Re-advertisement - International Consultancy : Support SMART nutrition survey in 4 priority regions (FN, N, Ad, East) coupled with SENS (Standardized Expanded Nutrition Survey) for the CAR

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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, Nutrition.

UNICEF has been working in Cameroon since 1975 to allow women and children to fully realize their rights to development without restriction, as enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. UNICEF provides financial and technical support to Cameroon across seven areas to fully realize the rights of women and children. These areas include Health, HIV/AIDS, Water-sanitation-Hygiene, nutrition, education, child protection, and social inclusion. UNICEF focuses mainly on children and the most vulnerable and excluded families. Cameroon’s 2020 population is estimated at 26,545,863 people according to UN data. The population is young and generates strong socioeconomic demand. In rural areas, limited access to basic social services and the effects of climate change led to household impoverishment and severe child deprivations. The task is immense but not insurmountable; it requires the energy of all stakeholders in Cameroon and out of Cameroon: also, women, men, youth and children, government, technical and financial partners, donors, civil society, the private sector, parliamentarians, communities. Everyone is invited to take part in the struggle to meet the challenges that lie ahead. It is together that we will act for Cameroon, a country that summarizes the challenges and hopes of Africa.

To learn more about UNICEF Cameroon, use the below

link https://unicef.sharepoint.com/sites/CMR/SitePages/AboutUs.aspx.

How can you make a difference?

Scope of Work:

Chronic malnutrition remains one of the major public health problems in Cameroon. According to MICS 2018, 29% of children under the age of five suffer from chronic malnutrition across the country. The highest prevalences are observed in four regions (Adamaoua, East, Far North and North). Children living in rural areas (38%) are more affected than those living in urban areas (22%). With regard to global acute malnutrition, the national prevalence is 5.2% in children aged 6 to 59 months. However, this generally acceptable situation hides significant regional disparities. The results of the last SMART survey in 2021, showed for global acute malnutrition (GAM) a warning situation in the Far North (5.9%) and a precarious situation in the north (4.8%). The eastern and Adamawa regions had rates below 5%. UNICEF estimates that nearly 205,000 children under the age of five will suffer from acute malnutrition in the four vulnerable regions of Cameroon in 2022.

Since March 2013, Cameroon, due to the increase of instability in Central African Republic, faced a new wave of Central African refugees flowing into its territory seeking for protection. UNHCR has set up some installation sites for these populations. However, more than 70% of them live outside these settlements and have less access to humanitarian assistance services. A multi sectoral, including Nutrition, response at large scale is being implemented. The far North region is also facing the impact of the lake Chad Basin crisis with more than 130,000 Nigerian refugees which 71,000 of them are settled in Minawao camp (Health District of Mokolo).

The last SENS survey in 2021 has shown emergency rates of acute malnutrition among refugees, which is the most affected population in Cameroon. Central African refugees have alarming acute malnutrition rates of over 12.5% with severe levels of malnutrition (SAM) of 2.6% and 3.4% respectively in sites and out of sites. In addition, 1 in 3 women of childbearing age (and pregnant) is at risk of acute malnutrition.

The populations of Cameroon, in these 4 regions, suffer from the impacts of a triple humanitarian crisis linked to the conflicts in the region of the Lake Chad Basin, and in the Central African Republic as well as to a chronic vulnerability leading to high levels of food insecurity. and malnutrition. The nutritional situation in the 4 regions is due to transient food insecurity (due to the effects of climate change, drought and floods and poor access to food following the

impoverishment of households and the closure of borders), the incidence of infectious diseases (cholera, malaria, diarrhea, etc.), inadequate infant and young child feeding practices, and inadequate hygiene and sanitation measures. In addition, global impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and The Conflict in Ukraine are considered as aggravating factors that can lead to a deterioration of the nutrition status of the most vulnerable population.

The evidence produced by Nutrition surveys are used to inform decision-making to improve response. These data also feed the monitoring of the nutritional situation and make it possible to better orient nutritional interventions by paying particular attention to high-risk areas.

In order to assess the health and nutrition situation of Cameroonian population and refugee populations and guide decision-making for the next two years, UNICEF, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, and UNHCR, via the Public Health Regional Delegations of Far North, East, Adamawa and North, will conduct a nutrition and mortality survey. Given the Covid-19 context the survey should be conducted in strict compliance with protective measures recommended by Cameroonian Ministry of Health. Core objectives • To measure the prevalence of acute malnutrition (global, moderate, severe) in children aged 6-59 • To measure the prevalence of stunting in children aged 6-59 months • To measure the prevalence of acute malnutrition (MUAC<210 mm) in women of childbearing age (15-49 years) • To determine mortality rate among children aged 0-59 months; • To establish recommendations on actions to be taken to address the situation

Final list of specific objectives of the survey will be validated by the steering committee depending on resources available, time available and prioritization of the partners.

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Nutrition, Public Health, statistics
• Justify at least 05 years of experience in Nutrition and Public Health;
• Demonstrate a very good knowledge of SMART / SENS methodology and large-scale survey coordination;
• Justify good conceptual and analytical skills;
• Write, read and express yourself perfectly in French (minimum knowledge of English is an asset);
• Ability to work and facilitate discussions with multiple partners;
• Justify of a good mastery of mobile data collection and analysis and use of open source software (ODK, Kobo ...);
• Demonstrate a good command of computer tools and word processing and email software as well as data entry software (Epi-Info, Epi-Data,) and data analysis software (e.g ENA, Epi-Info , SPSS, SAS);
• Past experiences with UN / UNICEF an asset

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and sustainability.

And Competency:

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness
• Works Collaboratively with others
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships
• Innovates and Embraces Change
• Thinks and Acts Strategically
• Drive to achieve impactful results
• Manages ambiguity and complexity

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 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:

Please submit the Technical and Financial Proposal SEPARATELY. /-

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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. The candidate may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid).