Technical assistance to support the integration of Child Protection interventions within the Health System in selected Pacific Island Countries

UNICEF Pacific is in search of a dedicated and proactive international Consultant. Under the direct supervision of the Chief of Child Protection, the consultant will help contribute to improve the capacity of the health system in selected Pacific country islands in providing quality child protection-sensitive healthcare services in.

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, safety.

Background

The rates of violence against children (VAC) in Pacific Island Countries rank among the highest globally, spanning various forms such as physical and emotional abuse at home and in schools, peer bullying, fighting, and sexual abuse. Given that healthcare facilities, notably hospitals, often serve as the primary point of contact for children experiencing violence and abuse, the implementation of a child protection service model within healthcare settings is pivotal to safeguarding the well-being and safety of vulnerable children who may be susceptible to abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

Notably, existing data reveals that teenage girls constitute the most common victims of reported cases of sexual assault in Pacific countries. However, available services predominantly cater to adult women, lacking child-specific provisions, particularly within the health sector. Recognizing this gap, certain Pacific countries have initiated policies aimed at bolstering the health sector’s role in combating VAC. For instance, the Child Protection Guidelines for Health Workers in Fiji and the Vanuatu National Policy on Child Protection emphasize integrating child protection measures into the healthcare sector. There are on-going initiatives related to child friendly or safe spaces in hospitals such as Child and Family Space at Vila Central Hospital in Vanuatu; and Child friendly space in CWM Hospital in Suva, Fiji.

In Pacific countries in general and Fiji in particular, mental health support is particularly crucial across all age groups, evident in the rising suicide rates, signifying the pressing need for enhanced mental health services. The prevalence of preventable health issues among women and children in the Pacific underscores the importance of effective primary healthcare (PHC) that addresses holistic health needs throughout individuals’ lifetimes.

To address these challenges, a consultancy aims to help Ministry of Health (MoH) of selected countries to develop comprehensive a Child Protection capacity building package which include MHPSS training programs for various categories of healthcare workers, ensuring the delivery of quality services that promote children’s protection, safety, well-being and that of their caregivers. The Child Protection training package will help to address gaps in child protection and MHPSS skills, fostering a more child protection-sensitive healthcare approach. The consultancy will help to build a group of regional trainers through facilitating a Regional Training of Trainers (ToT) to equip expert trainers with the necessary tools to disseminate the training package. Additionally, the consultancy will also help to provide technical assistance to selected hospitals in Fiji, Vanuatu and FSM for the establishment/strengthening child protection service model to better safeguarding the well-being and safety of vulnerable children who may be susceptible to abuse, neglect, or exploitation. It also helps supervise the operation of the child protection service model in selected hospitals to ensure lessons learned captured for the smooth operation of the model.

How can you make a difference? 

The goal of the consultancy is to contribute to improve the capacity of the health system in providing quality child protection-sensitive healthcare services in their day-to-day functions including in emergencies, and that helps ensure a safe, equitable, protective and inclusive health care environment for all children including children with special needs.

The objectives of this consultancy include:

1. To support the MOH of selected countries (including Fiji, Vanuatu and Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and its partners/collaborating ministries to develop a comprehensive Child protection and MHPSS capacity building package for health workers, para health workers and health service providers at different levels.
2. To support the MOH of selected countries to establish a strong group of trainers for further roll-out of training courses for enhancing the capacity of health workers and health service providers to deliver quality child protection-sensitive healthcare services including MHPSS for children and their families.
3. To support selected hospitals in Fiji and Vanuatu in enhancing the Child Protection (CP) service model, including establishing safe spaces. Additionally, to assist a selected hospital in FSM in setting up and operating the model, and to document lessons learned for potential replication across the region.

