National Individual Consultant to support the development of integrated SBC Strategy for Covid-19 and Routine Immunization, 100 w/ds, Dushanbe, Tajikistan (for Tajik nationals only)

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,

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

The Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) 2017 shows that almost all young children in Tajikistan have a vaccination card (97 per cent of children aged 12-23 months and 96 per cent of children aged 24-35 months). The DHS 2017 field staff saw the records for 90 per cent of children aged 12-23 months and 88 per cent of children aged 24-35 months, either at home or at a health facility. Vaccination coverage is high in Tajikistan. Among children aged 24-35 months, DHS 2017 data shows that 82 per cent had received all basic vaccinations at the time of the survey, and only 3 per cent had received no vaccinations. Of the basic vaccinations, coverage is highest for the BCG vaccine (96 per cent), followed closely by DPT, HepB-Hib 1 and Polio 1 (92 per cent each). Coverage remains high for subsequent doses of the DPT-HepB-Hib and polio vaccines, with 87 per cent of children having received the third doses of each of these vaccines. Eighty-seven per cent of children aged 24-35 months have been vaccinated against measles and rubella. Vaccination coverage is generally lower among urban children than rural children. For example, 84 per cent of children aged 24-35 months in rural areas have received all basic vaccinations, compared with 76 per cent of children in urban areas.

The Republic of Tajikistan had relatively few COVID-19 with a total number registered of 17,388 cases since early 2020 up to July 2022.The country received the AstraZeneca, CoronaVac, Moderna, Pfizer and Sputnik vaccine. The total amount of doses received for all antigens, up to June 2022 is 21,833,68015. The COVID vaccination coverages as of 16 June 2023 are 99.1% for 1st dose, 97.9% for 2nd dose, and 97.6% for 3rd dose.

Findings from recent surveys suggest that barriers to immunization are partly due to geographic isolation, compounded by socio-economic vulnerability, and special populations like migrants, under-vaccinated and highly mobile are lacking tailored communication and advocacy messages. There is also growing evidence of vaccine delays or refusals due to a lack of trust in the importance, safety, or effectiveness of vaccines, alongside persisting access issues. There are concerns about ‘vaccine hesitancy’ – a growing mistrust of immunization among some parents, fuelled by myths and misinformation. Such hesitancy may stem from negative media stories linking a child’s death to immunization without the full facts. It may also be influenced by the country’s anti-vaccine movements, which spreads anti-immunization messages. Meanwhile, measures to counter vaccine hesitancy and build parental trust in immunization are hampered by lack of discussion with parents about its importance and the minimal risks.1 Community trust is key to ensure vaccine uptake and buy-in. To build trust, it is important to understand how communities perceive the disease and what are their main questions, doubts, and fears around vaccines, generally, and towards COVID-19 vaccine, more specifically.

UNICEF Tajikistan is supporting the MoHSP in improving demand component of immunization services by improving vaccine uptake. Focus is on areas with zero dose children and children who fails to complete full vaccination. The demand component is being now strengthened with social and behaviour change approaches, addressing psychological, sociological, and environmental drivers of behaviour change. The Ministry of Health has requested UNICEF for support in the development of an integrated SBC Strategy, to guide the implementation of SBC approaches for increasing uptake of Covid-19 and Routine Immunization. In response, UNICEF is bringing onboard human resources/consultants to help MoHSP undertake consultative and collaborative process for the development of the SBC Strategy. This includes review of existing evidence and other related literature, consultation with key stakeholders, co-creation, and validation activities. Thus, process for hiring of two consultants, one international and one international has been initiated. The international consultant shall develop approach, methodology and shall plan, oversee and quality assure all the steps involved in strategy development process and the national consultant will support the international consultant in retrieving key documents and information for inception, organizing meetings and field trips, interpreting key discussions and documents related to the assignment and technical support in conduction and reporting of all proceedings.

How can you make a difference?

The individual local consultant under the ToR is expected to successfully undertake following task and deliverables.

