Consultant: Social and Behaviour Change Technical Assistance, Pretoria, South Africa, 50 days (remote)

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 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.

The population trends indicate that the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) regions are fast becoming the most youthful populous regions with 62% of these being less than 24 years old. This is the population group that represents the group at high risk of HIV infection and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) globally. An estimated 26% of new HIV infections in the region occur among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), aged 15-24 years. The infection rates in this region differ from country to country with AGYW in South Africa, having approximately 100,000 new HIV infections occur annually. HIV risk on AGYW is complex and multifaceted driven by biological, behavioral, social and structural factors. The notable factors affecting this group include sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), early sexual debut, early marriage and childbearing, limited availability of and access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and HIV prevention services, harmful discriminatory gender norms, exclusion from economic and educational opportunities. Converging social, cultural and economic factors affect the way in which adolescent girls and young women understand, negotiate and access information and biomedical treatment related to HIV. Persistent gender and age disparities and stigmas around female sexuality faced by this group are exacerbated by, and reinforced by poverty, lack of access to education (including sexual and reproductive health education) and livelihood opportunities, limited financial autonomy, lack of access to sexual and reproductive healthcare (as well as other healthcare services), and the risk of violence, including intimate partner violence.

UNICEF South Africa

Within the South African context, social and structural drivers have been identified as key factors that shape and influence the HIV risk behaviours thus impeding individual and group’s ability to prevent HIV infections, accessing services and adherence to treatment, especially among AGYW. Systematically addressing the social and structural drivers is of the essence to interrupting and breaking the cycle of HIV, TB and STIs in the country. The complex nature of these epidemics requires Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) programmes that can reinforce protective sexual behaviours driven by increased knowledge, positive attitudes, skills and social norms. South Africa has implemented a range of SBC interventions that were aimed at improving parental communication, improving the education of the AGYW, galvanizing men and boys, reducing HIV infections and various stakeholders to address issues of Gender Based Violence (GBV) in communities. Some of the interventions implemented include the DREAMS and She Conquerors campaign.

The DREAMS (Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe) partnership was an ambitious public-private partnership aimed at reducing rates of HIV among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in the highest HIV burden countries. In 2016, the South African government launched the three-year “She Conquers” campaign. The campaign aimed to reduce HIV infections, improve overall health outcomes, and expand opportunities for adolescent girls and young women to decide their own futures. Lessons learnt from the campaign include ongoing leadership, which was essential for multisectoral collaboration within government, strong national planning, sufficient resource allocation, learning from positive examples and youth engagements. Despite these significant and encouraging accomplishments, much more work still remains to be done. To enhance the quality and efficiency of AGYW programming, the Global Fund has operationalized an Adolescent Girls and Young Women Strategic Initiative (AGYW-SI). As a trusted leader in adolescent and HIV policy, data and programming, UNICEF will partner in with the Global Fund to provide technical assistance (TA) and strengthen Global Fund AGYW grant implementation in priority countries. In this regard, UNICEF is looking for a technical consultant to provide TA to the Global Fund AGYW Principal Recipient (PR) and Sub Recipients (SRs) to support the strengthening of Social Behaviour Change Communication activities for the youth across services for a multi-sectoral comprehensive package for AYP.

How can you make a difference?

The purpose of this assignment is to provide technical assistance and support to the Global Fund Principal and Sub recipients (PRs/SRs) and National Department of Health (NDoH) strengthening of SRHR and HIV Social and Behaviour Change programmes for Adolescent and Young People, in South Africa.

The consultancy is home-based, with frequent visits/meetings with UNICEF (Gauteng) and partners as required.

Objectives: 1) Review the existing evidence-based regional national and sub-national social behaviour change programmes 2) Identify Adolescent and Young People (AYP) specific SRHR and HIV SBCC interventions available in South Africa outlining the gaps in content and platforms of delivery 3) Understand the current implementation and experience of AYP specific SRHR and HIV SBC interventions 4) Provide programme recommendations in the scale-up including and integration of SBCC within for AYP service entry points such as HIV prevention and SRH/STI/ family planning with considerations to broader prevention mechanisms, service integrations and new and innovative technologies

Activities and Tasks:

• Attend inception meeting with partners and submit an inception report with a workplan including timelines and consultation tools
• Undertake a desk review of the latest literature, policy and data of SBCC implementation for AYP, describing the regional, national and sub-national context
• As part of the desk review, document available SBCC interventions in South Africa, within the Global Fund programme and other key implementing partners
• Conduct consultations with PRs and SRS including service providers especially peers to understand the current use of SBC content and delivery platforms and identify gaps and requirements for an improved SBC package
• Draft a report documenting the bottlenecks, challenges, strengths, opportunities and lessons learned and how current SBC interventions can be leveraged and enhanced to improve healthy decision-making and uptake of SRHR and HIV services by AYP in SA
• Disseminate the findings from the draft report, incorporating feedback and focused areas of programme recommendations from key partners as part of the validation from partners
• Provide a final report with programme recommendations for the revision and scale-up of the SBCC package and interventions including outcomes, integration and demand creation for adolescents and young people, in South Africa
• Develop a PowerPoint presentation summarizing the key findings, learnings and programme recommendations for the scale-up of SBCC implementation strategy
• Participate in the regional webinar and present key findings, learnings, and recommendations from the final report

Tasks

Deliverable/output

Estimated 3 of days

Inception meeting with NDOH, UNICEF, PRs and SRs and other key stakeholders

Summary minutes of Inception Meeting

1

Design and establish an effective approach and tools for data gathering and reporting

Inception Report and tools

5

Develop draft report and summary PowerPoint presentation that includes key findings of literature review, data, consultations, lessons learned and t recommendations

Draft report of the outcomes of the desk review and consultations with identified gaps, lessons, and recommendations for scale up

PowerPoint presentation summary of the draft report with key findings from the desk review and consultations

28

Organize a validation meeting with key stakeholders to disseminate the desk review and consultation meeting findings including the gaps, lessons learnt, opportunities and recommendations for scale up

Validation meeting report

4

Prepare a final Report of the outcomes of the desk review and consultations with identified gaps, lessons and recommendations from the validation meeting

Final Report of the outcomes of the desk review and consultations with identified gaps, lessons and recommendations from the validation meeting

9

Prepare a final PowerPoint presentation summarizing the key findings and learnings with recommendations for scale-up from the validation meeting

Updated PPT presentation of the final SBC package and implementation plan

2

Support delivery of webinar and present for the dissemination and learnings from the desk review and consultations with identified gaps, lessons and recommendations for scale up through PowerPoint presentation with partners

Final Webinar PowerPoint presentation

1

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in public health, adolescent health, social sciences, epidemiology, or related field
• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional experience at national and international levels, including field experience and expertise in adolescent/ HIV /SRHR programming or related field in Eastern and Southern Africa
• Field technical experience in SBCC programming or research for adolescents and young people will be an added advantage
• Prior Experience in working in South Africa and programming would be an asset

Specialized skills and/or training:

• A set of strong qualitative and quantitative analytical skills
• The individual must have demonstrated ability, understanding and experience in managing
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment and establish harmonious and effective relationships with national partners
• Must exhibit the UNICEF Core Values
• Language: Excellent English oral and written communication skills

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 (if 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.