International Consultant to Support Gender in Community Health and Immunization Portfolio

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, you demonstrate.

Background and Justification

Six of the top 20 countries with the largest number of zero-dose and under-vaccinated are in Eastern and Southern Africa: a total of 4.6 million children. Unfortunately, Eastern and Southern Africa crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic, climate-induced disasters, and political upheavals in recent years have caused the region to experience a backsliding in immunization, with 12 million children missing out partially or entirely on routine immunization between 2019-2021[1]. While ESAR has the world’s highest rates of cervical cancer, yet, across the region, HPV vaccine coverage dropped between 2019 and 2021. S

Such disparities in vaccination coverage not only highlights the gaps within healthcare systems, but importantly, broad inequities along socioeconomic and gender lines.

Against this backdrop, recognizing how gender-based disparities impact access, utilization, and outcomes within the context of immunization and community health is paramount – considering gender in immunization is vital not only for equity but also for maximizing the effectiveness of vaccination campaigns and for improving children’s rate of vaccination. Indeed, under the IA2030 Strategic Priority 3, “Coverage and Equity”, the Agenda not only calls for equitable coverage of boys and girls, but also highlights the critical need to understand and address gendered barriers to accessing immunization services and increasing women’s full and equal participation in decision-making across all levels. A nuanced understanding of how gender influences health-seeking behaviors, decision-making, and community dynamics is crucial for tailoring interventions that address specific needs and vulnerabilities. Acknowledging the diverse roles of men and women within communities ensures that interventions are contextually relevant and effective.

Community health workers, acting as frontline advocates, bridge the gap between healthcare systems and local populations, contributing significantly to the success of public health initiatives. To address inequalities embedded within health systems, it is critical to ensure that sufficient mechanisms are in place to capacitate community health workers to deliver gender-transformative services. Yet, this remains a critical gap in the region and there is a need to identify entry points for interventions.

UNICEF ESARO is increasing its investments to better integrate gender equality and empowerment of women and girls across the regional immunization and community health portfolios. This includes country-level gender analysis to better address system level barriers to access vaccination, leveraging HPV+ programming, with adolescent girl engagement as well as strengthen capacity of community health workers.

Gender integration in community health and immunization is a critical but ambitious agenda for ESA region. At this stage of the programme, specific and dedicated expertise is required to boost capacity, learning and inter-agency coordination. The selected consultant is expected to provide targeted support in evidence generation and advocacy, stakeholder engagement, technical programming, and documentation of regional learning under grants. Documenting regional learnings is essential to fostering a collective knowledge base, and by systematically capturing experiences and best practices from immunization and community health initiatives in ESAR.

This repository of information can help facilitate evidence-based decision-making and continuous improvement in future programming.

How can you make a difference? 

Scope of Work

1. Goal and objective:

The overarching goal of the consultancy is to strengthen gender and immunization programming at both the RO and CO level. The consultant will provide critical support in evidence generation and analysis, stakeholder advocacy, documentation of regional learnings, and technical support to gender activities under different grants (i.e., CanGive, GAC, GAVI, 7% set aside fund for HPV+ programming).

2. Provide details/reference to AWP areas covered:

This assignment will contribute to strengthen technical assistance to COs as per AWP 240R/A0/11/880/009/012 as well as ensure regional cross-sectoral coordination and engagement centering gender equality in health-related gender initiatives AWP PCR/IR 240R/A0/11/880/008/011.

3. Activities and Tasks:

• Analytical review and mapping of gender integration in community health policies across 21 countries in ESAR.

1. Conduct a gender review of national community health policies across ESAR countries, including identifying gaps and opportunities for the integration of gender responsive/transformative approaches, as well as specific consideration related to needs of adolescent girls.
2. Carry out both desk review and key-informant interviews with recommended countries and partners to identify promising practices associated with the gaps identified in the mapping.
3. Consolidate recommendations to address the identified gaps, targeting policymakers and practitioners.
4. Sub-deliverables include an inception report (including workplan, methodology, and assessment framework), draft report, final report, and a validation workshop with relevant colleagues and stakeholders.

