Consultancy - Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH), ECARO (Home-based)

Consultant Medical & Health Programme & Policy

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

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, health

How can you make a difference?

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

Supporting UNICEF in Italy on child protection programs with a specific focus on SHR component for children and adolescents.

Background

UNICEF mandate is to ensure that children’s life, wellbeing, and rights are protected and supported. UNICEF works worldwide to strengthen institutional and governmental systems protecting children and adolescents, promoting their rights and supporting their development in a safe and conducive environment. UNICEF promotes community-based actions and programming to empower families and communities in attaining their needs fulfilled and caring for the most vulnerable groups. In a great variety of settings, from war-torn countries to disaster-affected areas, from low- to middle- and high-income countries, UNICEF commitment is to ensure that special attention is given to the most vulnerable children and adolescents so that their fullest potential can be achieved. In Italy an outposted team from UNICEF ECARO Regional Office is operational since 2016 to respond to the unique needs of migrant and refugee children, providing technical assistance to national authorities and civil societies and direct services when needed.

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) is an institutional priority for the UN and for UNICEF and is critical for the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The UNICEF Strategic Plan 2022-2025 identifies MHPSS as a priority area, building upon existing programming through child protection, education, and health, shaped by actions and standards set out in the Child Protection Minimum Standards (CPMS), Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action (CCCs) and the IASC Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergencies.

Protecting children and fostering their psychosocial wellbeing entails multiple actions that UNICEF carries out together with governmental counterparts, relevant institutions, and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). In Italy, UNICEF work focuses on tailored programmes addressing the needs of the most disadvantaged children and adolescents, including migrant and refugee children and youth inside and outside the reception system, alternative and foster care for separated and unaccompanied children, including those of migrant background, children and adolescents at risk of protection risks and/or developing psychosocial distress, or whose mental health and psychosocial wellbeing is undermined.

Against this background, Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) is a fundamental component integrated within all preventive and supportive action directly engaging adolescents and youth. This includes health promotion and disease prevention and control, and increasing their awareness on biological and physical and sexual development, sexually transmitted infections and healthy practices, and sexual and reproductive health rights. SHR sensitization aims at increasing adolescents’ mental health wellbeing related to SRH and their knowledge concerning their needs and rights, existing risks and healthy behaviours and available SHR services and how to access them.

Scope of Work

Working closely with the Child Protection and Gender-based Violence in Emergency teams, and under the direct supervision of the Child Protection Specialist in UNICEF, the consultant will lead the development of technical material on Sexual and Reproductive Health, with a focus on adolescent girls and gender-based violence as necessary. The consultant will be responsible for the development of technical guidance, SRH material to be integrated within the current UNICEF program and capacity building initiatives.

The SRH Consultant is required to undertake the following tasks and activities:

• Manage the elaboration of SRH technical material to support the integration of SRH within the UNICEF Adolescent Toolkit, which is currently in the process to be adapted to the Italian context. This implies revising the whole Toolkit, suggesting entry points for SRH integration and leading the development of targeted technical resources for the different entry areas identified.
• Prepare a training package of a 1-day session on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH) for UNICEF implementing partners, including a branded PowerPoint, Handouts and a facilitator Guide, based on the UNICEF Adolescent Toolkit.
• Rollout the Adolescent Toolkit, with a focus on ASRH, Training Package to two identified implementing partners. This should be done in-person as well as online based on the implementing partners’ availability.
• Developing SRH awareness raising materials on the guide "12 domande e risposte sui diritti e sulla salute sessuale e riproduttiva” developed with UNFPA and published on September 2022, with the objective to reinforce the capacity of the partners on SRH
• Prepare a training package of a 1-day session on SRH for UNICEF implementing partners, including a branded PowerPoint, Handouts and a facilitator Guide, based on the developed awareness material
• Deliver the Training Package on SRH to the identified implementing partners. This should be done in-person as well as online based on the implementing partners availability
• Carry out a scoping study on how to further integrate Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights interventions within the scope of the current GBViE programme implemented in country, with a focus on engaging community-based health services, referred in Italy as consultori. The study should focus on one location, should include a clear mapping exercise, with a robust methodology, and provide concrete and actional recommendations to UNICEF.
• Contribute as needed to provide technical feedback to other relevant documents elaborated by the programme, including incorporation and prioritization of ASRH strategies in UNICEF programmatic documents.

