PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF NIGERIA

Strengthening Health Systems for Integrated & Transformative SRHR (SHIFTS) Project

Engagement of Facilitator/Consultant

for Gender-Transformative SRHR Capacity Building Training (ToT and Step-Down)

TERMS OF REFERENCE

1. Background and Context

The Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN) is a leading Nigerian non-governmental organisation and a member association of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF). PPFN has over six decades of experience in providing and advocating for comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services, with a mandate to ensure universal access to quality, rights-based, and gender-responsive reproductive healthcare for all Nigerians, particularly underserved and marginalised populations.

PPFN is implementing the Strengthening Health Systems for Integrated and Transformative SRHR (SHIFTS) project, a 7-year initiative funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC). The project works across six Nigerian states and is anchored on a gender-transformative approach that goes beyond gender sensitivity to actively challenge and transform harmful gender norms, power inequalities, and structural barriers that undermine SRHR outcomes. The project targets healthcare providers, community health workers (CHWs), community gatekeepers, and health system actors as critical change agents in achieving transformative SRHR outcomes.

PPFN therefore seeks to engage a qualified and experienced Facilitator/Consultant to anchor a structured capacity-building programme using a Training of Trainers (ToT) cascade model. In Phase One, the consultant will train a cohort of State Master Trainers drawn from the SHIFTS project states. These Master Trainers will subsequently facilitate step-down training for frontline healthcare providers and CHWs across health facilities and community touchpoints. This cascaded approach is designed to maximise reach, build sustainable in-country facilitation capacity, and ensure the institutionalisation of gender-transformative SRHR competencies within the health workforce.

2. Objectives of the Assignment

The overall objective of this consultancy is to design and facilitate a high-quality, participatory, and gender-transformative SRHR training programme for healthcare providers and community health workers in SHIFTS project states. The specific objectives are to:

1. Review existing training materials, national SRHR guidelines, and relevant protocols to inform the development of context-specific and evidence-based training content.
2. Develop or adapt a comprehensive gender-transformative SRHR training curriculum and accompanying facilitation materials, participant handbooks, job aids, and assessment tools for both the ToT and step-down training components.
3. Facilitate Training of Trainers (ToT) for State Master Trainers from SHIFTS project states, building their SRHR content knowledge, facilitation competencies, and gender-transformative practice.
4. Provide technical guidance, coaching, and supportive supervision to State Master Trainers as they deliver step-down training to healthcare providers across SHIFTS project states.
5. Conduct pre- and post-training knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) assessments and produce a comprehensive training report documenting results, lessons learned, and recommendations for PPFN.

3. Scope of Work and Key Activities

The assignment is structured across four phases as described below.

3.1 Phase I — Inception, Review, and Training Design

• Participate in an inception meeting with PPFN SHIFTS programme team to align on expectations, scope, schedule, and quality standards.
• Conduct a desk review of project documents, national SRHR policies and clinical guidelines, and international frameworks.
• Develop or adapt a comprehensive SRHR training curriculum and facilitation package for the ToT, covering core thematic areas including (but not limited to):
• Foundations of gender-transformative approaches in SRHR — understanding gender, power, and social norms
• Human rights-based approaches (HRBA) to SRHR: rights, duties, accountability
• Comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services across the life course
• Family planning: rights-based counselling, method mix, informed consent, and client-centred care
• Safe and post-abortion care within Nigeria’s legal and policy framework
• Prevention, diagnosis, and management of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
• Gender-based violence (GBV): prevention, clinical management of survivors, and referral pathways
• SRHR for adolescents and young people — SRH rights, contraception, and youth-friendly services
• SRHR for marginalised populations: persons with disabilities, IDPs, sex workers, and other vulnerable groups
• SRHR in humanitarian and crisis settings — Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP)
• Community health worker roles in SRHR promotion, demand creation, and referral
• Principles of adult learning, participatory facilitation, and ToT methodology
• Develop facilitator guides, PowerPoint presentations, case studies, role play scenarios, job aids, and pre/post assessment tools.
• Submit all training materials to PPFN SHIFTS team for review, feedback, and validation at least ten (10) working days before training commencement.
• Revise as necessary following PPFN review.

3.2 Phase II — Training of Trainers (ToT) for State Master Trainers

• Facilitate a multi-day residential ToT for State Master Trainers nominated by SHIFTS project states.
• Employ participatory and experiential adult learning methodologies throughout the ToT, including plenary discussions, small group work, case studies, role plays, values clarification and attitude transformation (VCAT) exercises, skills-based practice, and peer learning.
• Facilitate explicit VCAT exercises to address provider bias, stigma, moral judgement, and attitudinal barriers to quality SRHR care for all clients, including marginalised groups.
• Build Master Trainers’ technical SRHR content knowledge and their capacity to facilitate gender-transformative SRHR training effectively, confidently, and inclusively.
• Administer pre-training and post-training KAP assessments to all Master Trainers and analyse results.
• Develop, with participants, state-level Step-Down Training Action Plans specifying schedule, target healthcare providers and CHWs, venues, logistics, and support needs.

