Project: Increasing Youth access to safe abortion services through stigma reduction

Assignment: Conducting desk research to analyze the situation of safe abortion services at the country level to have detailed information on abortion status including unsafe abortion, existing abortion stigma, and utilization of Post Abortion Care services.

Location of Assignment: Kathmandu, Nepal

Type of Contract: Consultancy contract

Open to: Research experts

Deadline for Submitting Application: August 20, 2020

Background

YUWA is a youth-led youth-run organization established in 2009 working to promote youth participation through empowerment and advocacy. With its strong networking, good leadership, and youth-friendly environment, YUWA has concentrated upon holistic youth issues and is especially working on three thematic issues- Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Active Citizenship, and Center for Youth Studies. YUWA’s work centers around advocacy on youth issues on grass root level, national level, and international level. Within a span of 10 years, YUWA has successfully carried out different activities under sexual and reproductive health and rights. 

Yuwa is implementing the project titled Increasing Youth Access to Safe Abortion services through Stigma reduction in Nepal”  funded by Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest and the Hawaiian Islands (PPGNHI), a leader in SRH services and education in the U.S. with 15 years of experience in global programming.

Overview of The Function of The Post

Yuwa is seeking a research consultant to carry out the desk research which will focus on the analysis of the situation at the country level to have detailed information on abortion status including unsafe abortion, existing abortion stigma, and utilization of Post Abortion Care services. 

Rationale 

According to the various studies conducted around Nepal more than 50% of the abortion services are provided illegally and provided by untrained or unapproved providers or induced by the woman herself. Though Safe motherhood and Reproductive Health and Rights Bill 2075 has clearly stated the different conditions where women can have safe abortion legally, still abortion-related stigma is one of the primary factors that places safe, legal and accessible abortion care and services out of reach for individuals.

To have the detailed information on this issue, Yuwa, under the project “Increasing Youth access to safe abortion services through stigma reduction” wants to conduct the desk research which will cover the overall status of the abortion practices in Nepal and stigmas associated with it. So that we could gather all the evidences and work further to reduce these stigma and unsafe abortion practices in different parts of Nepal.

Deliverables

• Overall report and key findings regarding the status of abortion in Nepal including the findings on unsafe abortion, abortion stigma, postabortion care (PAC) services and existing barriers to access safe abortion services especially pertaining to young people. The report is also expected to have local data sources that may not be published (such as data of service delivery, other data from the Ministry of Health and Population and project reports that may not be published).  The key findings must also include key districts with high rates of unsafe abortion, PAC services for complication of unsafe abortion, barriers to safe abortion services and existing abortion stigma.

Roles and Responsibilities 

• Consultant will work closely with the team from Yuwa and Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest and Hawaiian Islands (PPGNHI)
• Consultant for Desk Research will be responsible for undertaking a comprehensive desk review of literatures, data, consultations, and previous efforts that address the abortion related stigma in Nepal

The desk research 

• Consist of a thorough literature review and analysis based on existing data in relation to abortion, abortion stigma(tools of measurement), existing barriers to access safe abortion services, their availability, and the quality of safe abortion services. Abortion-related data on young people will be desired
• Identify key districts with high rates of unsafe abortion and postabortion care (PAC) for complications from unsafe abortion, existing abortion stigma and barriers to access safe abortion services
• Identify and  consult with experts (from civil society, hospitals, and institution providing safe abortion services, government, and other relevant bodies) to develop the content and narrative of the report
• Prepare the draft report and final report within the given timeframe

Essential and Relevant experience

• Master’s degree in a related field (sociology, gender, Public Health, International development or other social science)
• At least 3 years of research experience
• At least 1 year of research experience on the issues related to sexual and reproductive health and rights especially focused on abortion
• Demonstrable experience in statistical data evaluation
•  Excellent oral and written communications in English and Nepali
• Is youth-friendly and has non-discriminatory attitudes towards working with young people