ToR –Developing ENAB’s Women and Youth Inclusion Strategy

Ethiopian National Association of the Blind (ENAB)

Rights, Inclusion, Empowerment and Strengthening (RISE) Program

Terms of Reference –Women and Youth Inclusion Strategy

Background:

Ethiopian National Association of the Blind (ENAB) is a non-governmental and non-profit making member-based organization founded sixty-six years ago in 1960, with its major objective to advance the respect of the universal human rights, equal opportunities and full participation of blind Ethiopians.

It is the first association of persons with disability in Ethiopia. Currently, the association has more than 17,000 active members and 31 branches that are spread in 7 regions and one administrative city in Ethiopia. In addition, the association has more than 71 active staff and 206 volunteers.

Over the past 65 years, the Ethiopian National Association of the Blind (ENAB) has been dedicated to empowering visually impaired persons, promoting their rights, and advocating for their full inclusion in all aspects of society. Guided by its vision of creating a society where visually impaired individuals are fully integrated, empowered, and valued for their contributions.

Background of the consultancy

Women and youth make up a large part of ENAB’s membership. To encourage women’s participation, ENAB’s by-laws include important provisions such as:

• Representation of women in the General Assembly.
• A minimum of one-third quota in the National Executive Board.
• A minimum of two women out of seven members in the branch committee.

In addition, ENAB has established a Women’s Wing at the national level to promote women’s participation. These efforts show ENAB’s commitment to gender inclusion. However, this structure only exists at the national level, and there is no similar provision for youth participation in leadership or decision-making. While many activities have been carried out to support women and youth, these efforts are not documented as a clear strategy.To address these gaps, ENAB plans to develop a Women and Youth InclusionStrategy.

Objective

The primary objective of this consultancy is to develop a Women and Youth Inclusion Strategy that ensures meaningful representation and participation of women and youth members in ENAB’s governance, leadership, and organizational interventions.

Specifically, the strategy should:

• Increase representation of women and youth in leadership positions at both national and branch levels by introducing clear targets and timelines.
• Integrate gender and youth quotas into ENAB’s organizational by-laws to guarantee equal participation in decision-making processes.
• Establish and strengthen Women and Youth Wings at national and branch levels, with defined leadership structures to serve as platforms for advocacy, and capacity building.
• Promote active participation of women and youth in organizational activities, including program design, implementation, and monitoring.
• Develop a capacity-building framework that includes leadership training, mentorship programs, and advocacy skills development for women and youth members.

Roles and Deliverables of the Consultant

The consultant will lead the process of developing ENAB’s Women and Youth Inclusion Strategy from start to finish. This includes reviewing ENAB’s current by-laws and practices to understand how women and youth are currently represented and identifying gaps that need to be addressed. The consultant will engage with ENAB leadership and branch representatives to gather insights and practical recommendations.

Based on these findings, the consultant will prepare a comprehensive strategy that sets out clear objectives, guiding principles, and actionable steps. Once the draft strategy is prepared, the consultant will present it to ENAB for feedback, make necessary revisions, and deliver the final document in both print-ready and digital formats.

A short presentation summarizing key recommendations and the implementation roadmap will also be required.

Timeframe

The assignment is expected to take approximately 6 weeks, starting in March 2026. The consultant will work closely with ENAB leadership, staff and branch representatives. ENAB will supervise the consultant’s progress and provide timely feedback.

Required Profile and Skills

The consultant should have strong experience in developing strategies that promote gender equality and youth empowerment, preferably within membership-based or disability-focused organizations. A solid understanding of organizational governance.

In addition, the consultant should have excellent analytical and writing skills, with the ability to turn complex ideas into clear, practical strategies.