Terms of Reference (ToR) for Institutional Contract Title Provide technical support to equip children and adolescents with “Survival Swimming Skills” (SwimSafe) training in selected locations of the climate-affected and emergency-prone districts in Bangladesh. Purpose Equip children and adolescents with survival swimming skills (SwimSafe training) and raise awareness of water-related hazards.   Increase awareness among children and caregivers about the health benefits of swimming, including improved stamina, muscle strength, cardiovascular fitness, and reduced mental stress.   Empower children, adolescents, and communities to prevent harmful social and traditional practices such as child marriage, child labor, and violence against children and women, particularly in climate-affected and emergency-prone districts. Location Name of UNICEF Zones Proposed disaster-prone district Proposed Upazilas under the district Proposed number of children will receive swimming lessons Sylhet Sylhet Sadar/Osmani Nagar 2,600 Habiganj Lakhai/Sadar 2,600 Chattogram Noakhali Subornochor 2,600 Cox’s Bazar Ukhia/Ramu 2,600 Mymensingh Netrokona Atpara/Sadar 2,500 Barishal Bhola Burhanuddin 2,500 Dhaka Dhaka city DSCC/DNCC 1000 Total 16,400 N.B. The districts to be prioritized may vary based on vulnerability mapping. Estimated Duration October 2025- Aprill 2026   Reporting to Technical Supervisor of this assignment First supervisor: Child Protection Manager, Child Protection Section, UNICEF, Dhaka and Second supervisor: Child Protection Specialist, Child Protection Section, UNICEF Dhaka   Background and rationale: Bangladesh is a low-lying, riverine country in South Asia, bordered by the Bay of Bengal. With a population density among the highest in the world, it is home to more than 161 million people, of whom approximately 68 million are children and adolescents—representing 42.4 percent of the total population. The demographic structure of the country is therefore very young, which has critical implications for health, education, and development planning. According to the Asian Development Bank (2013), Bangladesh is among the most disaster-prone countries in the world. An estimated 97.1 percent of its land area and 97.7 percent of its population are at risk of multiple hazards. The geographical and environmental context further exacerbates this vulnerability. Large sections of the population live near natural and man-made water bodies such as ponds, ditches, rivers, canals, haors, and marshlands. These water sources are deeply integrated into daily life, serving as essential resources for household chores, agriculture, fishing, and transportation. The country’s tropical monsoon climate is marked by intense seasonal rainfall, which has become increasingly erratic and severe due to climate change and global warming. As a result, recurrent flooding, cyclones, tornadoes, and other extreme weather events are common, often leading to large-scale displacement, homelessness, injuries, adverse health outcomes, and premature deaths, including deaths due to drowning. Drowning has emerged as one of the most pressing public health concerns in Bangladesh. According to the Bangladesh Health and Injury Survey 2023, the overall fatal drowning rate among children is estimated at 25.0 per 100,000 children. Each year, more than 14,269 children and adolescents lose their lives to drowning equivalent to 39 deaths every single day. This makes drowning the leading cause of death among young children in Bangladesh, surpassing many other preventable causes. The burden of drowning, however, is not evenly distributed across the country. Division-wise analyses highlight significant variations in drowning mortality. The highest drowning rates among children were recorded in the Barisal Division, with 59.3 deaths per 100,000 children, indicating both geographic and socio-environmental disparities in risk. Name of the Division Number of drownings Number of Population Rate per 100,000 population Barishal 5 8431 59.3 Chattogram 14 30206 46.3 Dhaka 1 38581 2.6 Khulna 2 15146 13.2 Mymensingh 4 10915 36.6 Rajshahi 3 18782 16.0 Rangpur 5 16274 30.7 Sylhet 3 9945 30.2 Total 37 148280 25.0          * Source Bangladesh Health and Injury Survey 2023 Drowning remains a silent epidemic in Bangladesh, disproportionately affecting children and adolescents, particularly in rural communities. Evidence shows that nearly 75% of drowning deaths occur in natural water bodies—ponds, ditches, rivers, and lakes—located within 20 meters of children’s homes. Each year, an estimated 78,000 children and adolescents experience near-drowning incidents, underscoring both the scale and urgency of the problem. Bangladesh’s geography, with its abundance of natural water bodies, provides an environment where children commonly learn to swim. However, most do so informally—taught by parents, siblings, or peers—often without supervision, structured methods, or safety measures. In the absence of trained instructors, safe environments, and lifeguards, these natural water bodies frequently become sites of preventable injury and death. Child drowning has thus emerged as a major yet underrecognized public health crisis. Without urgent, structured interventions, thousands of young people will continue to be lost every year. This calls for systematic, community-based programs that reduce children’s vulnerability and strengthen protective measures in flood-prone and disaster-affected areas. This initiative will equip children with essential survival swimming and water safety skills while empowering families and communities with life-saving knowledge. 2. Objectives, Purpose, and Expected Results 2.1 Objectives: Survival Swimming Training (SwimSafe) to children, adolescents and youth in selected locations  Children including adolescents and youths will learn life skills to act as agents of social change against harmful social practices such as child marriage, child abuse, child trafficking, HIV/AIDS, Gender Based Violence (GBV), drug addiction etc. Increase awareness among parents and community people on the benefits of SwimSafe including prevention of harmful practices and mental stress etc. 2.2 Purpose: To equip children and adolescents with Survival Swimming Skills (SwimSafe training) and empower them on various water-related hazards including awareness building of parents and community people as well as all forms of violence against children and harmful practices in Bangladesh. 2.3 Expected Results: A total of 16,400 children, adolescents, and youths (50% girls) successfully completed 12 sessions on Survival Swimming Skills and receive the “I Can Swim” certificates, including 1,000 adolescents and youths trained through community contributions by LTAs, with technical guidance from District Sports Officers (DSOs) under the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS). 150 Community Swimming Instructors (CSIs) (70% women) well equipped to train children, adolescents, and youths (18+ years) across all selected locations. 200 First Responders (FRs) capable of providing immediate first aid for drowning and related emergencies. 30,000 peer leaders, parents, community members, and caregivers gained knowledge through awareness sessions on drowning prevention, safe water practices, and the prevention of harmful practices in disaster-prone areas. 75 training ponds (including one in Dhaka) will be established to train the 16,400 target participants. A national movement and implementation report on drowning prevention is available. Drowning Prevention Day Observation report conducted through multiple ministries submitted. Two Human-Interest Stories (HISs) published for mass population. Promotional materials (leaflets, T-shirts, IEC materials) reports on distributi0n of promotional (IEC) materials to participants and parents, community members, and caregivers. Database: A comprehensive database of 16,400 “I can Swim” certified participants, 150 CSIs, 200 FRs, and 30,000 parents/community members submitted to UNICEF and MoYS by LTA. Completion report: A completion report submitted with photographs, media coverage reports including all required documentation. 3. Description of assignment: The Swim Safe is a comprehensive programme that includes as follows: Selection of children, adolescents and youths: Identify 16,400 children including adolescents and youths who are non-swimmers or those not meeting survival criteria (25m swimming, 30s treading water, rescue skills) through community mapping for enrollment in the SwimSafe programme. Selection of districts and Upazilas: Exclude locations where SwimSafe was implemented by LTA (2022–2024) to avoid duplication; prioritize new areas for universal coverage. Identify and modify 75 ponds including one in Dhaka: Prepare 75 ponds to train 16,400 target audience Develop and print training manual: Use standardized SwimSafe modules and methods for all sessions. First responder training: Provide certified first aid and CPR training to 150 youths (18+ years and 70% women). CSI training: Provide training to 200 young people as Community Swimming Instructors. Community contribution: Introducing community contributions to train second layer target audience (at least 1,000 children including adolescents) through the CSIs / youth volunteers as part of sustainability approach. Inclusion of children with disabilities (CwDs): Enroll at least 100 children/adolescents with physical disabilities, with vendors experienced in disability-inclusive swimming training. Group-based training: Conduct training in batches, completing 21 steps within 12 days. Community awareness: Conduct awareness sessions with children, adolescents, parents and communities on life skills and harmful practices (e.g., drowning prevention, child marriage, abuse, trafficking, GBV, drug addiction, HIV/AIDS, dengue). Safeguarding policy: Ensure all caregivers and staff adopt safeguarding measures, with mandatory orientation on child safeguarding before engaging in children including adolescents and youths. Certification: Award certificates to all 16,400 children including adolescents and youths after the swim Safe programme. National movement and a separate event on Drowning Prevention Day: Conduct national movement jointly with UNICEF and organize a separate event to observe Drowning Prevention Day 2025 involving multiple ministries. Documentation: Produce 2 Human Interest Stories for advocacy and visibility and completion report. 