Consultancy: Consultant, Investment analysis of immunization coverage and equity in conflict-affected areas – Health Section, PD, NYHQ/Home based – Req # 536074

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Consultancy Title: Investment analysis of immunization coverage and equity in conflict-affected areas

Section/Division/Duty Station: Health Section/Programme/NY

Duration: 66 days                                                                                                        

 

About UNICEF

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world’s leading children’s rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children’s survival, protection and development. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

About 40% of the 13.5 million zero-dose children for immunization (5.4 million) reside in areas affected by fragility and conflict, and addressing the key challenges to the provision and use of essential life-saving vaccinations will be key to addressing persisting inequities and other deprivations including gender related barriers in conflict settings. Improving equity in access to immunization services in conflict affected populations can have a positive rippling effect on other priority settings and will go a long way towards achieving the goals of the Immunization Agenda 2030 and Gavi 5.0 and provide the framework for the integrated delivery of other essential health interventions.

One of the areas through which conflict-affected countries are trying to address inequities in access to, and utilization of, immunization services is through health system and immunization strengthening (HSIS) and partners’ engagement framework (PEF) targeted country assistance (TCA) investments being made by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to address the challenges being posed by health system bottlenecks that hinder effective use of resources to reach zero-dose children and support others in receiving full vaccination. The Full Portfolio Planning, or other funding request submissions to Gavi as part of the application process, usually identify the programme components where the funding is to be directed as might have been dictated by the situation analysis, goal setting, identification of strategies and activities and prioritization. It will, thus, be helpful to review whether the investments have actually responded to the identified needs to improve availability and utilization of immunization and health services in conflict affected populations in the course of implementation of Gavi support. Such an analysis will inform future programming and could help document lessons learned and best practices, both in terms of mapping evidence-based interventions, implementation arrangements and integration /coordination/ harmonization with other donor support.

Terms of Reference / Deliverables

The work will entail a review of the following documents and any other relevant documents as may be suggested by the targeted countries in the interactions that the consultant is expected to undertake with them.

• Programme support rationale (PSR) or proposal narrative, budget and grant performance framework (GPF) indicators and targets submitted to Gavi.
• C&E analysis or targeting analysis informing the prioritization of geographic areas or populations for the HSS investments (submitted with PSR)
• Independent review committee (IRC) report and country response to clarifications
• Activity categorization analysis (HSIS analysis) database.
• GPF reporting and financial reporting from the four selected countries in conflict
• Joint appraisal reports from the 4 selected countries
• Gavi SCM summaries, such as those used for the High-Level Review Panel from those countries
• Any other useful documentation from the countries (CCEOP, PIEs, EVMA/ IP and progress reports, CMYP, humanitarian response plans, minutes from health cluster calls or HSCC meetings if EPI performance has been reviewed etc.)

A report summarizing the findings with focus on whether the Gavi HSS investments at the national and subnational levels have been able to address the health system bottlenecks that were identified in the document requesting for the investment is expected from the consultant. This will contribute to materials for an in-depth analysis of the situation with a view to identifying whether there has been progress of the investment on coverage and equity especially in the areas of the country being impacted by the conflict, and how this learning can contribute to reducing zero-dose children including addressing barriers in access to immunization services linked to gender. The report could also identify best practices, or innovative approaches to reaching zero dose children in conflict settings.

All these are then expected to form the basis for a write up of the Equity Reference Group paper on immunization in conflict and wider equity settings.

 

Qualifications

• 5 years of relevant experience/ knowledge of child health and specially immunization related work
• Superior editing and writing skills, acquired over at least 3 years of experience, and copy editing of data-rich publications
• Demonstrated understanding of international development issues and/or issues concerning children; familiarity with the subject of the publication desirable
• Knowledge in management, communication strategies, advocacy and networking
• Understanding of United Nations systems and international organizations in general; field/country experience an asset
• Fluency in English and excellent writing skills; fluency in French with ability to review documents written in French language is essential
• Demonstrated cultural sensitivity and ability to establish harmonious working relations in a multicultural environment.

 

Requirements:

• Completed profile in UNICEF’s e-Recruitment system and provide Personal History Form (P11) (can be downloadedhere: https://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_consultancy_assignments.html 
• Upload copy of academic credentials
• Financial proposal that will include:
  • your daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above
  • travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
  • Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
  • Indicate your availability
• Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at: Here

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, race, sexual orientation, nationality, culture, appearance, socio-economic status, ability, age, religious and ethnic backgrounds 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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.