The consultant will provide technical support in secondary data analysis, synthesis and use into programmatic interventions for the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation
I. Background
The UNFPA and UNICEF joint programme (JP) for the elimination of female genital mutilation (FGM), established in 2008, is the largest global programmatic effort that aims to accelerate FGM abandonment progress to achieve sustainable development goal (5.3) by 2030. The programme supports multisectoral holistic and integrated approaches and interventions at global, regional, national, subnational and grass root levels that aim to improve the quality of life of FGM survivors and prevent new cases of FGM. The JP is currently implementing its Phase IV (2022-2030) in 17 focus countries (Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda, and Yemen). This phase is guided by five pillars or โa set of high fives' namely; promoting girlsโ agency, building movements, engaging women-led organizations, expanding and intensifying global influence and financing with diversified funding.
Generating rigorous and timely quality actionable data and evidence to support advocacy and decision making during planning and implementation is essential. For instance, the JP supported a systematic review of interventions (2008 - 2020 publications) and found community engagement approaches, social marketing and media, involvement of religious, cultural leaders and health workers, health education and formal education are effective in changing attitudes. Whilst rescue centers, legislative interventions and alternative rites of passages are ineffective interventions on their own and that the conversion of traditional practitioners is an ineffective interventions . Several of these listed interventions are ongoing within the 17 countries requiring a closer examination to assess the quality and effectiveness to adjust accordingly.
Furthermore, there is a growing body of evidence (published and gray literature) generated through the JP at global, regional and country offices that requires compilation and analysis since 2008. For instance, the partnership between the Gender & Human Rights Branch (GHRB) and Population and Development Branch (PDB) published the following papers in 2023, (1) A Systematic Review on the Effectiveness of Alternative Right of Passage in Eliminating FGM: Results from Evidence of two decades of FGM Programme implementation; (2) Factors Associated with Perception of Ease and Intention to Practice Female Genital Mutilation on Daughters: A Cross-sectional Study of Cross-border Communities in Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and Somalia; (3) Association between womenโs empowerment and the attitudes towards FGM and the risk of daughtersโ mutilation: a multi-country study using multilevel modelling. Further, there is a multitude of gray literature using qualitative and quantitative methods published on UNFPA websites and hard copies within JP country offices. In addition, UNFPA in collaboration with the STAR (Strategic Technical Assistance for Research) initiative within UNICEFโs Office of ResearchโInnocenti, there are over ten ongoing research examining the scope of interventions and factors perceived to facilitate or hinder the design, delivery and impact of select FGM related interventions within humanitarian settings in seven countries (Kenya, Mozambique, Chad, Mali, Niger, Uganda, and Burkina Faso). This wealth of knowledge generated since 2008 requires systematic compilation and synthesis for use among the 17 countries and beyond.
Finally, the JP is also rich with programmatic data which could be utilized together with existent population-based survey data on FGM to inform on the quality and impact of existent interventions. The GHRB, PDB and Policy, Strategic Information and Planning Branch (PSIPB) of UNFPA are conducting several analyses using this data including geospatial mapping of subnational FGM data and programmatic interventions that would need to be accelerated and finalized.
In addition, there is a need to accelerate the uptake of all of this data and translate it into programmatic interventions among programme officers and implementers in JP focus countries and potentially one additional country with high FGM burden.
It is against this background, UNFPA is seeking a consultant to support the compilation and analysis of all existent JP evidence at global, regional and country levels, to provide technical support into completing ongoing secondary analyses initiatives to generate timely results and provide support in the dissemination and uptake of these results into programming for 18 countries.
II. Purpose of consultancy:
The purpose of this consultancy is to support the JP in compiling and organizing all existent literature at UNFPAโs global, regional (3) and country office levels (18) as well as secondary analysis of programmatic and population-based survey data, geospatial mapping of programmatic interventions including results dissemination and uptake into current programming.
III. Scope of work:
The consultant will work under direct supervision of FGM team within GHRB of UNFPA working closely with PDB, PSIPB, Evaluation teams as well as regional and country offices of 17 countries supported by JP in addition to one country with high FGM burden.
The consultant is expected to undertake the following tasks:
1. Familiarize with JP documents (phases 1 โ 4), JP evaluations reports Phase 1- 3, Systematic review of FGM interventions effectiveness, Global FGM research agenda, JP M&E frameworks, ACT framework and FGM indicators compendium.
