Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Geographical Expertise
Countries Of Relevant Work Experience
Thematic Expertise
References
Timeline
Generic

Halima Abba Ali Zaid

Technical And Advocacy Expert On Gender, Women's Rights, And Sexual And Reproductive Health Rights &Justice
Nairobi

Summary

Ms. Halima Abba Ali Zaid is a Kenyan, a pan-African feminist, and an African scholar with a Master of Science Degree in Education for Sustainability from the London South Bank University in the UK and a bachelor’s degree in development studies from Uganda. She is a program manager with wide expertise working in multi-country programs focusing on youth, women and girls, Gender and sexual reproductive health rights, and social justice issues across the region. She is a seasoned Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights expert with experience working with feminist movements, consortia, networks, and organizations with a focus on institutional strengthening, capacity and development, policies, and integration of SRHR and Gender into programming. She is also a member of Soroptimist International and is passionate about unleashing the power and potential in herself and willing to learn and gain more expertise in the policy and influencing space at the global and multi-national levels.

Overview

18
18
years of professional experience
5
5
Languages

Work History

Gender Focal Point and Gender and Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights Programme Manager

Royal Danish Embassy in Kenya
03.2022 - Current
  • Currently, I report directly to the Governance and Health Team Lead/Political Counsellor
  • In my role, I directly lead and manage a team of consultants related to my portfolio on a need basis and a team of two Danida Primary Health Care Senior Advisors seconded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Denmark to the Ministry of Health and Council of Governors
  • I also manage bilateral agreements and grants with the government of Kenya, the National Treasury, and the Council of Governors worth USD 500 Billion for the Danida Primary Health Care Programme (2020-2025) and a DKK 87Million on Gender and SRHR on accelerating the ICPD+25 Commitments in Kenya
  • Serve as the Embassy’s gender Focal Point and advisor with the overall role of supporting the Embassy’s work on gender, and promoting collaboration across the various portfolios with external partners
  • As a Gender focal point, work across the Embassy to inform the overall political dialogue between Denmark and Kenya and provide support to colleagues and external stakeholders concerning gender and SRHR
  • Provide support, coordination, and technical grant oversight and guidance to Danida Partners while ensuring gender is mainstreamed and integrated within all Danida-funded programs through funding mechanisms, processes, procedures, and structures
  • Provide in-depth technical expertise on Gender to Denmark/Danida priority areas through the use of Human Rights Approaches to various portfolios like; climate change, Civic Rights, gender equality; Health systems strengthening, Primary Health Care, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and its integration into gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response through Accelerate Programme and green sustainable jobs programs
  • Responsible for implementing the development engagement “Accelerate - working towards the three zeros: Strengthened respect for and improved Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights SRHR and decrease in gender-based violence (GBV)”
  • Support the aspects of the development engagement on Civil Society, Democratic Governance, and Human Rights that relate to gender equality, women’s inclusion, political participation, and access to justice
  • Building and actively using relevant networks to take forward the Embassy’s agenda on gender and human rights more broadly, including within government, civil society, development partners, think tanks and research institutions, private sector while identifying opportunities for communication and public diplomacy
  • Participate and represent the Embassy in coordination meetings and other relevant coordination mechanisms and contribute to reporting and responding to requests from the Danish MFA and Embassy senior management as well as to the preparation of various high-level visits
  • Provides support to Danida country engagement work on gender evaluation, risk management, and mitigation framework and reports
  • Contributed to the review and refinement of Ministry of Foreign Affairs-Denmark guidance notes on Gender Equality, Gender Violence, and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and facilitated briefings to the Kenya team and in-country Danida-funded partners
  • Collaborates with other colleagues within the Embassy and the Danish MFA more broadly to ensure strong linkages and synergies between related programs and policy efforts on health, human rights, participation, gender equality, women’s political inclusion, empowerment of socially excluded groups, and access to justice
  • Diplomacy and Advocacy in Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights Participated in the Development of the Kenya Reproductive Health Policy 2022-2032 and ensured Danida-funded SRHR partners collaborate with the government of Kenya Ministry of Health in the development and support of the National Reproductive Health and Rights Policy 2022-2032
  • Currently, supporting the Ministry of Health and Danida partners in the review of the National Adolescents and Youth Reproductive Health Policy and guidelines
  • Collaborating and working closely with the National Council and Population Development in Kenya and UNFPA Kenya on the ICPD+25 Agenda and supporting the government of Kenya in Tracking the ICPD+25 Progress and reports
  • Providing support and strengthening Danida relations and engagements in Kenya with UNWOMEN Kenya with a focus on Gender Equality and Gender Violence through Generation Equality Forum commitments and with UNFPA Kenya on the ICPD +25 commitments towards accelerating the three Zeroes of Zero unmet need for Family Planning, zero maternal deaths and Zero Gender-Based Violence and Harmful and Traditional Practices
  • Contributes to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Denmark hearings on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights issues, LGBTIQ+, Gender Equality, and Women's Rights which helps in pushing for various policies, advocacy, and in developing statements and position papers
  • Actively represents the Embassy in various donor development working groups, Gender round tables related to Denmark’s Priority for example; Gender Development partners and donors working groups; Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights Technical working groups; Gender Based Violence Technical working groups, Development Partners in Health and Development in Kenya working groups and the Ministry of Health development partners working group where I represent Danida Primary Health Care work in Kenya
  • Represents Denmark in various high-level meetings and technical round tables with the government of Kenya about Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights and Gender work
  • Contributes to European Union in Kenya position papers on thematic areas with a focus on Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights, Human Rights, Gender Equality, and LGBTIQ+.

Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Lead

The African Women's Development and Communication Network (FEMNET)
03.2020 - 02.2022
  • In my previous role at FEMNET, I held a senior management position where I reported directly to the Programme Manager/Head of Programmes and indirectly to the Executive Director
  • I worked closely with other departments and programs at FEMNET
  • My responsibilities included supervising Program Officers and Coordinators, such as the Regional Coordinator for Men-to-Men, the Program and Advocacy Officer based in Kenya, the Program Officers based in Mozambique and Niger, the regional consultants for FGM Spot Light Initiative based in Kenya, and Interns who supported SRHR work
  • Provided strategic oversight, technical design, and management of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights programs while ensuring FEMNET SRHR is grounded on “Rights” and echoed by African Feminist Principles
  • Was responsible for the overall implementation of SRHR-approved programs with the role of planning, implementing, personnel management, resource management, monitoring and evaluation, associated stakeholder and partnership relationship management, and timely quality reporting
  • Designed and developed complementary funding proposals for SRHR portfolio worth Euros 1.9 M 2021-2025 ( for FEMNET under We Lead consortium), was part of the main technical contributors for the We Lead proposal led by HIVOS awarded an overall grant of Euros 40.7 Million, Euros 1.5 M 2022-2025 (EU Consortium with Plan UK), and ensured quality project implementation, coordination
  • Contributed to enhancing and fostering of new with new feminist organizations across the region and partners working on SRHR, Family Planning, Family Laws, Maputo Protocol, and Comprehensive Sexuality Education across the and ensured continued capacity development through the provision of external technical support and guiding Feminist principles and approach work towards SRHR related programs
  • Contributed to the development, and evaluation of capacity-building tools and feminist training tools for use by FEMNET members and partners across the continent on Gender Equality, Female Genital Mutilation, and Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights
  • Ensured accountability and delivery of high-impact programs and co-led the implementation of the Resource Mobilization Strategy for the SRHR portfolio
  • Supported FEMNET Secretariat efforts in strengthening the integration of feminist principles into SRHR work across the continent through its partners
  • Facilitating African women’s meaningful and strategic participation in various national, sub-regional, regional, and global spaces and representing FEMNET in different SRHR Policy, advocacy, and influencing spaces
  • Led FEMNET evidence-based advocacy on SRHR and generated advocacy evidence to high impact influencing through contributing to research projects, policy papers, briefs, and opinion pieces
  • Developed key SRHR advocacy roadmap and key spaces essential for influencing change in SRHR in the continent and in the globe
  • Contributed to the development of regular SRHR reports, publications, press releases, and other advocacy or information materials, as necessary.

Technical Performance Manager-Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

Amplify Change Fund
11.2018 - 03.2020
  • I worked under the direct supervision of the Grant Support Team Manager
  • My role required me to collaborate with three other technical performance managers, two grant officers, four fiduciary risk officers, monitoring, evaluation, and learning advisors, and four strategic advisors from various regions
  • As our team was lean, I did not have any team members to supervise
  • Was responsible for the Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Portfolio, grant management, and monitoring of the Amplify Change Fund with a remit to the East Africa region
  • Supported and provided Technical Assistance capacity building, and institutional strengthening for Civil Society Organizations and grassroots organizations for SRHR/Amplify Change Funds while providing performance and risk oversight for a portfolio of SRHR advocacy grants in the East and Southern Africa region
  • Provided technical expertise for grantees
  • Provided oversight of the grant-making process and implementation, including ongoing learning, monitoring, and evaluation of grantees
  • Worked closely with the team of Grants Officers to ensure grants moved efficiently through the grant management cycle, alongside the broader Amplify Change Fund team based in the United Kingdom
  • Provided Technical expertise in advocating for stigma, youth, and gender-based violence of the portfolio
  • Provided ongoing technical expertise to the political and situational analysis of SRHR in Amplify Change Fund target countries and analysis of the relevant portfolio of grants
  • Represented Amplify Change Fund as necessary in national, regional, and global l conferences, and supported trainings, outreaches and learning, and review of progress
  • Supported in the building and development of the Amplify Change Fund East Africa portfolio through MannionDaniels Africa Ltd Office based in Nairobi.

