Consultant (HPD/ VIP) Band Level B lower end of range- to collaborate with the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office and HQ in coordinating the multisectoral stakeholder data collection

Purpose of the Consultancy

The purpose of the consultancy is to collaborate with the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office and HQ in coordinating the multisectoral stakeholder data collection on drowning in EMR, as the Regional Data Coordinator (RDC) of the Global status report on drowning prevention.

Background

Drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury deaths worldwide, estimated to account for over 235,000 deaths globally each year. Nearly one quarter of global drowning deaths occur among children aged less than 15 years. These estimates are anticipated to significantly underreport the true burden as they exclude intentional drowning deaths (suicide or homicide) and drowning deaths caused by flood disasters and water transport incidents. Accurately understanding the true impact of drowning is critical to informing development and implementation of effective interventions and strategies for drowning prevention, as well as promoting the necessary visibility and prioritization of the issue.

Over the past decade, significant momentum has developed at the global level on the issue of drowning. WHO has played a critical role in this movement, developing the first Global Report on Drowning in 2014[1], a comprehensive Implementation Guide to Drowning Prevention in 2019[2] and more recently (2021), launching two regional Status Reports on Drowning Prevention for the WHO Western Pacific Region (WPR)[3] and South East Asia Region (SEAR)[4].

With the support of Bloomberg Philanthropies, WHO will be leading the first global situational assessment on drowning, with findings to be published as the first WHO Global Status Report on Drowning Prevention. Similar to how the series of Global Status Reports on Road Safety have led to greater prioritization of road safety in countries and regions, WHO believes a Global Status Report on Drowning Prevention will be instrumental to informing and scaling-up national, regional and global advocacy for action in this neglected public health issue.

Specifically, data collected through this project will investigate:

• Best available data on burden and context of drowning at national and regional levels.
• Stakeholders and partners who are critical to involve in drowning prevention efforts; and
• Existing evidence-based interventions to address priority risks for drowning, through strategies, policies, legislation and programmes.

[1] https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/global-report-on-drowning-preventing-a-leading-killer

[1] https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241511933

[1] https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/343073

[1]<https://apps.who.int/iris/rest/bitstreams/1361012/retrieve#:~:text=In 2019, drowning was responsible,World Health Organization (WHO)>

The current consultancy aims to coordinate and support, at the regional level, collection of relevant data and information in EMR countries that will participate in the endeavor to develop the Global status report on drowning prevention.

Planned timelines (subject to confirmation)

Start date: 15/03/2022

End date: 31/12/2023

Work to be performed

The following outputs are to be completed in close consultation and collaboration with the concerned technical team in WHO HQ, Regional Offices (ROs) and Country Offices (CO) and national data collection coordinators (NDC).

Output 1: Data collection for the Global status report on drowning prevention in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, including the following:

Deliverable 1.1: Participate in training on operating the project web-based platform and the bi-monthly project management online meetings with WHO Headquarters (HQ).

Deliverable 1.2: Support EMRO in liaison with National Data Coordinators (NDCs) for each country in the Region, confirming their participation and availability for related regional trainings.

Deliverable 1.3: Conduct online trainings and prepare outline action plan for project implementation to ensure timely and proper implementation of activities. Provide monthly update on the progress of the work.

Deliverable 1.4: Support NDCs to develop workplans for timely implementation of the required tasks.

Deliverable 1.5: Support NDCs in identifying stakeholders to complete a standardized questionnaire and conduct consensus meetings among respondents.

Deliverable 1.6: Provide technical advice to NDCs to collect quality country level data and conduct data quality checks to validate respective country data.

Deliverable 1.7: Ensure clear transmission of agreed on answers to the questionnaire to the concerned HQ team ensuring no written text in languages other than the UN languages are included in open text questions.

Deliverable 1.8: Validate and review data and reflect it on the project’s web-based platform.

Deliverable 1.9: Provide accurate project management spreadsheet indicating the progress on different aspects of the project including data collection and approval process for each country.

Deliverable 1.10: Assist in reviewing the draft global report and its dissemination upon release.

Specific requirements

- Qualifications required:

University degree in medicine, public health, epidemiology, or a related field.

- Experience required:

• 5 to 10 years of relevant experience in public health, which include experience in data collection/analysis (such as surveys, datasets).
• International experience is mandatory for international consultant.

Skills / Technical skills and knowledge:

• Excellent inter-personal skills with the demonstrated ability to work effectively with government officials as well as with national and international organizations.
• Demonstrated ability to build partnerships and work in multicultural and multidisciplinary settings.
• Good management and leadership abilities and experience.
• Familiarity with the goals and procedures of international organizations (UN system, donors, non-governmental organizations).
• A thorough knowledge of drowning prevention-related issues is an asset.
• Experience working with legal documents is an asset.
• Experience working in Eastern Mediterranean Regional countries is an asset.
• Ability to coordinate, plan and implement projects, conduct training activities, effectively monitor, and analyze data and present results.
• Ability to work independently and deliver high quality work on time.
• Computer proficiency in Outlook, MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

- Language requirements:

Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English and Arabic will be an asset.

Place of assignment

All tasks will be conducted remotely.

Medical clearance

The selected Consultant will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.

Travel

No travel is required.

Addition 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's workforce adheres to the WHO Values Charter and is committed to put the WHO Values into practice - https://www.who.int/about/who-we-are/our-values
• 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.