Consultant to support the development, standardization and implementation of an effective minimum national package of services for adolescent girls and young women, Kampala, Uganda (3 Months

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

Background:

Uganda has made tremendous progress towards achieving the 95-95-95 UNAIDS target though still registering high HIV incidence among Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW). According to the Uganda Population Impact Assessment Report (UPHIA) 2020, AGYW (15-24 years) had the highest HIV incidence rate of 0.62% compared to all other age groups (0.29% for adults 15+ years). In addition, AGYW continue to be disproportionally affected; their prevalence (2.9 %) was three times higher than that of males of the same age (0.8%) (UPHIA 2020 report). In 2022, Uganda registered 54,000 new HIV infections and 37% of these were among adolescents and young people (AYP) 15-24 years; AGYW accounted for over two thirds of new HIV infections among adolescents and young people. The burden of HIV among AGYW has geographical variations and some districts are hot spots for HIV transmission. Analysis of program data highlighted districts with high HIV-positive yield among AGYW. The National Strategic Plan (2020/2021-2024/2025) prioritizes AGYW for the HIV prevention response because of their exceptional vulnerability and high HIV burden. The contributing factors and vulnerabilities driving the HIV transmission among AGYW include gender-based violence (including sexual), high school dropouts, particularly as a result of unwanted teenage pregnancy, lack of sexual education, social isolation, economic disadvantage, discriminatory cultural norms and unsafe cultural practices. Uganda is currently implementing multi-sectoral HIV prevention age-specific prevention strategies as outlined in the AGYW HIV Prevention Strategy. These interventions are aimed at; (1) empowering adolescent girls and young women and reducing their risk, (2) strengthening the families of AGYW, (3) mobilizing communities for change and (4) reducing the risk of men who are likely to be male sex partners of AGYW. The AGYW HIV Prevention response in the country is led by the central and local governments and supported by development and implementing partners, CSOs, and private partners. In total, there are 62 high-burden districts; of these, 24 are supported by PEPFAR and 20 by Global Fund. A comprehensive service package is provided to the AGYW at risk in these districts. The rest of the supported districts receive partial services for AGYW. Between 2018 and 2022, the UN agencies also provided economic strengthening and integrated Adolescent SRH (ASRH) services in 10 Districts whereby young people were trained on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH). Under the USAID-funded Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe (DREAMS) initiative being implemented in 24 districts, the AGYWs receive a primary package of interventions consisting of HTS, Basic Economic Strengthening (including financial literacy), 'Steppingstone' (SBCC methodology), and 'Journeys Plus' life skills. In addition, relevant secondary services evidence-based interventions that empower AGYW economically and build their resilience to make informed decisions regarding their lives, keep in school and are empowered to keep away from gender-based violence are implemented (economic strengthening approaches, school subsidies.

Justification

According to the population size estimates, approximately 5.2 million AGYW are at risk of HIV infection. Provision of tailored and -based comprehensive service packages to AGYW aged (10-24) at the highest risk of HIV and their male sexual partners is a strategy to reduce new HIV infection by 65% by 2025. However, due to the limited resource envelope, only 44 out 62 high HIV-burden districts are reached with the package. In addition, it is impossible to reach many vulnerable adolescents in and out of school with these packages, including education subsidies and economic strengthening initiatives. There are concerns that in the supported districts, implementing partners are providing varying service packages based on what they can afford, leading to inequality and inequities in access and uptake of services. There is a recommended AGYW service package by Ministry of Health which has not been costed. To ensure equity, scale and sustainability of AGYW service packages, there is a need to ensure effective implementation of a consistent and evidence-based standardized minimum service package nationally to all AGYW who need them.

In 2022, the Global Fund operationalized an Adolescent Girls and Young Women Strategic Initiative (AGYW-SI) to provide technical assistance (TA) and strengthen Global Fund AGYW grant implementation in priority countries; this was awarded to UNICEF East and south African regional office.

To this end, UNICEF with support from GF seeks to recruit a consultant to support the national line ministries, Global Fund Principal, sub-recipients, and other AGYW implementing partners for adolescent girls and young women to develop a harmonized, cost-effective AGYW national minimum service package.

This work will build upon the recommendations of key interventions identified within the Formative Assessment on HIV/SRH/GBV status report to enhance the current Global Fund AGYW package and its implementation.

Notably the developed service package for AGYW will be fully incorporated within the MoH minimum essential health care service package.

How can you make a difference?

Purpose of Assignment and Scope:

Goal

This technical assignment aims to identify a cost-effective standard national minimum service package that can be scaled up to reach the most at risk AGYW, to be ultimately incorporated into the MoH minimum essential health care service package, as an addendum.

Purpose and objectives

To improve equity, scale and sustainability through supporting the development, standardization and implementation of an effective minimum national package of services for adolescent girls and young women. The main objective of this Consultancy is to review the current package and provide recommendations for improvements and costing the revised standard national minimum service package for the AGYW program in HIV response in Uganda.

In collaboration with Ministry of Health and UNICEF focus District Local Governments, the Consultant will support digital health and information systems trainings and develop accompanying technical documentation. In addition, the Consultant will develop and implement a capacity building plan for the Ministry of Health and DLGs aimed at building competency for the Ministry in managing digital health interventions implemented by UNICEF.

Major Tasks:

1. Attend an inception call with UNICEF for orientation to the Partnership and expectations of this technical assistance

2. Prepare a PowerPoint presentation (PPT) and attend an inception meeting with key AGYW partners

3. Develop and share a summary of minutes for the inception meeting

4. Develop and present an inception report + tools detailing the approaches and timelines to achieve the deliverables

5. Conduct a desk review of literature on global, regional and national evidence of effective minimum national packages, including Makerere University outcome analysis report

6. Analyze current packages, including outcome and programme data and effectiveness report

7. Conduct stakeholder engagement better to understand the implementation and effectiveness of the current packages report

8. Draft recommendations for a new national minimum package and its implementation

9. Develop costing of the new minimum national package

10. Undertake consultations with different sectors and partners for feedback on recommendations and costings

11. Secure validation of new minimum national package

12. Develop a final standard minimum national minimum package inclusive of feedback from consultations

13. Develop a learning report from the implementation process of the TA for regional learning

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

1. Advanced university degree in Public Health, Economics, Finance, Business administration, social sciences, epidemiology or related field.
2. At least Five years of professional experience at national and international levels, including field experience and expertise in adolescent programming or related field in Eastern and Southern Africa, is desirable.
3. Practical experience conducting costing/value for money analysis in the health sector in developing countries.

Technical knowledge:

• Strong research background and demonstrated experience undertaking similar costing-related exercises.

• High level of comfort working in multi-disciplinary areas that touch on economics, health/HIV programing and statistics.

• Strong understanding of dynamics in government, civil society and the donor community in developing countries.

Specific knowledge:

a) A set of strong qualitative and quantitative analytical skills and a good understanding of translating research into programmatic implementation will be an added advantage

b) Prior experience working in Uganda and across different ministerial sectors would be an asset

c) Understanding the AGYW programing is an asset

d) Expert at collecting, synthesizing, analysing and reporting information. • High level of financial literacy, i.e., with budget-related information.

Competencies skill:

a) Demonstrated ability to work with government sectors and implementing partners.

b) Demonstrated ability to working in a multicultural environment and establish harmonious and effective relationships, including with national-level stakeholders

c) Has excellent oral communication skills in English and conflict resolution competency to manage inter-group dynamics.

d) Analytic capacity and ability to synthesize information and relevant findings to prepare a high-quality report.

e) Maturity and confidence in dealing with senior and high-ranking members of national and international institutions, government and non-government

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.