Project Coordinator-Young Adolescents

Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevoelkerung (DSW)
06.2013 - 10.2018
  • I was responsible for overseeing a team of 4 field officers who supported the Young Adolescent Project and NILINDE OVC program
  • Additionally, I managed 2 program officers who worked on the Youth-to-Youth Initiative and Family Planning Budget Advocacy, as well as several interns
  • My direct supervisor was the regional program coordinator
  • Was responsible for the provision of technical leadership, management, and implementation of adolescent and youth SRHR project and ensuring that resources are allocated and used in compliance with contractual requirements, applicable to donor regulations, and appropriate to DSW standards and regulations
  • Ensured there was an effective and efficient development, implementation, and monitoring of adolescent’s SRHR programs while promoting collaboration, networking, and partnerships
  • Influenced and advocated for better policies for adolescents and youth at county, national, and international levels this led to the first development of Family Planning Costed Implementation Plans for Kilifi and Mombasa Counties (2018-2022) and Adolescent and Youth Strategies and Policies for both Kilifi and Mombasa counties in Kenya
  • Supported DSW technical component on Youth and Adolescents component and Health Systems Strengthening through PLAN International led program known as NILINDE in the Kenyan Coast region
  • Represented DSW as a speaker through invitations at the Federal Parliament of Germany (Bundestag) and in both National, regional, and global conferences, especially during the International Conferences on Population and Development and International Conference on Family Planning conferences, International Conference on Aids and STIs in Africa conferences during the European Week of Action for Girls
  • Promoted learning, documenting, and wide sharing of best practices that helped in informing research and promoted scale-ups of adolescents and youth SRHR interventions in the coastal region (Mombasa, Kilifi, and Kwale) in Kenya.

Programme Officer-Monitoring and Evaluation

FANIKISHA Health Institutional Strengthening Project
04.2012 - 05.2013
  • I reported directly to the program manager and did not have any direct supervisory responsibilities
  • Implemented and coordinated the Gender Responsive Programmes and M&E component for ABANTU for Development through its USAID-funded FANIKISHA Health Institutional Strengthening project
  • Integrated FANIKISHA Institutional Strengthening project into the organization's systems, policies, and programs
  • With key responsibilities of mainstreaming gender into policies and programs, mentoring, coaching, and helping Local Implementing Partners (LIPs) strengthen their institutional structures systems
  • Supported the LIPs to integrate and mainstream gender-responsive monitoring and evaluation systems and tools within their organizations, systems while supporting the development of gender-responsive policies within their organizations.

Regional Programme Assistant

Aga Khan Foundation East Africa
01.2011 - 04.2012
  • I reported directly to the Program Administrative Manager and was responsible for supervising the cleaning and kitchen staff
  • Coordinated daily program and administrative activities and served as a liaison between programs, and administrative and logistics departments
  • Supported the preparation of regional work plans, budgets, internal agreements, contracts, and reports
  • Promoted efficiency, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness within the Foundation while ensuring there is harmony between programs, Finance, and administration.

Research Consultant

INSEAD Business School and Johnson &Johnson Global
10.2011 - 10.2011
  • Was a team leader supporting the Global Johnson& Johnson team, INSEAD Business School in conducting Explorative Marketing Health and Nutrition Research in Africa through Aga Khan Foundation East Africa
  • Used Explorative Marketing Health and Nutrition Research in Africa through the use of the Blue Ocean Strategy to develop global maternal Health products.

Research and Administrative Officer

Aga Khan Foundation East Africa
05.2010 - 12.2010
  • I reported directly to the Research and Program Manager and did not have any supervisory responsibilities
  • Supported the implementation of the Early Childhood Development Costing study in Madrasa Pre Schools in Kenya, Uganda in Tanzania (Zanzibar), and Uguja Island
  • Supported the implementation of the scaffolding approach (Reading to Learn) in Madrasa Pre-schools and Early Primary schools in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda while monitoring school transition and enrolment rates from preschools to primary schools.