4. Table 1: Description of the assignment in this ToR Tasks Deliverables Timeframe (Oct 2025– May 2026) Prepare an inception report based on the ToR and submit along with timeframe, locations, plans, methodology for the overall assignment mentioning the target population, i.e., children, adolescents, parents and community people and caregivers. Inception report with specific timeframe and locations.                                 32 weeks Provide SwimSafe to 16,400 children and adolescents (50% girls) in the areas mentioned including 100 C/AwD through coordinating with the DSOs under MoYS.  Reports on training of 16,400 children and adolescents Identify locations to modify 75 ponds including one on Dhaka (15 pond / location) Reports on 75 modified ponds   Develop 150 First Responders (FRs) to provide emergency first-aid support. Training reports on SwimSafe and child safeguarding Develop 200 CSIs in all the selected locations to train 16,400 children including adolescents and youths with special focus on CwDs. As above Conduct awareness sessions to reach 30,000 Peer Leaders and youths, parents, community people including caregivers oriented on different drowning prevention and related harmful practices. Reports on awareness sessions Design and implement one National Movement including one separate event on Drowning Prevention Day Observation with multiple ministries. National campaign and an event report Develop and distribute promotional materials (leaflets, T-shirts, IEC materials) to all participants and community people and two HISs Distribution of IEC materials and two HIS published Develop and submit database of 16,400 certified children, 150 CSIs, 200 FRs and 30,000 parents Database of all target audience available Completion report submitted with photographs, coverage reports, and all required documentation Completion reports 5. Deliverables: 16,400 children, adolescents and youths (50% girls) received “I can Swim” certificate after successfully receiving 12-sessions on Survival Swimming Skills including 1,000 adolescents and youths through community contribution by the LTA through technical guidance from the District Sports Officers (DSOs) concerned under MoYS.  150 Community Swimming Instructors (CSIs) ready to train children including adolescents and youths (18 + years) in all the locations (70% women). 200 First Responders (FRs) capable of providing immediate first aid for drowning and related injuries, such as emergency responses. 30,000 peer leaders, parents, community people and caregivers capable of conducting awareness sessions on drowning prevention, safe water practices, and the prevention of harmful practices in disaster-prone areas. 75 ponds established (one in Dhaka) to train 16,400 target audience in all the locations (15 ponds / division) One interministerial Drowning Prevention National Movement report and one national event report on Drowning Prevention Day involving media coverage and multiple ministries Two Human-Interest Stories (HISs) published and distribution report of IEC materials Completion report with photos including progress reports as required 6. Reporting requirements Inception Report within 1 week of signing the contract with a timeline along with a details plan with specific location with Upazila, districts, divisions, and date along with Standard Operating Procedure. Progress Reports are to be shared every two-months based on the deliverables. Submission of two Human Interest Stories Submission of progress and completion reports as per ToR. 7. Payment Schedule Thirty percent of the total fee upon submission of the inception report training modules and details plan Forty percent after completion of SwimSafe training for all the targeted children and adolescents Thirty percent of the total fee on submission and acceptance of the final output after the final report submission   8. Qualification requirement of the company/institution/organization   Guidance for completing this part The company should have active experience in providing the services for at least 5 years. The company should be registered and licensed to provide the selected Services. The company should have implemented or ongoing 3 (three) contracts of similar nature with organizations/ companies of similar magnitude and complexity.   8a. Qualification requirement of the team (optional) Guidance for completing this part This section is optional. You can also leave it open for the bidders to come back in the technical proposal with the team & related experience & qualifications. Specify the professional requirements of the individual(s) and/or team(s) for the assignment including required experience, skills and qualifications; if applicable: Number of requested experts per category (e.g. team leader, supervisor...etc.) Profile required (education, experience, category of each expert and working language(s) etc.)