TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE TENDER OF THE STUDY TO ASSESS CHALLENGES AFFECTING ACCESS TO SEXUAL REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH (SRH) AND ISANGE ONE STOP CENTER SERVICES AMONG YOUTH WITH COMPOUNDED VULNERABILITIES IN RWANDA 

1. Summary 

2. NUDOR BACKGROUND

The National Union of the Disability Organizations of Rwanda (NUDOR) was established as a civil society organization in September 2010 by 8 National organizations of Persons with Disabilities. Currently, NUDOR is composed of fifteen (22) National Organizations of Persons with Disabilities.

Through its interventions, NUDOR aims at achieving its vision and mission, which are respectfully “a society where People with Disabilities enjoy equal human rights, opportunities and full participation as other citizens” and “serve as a voice of member organizations to advocate for disability rights, inclusion of all aspects of life and their full and effective engagement in sustainable development programs.”

Our response / strategic objectives: In line to the needs of persons with disabilities and their organizations, as well as the Sustainable Development Goals and the National Strategy for transformation, the following are strategic objectives that will drive our work in the following 5 years to come:

• Strategic objective 1: Advocate for comprehensive inclusive and special Education to ensure equitable access for all children and adults with disabilities in Rwanda.
• Strategic objective 2: Advocate for Accessible, quality and equitable Health Services for persons with disabilities to promote health equity and well-being for all.
• Strategic objective 3: Advocate for increased access to skills development programs, employment opportunities, and appropriate social protection programs for persons with disabilities in Rwanda.
• Strategic objective 4: Advocate for responsive, inclusive, and equitable Laws, policies and practices that address the diverse needs, perspectives, and participation for persons with disabilities.

• Strategic objective 5: Enhance governance structures and foster organizational development initiatives to ensure strategic alignment, operational efficiency, and sustainable growth. 

Cross-thematic areas: Following are cross-thematic areas that inspired the development of our theory of change and the overall strategy: Gender equality; Community based rehabilitation; Advocacy & Diversity.

3. BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT

Network Grant under Amplify Change is a three-year grant designed to address the significant challenges faced by youth with compounded vulnerabilities including those disabilities in accessing and exercising their Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). Beyond Boundaries project builds on the existing efforts of the Make Way program, whose mandate was to advocate for the Availability, Accessibility, Affordability, and Quality (AAAQ) of SRH services through an intersectional lens.

The intersectionality model used under the Make Way program has created greater opportunities for organizations to advance SRHR. Through this approach, we successfully mobilized more than 20 organizations to adopt intersectional practices, opening more space for inclusive and meaningful SRHR-related dialogue. However, several gaps remain. Persistent opposition continues to hinder progress, and strong socio-cultural barriers make it difficult to achieve substantial narrative shifts. Additionally, the policy and legal framework on SRHR has not evolved as expected, partly due to changes within government structures and the shrinking civic space that has limited stakeholder participation. These gaps have been identified as key areas to be addressed in the new project.

The goal is to empower young individuals by providing them with the knowledge, resources, and necessary support to make informed decisions about their sexuality including sexual pleasure, ultimately leading to improved health outcomes and overall well-being.

 Key objectives of this project are: 1) Develop and advocate for an inclusive and holistic CSE curriculum that covers essential topics such as anatomy, reproductive health, consent, relationships, gender identity, and sexual orientation; this include, establish mechanisms to hold educational institutions and policymakers accountable for implementing CSE effectively 2) Influence policy review and enhancement to ensure the SRHR needs of youth with disabilities are adequately supported. 3) Empowering voices and redefining societal norms on sexual reproductive health rights for persons with disabilities. 4) Advocate for and support the development of decentralized, youth- friendly and inclusive sexual and reproductive health services at the community level. These services will be designed to meet the specific sexual health needs and concerns related to sexual pleasure of youth with disabilities.

4. DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTIVITY

Despite national commitments to Universal Health Coverage and providing youth friendly SRH services, many youths with compounded vulnerabilities encounter obstacles related to accessibility, affordability, availability, acceptability, discrimination, inadequate information, stigma, harmful social norms, and limited youth participation in decision making regarding SRHR. Existing evidence often fails to capture the lived experiences of these young people, particularly from an intersectionality perspective.

The Beyond Boundaries Project seeks to conduct a youth led research for generating evidence on the barriers and gaps affecting access to SRH and Isange One Stop center services. The findings will inform advocacy efforts, strengthen community engagement, and support evidence based programming to improve inclusive SRHR services.

This study will be conducted in Five District (Muhanga, Gasabo, Kirehe, Gatsibo, Nyagatare District) where the project will be implemented.

5. OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF THE ASSIGNEMENT.

To assess the gaps and barriers affecting access to quality, inclusive, and youth friendly SRH and Isange One stop center service among Youth with Compounded Vulnerabilities in selected district.

5.1 THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES 

• To examine the capacity of healthcare providers and Isange One Stop Center personnel to deliver youth friendly, disability inclusive, gender responsive and survivor centered services
• To assess the effectiveness of referral pathways and coordination mechanisms between communities, health facilities, Isange One Stop Centers and other relevant service providers in responding to the needs of youth with compounded vulnerabilities
• To explore the experiences, perceptions and satisfaction of youth with compounded vulnerabilities regarding the accessibility, quality, and responsiveness of SRH and Isange One Stop Center services
• To assess availability of Medical and non medical equipment and supplies in SRH and Isange One Stop Center Servies
• To conduct an accessibility audit of SRH facilities and Isange One Stop Centers by assessing the accessibility of infrastructure, equipment, communication and service delivery for youth with compounded vulnerabilities.
• To assess the availability, quality, and use of data on Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services and Isange One Stop Center services to identify gaps in evidence for planning, monitoring, and decision-making.