• Stakeholder engagement and advocacy
  1. Based on the scoping review and synthesized evidence (including some led by other sections and HQ), the consultant will lead and design stakeholder engagements and advocacy efforts on gender-transformative community health. This includes coordinating a “South to South” learning event convening governmental focal points with other stakeholders from community level (CSOs, Women and Girls Organizations) and from regional-continental level (e.g., AU, Africa CDC, Gavi).
  2. The learning event will be completed through a study tour/ field visit on gender and community health model in the country identified to host the learning event (potentially Ethiopia or Kenya)
• Regional learning documentation
  1. Document best practices, lessons learned, and challenges related to gender integration in immunization and community health within the region.
  2. Lead on webinars and/or knowledge sharing sessions to facilitate the sharing of gender-responsive approaches across countries.
•  Provide technical support on gender in immunization and community health.
  1. Serve as a technical ‘helpdesk’ for COs on gender activities in immunization, including providing expertise in integrating gender considerations into the planning, implementation, and monitoring of immunization and community health programs.
  2. Support inter-sectoral coordination with COs on the HPV+ agenda.
  3. Conduct mapping of gender activities under different grants (CanGive, GAC, GAVI, 7% HPV+) within the region.

4.  Work relationships

The consultant will work primarily with the ESARO Gender and ADAP Section, while engaging other RO colleagues from other sections especially Health/Immunization, HIV-SRHR and SBC. The consultant will also have regular engagements with gender and immunization colleagues at COs and with relevant colleagues at HQ and in WCARO. Finally, the consultant will engage externally with stakeholders on gender in immunization and community health.

5. Outputs/Deliverables:

Payment Schedule

Payment should be aligned with the timeline of the delivery schedule. Payment will be made based on the approval of the supervisor and can be made on a monthly basis based on progression for each stream of work.

Desired competencies, technical background and experience

1. At least a master’s degree in the following or related fields: global health, public health, health policy and management, with demonstrated competency on gender.
2. At least 8 years of proven experience in integrating gender-transformative considerations into health programmes, preferably in the context of immunization and community health.
3. Strong experience in writing reports, documentation to convey programming efforts, conducting key informant interviews, facilitating workshops/discussions and documenting case studies in an international development context.
4. Must exhibit the UNICEF Core Values of:

1. Care
2. Respect
3. Integrity
4. Trust
5. Accountability
6. Sustainability

5. Excellent oral and written English required;
6. Good understanding of AU and other African Institutions is required.
7. Previous experience working in development settings with an international organization and/or civil society organizations in Africa is an asset.
8. Core competencies

• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Drive to achieve results for impact
• Thinks and acts strategically
• Works collaboratively with others

Administrative issues

• The consultant is expected to be remotely based with at least one travel (likely in Kenya or Ethiopia) for which the UNICEF office would cover subsistence allowances and travel costs.  
• The consultant should schedule monthly update meetings with the supervisor to ensure progress, in addition to meetings planned to support implementation of the agreed deliverables.

Conditions

Please indicate any related conditions such as the following:

• Office space and equipment will not be provided given that the consultancy will be remote.
• As per UNICEF DFAM policy, payment made against approved deliverables. No advance payment is allowed unless in exceptional circumstances against bank guarantee, subject to a maximum of 30 per cent of the total contract value in cases where advances purchases, for example for supplies or travel, may be necessary.
• Individuals engaged under a consultancy contract will not be considered ‘staff members’ under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures and will be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants.
• Consultants are responsible for determining and meeting their tax or duty liabilities in accordance with local or other applicable laws. UNICEF does not issue statements of earnings to consultants.
• UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

Risks

Some delays might happen if external partners and UNICEF colleagues provide inputs with delay. In order to mitigate partners will be informed in advance on timeline and Gender and ADAP team will help follow-up and escalating when necessary.

How to apply

Qualified candidates are requested to submit a cover letter, CV or P11 form and their technical proposals to the online recruitment portal (Talent Management System) or email provided.

Interested candidates to indicate their ability, availability, and rate (daily rate) expressed in US$ to undertake the terms of reference.

Deadline to apply is 9 April 2024.

Applications submitted without a fee/ rate will not be considered.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. 

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.