Young Development Professional in Monitoring Evaluation Research and Learning

Aga Khan Foundation East Africa
09.2009 - 04.2010
  • I reported directly to the regional coordinator for the Coast region and did not have any supervisory responsibilities
  • Assisted in the development/modification /improvement of learning assessment tools to measure pupils’ learning outcomes
  • Supported the implementation of the Reading-to-learn (Scaffolding) Approach in schools while monitoring the education outcomes for young learners in schools.

Project Assistant

Comic Relief Street Children for Victoria Children (HOVIC) Project
06.2007 - 06.2008
  • I had no supervisory roles and reported directly to the project coordinator
  • Supported OVC’s and street children's shelter programs, formal, non-formal, and informal educational activities
  • Supported administration, human resources, and program implementation
  • Supported recruitment and enrolment of street families into education systems and shelter programs.

Administrative and Management Assistant

Civil Society Organizations Network-Kisumu
06.2006 - 06.2007
  • I had no supervisory roles and reported directly to the project coordinator
  • Mapped out stakeholders and networks in the region to help form umbrella organizations
  • Supported the women and youth in developing business plans for their IGAs
  • Trained youths and communities in Business Entrepreneurship Skills
  • Oriented local Implementing Partners on the policy aspect of Civil Society Organizations
  • Supported the youth groups, and women groups in designing concept papers and proposals
  • Organized and coordinated meetings, seminars, and workshops which brought about members from Ethiopia, S
  • America, and S
  • Africa
  • Managed membership issues and identification of development partners for resource mobilization.

Education

MSc in Education for Sustainability -

London South Bank in University, UK

Bachelor's Degree in Development Studies - undefined

Islamic University in Uganda

Skills

Grant Management

undefined

Geographical Expertise

East and Southern Africa

Countries Of Relevant Work Experience

  • East Africa
  • West Africa
  • Southern Africa
  • Europe
  • UK

Thematic Expertise

  • Gender
  • Women's Rights
  • Sexual Reproductive Health Rights and Justice
  • HIV/AIDs and LGBTI inclusion
  • Gender-Based Violence
  • Social Justice
  • Family Laws and Reforms
  • Women’s Economic and Political Empowerment
  • Gender and Governance
  • Social/Feminist Movements
  • Violence Against Women

References

Mr. George Ouma

Tel: 0721316073 / 0738 288 110

Email: georgemauri@gmail.com / geoge.ouma@yahoo.com

Ms. Mwanahamisi Singano,

Tel: +255713707111

Email: mishysingano@gmail.com

Mr. Johnstone Kuya

Tel: +254 20 4288246 | +254 70 0629986

Email: Johnstone.Kuya@minbuza.nl,

Riverside Drive | P.O. Box 41537 | 00100 Nairobi | Kenya

Ms. Sonja Bruning,

Tel: +49 30 65211 1084

Email: Sonja.bruning@gmx.de

Timeline

Gender Focal Point and Gender and Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights Programme Manager

Royal Danish Embassy in Kenya
03.2022 - Current

Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Lead

The African Women's Development and Communication Network (FEMNET)
03.2020 - 02.2022

Technical Performance Manager-Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

Amplify Change Fund
11.2018 - 03.2020

Project Coordinator-Young Adolescents

Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevoelkerung (DSW)
06.2013 - 10.2018

Programme Officer-Monitoring and Evaluation

FANIKISHA Health Institutional Strengthening Project
04.2012 - 05.2013

Research Consultant

INSEAD Business School and Johnson &Johnson Global
10.2011 - 10.2011

Regional Programme Assistant

Aga Khan Foundation East Africa
01.2011 - 04.2012

Research and Administrative Officer

Aga Khan Foundation East Africa
05.2010 - 12.2010

Young Development Professional in Monitoring Evaluation Research and Learning

Aga Khan Foundation East Africa
09.2009 - 04.2010

Project Assistant

Comic Relief Street Children for Victoria Children (HOVIC) Project
06.2007 - 06.2008

Administrative and Management Assistant

Civil Society Organizations Network-Kisumu
06.2006 - 06.2007

MSc in Education for Sustainability -

London South Bank in University, UK

Bachelor's Degree in Development Studies - undefined

Islamic University in Uganda

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Halima Abba Ali ZaidTechnical And Advocacy Expert On Gender, Women's Rights, And Sexual And Reproductive Health Rights &Justice