Consultant to Develop Foundational Documents and Strategic Plan for the Youth Coalition

Commissioned by: Equality Now
Location: Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco, Iraq, Algeria (with remote work as needed)

Duration: Short-term consultancy (timeline to be confirmed)

Proposed Strategy Period: 3 years (2027–2029)

1. Background and Context

Equality Now is building a Regional Youth Coalition on Gender Equality and Legal Reform, grounded in feminist, human rights, and movement-building principles. The coalition will emerge from a phased youth engagement process initiated through a foundational training held in May 2026.

The training was designed to build shared skills, values, and political analysis among youth affiliated with Equality Now partner organizations, while identifying potential youth leaders and shaping the early culture of the coalition. By mid-2026, a core group of committed youth actors will have been identified, creating the conditions for a more structured and strategic coalition to take shape.

To support this next phase, Equality Now plans to engage a consultant to develop foundational coalition documents, including a Strategic Plan that will articulate the coalition’s vision, priorities, governance principles, and strategic interventions. This Strategic Plan will be validated during an enhanced youth training planned during the last quarter of 2026, ensuring youth ownership, relevance, and alignment with lived realities.

2. Purpose of the Consultancy

The purpose of this consultancy is to support the development of a clear, realistic, and forward-looking strategic framework for the Youth Coalition that:

• Consolidates learning and momentum from the May 2026 training
• Translates youth priorities into a coherent strategic direction
• Positions the coalition as a credible actor on gender equality and legal reform in Egypt and the region
• Identifies priority intervention areas for 2027 and beyond
• Strengthens sustainability, accountability, and collective leadership

3. Key Deliverables

The consultant will be expected to deliver:

1. A Strategic Plan (3 years) for the Regional Youth Coalition started in Egypt
2. A concise Conceptual Framework / Theory of Change document
3. Draft foundational coalition documents (e.g., context analysis, stakeholder mapping, SWOT analysis, mission, vision, values, governance principles)
4. A validation workshop report summarizing feedback and final adjustments

4. Duration and Timeline

The consultancy is expected to take place over a defined period of 4 months, with key milestones aligned to:

• Post-May 2026 training outputs
• Draft delivery ahead of the Q4 of 2026 advanced training
• Finalization following validation by November 30, 2026. 

5. Consultant Profile and Qualifications

The ideal consultant will have:

• Proven experience in movement-building, coalition development, or youth-led advocacy
• Strong understanding of gender equality and human rights, particularly in the MENA or Egyptian context
• Experience developing strategic plans for civil society networks or coalitions
• Demonstrated ability to facilitate participatory and youth-centered processes
• Strong analytical and writing skills
• Familiarity with legal advocacy and human rights-based approaches is a strong asset

6. Management and Coordination

The consultant will work closely with Equality Now’s designated focal point and relevant regional and country staff. The consultant will work closely with and report to Equality Now’s MENA Regional Representative. The consultant is expected to maintain regular, structured, and consultative meetings with Equality Now throughout the assignment, including during key analytical and drafting phases. Draft deliverables will be shared for feedback, and Equality Now’s comments will be systematically incorporated prior to finalization.

Equality Now will provide access to relevant documents, facilitate introductions, and support coordination with youth participants as appropriate.

7. Ethical and Safeguarding Considerations

All work under this consultancy must adhere to Equality Now’s safeguarding, SEAH, and ethical standards. The consultant is expected to apply survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and do-no-harm principles throughout the assignment.

8. Application Process

Interested consultants will be invited to submit:

• A brief technical proposal outlining their approach
• A financial proposal
• A CV or profile highlighting relevant experience
• Samples of similar work (where available)

Deadline for submission of applications is 7 July, 2026.