The individual consultant under this ToR is required to assist the international consultant in coordinating with MoHSP, and other stakeholders, communities, organization of meetings and events, translation of key documents and provision of technical support. It is expected that the process will include meetings, training, testing, finalization, and validation.

DUTY STATION/DURATION:

Duration: 100 working days for 5 months (November 2023 - March 2024)

Duty station: Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Supervisor: Social & Behavior Change Officer, UNICEF Tajikistan

Specific job descriptions of the local individual consultant are as following:

• Support UNICEF Tajikistan and the International Consultant to identify, retrieve and review key government, UNICEF and other agencies document related to the assignment.
• Support UNICEF Tajikistan to identify relevant experts, stakeholders, locations, and communities for consultation for the assignment.
• Organize, liaise, and facilitate meetings/discussions, and workshops with the Ministry of Health, relevant expert, key stakeholders, and communities, to ensure buy-in of the initiative and the process.
• Take notes and document key inputs from the meetings, discussion, workshops, and field visits, analyse, and compile key findings for use of the international consultant.
• Translate key documents, notes, transcripts, and discussion from Tajik, Russian to English, in writing and face to face/conversation.
• Facilitate the international consultant during the field visits and community consultations.
• Support the international consultant in organizing and conducting consultation, co-creation, validation and dissemination workshop and events for the SBC Strategy.
• Support the International Consultant in consolidating the inputs into a SBC Strategy draft.
• Support in completing the final assignment report.

Work Assignment

Tasks/Milestone: (in line with the scope elaborated in section-III)

Deliverables/Outputs:

Anticipated Timeline

% of payment maximum up to 5 payments)

Support planning of the assignment:

Workplan: Detailing key tasks, start and end time.

Nov 2023

30%

Retrieve, organize and share key resources

Key evidence, documents and literature related to the assignments.

List of key stakeholders, experts, locations, and communities for consultations.

4th December-20th December 2023

Organize, liaise, and facilitate meetings, workshops

Meeting minutes

Workshop Reports

5th January to 20th January 2024

30%

Organize and facilitate field visits

FGDs tools and guides.

Field, FGDs, Consultation Reports

10th-28th Feb 2024.

Translate key documents

Translated copies of key documents in English and Tajik/Russian), as required.

1st- 20th March 2024

20%

Support consolidation, and reporting of the assignment

Final copies of assignment report

21st- 31st March 2024

20%

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

• Education: BA and master’s degree in Social and Behavior Science, Social Sciences, Sociology, Anthropology, Mass Communication, Public relations, public health.
• Work experience: A Minimum of five years of professional experience in areas of social development programme planning, SBC / C4D, public advocacy / related areas at the international / large organization is required.
• Technical Knowledge: Technical know-how of Public Health System, immunization, demand generation and social and behavioral change communication of Tajikistan.
• Expertise: in coordination, liaising and facilitation of consultation, discussion as well as focused group discussion and community dialogues. Expertise in development of organizing and conducting training/workshops and corporate events.
• Competencies: Strong management, coordination, and facilitation skills. Ability: to work as multi-cultural, multilingual team member, under strict deadlines with minimum supervision. Excellent writing, communication, and presentation skills.
• Language: Excellent written and verbal communication in English is required. Fluency or working knowledge of Tajik and Russian language is an asset.

Qualified candidates are requested to submit:

• Cover letter/application/CV.
• A technical proposal with the proposed methodology/approach to managing the project, showing understanding of tasks
• Financial quote for the consultancy in Tajik Somoni per deliverable, stating also the timeframe for completion of deliverable and/or daily rate in Tajik Somoni. Please also include travel fees in accordance with Travel Plan: 1) transportation costs: Khathlon: 2 days, Sohgd: 2 days, GBAO: 5 days, Districts of Republican Subordinates: 3 days, Dushanbe: 3 days and 2) DSA for 15 days.
• List of references
• Applications without technical and financial proposals will not be considered.

Applications must be received in the system by 26 November 2023 on UNICEF website.

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.