International Consultant for Drafting the National Guidelines for Gender Mainstreaming in Health Facilities in Syria

1. Purpose of the Consultancy:

Drafting the National Guideline for gender mainstreaming in health facilities in Syria

2. Background:

Adopting a gender perspective to achieving health equity and provides evidence to show how biological factors interact with gender norms, roles and relations (or socio-cultural factors) to affect the health of women and men and that of their communities is becoming more and more an important aspect in health programming.

Syria is now in its 13th year of humanitarian crisis that affected the health system and disrupted services. Restrictions on access to health care, including sexual and reproductive health services, undermine women’s ability to take care of their families, advance in the workplace, and lead in all sectors. On another note, given the importance of gender issues, it is currently upheld in agenda where a national action plan of gender equality was prepared by the Syrian Commission of Family Affairs and Population. The plan was endorsed in 2021. Its main priorities are:

Priority 1: Strengthening economic empowerment for women, adolescent girls and young women, and men

Priority 2: Reducing domestic and gender-based violence towards women and girls

Priority 3: Increasing women and youth, especially adolescent girls and young women's capacities to participate in public and local decision-making

Priority 4: Promoting fair and equal access to women and girls to quality health services

Priority 5: Creating more equal education opportunities for both genders, with a specific focus on adolescent girls and prevention of child marriage.

The WHO country office in Syria has supported Ministry of Health in conducting a ToT for gender mainstreaming in Health as part of its capacity building plan that fits with the national action plan of gender equality but also with the findings of the study conducted at the Centre for Strategic Studies and Health training around gender coherence in health policies.

Violence and mistreatment by care providers is another related component that deserves attention in health facilities. Respectful Maternity Care (RMC) is a fundamental human right for all women. RMC is defined as care that maintains dignity, privacy, and confidentiality of pregnant and birthing women, ensures freedom from harm and mistreatment, and enables informed choice and continuous support during labor and birth. The concept of RMC is gaining more importance and HQ WHO is working on developing guidance for implementation of RMC in countries.

3. Objective of the consultancy:

The objective of the consultancy is to recruit two consultants (national and international) to draft the National Guideline for gender mainstreaming in health facilities including RMC in Syria.

To achieve the objectives set out in this ToR, the INTERNATIONAL consultant is expected to undertake the following activities:

1. Prepare an inception report that include methodology, planned activities, timeline and outline of the guideline jointly prepared with the national consultant and agreed with WCO and MoH.

2. Conduct a desk and literature review of related document.

3. Contribute to the meetings with national authorities and relevant stakeholders.

4. Prepare a draft national guideline in line with the above that should include but not limited to country context, Gender issues in health, concepts of gender mainstreaming in health, Respectful Maternity Care.

5. Present the draft guideline to the steering committee for review and validation, noting that the end user includes all health care providers at primary and secondary level.

6. Submit the final validated national guideline to the MoH and WCO.

7. Develop a final technical report.

4. Deliverables

All outputs and deliverables should be developed and carried out in close coordination with the responsible officers at the WCO and PHC / HF team at the Ministry of Health.

Deliverable 1: An Inception Report which is agreed upon by MoH and WHO country office and jointly prepared with the national consultant.

Deliverable 2: Draft chapters on Respectful Maternity Care principles and implementation in Syrian health facilities

Deliverable 3: Review chapters drafted by the national consultant on the country context, gender perspective in health and gender mainstreaming in health facilities.

Deliverable 4: Final validated national guidelines shared with the MoH and WCO

Deliverable 5: Final technical report.

5. Planned Duration: 20 working days

6. Technical Supervision

The selected consultant/s will work in close coordination with the Health Systems Officer and team.

7. Specific requirements

A. Education:

An advanced university degree (Master’s level or above) in public health, reproductive health, gender, social sciences, or any related health degree.

B. Work Experience:

More than 7 years of national and international experience in public health, gender mainstreaming, reproductive health. Previous work experience with WHO is preferable.

C. Language Proficiency

Fluency in reading, writing and spoken English and Arabic required.

E. Medical Clearance

The selected consultant/s is expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.

8. Place of assignment

Remotely and in-country

9. Travel

In country mission will be decided as agreed with the national partner (Ministry of Health)