Country: Switzerland
Closing date: 17 Dec 2017
PURPOSE OF THE CONSULTANCY
The Consultant will support 3 selected country programmes to strengthen the availability, quality and use of SRHR services that improve outcomes for women and girls, by strengthening the capacity of national and international Health Cluster partners to deliver integrated SRHR services in humanitarian crises. The selected countries are Bangladesh (Cox Bazaar), DRC (Kasai) and Yemen.
This position provides technical support in the design, development and implementation of project related activities in the 3 select countries and provides overall programme management for the delivery of this project.
The project is being jointly implemented by the WHO Health Emergencies programme (WHE) and the Department of Reproductive Health and Research (RHR). The position will based in the Global Health Cluster Unit within WHE-Emergency Operations.
This is a primarily field facing position with the central responsibility focused on strengthening capacity and service delivery for SRHR. The Conultant will spend at least 60% of its time in the 3 selected countries to implement project activities. The remaining 40% of their time is spent on global and regional coordination, overseeing product development for country implementation and overall project management. The post holder will also influence advocacy, research and internal initiatives as required for overall delivery and robust monitoring of programme activities.
BACKGROUND
The need to protect and improve the lives and health of crisis-affected people has never been greater with over 130 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, including 65 million displaced people, the highest on record since World War II. This unprecedented level of emergency-related health risks arises from diverse drivers, including high population growth, climate change, urbanization, terrorism, conflict, and state fragility. Disease outbreaks are a persistent threat and large-scale emergencies are becoming more frequent. Crises expose significant weaknesses in health systems, differentially impacting sub-populations, especially women and adolescents.
This has profound impacts on their life and well-being, including their dignity and human rights in the intimate and often overlooked spheres of sexual and reproductive health. In countries designated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as fragile states, the estimated lifetime risk of maternal mortality is 1 in 54. Three-quarters of the countries with maternal mortality ratios above 300 per 100,000 live births are in fact, fragile states. Evidence shows that pregnant women may have increased medical risks such as gestational hypertension and anaemia, along with adverse pregnancy outcomes, including low birth weight or preterm birth. Studies also show that humanitarian crises further increase the risk of pregnancy‐related death due to pre‐existing nutritional deficiencies, susceptibility to infectious diseases, lack of access to antenatal care and lack of availability of assisted deliveries and emergency obstetric care.
As Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) designated Cluster Lead Agency, the World Health Organization (WHO) hosts the Global Health Cluster (GHC) within the WHO Health Emergencies Programme (WHE). Global Health Cluster (GHC) agencies work collectively, in support of national authorities, to provide timely, effective and appropriate actions to minimize the health impacts of humanitarian and public health emergencies through strengthening of service delivery, addressing gaps, and promoting effective leadership. Currently there are over 700 Health Cluster partners – of which 49 are at global level – across 23 Country Health Clusters, targeting the health needs of 69.7 million people. Whilst demonstrated progress has been made in scaling-up SRHR services in some crises settings, for example through increased funding and implementation of the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP), expanded access to Post Abortion Care, HIV prevention and increased attention to gender-based violence (GBV), important gaps remain including: • Lack of full and systematic implementation of MISP; • Limited transition to integrated comprehensive SRH services within primary health care as situation stabilizes; • Lack of availability of safe abortion care to the full extent of the national law; • Limited contraceptive method options available, including emergency contraception; • Little attention to the particular sexual and reproductive health needs of adolescents.
To meet the immediate SRH needs of extremely vulnerable women, adolescents and girls in acute and protracted humanitarian crises, particularly in relation to contraceptive and safe abortion services, WHO is working towards strengthening capacity of health cluster partners deliver integrated SRH services in humanitarian crises. Through this project WHO aims to significantly increase the number of women and girls accessing good quality sexual and reproductive health services in humanitarian crises in three countries as compared with baseline. Specifically the project aims to: •Strengthen capacity among health cluster partners and local health providers in 3 select countries to enhance provision of SRH services •Systematically strengthen the delivery of SRH services in 3 selected countries to reduce unmet need for services •Harmonize Health Data Management Information System (HDMIS), including process indicators at global level and in 3 select countries to enable performance monitoring and learning lessons for sustainable implementation of a full package of services
Planned timelines (subject to confirmation) Start date: 15/01/2018 End date: 31/12/2019
WORK TO BE PERFORMED: The Consultant will be responsible for the following areas of work and related deliverables, namely:
Programme Management • Provide overall programme management and reporting in accordance with WHO policy, procedures and donor requirements; • Lead and regularly convene a cross-organizational programme management team to monitor implementation progress and synergies with related projects; ensuring appropriate representation from interested parties at global, regional and country level; • Develop a plan and oversee procurement and deployment of commodities, infrastructure and supplies related to SRHR in 3 selected countries; • Develop a robust programme monitoring and evaluation framework and support its implementation at country and global level.
Technical Support • Provide timely, effective and quality technical support to the field, as requested by relevant COs and partners, including assessment and evaluation missions; • Collaborate with partners on harmonization of existing health cluster HDMIS to systematically capture SRHR issues in crises; • Collaborate with partners to undertake community awareness in affected communities on SRHR in 3 countries; • Oversee feasibility assessments and collection of baseline and end-line data; • Supporting development partners and stake holders to include quality comprehensive RH in early recovery and reconstructions settings;
Capacity Development • Oversee review and development of a training package on SRHR for cluster coordination teams, community health workers and cluster partners and local providers; • Collaboration with the IAWG Training Partnership Initiative; • Conduct technical training and ongoing technical coaching for country program staff, including on IRC outcomes, theories of change, evidence and indicators; • Participate in ongoing training courses and share knowledge and skill sets within the unit.
Promoting Best Practice • Disseminate and encourage effective dissemination of useful and/or newly developed guidelines and tools to partners dealing with humanitarian emergencies; • Organise jointly with partners regional dialogues on SRHR in humanitarian crises; • Collaborate with partners in operational research on innovations relevant to humanitarian settings; • Review and share program-specific tools / resources / curricula and work with Technical Unit specialists to contextualize and adapt global and country-specific materials; • As requested, represent the GHC at partner meetings and technical fora and contribute to cluster trainings;
• Advocate for SRHR in emergencies with key stakeholders including policy makers, donors.
Undertake any other related duties as requested and needed.
SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS Qualifications required:
Master’s/post-graduate degree in public health or relevant field or equivalent combination of education and experience is required. Clinical degree (Midwife, RN, MD) strongly preferred.
Experience required: A minimum of 10 years implementing and/or managing reproductive health programs is required, preferably also within a humanitarian, international development setting. Experience in clinical supervision and oversight preferred. Experience in technical tools and materials development, monitoring and evaluation, and research in relation to education is highly desired
Skills / Technical skills and knowledge: Demonstrated expertise in program design, monitoring and evaluation, with the ability to turn concepts and strategy into measurable action.
Strong verbal and written communication skills. Demonstrated commitment to renewing and maintaining currency with best practices.
Engagement with and/or knowledge of the Health Cluster or similar emergency health coordination platforms. Proven ability of working in partnership and multi-country programmes.
Language requirements: Fluency in English required. Fluency in French or Arabic preferred
Place of assignment: This position will be based in Geneva.
Medical clearance: The selected Consultant will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.
Travel: The Consultant is expected to travel up to 60% of the time. Travel itineraries will be determined according to implementation plans in the 3 target countries
How to apply:
Detailed CV and cover letter to be sent before the deadline to Mrs Carolyn PATTEN-REYMOND at the following email adress : pattenc@who.int. Application received after the deadline will not be considered.