5.2 EXPECTED RESULTS

• Evidence on the capacity of healthcare providers and Isange One Stop Center personnel to deliver youth friendly services including identified capacity gaps and recommendations for improvement. 
• The effectiveness of referral pathways and coordination mechanisms among communities, health facilities, Isange One Stop Centers, and other service providers is documented, with recommendations developed to strengthen integrated service delivery. 
• The experiences, perceptions, and satisfaction levels of youth with compounded vulnerabilities regarding access to and quality of SRH and Isange One Stop Center services.
• The number of functionality medical and non medical equipment, supplies, and essential commodities for SRH and Isange One Stop Center services.
•  Evidence on physical, communication, environmental, and service delivery barriers affecting youth with compounded vulnerabilities, particularly youth with disabilities. 
•  Disaggregated data of youth with compounded vulnerabilities attending SRH and Isange One Stop Center service
• A policy and legal framework assessment report highlighting gaps affecting inclusive and equitable access to SRH and Isange One Stop Center services, with recommendations for strengthening implementation.

6. METHODOLOGY

Prior to the commencement of data collection, ethical clearance will be obtained from the Rwanda National Ethics Committee. A mixed methods research approach will be employed to comprehensively collect both quantitative and qualitative data required for the study.

• Qualitative data will be collected from youth with compounded vulnerabilities to document their lived experiences, perceptions, and challenges related to accessing Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services and Isange One Stop Center services using interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs).
• Quantitative data will be collected from healthcare providers delivering SRH services and personnel working in Isange One Stop Centers. A structured questionnaire will be administered to assess their knowledge, skills, practices, and capacity in providing Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) services, including youth friendly, disability inclusive, and survivor-centered care.
• A facility audit will be conducted to assess infrastructure accessibility and the availability of equipment, supplies, and resources in SRH service delivery points and Isange One Stop Centers
• A desk review will be conducted to examine the alignment, implementation status, and existing gaps within relevant laws, policies, strategies, and guidelines related to SRH and GBV services, with a focus on accessibility, availability, quality, and inclusiveness for youth with compounded vulnerabilities. Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) will be conducted with relevant stakeholders, including representatives from the Ministry of Health (MoH), Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), and Isange One Stop Centers, to gather insights on policy implementation, service delivery challenges, coordination mechanisms, and opportunities for strengthening inclusive SRH and GBV services
• Secondary data will be collected from the Health Management Information System (HMIS) and other relevant service records to assess the utilization of SRH and Isange One Stop Center services, including service uptake patterns and gaps among youth with compounded vulnerabilities.

7. KEY PARTICIPANTS 

A sample size will be calculated to determine the number of study participants required across the five selected districts. The study will involve participants from Isange One Stop Centers, youth corners, and youth centers. The target participants will include various categories of youth with compounded vulnerabilities as well as those living in rural and/or underserved areas.

The study will also involve healthcare providers, including nurses, midwives, and other service providers working in youth centers, SRH service delivery points, and Isange One Stop Centers. Key informant interviews will be conducted with relevant stakeholders, including representatives from the Ministry of Health (MoH), Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF), and District Directors of Health, to gather insights on policy implementation, service delivery, coordination mechanisms, and existing challenges.

8. TENTANTIVE WORKPLAN AND KEY DELIVERABLES

9. Qualifications and Expertise:

• Having Masters or PHD in Public Health with Background in Nursing, Midwifery or General Medicine
• Demonstrated experience in designing and conducting studies related to SRHR, adolescent and youth, gender equality, or social inclusion.
• Having at least one Ethical Clearance Certificate requested from RNEC Committees (Ministry of Health) from previous works

• Proven ability to design and implement quantitative and/or qualitative studies, including sampling design, tool development, data collection, and analysis.

10. Requirements for this Work

10.1. Mandatory Requirements 

• A signed declaration of capability and availability to perform the assignment within the given timeframe addressed to the NUDOR Executive Secretary
• The proposal must include the consultant/firm’s registration documents (for company)
• Original or a certified copy of the tax clearance certificate (if an applicant is a company)
• The cost in the financial proposal must be all taxes inclusive.

Note: Bids that do not meet the above requirements will not proceed to the next stage of evaluation.

10.2. Technical requirements

10.3 Financial requirements

11. Application process 

The applicants will submit their bids (as mentioned in the requirements for this work), On the top of the big envelop mention the following: The Title: “Study to assess Challenges affecting access to SRH and Isange one stop center services among youth with compounded vulnerabilities in Rwanda.” in one well sealed envelope with a clear description of the tender containing inside 4 copies including:

• 2 copies of technical proposal 
• 2 copies of financial proposal 

These bidding documents will be submitted to the NUDOR office located at KK 37 Avenue, Kagarama, Kicukiro District not later than 17th July 2026 at 13:00 Pm

Done at Kigali, on July 7th, 2026

NSENGIYUMVA Jean Damascene

Executive Secretary