reactions.CLV has nearly 400 000 fans on its Facebook page, 211 000 fans on Youtube and nearly 40 000 fans on Instagram. Supported with ads, with repetitive messages on time, people gain knowledge and change their perspective on FP and gender issues.
• CLV’s current social media platforms are typically reaching more urban, slightly older and digitally connected populations.
• The Ratanga Clubs were successful at conducting CLV activities (like debates based on CLV episodes, educational talk on SRHR topics, intergenerational debates between young people, their parents and local and religious authorities or workshops) in communities. In 2021 nearly 50 000 adolescents and young people especially girls were reached through 2000 activities. There is ample opportunity to promote the Ratanga Club activities to further strengthen the link between the online and offline CLV brands, and to further strengthen service delivery referrals.

With these knowledge and key lessons learned, RAES developed CLV phase II in order to face the difficulty in accessing quality information, cultural and religious taboos that hinder open discussions with families, lack of facilities that meet young people’s expectations. These are the key factors that explain the difficulties in accessing information and the lack of knowledge of young people in terms of SRH and the weakness of use of SRH products and services.

RAES will focus the investment in the digital component of CLV and will cover 3 West African countries, namely Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal. Digital counseling (DC), direct to consumer (DTC), digital social and behavior change (SBC) and social network approaches are critical components to be tested and evaluated under our Optimize FP Interventions initiative. C’est La Vie (CLV) Phase II investment will conduct effectiveness and implementation research (IR) about “if” and “how” digital SBC, social network, DC and DTC interventions work in the real world to address social norms and demand-side barriers, and increase access to quality FP information, counseling and products use in West Africa. So, the program will contribute to :

• Test effectiveness and scalability of demand interventions: to understand how we adapt and scale promising demand-side interventions to drive mCPR, demand and demand satisfied. Thereby the intervention will focus on 1) Leveraging best practices from mass media to optimize digital media platforms for individuals, and (2) Harnessing the power of interpersonal relationships and social networks.
• Build evidence to deliver FP DTC/DC at scale: Both DTC and DC hold promise for increasing access to quality FP information, counseling, and products through disintermediation of the health system, and offering a more user-centered experience. In fact RAES will build DC tools within its online platforms, potentially leveraging existing DC tools in the region. In addition RAES will also explore potential partnerships with companies offering contraceptives DTC. These partnerships will be characterized by CLV generating demand and the DTC companies meeting that demand directly online.

Through the aim to connect the demand and the services, CLV phase II aims to achieve the following two primary outcomes :

• PO1. Increased ability and motivation of young people (in particular girls and women) to act on choices that support their SRH in Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal, supported by digital SBC approaches.
• PO1. Increased use of counseling, product and service delivery among young people (in particular girls and women) in Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal, supported by DTC and DC integration into the CLV digital ecosystem.

Each of these two primary outcomes are associated with a set of learning questions that need to be addressed through four (4) digital campaigns. These questions are presented in details below:

• Primary Outcome 1- [BoW 3.5]: Increased ability and motivation to act on choices that support their SRH among young women and men in Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal, supported by digital SBC approaches.

  • 3.5.1 [IMPACT] What are the most effective digital SBC approaches (social network approach, role model or marketing influencer) or mixes to increase ability and motivation to act on choices to support their SRH?
  • 3.5.2 [END USER]: What adaptations to interventions optimize their uptake and effectiveness across geographies and segments / populations?

• Primary Outcome 2- [BoW 3.3]: Increased use of counseling, product, and service delivery among young women and men in Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal, supported by DTC and DC integration into the CLV digital ecosystem.

  • 3.3.1 [IMPACT] What is the impact of DC and DTC on contraceptive beliefs, uptake, continuation, quality, and client satisfaction?

• 3.3.2 [END USER] Who utilizes the DC/DTC services and how can we mitigate inequities (i.e., across age, rural/urban, SES, and gender considerations including engagement of men)?

Objective of recruitment

In order to formulate the project’s strategies and approaches, RAES seeks a team of consultants to conduct formative research to :

1. collect and review the secondary sources related to the two primary outcomes that already exist in the universities, the institutional departments of the ministries involved ( health, youth and women) located in the 3 countries of (thesis, articles, reports, registers etc.);
2. Identify potential positive and harmful negative unintended consequences related to the programs conducted in West Africa and how they were mitigated;
3. obtain up to date, accurate and relevant information on:

SRH (content and services)

• Knowledge, Needs and Priorities in SRH Content
• Social norms, traditions, gender barriers, customs, beliefs, that blocked the use and access of SRH and product and services.
• Elements of culture and tradition in each of the three countries that could be leveraged as opportunities to increase the ability and motivation of young people (in particular girls and women) to act on choices that support their SRH supported by digital SBC approaches. Information that could help understand how to reduce misconceptions, increase positive attitudes, interest and use of contraception.
• Information that could help understand how to avoid gender stereotypes
• Content priorities with regard to SRH content needs (based on report template)

Digital SRH Services

• conduct a mapping of the existing DC and DTC services in the 3 countries and at regional level in order to know their operating modes and how gender sensitive/intentional these services are (who are they targeting and how? What extent do they incorporate a focus on agency/choice/empowerment in their approaches)
• Needs and expectations of adolescents, girl/woman and boy/man about the use of DC and DTC and indications on how best to integrate these needs into the CLV digital ecosystem to address needs. Also how these elements block the use of DC and DTC.
• Knowledge of previous experiences (lessons learning and best practices) from Africa or around the world that could be leveraged as opportunities to support the integration of DC and DTC into the CLV ecosystem to increase the use of counseling, product and service delivery among young people (in particular girls and women).