2. Support geospatial mapping of FGM programmatic interventions at national and subnational level including interventionsโ outputs/outcomes and FGM prevalence/incidence risk in the 18 countries.
3. Conduct secondary data analysis utilizing programmatic data including costs and population survey data to examine the effectiveness/efficiency of selected interventions.
4. Interpret and summarize analytic findings into a user-friendly format to facilitate understanding and use by program officers and implementers at regional and country level.
5. Collate and categorize completed JP published and gray literature from 2008 to date into a shared folder with user-friendly summary format for each category to facilitate understanding and use by program officers and implementers at regional and country level.
6. Provide technical inputs into ongoing UNFPA led secondary data analysis projects, real-time FGM data collection project (partnership between UNFPA and John Hopkin Universityโs Performance Monitoring for Action), JP monitoring and evaluation framework/indicators and JP knowledge management strategy.
IV. Key deliverables
The expected deliverables of the consultancy are:
1. Detailed Ghantt chart for the tasks and deliverables for contract period
2. Shared folder compiling published and gray literature from 2008 to date organized by thematic area, design/analytic method, year, country and region.
3. 18 country geospatial mapping figures depicting FGM programmatic interventions (type/scale) outputs/outcomes with FGM indicators on prevalence/risk incidence.
4. 18 user-friendly summaries of published/gray literature and secondary data analysis including recommendation for use and uptake by program officers.
5. Completed economic analysis/evaluation in selected countries.
6. Technical contributions (not editorial) provided into documents related to:
i. new and ongoing secondary data analysis protocols, reports and publications
ii. real-time FGM data collection project (partnership between UNFPA and John Hopkin Universityโs Performance Monitoring for Action)
iii. JP monitoring and evaluation framework and data analysis reports including approaches/mechanisms to monitor programmatic data analysis and data use/uptake into programming by program officers and implementers.
iv. JP knowledge management strategy
v. Mid-term evaluation of phase 4 of the JP
7. Webinar on the job program data analysis and use to optimize the quality and effectiveness of ongoing interventions.
The consultantโs deliverables will be shared in electronic format.
V. Duration of the consultancy service and working arrangement
The consultancy is for 60 working days. The tentative schedule is from 30 March 2024 to 30 November 2024:
- Expected start date: 30 March 2024
- Expected end date: 30 November 2024
This will be a remote-based consultancy with regular virtual meetings aligned with working hours within the Africa time zone and potentially Indonesia.
The consultant may be requested to potentially travel to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to work closely with the technical team to finalize deliverables.
VI. Supervisory arrangements
The consultant will work under the overall guidance of the Global Coordinator of the FGM JP with the M&E specialist.
VII. Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format
The consultant will develop a detailed Grant chart for the tasks and deliverables for contract period which will be approved and used to monitor progress.
Weekly conference calls will be scheduled with the consultant to monitor progress, provide guidance and clarification to any questions, and ensure the work is on track.
A monthly progress report will be expected every 5th of every month.
VIII. Required expertise, qualifications and competencies
Education:
- Masters or PhD in a relevant field such as Public Health, Demography, Statistics, Gender Statistics.
Required competencies:
- At least 7 years of professional experience with expertise in advanced secondary data analysis and programmatic evaluation.
- Strong skills in evidence synthesis at national and international level with focus on quality improvement and efficiency in programs
- Strong skills in quantitative analytic methods.
- Strong skills in undertaking advanced data analysis using statistical techniques and software such as SPSS, STATA, R, SAS.
- Strong skill in data visualization (PowerBI, Tableau, Looker Studio) is an advantage.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team in alignment to their respective work time zones and meet hard deadlines
- Work experience in research related to harmful practices is an advantage.
- Strong interpersonal skills and experience in working with multi-stakeholder organizations.
Languages:
- High proficiency in written and spoken English is required.
- Knowledge of French is an advantage.
IX. Documents required
To apply for the position, please send the following documents:
- Curriculum vitae (CV)
- Cover letter indicating the daily fee in USD supported by previous consultancy contracts
- Sample of previous deliverables aligned to consultancy deliverables such as a detailed Ghantt chart, publications in either operational or impact evaluation, user-friendly evidence summary for audience working in programmatic work
X. Other relevant information or special conditions
Deliverables and payment will be made in three installments (25%, 25% and 50%)
XI. How to apply for the position
Interested applicant should send the required documents to Menbere Legesse email mlegesse@unfpa.org and CC tra@unfpa.org See all current vacancies