National consultant to provide technical support to Health Section in planning and implementation of C4D interventions for immunization and nurturing care

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Background

Demand generation for vaccines against COVID-19

In January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). The outbreak has infected millions of people across the world and caused significant loss of lives. To protect people from the disease, vaccines against COVID have been developed by several manufacturers in several countries.  It is expected that there will be only limited number of vaccines produced in the early days, and gradually scaled up.

UNICEF and WHO are supporting the Government of Uzbekistan in introduction of COVID 19 vaccine in 2021. In this process, UNICEF is leading the provision of technical support to public communication and demand generation activities that is a key component of COVID-19 vaccine introduction. For this purposes, Technical Working Group on Public Communication and Demand Generation (TWG on DG) was established under the leadership of the National Technical Working Group on introduction of vaccines against COVID-19.

On 3 March 2021, TWG on DG endorsed Public Communication and Demand Generation Plan for introduction of vaccines against COVID-19 in Uzbekistan. The Plan was agreed to be a living document that will be updated on a regular basis depending on the availability of new data and information. Broadly, demand generation activities will be implemented in following three areas:

1. Establishment of a data collection system to support evidence-based public communication and demand generation planning and implementation;
2. Development of a demand generation plan to generate trust, acceptance and demand for COVID-19 vaccines, including crisis communications preparedness planning;
3. Development and distribution of communication materials in accordance with demand generation plan.

Introduction of HPV vaccines for girls 11-12 years old

In 2019, the Government of Uzbekistan introduced HPV vaccines for 9-years old girls, with the introduction of this vaccines for girls 11-12 years old being planned for 2021. Considering the previous experience of HPV vaccine introduction, several key steps are envisaged within this exercise:

1. Application of innovative approaches for local community engagement in demand generation
2. Mapping of CSOs and other stakeholders to amplify demand generation activities through social engagement and community mobilization
3. Engagement with religious leaders’ organizations for demand generation for vaccination
4. Social media monitoring for rumour and misinformation tracking

Nurturing care

Recognizing health workers’ crucial role in addressing hesitancy and strengthening confidence in vaccines, the UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECARO) has created a training package on interpersonal communication (IPC) for immunization. The training package developed and tested in collaboration with John Hopkins Centre for Communication Programmes in 2018 aims to strengthen healthcare professionals’ capacity in the region to understand and affect positive change in vaccine hesitancy.

UNICEF Uzbekistan is planning to adapt this training package to country context and promote its integration to the pre- and in-service training of health workers.

To ensure timely and quality delivery of results envisaged under above mentioned areas there is a need to engage a national expert to provide technical support to Health Section in planning and implementation of C4D interventions for immunization and nurturing care.

Improving adolescent/youth’s access to educational and lifesaving information through Internet of Good Things (IOGT)

Internet of Good Things (IOGT) hosts mobile-packaged content designed to make life-saving and life-improving information available for free, even on low-end devices. IoGT is helping communities and frontline workers access educational and lifesaving information at the point of care.

Topics and issues on Internet of Good Things include maternal health, hygiene, emergency information on diseases such as Yellow fever, Polio and Cholera, HIV and sexual health advice for adolescents, Internet safety, positive parenting techniques and more. Including multimedia elements and 2-way communication features, the IoGT platform can also be used to capture feedback and local best practices from communities through polls and survey functionalities.

UNICEF is planning to introduce IOGT in the country to improve adolescent/youth’s access to educational and lifesaving information.

Overall providing visibility support for the health section’s events.

Experience gleaned from the past has demonstrated the need for a focal point within the section for organizing visibility events and finalizing supporting communication materials (press-releases, talking points, etc.) as well as serving as a liaison with communication section and mass media representatives.

Objectives 

Under the direct supervision of Health Section and in close collaboration with C4D Officer the consultant will be responsible for:

Demand Generation for vaccines against COVID-19:

• Support validation and finalization of regular monitoring reports on behavioural insights.
• Support the identification of key messages and communication products (PSA, posters, brochures, etc.) suitable ways of delivering these messages through different public communication and demand generation to address the findings of formative research and regular data collection;
• Support organization of TV and radio prgrammes to deliver key messages to target population;
• Support the launch of Health Buddy App by development and implementation of communication campaign;
• Support capacity building of national partners to conduct social media monitoring covering rumours, and misinformation, including any disinformation related to AEFIs;
• Support capacity building of media outlets on reporting about vaccines, fact checking, and addressing;

Introduction of HPV vaccines for boys:

• Support organization of a formative research on introduction of HPV vaccines for boys;
• Support identification of key public communication and demand generation messages and communication products (PSA, posters, brochures, etc.) to address the findings of formative research and regular data collection;
• Support capacity building of media outlets and relevant personnel of the Service on epidemiological wellbeing at national and regional levels on application of innovative targeted communication and demand generation activities with promotion of community engagement;
• Support collaboration with religious leaders in promotion of HPV vaccines for boys.

Nurturing care:

• Support capacity building of national partners on adaptation and integration of the training module on Interpersonal Communication for Immunization to pre- and in-service training of health workers;
• Support C4D activities related to nurturing care.

Adaptation of IOGT into Uzbekistan context as part of IOGT team in the country office

• Support to adapt the content of IOGT into Uzbekistan context
• Capacity building of government counterpart to develop and adapt content of IOGT

Overall providing visibility support for the health section’s events

To provide at least once a month a visibility event for the health section’s activities through Twitter, FB, Telegram, UNICEF’s corporate website, etc.

Timeline

Start day of the assignment: 10 May 2021

End day of the assignment: 10 May 2022

Management

The consultant will work under the supervision of Chief of Health with technical support from Chief of Communication and in daily collaboration with C4D Officer.

Resource requirements and payments

UCO will offer a monthly fee based on acceptable deliverables. The contract will be issued for 7 months in 2021 and for five months in 2022.

The Consultant will be paid on a monthly based on deliverables upon submission of her/his report and subject to certification by the Supervisor, based on the monthly work-plan, outlining the expected work outputs agreed in the beginning of the reporting period.

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

1. Advanced university degree in the social/behavioral sciences, psychology, sociology;
2. At least 3 years of progressive professional experiences in social and behavior change communication, demand generation and community engagement;
3. Proven 2-year experience of working on public communication issues in the field of Immunization including crises communication
4. At least 2- year experience in coordinating capacity building activities for health care providers in the field of immunization
5. Proven experience in technical support to MoH in adaptation and implementation of demand generation interventions
6. Good command of written English and Russian/or Uzbek (Examination of a previous authentic written work in English and Russian/ or Uzbek)

Procedures and Working Conditions

Consultant is expected to work from home and expected to participate at all required meetings online. The applicants shall be required to submit a statement of good health prior of commencement of work and to take full responsibility for the accuracy of that statement. Consultants are not eligible to participate in the life or health insurance available to UN staff members.

Reservations

UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if deliverable(s) incomplete, not finalized or for failure to meet deadlines. UNICEF will reserve copyright of all developed materials and own primary data collected through this assignment. The materials cannot be published or disseminated without prior written permission of UNICEF. UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future. The contractor must respect the confidentiality of the information handled during the assignment. Documents and information provided must be used only for the tasks related to these terms of reference.

UNICEF undertakes no liability for taxes, duty or other contribution payable by the consultant on payments made under this contract.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

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:

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.