International Individual Consultancy for the development of National demand promotion for Immunization Strategy and Action Plan to increase and sustain demand for immunization services in Mo

Consultant Programme & Policy

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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

UNICEF in Moldova is supporting the Ministry of Health (MOH) to strengthen the National Immunization Program (NIP) to improve outcomes on vaccine-preventable diseases control. In 2023, the Government of the Republic of Moldova approved the National Immunization Program for 2023-2027, which prioritizes demand generation activities for immunization through community engagement (CE) and social and behavior change (SBC) interventions. UNICEF closely collaborates with the National Agency of Public Health (NAPH) and its partners to strengthen immunization services, including public awareness and demand promotion activities for vaccination.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020, UNICEF has increased its support to awareness-raising interventions and capacity-strengthening of the MOH and NAPH. In 2022-2023, UNICEF supported a project on community engagement for immunization, focusing on areas with the lowest immunization coverage. Additionally, UNICEF provided support to social listening and misinformation management to counter misinformation spread on social media. In 2023, UNICEF partnered with the medical colleges and Medical University in Moldova to introduce curricula on interpersonal communication skills for in-service health workers and medical students. Finally, in 2023, UNICEF together with NAPH and with the technical support from UNICEF Regional Office, implemented a national study on behavioral insights (BI) on drivers influencing immunization-related behaviors in Moldova. The BI research reports are being finalized and will be presented publicly in September 2024.

How can you make a difference?

The purpose of the consultancy is to support UNICEF and NAPH/MOH with the development of a comprehensive National Demand Promotion for Immunization Strategy along with an action plan, to address psychological, sociological, and environmental barriers and enablers for immunization. This strategy aims to increase the demand for immunization services in Moldova. It should be informed by evidence and validated with national stakeholders. Through this strategic approach, the consultancy will support the efforts of UNICEF and the National Agency for Public Health in improving immunization coverage and overall public health outcomes.

1. Work Assignment Overview

The assignment will be carried out both remotely and in-country.

Specific Tasks and Deliverables:

1. Conduct a desk review and analysis: Review and analyze the research report on Behavior Insight on drivers influencing childhood immunization-related behaviors in Moldova, which was carried out in 2022-23, also relevant studies, publications and strategic documents on vaccination in Moldova, and propose a summary of key barriers to be included and addressed in the strategy.
2. Conduct stakeholder consultations: Plan and conduct meetings with national stakeholders and relevant partners involved in immunization (e.g., UNICEF SBC/Health, MoH, WHO, NAPH, etc.) to understand and agree on strategy’s objectives, priorities, based on identified barriers. approaches and actions. This will include a review and analysis of current SBC approaches employed for immunization services.
3. Strategy development: Develop a draft strategy using the template of national demand promotion strategy on immunization recommended by UNICEF ECARO and Action plan. Share the draft with relevant partners for feedback.
4. Validation of the strategy and action plan: With the support from UNICEF, organize and facilitate a presentation and discussion of the strategy and costing of the Action plan with a wider group of partners. This can be a 3-4-hour workshop with key stakeholders suggested by UNICEF.
5. Final Strategy: Finalize the Strategy and three-year Action Plan and provide the costing for the activities included in the plan.
6. Prepare a two-page proposal for a donor funding based on the Action Plan

2. Details of how the work should be delivered.

The international consultant will undertake a mix of in-country and remote work, based on the agreed work-plan. The consultancy envisages 30 working days, between September and November 2024, out of which 6 days will be in the country, through two in-country missions.

First mission will be dedicated to attend the public dissemination of the BI data on 17 September 2024 and to conduct field evaluation to supplement the findings from BI Study and get a deeper insight into the country's needs. During the second mission consultant will conduct a consultation workshop of the draft of CE, SBC Strategy with government and CSO partners.

3. Deliverables

No

Activity / Task

Deliverables

Timeline

1

Conduct a desk review and analysis: Review and analyze the research report on Behavior Insight on drivers influencing childhood immunization-related behaviors in Moldova, which was carried out in 2022-23, also relevant studies, publications and strategic documents on vaccination in Moldova.

A brief report with a summary of analysis of key barriers and opportunities and recommendations on strategic approaches to be included in the strategy

5 working days – remote

2

Conduct stakeholder consultations: plan and conduct meetings with national stakeholders and relevant partners involved in immunization (e.g., UNICEF SBC/Health, WHO, NAPH, etc.) to understand and agree on key objectives and actions.

Desk review report summarizing secondary data analysis and stakeholders’ discussions with highlighted key findings, research gaps and recommendations

5 working days – 2 days remote and 3 days in the country

3

Strategy development: Develop a draft strategy and Action plan using the template for the national promotion demand strategy on immunization recommended by UNICEF ECARO. Share the draft with relevant partners for feedback.

A draft strategy and action plan as per the template for the national demand promotion strategy for immunization

10 working days – remote

4

Validation of the strategy and action plan: With the support from UNICEF, organize and facilitate a presentation and discussion of the strategy and costing of the action plan with a wider group of partners.

Agenda, a PowerPoint presentation and a summary of the feedback

3 working days – in country

5

Final Strategy: Finalize the strategy and three-year Action Plan and provide the costing for the activities included in the plan.

Final strategy and action plan

5 working days – remote

6

Prepare a two-page proposal for a donor finding based on the Action Plan

A two-page donor proposal

2 working days – remote

* Exact deadlines will be mutually agreed upon contract signature.

4. Definition of supervisory arrangements

The specialist will work under the oversight of Social and Behavior Change Officer and Health Specialist of UNICEF Moldova. Payments will be rendered upon successful completion of each task, as per the schedule outlined above.

5. Work location and official travel involved.

The consultancy envisages 30 working days between September and November 2024, out of which 6 days in the country. All travel arrangements and expenses are covered by the selected consultant and should be included in the submitted financial offer.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have

• Advanced academic degree in Communication, Public Relations, Social science, Marketing, or a related field.
• At least 7 years of professional experience in the field of communication, behavior and social change communication, public relations, etc.
• At least 5 years’ experience in developing and implementing behavior change communication strategies targeting child health and working on vaccine hesitancy issues is crucial.
• Experience in qualitative and quantitative data analysis and access to experience fieldwork to support data collection.
• Experience working in the ECA region is an advantage.
• Advanced knowledge of English is required. Knowledge of Romanian or Russian is considered a strong asset.

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.

For more details on the consultancy assignment and requirements, please refer to attached Terms of reference (ToR)

2024 TOR_Indiv Consultancy_Demand Strategy_VA.docx

HOW TO APPLY: Your online application should contain the Technical and Financial Offers (templates below). Please secure the Financial Proposal *.pdf document with a password on document view; the password will be requested only from technically qualified candidates.

Technical Offer_Demand Strategy.docx

Financial Offer_Demand Strategy.xlsx

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.

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Added 1 day ago - Updated 7 hours ago - Source: unicef.org