3.3 Phase III — Step-Down Training Support and Quality Assurance

• Review and validate all step-down training materials adapted by Master Trainers from the ToT curriculum for their respective state contexts.
• Provide structured pre-training coaching and orientation to Master Trainers prior to their first step-down sessions.
• Conduct supportive supervision visits to step-down training sessions across SHIFTS project states to monitor facilitation quality, content fidelity, learner engagement, and adherence to gender-transformative and rights-based principles.
• Provide structured real-time and post-session feedback and mentoring to Master Trainers to strengthen their facilitation competencies.
• Support PPFN SHIFTS team to administer KAP assessments with step-down training participants (healthcare providers and CHWs) and compile assessment data.
• Flag and help address any challenges, gaps, or quality concerns arising during step-down training.

3.4 Phase IV — Reporting, Documentation, and Knowledge Sharing

• Compile and analyse pre/post assessment data for both the ToT and step-down training phases.
• Produce a comprehensive Final Training Report covering programme summary, participant profiles and reach, KAP assessment results and analysis, process documentation, lessons learned, challenges, and recommendations for PPFN/SHIFTS.
• Submit all training curricula, materials, datasets, and tools to PPFN in editable formats (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) as project assets.
• Participate in a closing debrief and knowledge-sharing session with PPFN SHIFTS management and technical team.

4. Training Approach and Methodology

The training shall be anchored on the following approaches and principles, all of which are central to the PPFN/SHIFTS project design:

• Gender-Transformative Approach (GTA): The training will go beyond gender awareness and sensitivity to actively examine, challenge, and transform harmful gender norms, unequal power dynamics, and structural inequalities that restrict SRHR access and quality. Facilitation methods will model and promote equitable gender relations in healthcare settings.
• Training of Trainers (ToT) Cascade Model: A two-tier model building State Master Trainers who subsequently deliver step-down training to frontline providers and CHWs. This approach maximises reach, builds sustainable in-state facilitation capacity, and supports the institutionalisation of SRHR competencies within the SHIFTS project states.
• Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA): All content and processes will be grounded in the right to health, non-discrimination, bodily autonomy, informed consent, confidentiality, access to information, and community participation, drawing from international human rights instruments and Nigerian national frameworks.
• Values Clarification and Attitude Transformation (VCAT): Dedicated exercises will be embedded throughout to help providers reflect on and transform personal values, biases, and judgements that affect service quality, particularly in relation to marginalised and stigmatised populations.
• Adult Learning Principles (Andragogy): Interactive, experiential, and competency-based facilitation methods will be used throughout, including case studies, skills demonstrations, role plays, peer learning, and structured reflection.
• Intersectionality and Inclusion: The curriculum will explicitly address how overlapping dimensions of identity, gender, age, disability, displacement, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, and others, shape SRHR experiences, barriers, and service needs.
• Humanitarian SRHR Integration: Where relevant, the training will integrate crisis-specific SRHR content including the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP), Sphere Standards, and IASC SRH in Humanitarian Action guidelines.
• Continuous Quality Assurance: KAP assessments, participant feedback tools, and supervisory observation checklists will be used at multiple points to monitor quality, track outcomes, and generate evidence for programme learning.

5. Deliverables and Payment Schedule

6. Duration and Estimated Level of Effort

The assignment is expected to span approximately 40 working days over a period of 2 months, disaggregated as follows:

7. Required Qualifications and Experience

7.1 Education

• Advanced degree (Master’s level or above) in Public Health, Medicine, Nursing or Midwifery, Gender Studies, Social Sciences, Human Rights, or a closely related field.
• Specialised training or certification in SRHR, GBV, adolescent sexual and reproductive health, or adult learning and facilitation is an added advantage.

