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Tenders are invited for Consultancy Services for Regional Research on Harmful Practices in East Africa Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia. Closing Date: 15 Jul 2026 Type: Consultancy Background Plan International and Amref Health Africa are implementing regional initiatives aimed at preventing and responding to harmful practices affecting girls and young women across East Africa. The programme seeks to contribute to the elimination of harmful practices such as Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C), Child Early and Forced Marriage and Unions (CEFMU), and other harmful social and cultural practices through community-led, gender-transformative and rights-based approaches. The programme operates in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, while also strengthening regional policy dialogue and accountability mechanisms through collaboration with regional and continental bodies including the East African Community (EAC), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the African Union (AU), the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC), and the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR). The programme contributes to regional and global commitments aimed at advancing gender equality and protecting the rights of girls and women, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), African Union Agenda 2063, the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol), and other regional frameworks aimed at eliminating harmful practices and promoting gender justice. The need for strengthened evidence on harmful practices remains urgent. Despite ongoing efforts by governments, civil society organizations, development partners and communities, harmful practices continue to negatively affect the health, education, protection, dignity and overall wellbeing of girls and women. Persistent social norms, gender inequality, weak enforcement systems, cross-border dynamics, conflict, climate shocks, displacement, and limited access to services continue to sustain these practices in many contexts. These challenges are often amplified in fragile and conflict-affected settings, highlighting the importance of adopting a humanitarian-development-peace nexus perspective that recognizes the interconnected nature of protection, resilience and long-term social transformation. Cross-border dynamics continue to play a significant role in the persistence of harmful practices, particularly in borderland and mobile population contexts where differences in legal frameworks, service availability and enforcement mechanisms may contribute to continued vulnerability. There is therefore a growing need for evidence that examines harmful practices not only within national boundaries but also across interconnected communities and cross-border systems. To strengthen evidence generation, policy influence, programming design and accountability, Plan International intends to commission a regional research study documenting harmful practices across the target countries and selected cross-border areas. The research will generate robust evidence on the prevalence, drivers, manifestations, consequences, community perceptions, emerging trends, coping mechanisms, response systems and opportunities for prevention and transformation of harmful practices. Findings will support regional advocacy, programming, policy engagement and learning across the consortium and partner organizations, while contributing to broader regional efforts to accelerate progress towards the elimination of harmful practices. Plan International will lead the recruitment, contracting, management and overall coordination of the consultancy process. Purpose of the Research The purpose of the research is to generate high-quality evidence and documentation on harmful practices affecting girls and young women across Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, with particular attention to cross-border dynamics, mobility patterns, service delivery challenges and accountability mechanisms that influence the persistence of harmful practices across interconnected communities. The research is intended to inform programming, policy engagement, advocacy, learning and regional accountability mechanisms aimed at accelerating the elimination of harmful practices and advancing the rights and wellbeing of girls and young women. The study will generate evidence that is methodologically rigorous, ethically sound, participatory and policy-relevant. Consultants will be expected to apply recognized evidence quality standards and a recognized Data Quality Assessment (DQA) framework to ensure the validity, reliability, integrity and utility of research findings. The study will also seek to build upon existing evidence and ongoing research initiatives in the region, ensuring complementarity and minimizing duplication while identifying critical knowledge gaps requiring further investigation. The study seeks to deepen understanding of: The prevalence, manifestations, evolving nature and cross-border dimensions of harmful practices affecting girls and young women across Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and selected cross-border contexts. The underlying social, cultural, economic, political and gender-related drivers of harmful practices, including the influence of social norms, mobility, conflict, displacement and other contextual factors. The impacts of harmful practices on the health, wellbeing, protection, education, agency and socio-economic outcomes of girls and young women, as well as their families and communities. The effectiveness of existing prevention, protection and response mechanisms, including community-based, institutional, legal and cross-border systems designed to address harmful practices. Promising practices, policy and accountability gaps, and opportunities for strengthening programming, advocacy, regional coordination and collective action towards the elimination of harmful practices. Objectives of the Research To generate evidence on the prevalence, drivers, impacts and response mechanisms of harmful practices affecting girls and young women across Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and selected cross-border contexts in order to strengthen policy, programming, advocacy, learning and accountability efforts aimed at eliminating harmful practices. 3.2 Specific Objectives The research shall seek to: a) Assess the prevalence and manifestations of harmful practices The research will assess the prevalence, manifestations and evolving nature of harmful practices affecting girls and young women, including Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C), Child Early and Forced Marriage and Unions (CEFMU), harmful rites of passage, gender-based violence linked to harmful social norms, emerging harmful practices, and the growing medicalization of FGM/C. b) Analyse the drivers and root causes of harmful practices The research will analyse the underlying social, cultural, economic, political and gender-related drivers of harmful practices, including harmful social norms, gender inequality, poverty, conflict, displacement, climate-related shocks, cross-border mobility, and barriers to accessing education and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) information and services. c) Assess the impacts of harmful practices The research will assess the impacts of harmful practices on the health, wellbeing, protection, education, agency and socio-economic outcomes of girls and young women, including implications for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), exposure to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), mental health and psychosocial wellbeing. d) Examine prevention and response mechanisms The research will examine the effectiveness of existing prevention, protection and response mechanisms, including community-led initiatives, survivor support systems, referral pathways, health and justice systems, and the engagement of boys, men, community champions, youth-led movements, religious leaders and traditional leaders in preventing harmful practices and supporting affected girls and young women. e) Assess policy, legal and cross-border accountability frameworks The research will assess the effectiveness of national legal and policy frameworks, regional commitments, and cross-border coordination and accountability mechanisms, including implementation gaps, enforcement challenges, service delivery gaps, referral pathways and opportunities for strengthening protection and accountability across interconnected communities. f) Identify promising practices, evidence gaps and recommendations The research will identify promising practices, gender-transformative and participatory approaches, youth-led and survivor-led interventions, evidence gaps, and strategic recommendations that can strengthen programming, policy implementation, regional coordination, learning, advocacy and collective action towards the elimination of harmful practices. Key Research Questions The consultant is expected to refine and expand the research questions during the inception phase. The questions below are indicative and may be further adapted based on the proposed methodology, literature review and stakeholder consultations. Context and Prevalence What harmful practices are most prevalent in the target countries and selected cross-border contexts? What are the current and emerging trends in harmful practices affecting girls and young women? How do harmful practices manifest differently across countries, communities and population groups, including pastoralist, mobile, refugee and displaced populations? Drivers and Social Norms What social, cultural, religious, economic and gender-related factors sustain harmful practices? How do household economic considerations, including bride price, dowry and other livelihood-related factors, influence harmful practices? How are harmful practices Tender Link : https://reliefweb.int/job/4220231/terms-reference-tor-tender-no-2406fy26-consultancy-services-regional-research-harmful-practices-east-africa-ethiopia-kenya-somalia
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