Purpose & scope:

Increasing HIV infections and deaths in in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region—reflect significant underinvestment on HIV responses in most of the countries in the region. Gaps in knowledge of HIV status are especially large in MENA, where viral suppression and treatment coverage are lower than in any other region. This region is also far behind in fully integrating HIV counselling and testing with sexual and reproductive health (SRHR) services.

The current gaps in HIV services across MENA reflect long-standing challenges, including restrictive sociocultural norms that are mirrored in proscriptive laws and policies, and widespread stigma and discrimination. Modest political leadership on HIV is reflected in the low financial investment in the AIDS response and advancing SRH. Poor access to quality and integrated services are compounded by widespread humanitarian crises, including protracted conflicts and other forms of political instability, that make MENA home to the world’s largest migrant, refugee, and internally displaced populations.

Progress towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will depend on opening space for civil society and community-led organizations, and on linking the HIV response to efforts to achieve universal health coverage, expand social protection systems and enhance access to SRHR. None of this will be possible without stronger commitment from governments and donors, including greater domestic funding and social contracting.

In line with the above, the International Planned Parenthood Federation/Arab World Regional Office (IPPF/AWRO) and UNAIDS Regional Support Team MENA (MENA RST) are seeking a consultant or consulting company to conduct a comprehensive donor scoping exercise with a view to identifying and securing new funding streams for the medium and longer term in support of sexual reproductive health and rights (including HIV responses), women’s empowerment (including engaging men and boys on gender equality) and eliminating gender-based violence in the MENA region. Specifically, the consultant will lead the donor mapping process with a view to:

1. Identify new potential institutional donors as governments, large foundations, UN and donor trust funds, private sector, family foundations as well as high-net-worth-individuals (HNWI) whose priorities align with both organizations’ objectives and regional priorities, providing contact names or suggested grant application avenues;
2. Develop a fundraising and donor engagement strategy, including identifying regional specific priorities and activities in need of funding for the coming 3-6 years, in line with UNAIDS 2022 Resource Mobilization Strategy and IPPF’s upcoming new Strategic Framework period (2023-2028).

Tasks:

The selected candidate is to work in close collaboration with IPPF/AWRO and UNAIDS RST MENA to undertake the following tasks:

1. To lead on a comprehensive donor scoping exercise that explores opportunities among both organizations traditional donor base as well as opportunities from untraditional sources – such as private sector, philanthropic entities and high net-worth individuals (HNWI), particularly in the Gulf States. This should include a detailed analysis of donor architecture (looking at both national, regional and global levels), specific suggestions of prospective donors and optimal approaches; and an identification of priority issues mapped against both IPPF’s and UNAID’s strategic priorities. Opportunities to influence donor priorities should also be identified;
2. To produce a report detailing the results of the donor scoping exercise, including contacts of focal persons and suggested entry points;
3. To develop a MENA regional fundraising and donor engagement strategy for the coming 3 to 6 year period in line with IPPF’s upcoming new Strategic Framework period (2023-2028), Global AIDS Strategy 2021-2026 and UNAIDS Resource Mobilization Strategy 2022.

Timeline:

It is expected that the work will start in January 2023 with Tasks 1 and 2 completed by March 2023 followed by a discussion with the IPPF AWR/UNAIDS MENA Directors to review results before initiation of Task 3 which would then be completed by May 2023.

Competencies:

• Demonstrated experience in fundraising, resource mobilization and donor engagement in particular in the Gulf Region;
• Demonstrated experience in conducting donor scoping surveys;
• Experience in working with donors in an international context especially major donors, private foundations, bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors, UN agencies, trusts and other institutional donors;
• Experience in funding planning, development of resource mobilization strategies and implementation of such strategies;
• Demonstrated understanding of and ability to implement the goals and approaches in IPPF’s Strategic Framework, Global AIDS Strategy and UNAIDS Resource Mobilization Strategy;
• Proven understanding of the donor environment in the region in particular for SRHR (including HIV);
• Demonstrated skills and experience in report writing;
• Fluency in written and spoken English. Working knowledge of Arabic is essential and competency in French is an asset;
• Knowledge of the SRHR (including HIV) sector and understanding of the unique political challenges involved in fundraising for this work.

Call for Expressions of Interest:

IPPF AWRO and UNAIDS seek ‘expressions of interest’ from consultants with the skills, experience, and ability to support this work as outlined in this ToR. It is anticipated that the work will take approximately 30 days in total. Interested candidates are required to send the below documents when submitting their application:

1. Cover letter explaining why the applicant is most suitable for the work;
2. Brief methodology on how the assignment will be approached and how the work will be conducted;
3. Personal CV including experience in similar projects;
4. Financial Proposal (daily rate);
5. List of References (3 References) and consent for reference checks to be conducted IF selected for assignment;
6. Scanned copies of certificates.

Please send the requested documents to the following addresses no later than 28 November 2022, with email subject: Donor Scoping and Engagement in MENA Region.

• [email protected]
• [email protected]