Programme Assistant – Urban Health

Contract

This is a UNV National Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV National Specialist contracts.

In Bangladesh, cities are home to 65 million people (39% of the total population) and the urban population is estimated to surpass the rural population by 2030, i.e., more than 50% percent of the total. Existing urban health structures are largely inadequate to ensure universal access to health care in view of the needs of the fast-growing urban population. Urban primary health care does not fall under the purview of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW); and most slum dwellers have limited access to private-sector health care because of its high cost.

Women and girl’s sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is exposed to huge risks during and post disaster periods resulting into their rights being violated. Furthermore, when these vulnerable people, including women and girls, migrate to urban cities and live in slums, the threats of SRHR services accelerates.

There are more than four (04) million workers employed in 5,600 RMG factories. Among them around 52 percent are women, more than 80 percent are in reproductive age and two-third of them are married without having quality SRHR services in the factories and outside. Some factories have a part time visiting doctor or a contractual relationship with NGOs for providing factory-based health services but most of them lack adequate skills to address the full range of SRHR. It is evident from different studies, access to SRH counselling and services including safe motherhood, family planning, prevention and control of RTI/STI/AIDS, maternal nutrition, adolescent care, infertility, and neonatal care are insignificant due to social stigma and role of factory management to allow workers to spend adequate time in a health facility. Bangladesh Urban Health Survey (2013) found that 95 percent of communities in slums and non-slums (in city corporations) and about 90 percent in other urban areas (in municipalities) had a health facility available within two kilometers. However this physical accessibility didn’t turn into appropriate utilization, as found in Household Income and Expenditure Survey (2016) that found utilization of health services in urban areas as 34 percent from Pharmacy/Dispensary/Compounder, 18 percent from Qualified Doctors’ Chamber, 15 percent from Non-qualified Doctor’s Chamber, 10 percent from Private Clinic/Hospital, 5 percent from Upazila Health Complex, 4 percent from Government District/Sadar General Hospital and 4 percent from Government Medical College and Specialized Hospital.

The UNFPA 10th Country Programme seeks to accelerate action towards the achievement of universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, focusing on those furthest behind: delivering a resilient, agile and thriving Bangladesh where every woman and girl lives in dignity and safety, every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and the potential of every young person is realized. It supports the Government of Bangladesh to achieve the 2030 Agenda, seeks to address the unfinished agenda of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action through the achievement of the three transformative results of UNFPA, and is aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and the Government’s 8th Five-Year Plan. UNFPA’s Urban SRHR interventions also aligned with attainment of the goals and objectives of the National Urban Health Strategy 2020.

Under the direct supervision of the Programme Analyst – Urban Health, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Support the supervisor in the day-to-day monitoring and follow-up of the urban health interventions including. a) Solving referral challenges for urban poor to access emergency obstetric and newborn care b) SRHR information, services, and referral in pharmacies c) Urban mentorship in medical college hospitals d) SRHR/FP capacity building for the Urban facility providers e) Support to DGFP for the monitoring of SRH in RMGs f) Support to DGFP to strengthen Family Planning services in Dhaka City g) TA to NIPORT to conduct Bangladesh Socio-Behavioural Survey on Health, Population and Nutrition • Support the supervisor in monitoring and analysis of spending of funds allocated to the implementing partners. • Develop concept notes and proposals on urban health issues based on the analysis of the available secondary data and information. • Develop issue-based advocacy and visibility documents including policy brief, briefing notes, talking points, presentations, infographics, and any other things required by the office. • Support the supervisor in the communication and visibility issues of the SRHR unit. This includes, but not limited to, collect and review of case stories, photography, documentaries, etc. • Support the supervisor in writing and reviewing project reports. • Participates in preparation of workplans and budgets within the office and with the implementing partners (IPs); • Reviews of budget in line with WP policy and expenditures submitted by IP for reporting in line with approved WP/budget and UNFPA activity coding. • Generates required financial reports from UNFPA financial reporting portal (Cognos) and share with supervisor/ programme officers for financial monitoring. • Checks and examines various financial reports (eFACE, F10 claims and other payments). Follow-ups with IPs for the timely submission of quarterly eFACE and work plan progress reports, reimbursement authorization and submit them for review and approval, including monitoring (dates) of submission and approvals. • Support other tasks identified by the supervisor.

Results/Expected Outputs:

• Supported in documentation mentioned above in the Task Description section. • The development of capacity through coaching, mentoring and formal on-the-job training, when working with (including supervising) national staff or (non-) governmental counterparts, including Implementing Partners (IPs); • Age, Gender, and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment. • A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed.

• Accountability • Adaptability and Flexibility • Building Trust • Client Orientation • Commitment and Motivation • Commitment to Continuous Learning • Communication • Ethics and Values • Integrity • Planning and Organizing • Professionalism • Respect for Diversity • Working in Teams

• public health, preferably in sexual and reproductive health. • Experience in project management and communication.

Dhaka is located in central Bangladesh along the Buriganga River. Not only is it the capital city, but it is also the largest in the country. It is the centre of political, cultural, and economic life in Bangladesh. The official language is Bengali, while English is the working language of UN Agencies. In recent decades, Dhaka has seen the modernization of services, communications, and public works. The city is attracting large foreign investments and greater volumes of commerce and trade. It is also experiencing an increasing influx of people from across the nation; this has reportedly made Dhaka one of the fastest-growing cities in the world. Good English-speaking medical, dental services, and educational centres are available for internationals. Dhaka is connected to other cities by rail, road, and by air and internationals can move easily from one city to another.

Dhaka has venerable green spaces, including many gardens and parks, historical places, and nice restaurants. The weather is tropical - hot and very humid during the summer monsoon season (April-September) and drier and cooler in the winter (October-March).

Historically, Bangladesh has been a safe country for internationals so far. While Dhaka is not categorized as a hardship station, the volunteer should be prepared for limitations in freedom of movement on foot, by public transport, and to certain locations.