Amplifiers and Stakeholders

• on-line engagement (platforms, barriers, opportunities, strategies)
• Information that could help understand where to broadcast and promote CLV content (websites, social media, online show) to increase the availability of accurate information among the target populations in each country and at regional level. Potential online and offline communities to understand how social media and other efforts can accelerate diffusion.
• Potential allies (organizations, already existing clubs, groups of activists, initiatives, etc.) at local and regional level to participate in, amplify and mobilize around local strategic communication plans (e.g Ratanga Clubs)
• Key public and private actors directly involved in the SRH at national and regional level (e.g OPCU’s network of partners), to continue strengthening these relationships to avoid duplication and fragmentation.
• Key stakeholders that influence young adolescents’ access to or understanding of SRH, family planning, DC and DTC (parents, guardians, educators, etc.).
• Influencers (motivators, social networks)
• The mapping of the most important Social network and the SRH topics that they discuss and the content they use to animate debate
• The mapping of individuals that can be considered as a role model who are already doing the desired behavior (acting as positive deviants) according to the SRH topics
• The mapping of Celebrities and/or social media marketing influencers to promote the desired behavior change especially those who are strongly involved and committed to SRHR issues, to the cause of youth and women in West Africa

e. Identify, collect data on, and analyze relevant socio-demographic characteristics that should be captured to ensure the program is equitable

Scope of work

The intervention will be carried out in the 3 project areas namely Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal in both rural and urban areas based on the finding of context review.

Collaboration

RAES will be available to support the team of consultants to implement this research. RAES will:

• share available documentation on CLV project and previous researches
• organize regular meetings with the contractor to follow up the research progress
• validate the deliverables on time

The team of consultants will :

• Participate in regular technical meetings and workshops organized by RAES for the research follow-up ,including, but not limited to, synthesis sessions following research in the field.
• Coordinate with the RAES to validate the implementation instruments, both qualitative and quantitative.
• Coordinate with the RAES on progress against agreed objectives and deliverables.
• Share the documentation of the secondary data sources

Report’s presentation

RAES will validate the final research report template. The report should be organized around these four key sections:

Audience and health topics:

• Definition of the target audience (disaggregated by region, gender, age and socioeconomic characteristics if possible and when it’s safe for participants)
• Definition and prioritization of the four issues related to SRH that should be covered during the course in the four campaigns (according to the interests, and most relevant identified needs, of the target audience) launched by the CLV ecosystem.
• Agency and social norms to address and type of change expected in the target audience for each of the four SRH issues as well as indicators to measure the change related to agency, social norms and SRH theme
• Cultural, social and economic links and opportunities to motivate change at individual and collective levels.
• Definition of influential audiences (those who influence the main audience, whether at the household, community or department level)
• Definition of the conduct to be dealt with and the type of change expected during the secondary hearing.

Understanding of digital SBCC:

• List of social networks, seen local websites, mainly used by target audiences, and preferred activities by network. .
• List of traditional networks are the most popular with target audiences.
• Typology of Online services (DC/DTC):
• Definition of the profile of target audiences who use Digital Counseling (DC) and Direct to Consumer (DTC)
• Obstacles and advantages perceived by the target audiences of DC and DTC.
• Perceptions of target and influential audiences on Ratanga Clubs (for audiences who have already participated in said spaces).
• Potential harmful unintended consequences of the DC and DTC and how to mitigate them

Promotion of the web ecosystem and health messages:

• Important influencers for target audiences (public figures).
• Recommendations about training needs of influencer
• Proposal of alliances and strategic connections and the role that each of the members identified in the target population should play in behavior change.

Profile required

• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences or communication
• Master/PhD training in communication for change, communication for development, social marketing, public health, psychology.
• Experience conducting research related to gender issues preferably around SRHR but not necessarily. Experience can include conducting gender analysis, identifying gender gaps and strategies to address them, implementing gender-sensitive research methodologies, and importantly quant and qual measurement methods related to gender equality and empowerment/agency.
• In-depth literary knowledge in relation to qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. A plus if it is linked to youth SRH in West Africa (Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal).
• Experience in data analysis using different theoretical principles on behavior change.
• Experience in the use and management of appropriate software for the capture and processing of quantitative and qualitative data.
• Experience in the preparation and design of research protocols.
• Experience leading and/or digitally implementing qualitative and quantitative research.
• Ability to integrate/articulate teamwork with NGOs, government institutions, universities and other key players in Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal.
• Leadership in the development and animation of spaces for the implementation of communication tools, techniques and processes to conduct qualitative and quantitative research with various population profiles (adolescents, young people and adults).

Selection criteria

The team of consultant will be selected according these criteria:

• Experience in data analysis using different theoretical principles on behavior change.
• Experience in the use and management of appropriate software for the capture and processing of quantitative and qualitative data.
• Experience in the preparation and design of research protocols.
• Experience leading and/or digitally implementing qualitative and quantitative research.
• Ability to integrate/articulate teamwork with NGOs, government institutions, universities and other key players in Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal.
• Leadership in the development and animation of spaces for the implementation of communication tools, techniques and processes to conduct qualitative and quantitative research with various population profiles (adolescents, young people and adults).

How to apply

Interested applicants should send a technical and financial offer to [email protected] and [email protected] before midnight GMT on January 15th 2023.

The offer should include:

• A technical offer with your understanding of the request, your methodological proposal and a detailed schedule with a presentation of each team member and the role of each (8 pages max).
• A financial offer detailing all the costs related to this research : fees, perdiem, travel cost, other costs (separately from the technical offer).
• CV of each team member demonstrating experience in relation to the profile sought. For a team, the CV of each member is required, mentioning the role of each.
• Relevant previous reports produced on formative research