AFRO-NETS> Call for Proposals on Research and Policy on the Youth

[Anne Pertet <somanet@africaonline.co.ke>]

Call for Proposals on Research and Policy on the Youth
------------------------------------------------------

Call for proposals from Kenya and Uganda

SOMA-Net in collaboration with Sida/SAREC has embarked on an initia-
tive which aims at coming up with best practices associated with be-
haviour change and reduction of HIV infection among the youth by en-
couraging interventions research that take into consideration the so-
cial, political and economic context within which particular actions 
become meaningful. These interventions are culturally sensitive, cost 
effective and sustainable. They illustrate how research can support 
service providers, and decision-makers and convince policy makers on 
the appropriateness of scaling up and instituting these best prac-
tices at national level. This will enable countries move beyond ex-
perimental or pilot activities to programs that cover the entire na-
tion or to few programs of national scope, which have a much greater 
impact on the epidemic than numerous pilot or small projects.

Grants: 
Teams of experienced social science researchers will be in charge of 
the projects. The projects will take the form of interaction between 
researchers, policy makers and implementers. This fosters the produc-
tion of evidence for the policy process and concrete plans for spe-
cific programs. Beside the financial assistance, regional meetings 
will be organized.

Research topics: 
Behaviour Change Communication, sex education in and out of school, 
youth friendly sexual reproductive health services with gender being 
mainstreamed in all of them and specific topic areas identified.

Partnerships with implementing institutions: 
The researchers should form linkages with organizations, which have 
the infrastructure to actually implement new or scale up the current 
interventions such as government programs, non-governmental Organiza-
tions, Faith based Organizations, or Community based organizations. 

The proposal: 
The proposal should contain contact information, project title, pur-
pose and goal of the project, specific objectives, nature of inter-
ventions, methodology - intervention design, variables, measurement, 
detailed instrument, background of the implementing partners and/or 
background of the project to be scaled up, plans for organizing and 
collecting data, expected results (dummy tables), expected outcomes, 
log frame, involvement of the target population and other grass root 
agencies, policy implications, how the results will be used to influ-
ence policy, timelines and budget and budget notes. Brief curriculum 
vitae of all researchers indicating relevant research projects and 
pertinent papers published in peer-reviewed journals. A full descrip-
tion of the financial management, monitoring and evaluation should be 
included. Selection will be based on scientific merit and country 
relevance. All team members and the implementing partner should en-
dorse proposal application

Schedules and contractual assignments: 
The projects will run for three years with possibilities of exten-
sion. The first round of proposals will be from multi-disciplinary 
teams from Kenya and Uganda. Draft proposals should be received by 
15th August 2002. Awards will be announced by 15th September 2002. A 
protocol development workshop to finalize proposals will be held mid 
October 2002. Final proposals will be presented to Sida/SAREC early 
November 2002. The awards will be made early 2003. The preliminary 
assessments or baseline surveys should be completed by end of October 
2003. Research teams will be invited to a regional meeting at the end 
of 2003.

Peer reviewing: 
Proposals and research papers will be peer reviewed by renowned sci-
entists. Those who wish to be considered as peer reviewers should ap-
ply and forward their CVs.

Submissions should be by e-mail.

More information on the program, the evaluation criteria and some 
useful references can be obtained from 
http://www.somanet.org/youthproject.htm

For queries contact: 
Anne Pertet PhD
mailto:somanet@africaonline.co.ke

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