The Consultant is expected to undertake the following:

• Review existing CP & MHPSS related interventions for identification of areas for improvement; conduct consultations with key stakeholders in targeted countries (Fiji, Vanuatu and & FSM), including MOH, UNICEF, and other partners; and propose key elements for a capacity building plan for the health sector in improving child protection-sensitive healthcare services including MHPSS to children and their families.
• Conduct an assessment of the CP & MHPSS training needs of health workers, auxiliary health workers and health practitioners, and mapping of existing CP and MHPSS training programs (identifying good practices, challenges and lessons learned encountered during the implementation) in the targeted countries.
• Based on training needs and gaps identified, support the MOH in the 3 targeted countries to develop and pretest the comprehensive CP and MHPSS training package/program that helps improve skills of healthcare workers in providing quality CP & MHPSS for children and their families.
• Support MOH in 3 targeted countries to establish a pool of trainers through facilitating a T.o.T on the use of the CP & MHPSS training package/program for health workers. The ToT aims at equipping participants with necessary knowledge and skills to serve as master trainers to roll out the training package/program in their respective countries.
• Support selected MOH to develop Implementation & M&E plans for the roll-out of the CP & MHPSS capacity building package.
• Support the Pediatric Department of the Colonial War Memorial (CWM) hospital in Fiji and Vila Central hospital in Vanuatu to review and improve the current Child Protection (CP) service model, including establishing safe spaces; and support a selected hospital in FSM to setup and pilot child protection service model. This includes finalization of related policies, guidelines and training program for the CP service models in Fiji and Vanuatu, and establishment of service SOP, identification of staffing needs, development of operational manual, guidelines and training plan; identification of facility requirements including IT/infrastructure needs; establishment of coordination/collaboration mechanism with key stakeholders for the CP service model in the selected hospital in FSM.
• Provide coaching and supervision for the pilot of CP service model in 3 targeted countries and document lessons learned for further improvement and replication of the model.

The consultant will work remotely with two in-country field missions to each target country (indicative list: Fiji, Vanuatu, and FSM), making the total of 3-month work on the ground out of the total contract period. All costs related to the work will be included in the financial proposal and subsequent contract. Monitoring and supervision will be provided by the Chief of Child Protection in close collaboration with Chiefs of Health, CP specialist-Services and Health Specialist. While in-country, day-to-day supervision would be provided by the relevant UNICEF staff in-country.

Please refer to the ToR  (  TOR for Child Protection – Hospital Health.pdf) for further information on the deliverables and the timelines. 

GUIDANCE FOR APPLICANTS:  

 Please submit a separate financial proposal along with your application and technical proposal. The financial proposal should be a lump sum amount for all the deliverables but should show a break down for the following:

• Daily fees– based on the deliverables in the Terms of Reference
• Travel (economy air ticket where applicable to take up assignment if in country support is required, as well as any in country travel)
• Living allowance for international consultant that will need to relocate to Pacific Island Countries, for the duration of in-country assignment.
• Miscellaneous- to cover visa, health insurance (including medical evacuation for international consultants), communications, and other costs.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Education:

• An advanced University degree in international development, public health, education, sociology, economics, and other related disciplines.

Experience & Skills:

• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in social development planning and management in social work, child protection or other related health-based programs 
• Experience in designing and implementing participatory processes engaging a diverse range of stakeholders, including governments.
• Experience in coordination, development of training programs, delivery of ToT, coaching and supervision of child protection work.
• Work experience serving in a developing country is required. Work experience in the Pacific Islands region is an asset.
• Experience working in UNICEF or a UN system agency is an asset.
• Able to work effectively with people internal and external parties 
• Communicates clearly and concisely
• Excellent analytical and conceptual skills
• Strong training and facilitation skills
• Proven ability to work independently under difficult conditions

Knowledge:

• Child Rights, Child protection, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, Gender mainstreaming, Life skills, Health systems, Curriculum Development, Facilitation skills

Language:

• Fluency in English is required, and knowledge of a local language of Fiji, Vanuatu and FSM would be an asset.

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.