7.2 Professional Experience

• A minimum of ten (10) years of progressive professional experience in SRHR programme design, technical capacity building, and/or service delivery strengthening.
• Demonstrated and verifiable expertise in gender-transformative approaches (GTA) and human rights-based approaches (HRBA) to SRHR programming and service delivery.
• Proven experience in designing and facilitating Training of Trainers (ToT) programmes specifically for health system actors, ideally in Nigeria or comparable Sub-Saharan African contexts.
• Strong track record of developing high-quality SRHR training curricula, facilitation guides, participant materials, and job aids, including for diverse and marginalised populations.
• Demonstrable experience facilitating Values Clarification and Attitude Transformation (VCAT) sessions with healthcare providers.
• Solid experience in SRHR programming for marginalised and vulnerable groups, including adolescents and young people, people with disabilities, IDPs, and others facing intersecting barriers.
• Experience with SRHR in humanitarian and crisis settings, including knowledge of the MISP in Humanitarian Action guidelines, is desirable.
• Prior experience working with PPFN, IPPF member associations, Global Affairs Canada-funded projects, or comparable international SRHR programmes is an advantage.
• Experience in designing and administering KAP assessments and producing evidence-based programme evaluation reports.

8. Supervision and Working Arrangements

The Facilitator/Consultant will work under the direct supervision of the SHIFTS Project Manager and in close technical collaboration with the IPPF/PPFN SRHR/Gender Technical Team. The following working arrangements shall apply:

• The consultant will participate in regular check-in meetings with the project team throughout the assignment.
• All deliverables must be reviewed and formally approved by PPFN before the corresponding payment instalment is processed.
• The consultant is responsible for their own professional indemnity arrangements and must sign and comply with PPFN’s Code of Conduct, Safeguarding Policy, and Data Protection and Confidentiality guidelines before commencing work.
• Travel, accommodation, and per diem for in-person activities in the SHIFTS project states will be arranged in accordance with PPFN’s travel policy.
• PPFN will provide logistical support for training activities including venue, training materials, and participant coordination, in collaboration with state-level SHIFTS project teams.
• All training materials, curricula, datasets, reports, and other intellectual outputs produced under this assignment shall remain the sole property of PPFN and must not be shared, published, or used without PPFN’s prior written consent.

9. Ethical Considerations and Safeguarding

This assignment involves direct engagement with healthcare providers, community health workers, and indirectly with vulnerable populations including adolescents, GBV survivors, persons with disabilities, and marginalised community members. The following non-negotiable standards apply:

• The consultant must read, sign, and strictly adhere to PPFN’s Safeguarding Policy before the commencement of any activities under this assignment.
• A Do-No-Harm principle must guide all aspects of training design, facilitation, and interaction with participants and communities.
• Informed consent must be obtained from all training participants prior to any data collection, photography, or recording of sessions.
• Participant confidentiality and data privacy must be rigorously maintained; personal data collected under this assignment may only be used for purposes explicitly agreed with PPFN.
• Training content, case studies, and discussions must be facilitated with sensitivity and must not cause re-traumatisation of participants, particularly those who may have personal experience of GBV, stigma, or reproductive rights violations.
• The consultant must model inclusive, non-discriminatory, and rights-affirming conduct throughout all interactions, consistent with the gender-transformative spirit of the SHIFTS project.
• Any safeguarding concern, incident, or disclosure arising during the assignment must be reported immediately through PPFN’s designated safeguarding reporting channels.

10. Application Requirements

Interested and qualified individuals or consulting firms are invited to submit the following documents to PPFN:

1. Technical and Financial Proposal: demonstrating the applicant’s understanding of the assignment, proposed training approach and methodology, preliminary work plan with timeline, and relevant experience with comparable assignments. Proposals should explicitly describe the applicant’s approach to gender-transformative facilitation and VCAT. The proposal must state daily rate for the assignment.
2. Curriculum Vitae: current and detailed CV(s) of the lead consultant and any proposed co-facilitators or team members, clearly highlighting qualifications and directly relevant SRHR training experience (maximum 5 pages per CV).

All applications should be submitted electronically to: shifts@ppfn.org with the subject line: Application: SRHR Training Facilitator/Consultant

Applications must be received no later than close of business on September 4, 2026.

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for further assessment.

11. General Terms and Conditions

• PPFN reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals at any stage of the procurement process without providing reasons and without incurring any obligation to affected applicants.
• Submission of a proposal does not obligate PPFN to award a contract to the applicant.
• This ToR constitutes an invitation to tender and does not represent an offer of employment. The successful applicant will be engaged as an independent contractor under a service agreement governed by Nigerian law.
• All information shared by PPFN with applicants in connection with this assignment is confidential and must not be disclosed to any third party.
• The consultant must disclose and shall not engage in any activity that constitutes a conflict of interest with this assignment, PPFN, or the SHIFTS project.
• This assignment is financed under a Global Affairs Canada-funded project and is subject to applicable GAC procurement, transparency, and accountability requirements.
• Any modification to the scope of work, deliverables, or timelines must be agreed upon in writing and signed by both parties before implementation.
• The consultant must not engage sub-contractors or additional personnel without prior written approval from PPFN.