1.0 Background
HelpAge International (HelpAge) is a global network of not-for-profit organisations with a vision of a world where older people fulfil their potential to lead active, dignified, healthy and secure lives. With more than 70 affiliates and 300 partners across more than 50 countries the HelpAge network brings together hundreds of organisations worldwide. HelpAge has a secretariat with offices in London and Brussels, seven regional centres in Africa (2), Asia/Pacific (2), Latin America, the Caribbean and Central Asia in addition to country programme offices. The rights component of the HSNP programme is managed by the East, West and Central Africa Regional Development Centre (EWCARDC) in Nairobi, Kenya. EWCARDC focuses on strengthening the capacity of partner organisations including HelpAge affiliates working with older people. It also works to advocate the rights and welfare of older people at regional, country and local levels. HelpAge has had Observer Status with the Africa Union since 2000 when an MOU was signed between the two organisations.
2.0 About Social Protection Rights Component
In 2008, HelpAge International, as part of a group of organizations, commenced implementation of Phase I of the Government of Kenya led and UKAid and AusAID-financed Hunger Safety Net Programme (HSNP). The objective of Phase I (April 2007 – March 2012) was to design and pilot cost-effective mechanisms for beneficiary targeting, payment delivery and grievance management in four counties in Northern Kenya (Turkana, Wajir Marsabit and Mandera).
Following the end of Phase I of the HSNP programme HelpAge was awarded the responsibility to undertake the Social Protection Rights component under phase II of the HSNP. Our objective within the programme is to establish a grievance and accountability mechanism that will allow for programme stakeholders to realise their rights within the programme as well as support the communities to realise their rights as enshrined in the Kenyan constitution.
HelpAge works with four partner institutions based in Wajir, Marsabit and Mandera counties and these include the following;
1. District Pastoralist Association (DPA)—Wajir
2. Pastoralist Integrated Support Programme (PISP)—Marsabit
3. Horn of Africa Women Empowerment Network Kenyan Agency (HAWENKA)—Mandera
4. Rural Agency for Community Development and Assistance (RACIDA)—Mandera
In Turkana, we have established a HelpAge sub office in Lodwar from which we undertake our project activities.
3.0 Human Rights Based Approach to Development (HRBAD)
Over the last decade, human rights have gained prominence as a universal set of norms and standards that are increasingly shaping the programmes and activities of the development agencies. It is widely recognized that promoting and protecting human rights is crucial for achieving peace, sustainable human development and democracy. A human rights-based approach should be regarded as an essential tool for achieving sustainable development outcomes.
HRBA focuses on analysing the inequalities, discriminatory practices and unjust power relations that aggravate conflict in human rights and development processes.
It has a special focus on groups subjected to discrimination and suffering from disadvantage and exclusion. HRBA emphasizes on participation, particularly of discriminated and excluded groups at every stage of the programming process. It also emphasizes on the accountability of the State and its institutions with regard to respecting, protecting and fulfilling all the human rights of all people within its jurisdiction.
In a human rights-based approach, human rights help to frame the relationship between individuals and groups with claims (rights-holders) and State and non-State actors with corresponding obligations (duty-bearers). ‘State actors’ refers to the government, while ‘non-State actors’ include health service providers, private sector companies or other parties that have obligations to various rights-holders.
4.0 HSNP and HRBAD
In the past few years in Kenya, since the inception of the Phase 1 of HSNP, there have been developments in policies and programmes which haven’t achieved much realisation. Of importance is the new Constitution which ushered in new developments for the realization of Social and Economic Rights for poor and marginalized people. The constitution also sets the national values and principles like participation, non-discrimination, transparency and accountability.
It is envisaged that citizens will enjoy their rights as declared in these instruments and that they can also hold duty bearers to account using different platforms. It is within the tenets of HRBAD that the SPR component has been operating.
An evaluation of the programme has emphasized on the need to have and long term approach to ensure that the gains made within the programme period are sustained by embedding social protection and cash transfers and accountability in laws/acts/policies.
Thus for the remaining period of the programme (up to March 2017) the SPR component is focusing on ensuring that the legal, constitutional as well as the regulatory frameworks at the local, national and pan-African levels are conducive to enable functioning social protection structures and mechanisms are in place to impact the lives and livelihoods of the poorest of the poor across the continent.
5.0 Purpose and scope of the Partnership
Based on the recommendations of the mentioned evaluation, HelpAge is looking into partnering with a national NGO to carry forward the benefits gained in the implementation of the accountability component of the HSNP by ensuring that legal frameworks and policies are responsive to social protection needs of the citizens as enshrined in the Kenya constitution. We are proposing to do this by engaging with law makers at the national and county level.
This partnership will entail influencing political reforms, and socio-economic rights realization reforms. The proposed partnership will therefore work through openness and dialogue between all social and political forces in the reform process. This engagement should be on the basis of democracy and human rights, and should ensure rights, responsibilities, and equality that would promote sustainable social and economic rights in Kenya. Specifically, this NGO will be mandated to support HelpAge in:
1. Organize meetings with Members of Parliament (MPs) of various parliamentary caucuses and special parliamentary groups including the Pastoralist Parliamentary Group (PPG) to inform the formulation of pro-poor policies/bills/Acts and also to influence the national budgeting processes.
2. Support production of policy briefs aimed at policy makers to influence the following bills which are currently either with national parliament or the senate.
3. Social protection council bill
4. Older Persons Bill
5. Senior Citizens Care and Protection Bill,
6. Food security bill
7. Support MPs and members of the Senate in drafting and debating the above bills
8. Support in drafting county generic laws on social protection
9. Train Members of County Assembly (MCAs) in policy formulation processes in-order to ensure that social protection is embedded in the county policies.
10. Publish a simplified guide explaining the policy formulation processes for use especially by MCAs
11. Support in drafting of action plans to support implementation of the above legislations
12. Support in the formation of a national level advocacy platform for social protection
13. The engagements will be at the community level in the four counties that HSNP operates in i.e. Wajir, Turkana, Marsabit and Turkana; national level and the Pan Africa region.
6.0 The organisation
The organisation should meet the following criteria:
1. Be registered in Kenya as a National NGO by the NGO coordination Board having met all the requirements
2. Be experienced in policy formulation processes and training for community-based organisations and residents
3. Experience in successfully launching at least three Public Interest Litigation in the last five years (please provide links/references to the cases)
4. Be experienced and have in-house expertise in drafting and lobbying for at least two laws in Kenya (please provide links/references to the cases)
5. Be experienced in engaging with government and citizens at different levels; community, county and national
6. Experience in engaging with regional bodies such as EAC, IGAD
7. Have a presence in Turkana, Mandera, Marsabit and Wajir Counties
HOW TO APPLY:
Interested organisations should send a brief profile of their work and experience in the above sector toGeorge.Kamau@helpage.org by 31st July 2016.