UNESCO invites qualified institutions to apply for an institutional consultancy to develop a supplement to a policy review on the impact of social media platform policies and practices on access to sexuality education content online. The consultancy will also provide guidance to establish linkages between the updated policy review and upcoming empirical research as part of a broader global study. Further details are available in the attached document and below.
I. BACKGROUND
In line with the UNESCO Guidelines for the governance of digital platforms (2023), UNESCO Health and Education (HAE), in collaboration with the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (IITE) and with support from UNESCO Regional Health and Education Teams, is conducting a global multi-phased study to examine the effects of social media platform policies and practices on access to sexuality education and information online. This mixed-methods study explores how social media policies and platform-driven restrictions – such as filtering and moderation – impact content creators and educators, and, in turn, affect young people’s access to high-quality, evidence-based, and inclusive sexuality education online.
The first phase of this study involved a desk review analyzing the policies, community guidelines, and standards of social media platforms related to sexuality education content. This phase resulted in an unpublished draft report with the provisional title “Sexuality Education in the Shadows of Platform Policies: An Analysis of Seven Main Platforms’ Terms Governing Sexuality Education and Gender Expression.”
Since the completion of the policy review report in November 2024, significant industry trends have emerged that may impact its findings. Therefore, UNESCO is seeking an institutional consultancy to develop a supplementary update to the review and to ensure linkages between the policy review and the subsequent empirical research that will be conducted as part of the overall study.
II. OBJECTIVES OF THE WORK
Under the overall supervision of UNESCO Health and Education, the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (IITE), and the UNESCO Almaty Office, the contractor will be responsible for:
- Producing a supplement to the policy review report described in the Background section above and
- Providing guidance to establish clear connections between the policy review and the upcoming empirical research, ensuring coherence within the broader study.
The contractor’s main responsibilities are outlined below:
- Develop a supplement to the unpublished UNESCO report “Sexuality education in the shadows of platform policies: an analysis of seven main platforms’ terms governing sexuality education and gender expression” (provisional title). This includes integrating an analysis of new trend data and revising the existing draft to ensure consistency and coherency.
- Review detailed protocols for empirical qualitative and quantitative research and manage submission of these protocols to an established ethical review body. The protocols will be developed by other researcher teams involved in the overall study. The role of the contractor will be managing the submission process and to act as a liaison between the ethical review board and research teams, providing technical inputs to ensure the protocols respond to the requirements and feedback of the ethical review board.
- Contribute to the research advisory group that provides expert advice, strategic orientation, and quality assurance for the overall study.
III. ORGANIZATION OF THE WORK
The work will be organised and structured as described below.
For the supplement to the policy review report:
The final report will have a maximum length of 50 pages (approximately 320 words per page), written in English. Of these, at least 10 pages (approximately 320 words per page) shall be developed to reflect updated trends and amended policies. In addition, the entire report shall be edited and adjusted to incorporate the updated sections and to ensure overall cohesion and smoothness.
The report will include, at a minimum, the following sections:
- Introduction
- Objectives
- Methodology
- Findings and Discussion
- Recommendations and Conclusion
- Reference List
For the liaison with the ethical review board:
This will involve overseeing the submission of at least two different research protocols to the institutional ethical review board: one protocol for the qualitative study with content developers, and a separate protocol for the quantitative study with content creators.
For the Research advisory group:
Participation in the research advisory group will involve attending at least three online meetings to provide feedback and expert advice on the empirical research. It will also include providing written feedback on key outputs, such as study protocols and draft study reports.
All works shall follow the UNESCO Style Manual for English: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001418/141812e.pdf
As per Article XII.6 of the General Terms and Conditions of the present contract, the author shall provide UNESCO with written evidence of permission to reproduce or otherwise use texts, graphs, tables and other third party materials to be included into the Work and for which he/she is not the copyright holder, using the Permission Consent Form attached to the present contract.
IV. TIMELINE AND DELIVERABLES
D1. Submission of qualitative and quantitative research protocols to an established ethical review board: by 20 May 2025
D2. First draft of supplement to the policy review report: 27 June 2025
D3. Final draft of supplement to the policy review report, incorporating up to two rounds of feedback from UNESCO and the Research Advisory Group: 18 July 2025
D4. First draft of the updated overall policy review report: 31 July 2025
D5. Finalized overall report, incorporating up to two rounds of feedback from UNESCO and the Research Advisory Group: 22 August 2025
D6. Participation in at least three online meetings of the Research Advisory Group over the period of May-August 2025 and submission of written feedback using track changes on key outputs of the empirical studies, such as study protocols and draft study reports.
The consultancy will take place from May to August 2025. Location: Remote
V. INSTITUTION PROFILE
Organizational Experience:
- Proven expertise in digital policy analysis, demonstrated through a track record of institutional assessments and evaluations of platform policies, community guidelines, and standards.
- Deep understanding of comprehensive sexuality education, gender, particularly within digital spaces.
- Demonstrated experience in conducting research and analysis related to online content policies, digital governance, and digital censorship.
- Broad understanding of global social media trends, usage statistics, and regional differences.
- Strong legal and ethical awareness regarding online content, including privacy, safety, and freedom of expression.
- Proven experience in managing submissions of research protocols to ethical review boards.
Qualifications:
- The institution should demonstrate expertise through its team members, with at least one expert holding a minimum of a Master’s degree in digital media policy, internet governance, law, gender studies, social sciences, public policy, or related fields. A Ph.D. or equivalent advanced degree among key personnel is considered an advantage.
Technical Capacity:
- Demonstrated ability to produce high-quality written reports and technical documentation.
- Strong policy analysis skills to evaluate the impact of platform policies on access to and quality of educational and sexuality-related content.
- Proficiency in using digital tools and social media platforms for data collection, analysis, and reporting.
Sensitivity and Ethical Considerations:
- Demonstrated institutional commitment to gender equality, diversity, and cultural sensitivity, particularly when addressing sensitive and rights-based topics.
- Adherence to ethical research standards and principles across the institution’s operations.
Languages:
- At least one lead expert assigned to the project must have excellent written and oral proficiency in English (mandatory).
- Proficiency in at least one other official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish) among the project team is considered an asset.
VI. APPLICATION PROCESS
Qualified institutions are invited to submit their applications, including the following:
- A cover letter outlining the institution’s suitability and addressing the selection criteria.
- Profiles (CVs) of at least one key expert who would be assigned to the project, clearly indicating their relevant qualifications and experience.
- Samples of relevant previous work (e.g., policy reviews, research studies, evaluation reports).
- A financial proposal, indicating the breakdown of costs (professional fees, administrative costs, etc.).
Applications should be sent to Ms. Yulia Plakhutina at y.plakhutina@unesco.org with a copy to Ms. Dinara Tuyakova at d.tuyakova@unesco.org by 12 May 2025.
Please indicate “Institutional consultancy application – Supplement to policy review” in the subject line.
UNESCO reserves the right to contact only short-listed institutions after the closure of the call.