Contractual arrangement: External consultant
Contract Duration (Years, Months, Days): 2 months
Closing date: Mar 17, 2022, 10:59:00 PM
Primary location: Anywhere
Organization: HQ/HEI Health Emergency Interventions
Schedule: Full-time
Purpose of consultancy
The consultant will:
- conduct a conflict analysis for countries bordering the Liptako Gourma and the Lake Chad Basin regions,
- develop future scenarios for the conflict dynamics in the focus countries as well as potential implications for neighboring countries,
- access constraints to health by vulnerable populations as well as humanitarian actors and to propose strategies for improvements,
- develop recommendations for WHO to be conflict sensitive, and -if possible- also peace responsive in the region and for WHO’s potential participation in the United Nations Secretary-General's Peacebuilding Fund.
Background
The mission of WHO's Health Emergencies Programme (WHE Programme) is to build the capacity of Member States to manage health emergency risks and, when national capacities are overwhelmed, to lead and coordinate the international health response to contain outbreaks and to provide effective relief and recovery to affected populations.
The Health Emergency Interventions Department of the Emergency Response Division is responsible for ensuring that emergency-affected populations have access to timely and effective health services. This includes ensuring a strong emergency management system (based on incident management), effective and inclusive coordination mechanisms, joint assessments and planning by partners, implementation of operations and services according to agreed standards, and strong logistics and operational support.
The six Sahel countries with Humanitarian Response Plans (HRPs) in West Africa are situated around two crisis areas, the Liptako Gourma triple border between Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger as well as the Lake Chad area with Cameroon (Far North), Chad, Niger and Nigeria (North-East). Humanitarian needs in the region are on the rise due to the combined effect of violent conflict, poverty, climate change, food insecurity, COVID-19, and military coups. 29 million people needed humanitarian assistance in 2021.
Despite national, regional, and international efforts to tackle the complex range of inter-connected challenges facing the Sahel, the region continues to be threatened by cyclical instability, state fragility with political instability. The coups d’état happening in these countries may lead to socioeconomic and additional political instability in the region as well as international sanctions. The restructuring of international military support may have humanitarian consequences such as further deteriorating access and an increase and change in mobility of non-states armed groups, including to neighboring countries. Limited capacity in the region to effectively deliver basic services and foster dialogue and citizen participation contributes to grievances, leaving a vacuum exploited by terrorist and criminal groups.
Deliverables
The consultant will produce 4 deliverables, which are to be compiled in one report. Data and information are to be gathered through desk study and key informant interviews. Selected key documents and selected contacts of key informants will be provided by the hiring team. An ‘initial findings’ draft report is to be produced and to be shared with the hiring team to allow for input and comments ahead of the final submission.
- Collect and analyze literature and data to produce an analysis of conflicts in the two multi-border conflict zones, including history, main actors, interest groups, attacks on health care, etc.
- Collect and analyze literature and data to produce likely scenarios of further developments of the conflicts, including potential implications for neighboring countries, taking into account both state- and non-state activities, access to basic services, climate related disasters, etc.
- Based on deliverables 1 and 2, collect and analyze literature and data to produce an assessment of access constraints to health by vulnerable populations as well as humanitarian actors and to propose strategies for improvements.
- Based on deliverables 1, 2, and 3, collect and analyze literature and data to develop recommendations for implementing the WHO Global Health for Peace Initiative (GHPI) at the country level (generic for Sahel) and for activities that can be submitted by WHO in collaboration with partners agencies under the United Nations Secretary-General's Peacebuilding Fund or related initiatives.
All deliverables will be provided by the end of contract
Qualifications, experience, skills and languages
Educational Qualifications:
Essential:
First University degree in social sciences, political sciences, humanitarian aid, development, security studies, or similar from an accredited/recognized institute.
Desirable:
- First university degree in public health, risk/disaster management or any area related to the objectives of the work
- Master’s degree and/or PhD in a related discipline
- Health related background
Experience
Essential:
- At least seven years’ relevant experience in conflict analysis, conflict sensitive programming, security, humanitarian aid or development cooperation at national and international levels
- Proven experience in understanding the conflicts in the Sahel as well as their root causes
- Experience in preparation and delivery of communication materials
Desirable:
- Experience with WHO or other UN/International Agencies in related areas
- Personal network in the region in the area of conflict analysis
- Work experience in international/global public health
Skills/Knowledge:
- Excellent writing and analytical skills using appropriate IT tools and platforms
- Good interpersonal and communication skills
Languages required:
Essential:
- Expert knowledge of English
- Intermediate knowledge of French
Location
Off-site: Home based
Travel
The Consultant is not expected to travel.
Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded):
Remuneration:
Band level B USD 7,000 - 9,980 per month
Living expenses (A living expense is payable to on-site consultants who are internationally recruited):
N/A
Expected duration of contract:
2 months
Additional Information
- This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.
- Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
- A written test may be used as a form of screening.
- If your candidature is retained for interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
- For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int.
- WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
- WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
- Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.
- WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.
- WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.
- Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority. The execution of the work under a consultant contract does not create an employer/employee relationship between WHO and the Consultant.
- WHO shall have no responsibility whatsoever for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the Consultant. The Consultant shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the Consultant in in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.
- Consultants working in Switzerland must register with the applicable Swiss cantonal tax authorities and social security authorities, within the prescribed timeframes (Guidelines issued by the Swiss Mission are available at: https://www.eda.admin.ch/missions/mission-onu-geneve/en/home/manual-regime-privileges-and-immunities/introduction/Manuel-personnes-sans-privileges-et-immunites-carte-H/Non fonctionnaires et stagiaires.html