COMESA aims to achieve sustainable economic and social progress in all Member States through increased regional economic cooperation and integration in all fields of development, particularly in trade, customs, and monetary affairs. The COMESA Treaty under Articles 154 and 155 acknowledges the role of women in the socio-economic transformation, development, and sustainable economic growth in the region. It also recognizes the importance of impartial treatment of women and highlights the different needs, concerns, and interests of women that should be integrated into all COMESA programs and projects. This is also translated into the COMESA Gender Policy (2016) which guides the work on the promotion of gender equality and women empowerment in the COMESA region.
Furthermore, the Treaty emphasizes that Member States shall take action to narrow the gender gaps and facilitate gender main streaming for meaningful participation of women in regional integration and social transformation and development. The COMESA Gender Policy notes that although progress has been achieved towards COMESA regional economic integration, evidence still reveals that participation by women, youth and people with disabilities in intra-regional trade and investment has been sub-optimal (COMESA, 2016).
2.0 OBJECTIVE OF THE ASSIGNMENT
The COMESA secretariat is planning to acquire the services of a consultant for the development of the COMESA social inclusion strategy for indigenous peoples/ Sub-saharan African historically underserved traditional local communities, women, youth, minority clans and people with disability. The strategy will identify barriers to participation, propose actionable steps for inclusion, create opportunities for engagement and provide a framework for the effective implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of inclusion efforts across all COMESA initiatives. The following are some of the objectives:
- Develop a Social Inclusion Strategy to guarantee the inclusion of Indigenous people, women, youth, minority clans, and people with disabilities in all activities and projects implemented by COMESA.
- Ensure these groups have equitable access to resources, opportunities, and benefits from regional development programs.
- Identify and address systemic barriers to their participation and inclusion in key decision-making processes and implementation stages.
- Establish a monitoring and evaluation framework to track progress and ensure the accountability of inclusion initiatives.
Full detailed TORs may be downloaded in English from the following link below.
Or can be obtained from the COMESA Secretariat on request using the email provided below:
Attn: Mr. Silver Mwesigwa
Head of Procurement
Email: procurement@comesa.int