National consultant forฺ Bangladesh for the project on supporting evidence to inform policy outcomes

Result of Service To build government capacity to use data for policy and to ensure that existing data, as well as data improved through the project, is well-analyzed and synthesized in user-friendly formats that respond to decisionmakers' needs.

Work Location Remotely

Expected duration 15 Apr - 30 Sep 2023

Duties and Responsibilities The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development emphasizes the inclusive and sustainable future for all with a focus on leaving no one behind. A well-functioning civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) system helps ensure that every person has a legal identity which facilitates access to the benefits and protections of the State. Further, robust CRVS systems are necessary to inform policy makers about the health and well-being of different populations, and to adequately allocate resources to serve populations for services such as education, health care, infrastructure and to provide social protection and other services administered at a local level. Without reliable vital statistics derived from civil registration, it is difficult to understand how fast a population is growing (or shrinking) and to anticipate its future needs, as well as monitor the health and well-being of different populations and gender differences if any, so that health interventions can be put in place accordingly. Death registration is critical to inform mortality patterns - who is dying where, at what age, and from what cause. Without this information, it is not possible to improve the health and longevity of a population. This is particularly important in humanitarian and emergency settings when conflict or natural disasters can increase mortality, and prevent delivery of interventions needed for good health such as clean water, nutrition, skilled birth attendants, vaccinations, etc. Death registration is also important to inform policies related to social security and inheritance. At the same time, marriage and divorce registration has implication for child marriage, access to resources and women’s agency in general.

In this way, registering, recording, and providing documentation of life events enhances good government and sustainable development. However, despite continuous efforts, an estimated 64 million children under the age of five within Asia and the Pacific have not had their birth registered, and millions of other vital events, including deaths, have not been registered. As a result, countries in the region lack the data necessary to make informed policy decisions to improve health, education planning and other well-being outcomes of their populations.

While numerous data may be collected, and even analyzed and disseminated in technical vital statistical reports, the key points of the data, their interpretations, and resulting recommendations for policy purposes are often lost. Reports often present cold, hard numbers, with little analysis or explanation, leaving it up to the reader to interpret. Policy makers are not necessarily statistical experts and may not have the time or inclination to for in-depth analysis themselves. Thus, to have a real, tangible impact on policy, data producers need to disseminate findings in a way that is conducive to policy use. However, data producers often lack the skills and capacity to do so. Many lack confidence to accurately interpret their findings and to provide relevant policy implications and recommendations. Furthermore, ensuring data are used adequately and correctly is key to increasing demand for quality data and thus leading to improvements in the production, analysis and dissemination of data, creating a positive feedback mechanism.

Against this backdrop, ESCAP and Bloomberg Philanthropies collaborated to implement a project under the Data 4 Health Initiative entitled “Getting everyone in the picture: strengthening civil registration and vital statistics systems in Asia and the Pacific.” With a goal of better public health and increased lives saved, the project supports governments to strategically use public health data to inform policy priorities. The project builds government capacity to use data for policy and ensure that existing data, as well as data improved through the project, is well-analyzed and synthesized in user-friendly formats that respond to decisionmakers’ needs. The aim of the project is to ensure that the evidence generated is used to inform and improve policies and programmes, particularly for the most vulnerable and marginalized populations.

In this connection ESCAP is seeking to engage a national consultant in Bangladesh to support implementation of the project, as advised and supervised by the project manager, and working closely with the international consultant. These activities will focus on delivering the following assignments.

Activity 1: Support to countries

1.1 Provide inputs to the design and plan, and prepare country to participate in an initial consultative meeting on gaps in evidence to action and training needs together with the international consultant. (by end April 2023) 1.2 Co-facilitate the consultative meeting together with the international consultant and collate results for further planning of national/regional activities. (by end May 2023) 1.3 Develop a concept note for the national implementation of project activities based on results of the initial consultative meeting, as well as research on what data is available, and what is needed to bridge the gap to policy. (by end May 2023) 1.4 Develop concept note, together with the international consultant, for the national workshop for data producers and analysts on bridging the gap between evidence and policy/practice. (by mid June 2023) 1.5 Conceptualize and support relevant national stakeholders on the development of knowledge products and dissemination materials e.g. policy briefs, infographics, social media posts etc., with support from the international consultant. (by end July 2023) 1.6 Design and facilitate, together with the international consultant, national workshop with data producers and analysts on bridging the gap between evidence and policy/practice. (by end August 2023) 1.7 Finalize national dissemination material/s after feedback from stakeholders at national workshop (by end Sep 2023)

Activity 2: Regional level work 2.1 Prepare country to participate in the regional workshop on good practices and communication and dissemination of vital statistics and development of dissemination materials. (by end Sep 2023) 2.2 Participate in and facilitate relevant sessions at the regional workshop on good practices and communication and dissemination of vital statistics and development of dissemination materials. (by end Sep 2023)

Qualifications/special skills Degree in social sciences, statistics, demography, communications or related fields A minimum 5 years of work experience on social issues, CRVS related issues, public administration, public health, and/or monitoring and evaluation is required. Experience in data interpretation and synthesis is required. Experience in creating data-driven messages and using data for policy advocacy and drafting advocacy materials is required. Familiarity with inequity and gender frameworks is desirable. Experience in coordinating government entities is desirable.

Languages Fluency in English and in the national language (Bangladesh) both speaking and writing.

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.