1. Background

Uganda Child Rights NGO Network (UCRNN) is a coalition of child-focused organizations including community-based, national and international organizations working for the welfare and rights of children in Uganda. The Network undertakes joint advocacy, capacity strengthening, research and monitoring child rights in Uganda. Monitoring and reporting on the commitments made by the Government of Uganda in the various child rights legal frameworks has been UCRNN’s core undertaking since 1998. Established in 1997 to spearhead the writing of the NGO Alternative Report to the UN Committee of Experts on the Rights of the Child, the Network has to date presented Five CSO Alternative Reports to different treaty bodies and has been involved in generating other country monitoring reports including the Global Monitoring reports as detailed below:

• Presented the first alternative report to the UN Committee of Experts on the Rights of the Child in 1997;
• Presented the first periodic report on the implementation of the UNCRC in Uganda in 2005.
• Presented two reports on the progress of implementation of the two Optional Protocols (Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography and OP Children in Armed Conflict) in 2008;
• Presented one report to the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child in 2009.
• Presented one report to the UN Human Rights Council for Uganda’s Universal Periodic Review in 2010.
• Supported the development of an alternative report on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2011.
• As a host to End Child Prostitution and Trafficking (ECPAT) Uganda generated the Country Monitoring Report on Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC).
• Generated the Uganda Joint Monitoring Report on Children in Armed Conflict.
• Made contributions to the various global Horizontal Notes presented to the UN Security Council on Monitoring and Reporting Mechanisms of Grave Violations in Armed Conflict.

These processes have generated useful information and recommendations to state and non-state actors and informed various interventions designed to improve the wellbeing and protection of children. UCRNN continues to mobilize and coordinate its members and other like-minded CSOs in monitoring the implementation of the UNCRC, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and other regional and international child rights instruments.

The treaty mechanisms that are embedded within the various international and regional instruments require State Parties to report on the progress of implementation of the provisions therein as an accountability mechanism on children’s rights. Child rights monitoring and reporting seek to ensure the government’s compliance with national and international obligations. In this regard, Uganda has consistently endeavoured to fulfil its reporting obligations under the UNCRC, the UNCRC Optional Protocols and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) The second periodic report to the CRC is due for submission in 2015 for the CRC and due to the Committee was due

Civil society organizations under the umbrella of UCRNN will in 2020 compile and submit an alternative report to that of the Government of Uganda on progress in the implementation of the CRC and ACRWC in Uganda. In accordance with Article 45 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights Child (UNCRC), that expressly makes provision for the role of NGOs in the reporting process, UCRNN intends to submit Uganda’s Alternative Report on the implementation of the UNCRC, its Optional Protocols in Uganda and the ACRWC. UCRNN, therefore, seeks to commission a consultancy firm to develop (i) the Alternative Report and (ii) Voices of Children Report for submission to the ACRWC and addendums to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.

2. Purpose of the consultancy

The purpose of this consultancy is to develop Uganda’s Alternative Report on the Implementation of the ACRWC, UNCRC, and the two Optional Protocols in Uganda.

3. Scope of assignment

This will largely be a research undertaking having a national coverage in order to generate experiences on the progress of implementation of the CRC and ACRWC at different levels. The consultant will undertake the generation and compilation of comprehensive information on the status of child wellbeing and rights, culminating into Uganda CSO Alternative Report to the African Union Committee on the Rights and Welfare of Children and UN Committee of Experts on the implementation of the CRC and its two Optional Protocols. This will involve conducting an extensive review of literature, conducting wide consultations with different stakeholders as well as children and young people.

4. Tasks

Specifically, the consultant is required to undertake the following key tasks:

1. Desk review of existing laws, policies and procedures on the rights of children and their implementation in Uganda.
2. Desk review of children’s rights situation especially concerning the situation of the sale of children and child pornography and children in armed conflict or children affected by conflict.
3. Review literature on the status of child wellbeing and child rights from a variety of sources including government, civil society, and other regional and international research studies undertaken since 2005.
4. Review the consolidated 3rd, 4th and 5th periodic report submitted by Government of Uganda to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.
5. Conduct national consultations with children on their views and experiences on their enjoyment of their rights.
6. Conduct wide consultations and interface with relevant state and non-state actors involved in child rights work including consultations with youth representatives, NGOs, development partners/donors, representatives of UN Agencies, government officials at national and district levels to supplement the data from secondary sources.
7. Assess progress made by Government of Uganda in the implementation of UNSCRC against the Concluding Observations and Recommendations to the 1st periodic report submitted and adopted by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2005, and Concluding Observations on the Optional Protocols adopted in 2008.
8. Assess progress made by the Government of Uganda in the implementation of ACRWC against the Concluding Observations and Recommendations to the last periodic report submitted and adopted by the African Union Committee on the Rights and Welfare of Children.
9. Produce a first draft of the CSO Alternative Report, and the Children Report, reflecting the emerging issues and other issues not reflected in the government report, if any and submit to UCRNN.
10. Prepare, lead and facilitate a validation workshop of the draft reports for UCRNN members, other CSO actors, networks and relevant stakeholders including children and youth.
11. Finalize the report by integrating input/feedback from the workshop and any other comments from relevant stakeholders and submit the final reports to UCRNN.

5. Expected Outputs

The consultancy will yield the following outputs:

• An inception report, detailing the approaches of the Consultancy;
• An Alternative Report to the African Union Committee of experts on the Rights and welfare of the Child and UN Committee of Experts in line with the reporting guideline.
• A Children’s Report incorporating their concerns and recommendations

6. Required Skills and Experience

• Experience in child rights and human rights, especially in the context of evaluation and assessment of the situation of children in Uganda.
• Experience in producing alternative reports on child rights and other human rights reports.
• Experience in carrying out participatory consultations and research and working with multiple stakeholder groups including children.
• Sound understanding of development issues in Uganda, particularly child rights and the roles of NGOs in a broader development context.
• Proven expertise in child rights and rights-based approaches.
• Proven experience in consultancy and researches.
• Ability to deliver a quality product within the stipulated timeframe.
• Should have no history of child abuse.

7. Accountability and Responsibilities

For purposes of coordination and oversight, the NGO Advisory Committee on Child Rights Monitoring in Uganda has been constituted. The Consultant will therefore work with and be accountable to the NGO Advisory Committee on Child Rights Monitoring in Uganda and the UCRNN focal Point on reporting.

8. Duration

The assignment is envisaged to will take duration of 2 months.

9. Expression of Interest

UCRNN invites competent consultancy firms to express interest by 12^th October 2020. Sealed expression of interest (EOI) should be submitted electronically to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Secretariat

Uganda Child Rights NGO Network,

Plot 74, Ministers Village, Ntinda

P.O. Box 10293, Kampala