Deliverables

Tasks/Milestone

Deliverables/Outputs:

Timeframe

Deadline

Task 1: Integration of ASRH material into the Italian adapted version of the Adolescent Toolkit taking into account material already available.

Revision of the Adolescent Toolkit, identifying entry points for ASRH

3 WD

28th March 2023

Report on desk review of existing UNICEF ASRH material available in Italy and globally

3 WDs

Technical resources to be integrated into the Toolkit

5 WDs

Task 2: Prepare an ASRH Training Package based on the ASRH component of the Adolescent Toolkit, including the already available booklet “ 12 domande e risposte sui diritti e sulla salute sessuale e riproduttiva”.

Training material on ASRH, including a branded PowerPoint, Handouts and a Facilitation Guide

5 WD

15th April 2023

Revised training package based on its rollout (See following task).

3 WD

Task 3: Rollout the Adolescent Toolkit Training Package, with a focus on ASRH and already available booklet “ 12 domande e risposte sui diritti e sulla salute sessuale e riproduttiva”

1-day ASRH training

session to implementing partners

3 WD

30th April 2023

Key recommendations report to implementing partners as necessary

2 WD

Task 4: Developing SRH additional information/sensitisation material on the booklet "12 domande e risposte sui diritti e sulla salute sessuale e riproduttiva”

SRH awareness raising materials developed on the guide "12 domande e risposte sui diritti e sulla salute sessuale e riproduttiva”

2 WD

15th May 2023

TASK 5: Scoping study on SRH integration in the community-based health services

Terms of References of the Scoping Study and incorporating UNICEF feedback

1 WD

30th June 2023

Methodology and data collections tools for the study, including a SRH mapping exercise

3 WD

Data collection in one agreed-upon location

2 WD

Scoping Study report, which should include clear recommendations for the GBViE programme

2 WD

Scoping Study preliminary findings pesentation to the Child Protection and GBViE team

1 WD

Final version of the Scoping Study based on feedback received.

5 WD

TASK 6: Providing Technical Assistance

Revising UNICEF documents as necessary and on a need-basis

4 WD

30th June 2023

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

Minimum Qualifications required:

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• Minimum of a bachelor’s level degree/s in Public Health, education, child development, Nursing/Midwifery gender equality, or any other relevant discipline.
• Demonstrated experience of conducting work in Sexual Reproductive Health (minimum 7 years);
• Experience in programming and capacity buildingon SRH, specifically unmet needs and ASRH/Young People will be an asset
• Excellent facilitation skills and demonstrated experience of leading the development of technical resources, including training material;
• Consolidated knowledge and foundation on cross-cutting themes such as equity, gender, and human rights;
• Full computer literacy, including knowledge of relevant software;
• Willingness and ability to travel

Desired:

• Previous experience with UNICEF or another UN agency.
• Previous professional experience in Child Protection and/or MHPSS programming
• Familiar with the Italian protection and reception system for migrants and refugees

Language:

• Proficiency in written and spoken Italian and English required.

Administrative details:

Supervision

The consultant will work under the supervision of the Child Protection Specialist.

Workplace

This is a consultancy home-based. Candidates are required to have internet connection, IT and communication equipment.

Travel

This consultancy involves an estimated of 3 travels during the assignment.

Duration

The estimate duration of this consultancy is from March - June 2023 (a total of 42 working days).

How to Apply

Application should be submitted online and should include: Resume, Cover Letter and Financial proposal. A financial proposal including the fee for the assignment based on the deliverables and number of days must be submitted. Consultants are asked to stipulate all-inclusive fees, including lump sum travel and subsistence costs, as applicable.

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.

Apply now

Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unicef.org