International Consultant to Develop a Regional Brief on Stillbirths for South Asia, UNICEF ROSA, Kathmandu, Nepal - Remotely 95 days (September 2022 - January 2023)

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, dedication

The purpose of this consultancy is to develop a Regional Brief on Stillbirths for South Asia with a focus on the following details:

• Synthesize up-to-date data and evidence on stillbirths and stillbirth reduction programming in the region. • Outline sources of stillbirth data available (e.g., surveys, hospital data, HMIS, SRS, CRSV) in the region, its definition and access, quality of data, and challenges contributing to data gaps and low-quality data (e.g., misclassification and under-reporting), and mapping data gaps and data needs. • Outline policy and programme gaps and bottlenecks that need to be addressed. • Discuss health-system bottlenecks and challenges impeding the scale-up of stillbirth prevention interventions. • Propose priority strategies and actions towards accelerated reduction of stillbirths in the region.

How can you make a difference?

Key Assignments/Tasks:

I. Conduct a desk review of relevant data and documents in collaboration with UNICEF COs, including a. Stillbirth data and sources from eight South Asian countries b. National/subnational programme documents (e.g., ENAP, perinatal death audit, other guidelines) on stillbirths from eight South Asian countries c. Literature review on published and grey literature on stillbirths and stillbirth prevention interventions d. Desk review of global guiding documents, data, and reports on stillbirths.

II. The Consultant will coordinate with experts from UNICEF ROSA, UNICEF COs, UNICEF PD MNH and Data teams, WHO, UNFPA and other key partners to identify data and knowledge gaps that need to be addressed.

III. The Consultant will conduct key informant interviews (KII) with MoH officials, UNICEF, WHO and UNFPA staff, and professional associations at the country and regional levels about vision, policy, strategy, guidelines, programme implementation and monitoring contributing to stillbirth recording, reporting and prevention. At least one MoH official from each of the eight South Asia countries will be included in the KIIs.

IV. The Consultant will support ROSA in organizing an online regional dissemination of key findings with representatives from MOH, UNICEF WHO, UNFPA, professional associations and other key partners.

V. The Consultant will finalize the regional brief, incorporating inputs from the regional meeting.

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Medical Sciences or in public health, maternal and neonatal health, epidemiology, or related fields
• A minimum of 8 years of relevant professional experience in maternal and newborn health.
• Experience in analyzing complex public health data is required and experience in analyzing stillbirth data is an asset.
• Clinical experience in obstetrics or neonatology is an asset.
• Experience in assessing maternal and newborn health programmes is an asset.
• Experience in working in the South Asia region is an asset.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergencies is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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 a 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.

Consultants and Individual contractors are responsible for paying any taxes derived from the earnings received from UNICEF.

Duration: 95 days from the start of the contract and is remote-based.

Application to include an all-inclusive financial proposal that will detail daily/monthly rate (in USD) to undertake the terms of reference.

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.

ToR for developing a regional note on stillbirths reduction.pdf