Consultancy – Policies and legislations on breastfeeding and complementary foods, UNICEF EAPRO, Bangkok, Thailand

Contract

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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 fulfil 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, hope

UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office works to ensure the rights of all children in Thailand. This means the rights of every child living in this country, irrespective of their nationality, gender, religion or ethnicity, to:

• survival – to basic healthcare, peace and security;
• development – to a good education, a loving home and adequate nutrition;
• protection – from abuse, neglect, trafficking, child labour and other forms of exploitation; and
• participation – to express opinions, be listened to and take part in making any decisions that affect them

How can you make a difference?

The Nutrition Section, UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office (EAPRO) is seeking an individual consultant to improve policies and legislations on breastfeeding and complementary foods in the East Asia & Pacific Region.

Background: UNICEF is active in more than 190 countries and territories through country programmes and national committees. UNICEF works with governments, civil society organizations, and other organizations around the world to advance children’s rights to survival, growth, development, protection and participation and is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Improving the nutritional status of children and their mothers is a core part of UNICEF’s Strategic Plan.

One of the most critical times for good nutrition is in the brief 1,000-day period from the start of a woman’s pregnancy until a child’s second birthday. Breastmilk is the best food for children’s health and development during this critical window. It provides all of the vitamins, minerals, enzymes and antibodies that children need to grow and thrive. In 2016, The Lancet again confirmed the critical importance of breastfeeding. Better breastfeeding practices could save 823,000 children and 20,000 mothers each year, in addition to generating economic savings of US $300 billion. Despite the remarkable scientific evidence on the myriad benefits of breastfeeding, there has been limited progress in the last twenty years to significantly raise breastfeeding rates. Globally, only 43 percent of children under six months of age are exclusively breastfed (fed only breastmilk, with no additional foods or liquid, including water, as per recommended guidelines). One of the key challenges is lack of adequate policies and legislation to protect promote and support breastfeeding from the aggressive and unethical promotion of breastmilk substitutes, feeding bottles and teats. In May 1981, the World Health Assembly (WHA) adopted the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes (hereafter referred to as ‘the Code’) to limit these inappropriate marketing practices. The Code, plus subsequent WHA resolutions related to the promotion and protection of breastfeeding, express the collective will of the highest global authority on health and carry substantial political and moral weight.

In addition to the protection, promotion, and support to breastfeeding, another UNICEF programming priority is to ensure the provision of nutritious, safe, diverse and affordable foods to children between the ages of 6 months and 3 years, when nutrient needs per kilogram of body weight than at any other time in life. Regrettably, far too many children in the East Asia & Pacific Region consume diets that optimally support their growth and development. One reason is that there is a lack of national-level guidance on the recommended nutrient content and composition of commercially produced complementary foods (CPCFs) throughout Southeast Asia. As a result, these increasingly popular products vary widely in quality, either because they are deficient in essential vitamins and minerals, or because they contain high levels of added salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats. Furthermore, there is a general dearth of quality and affordable local products available to caretakers.

Work Assignment:

• Provide technical assistance to national governments in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos PDR, Philippines, Myanmar, and Vietnam on strengthening Code-related legislation.
• Support the Laos Country Office to implement 2 rounds of the Code decree monitoring in four (4) Provinces using ONA mobile data collection and ONA’s canopy system. Analyze findings from the Code decree monitoring activities in the four (4) Provinces to develop prioritized recommendations to present to government for enforcement action.
• Conduct an analysis in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos PDR, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam to measure how collected legislation, guidance and standards for nutrient content and labelling of commercially processed complementary foods in each country compare to the identified requirements of the WHO EURO Nutrient Profile Model for Complementary Foods.

Work Schedule: please see details in attachment.

VA2021-33 Consultant_Policies and legislations on breastfeeding and complementary foods.pdf

Duration of Contract: 50 working days over the period of 25 June to 31 December 2021.

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

• Advanced University Degree in Law, with specialization or experience in Public Health and international regulatory policies and their application to the national context.
• A minimum of 10 years working experience in relevant area of expertise, including:

- Provision of legal advice and support in the context of public health.

- Advocacy for strengthened public health policy frameworks.

- Capacity building of policy makers and/or health professionals.

- Monitoring of regulatory initiatives.

• Proven experience in drafting of legal products.
• Excellent interpersonal communication.
• Fluency in English.

Interested candidates are requested to submit CV or P-11, full contact information of minimum 3 references, availability, and proposed daily professional fee in USD 9 May 2021

FORM P11.doc

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People, and Drive for Results.

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

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UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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.

UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children.