Digital Solutions for Health Emergencies Expert

Mission and objectivesEstablished on 7 April 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) works worldwide to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the vulnerable. WHO’s goal is to ensure that a billion more people have universal health coverage, to protect a billion more people from health emergencies, and provide a further billion people with better health and well-being.

ContextThe World Health Organization (WHO) European Centre for Preparedness for Humanitarian and Health Emergencies (PHHE) is a geographically dispersed office of the World Health Organization (WHO)/Europe, established to strengthen the capacities of Member States in the European Region to prepare for, respond to, and recover from health emergencies. PHHE provides technical support, fosters collaboration, and promotes innovative and sustainable approaches to enhance resilience and reduce disaster risk. In line with the World Health Organization (WHO)’s Global Strategy on Digital Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) European Regional Digital Health Action Plan (2023–2030), PHHE is coordinating a regional initiative on Digital Solutions for Health Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Resilience (2025–2030). The initiative seeks to harness the rapid advancements in digital health—including data systems, artificial intelligence, interoperability, and emerging technologies—to improve how countries anticipate, detect, manage, and recover from health emergencies. It emphasizes collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters, regional divisions, Member States, academia, and partners to ensure that digital innovations are integrated effectively and responsibly across the emergency management cycle. Within this initiative, the UN Volunteer will contribute by conducting needs assessments and horizon scanning to identify digital tools and technologies already available and used globally, including AI-based applications, that can enhance preparedness, response, and resilience. The Expert will support the documentation and publication of findings, whether from the assessment or the scanning exercises, ensuring that outputs are accessible to Member States and partners. By doing so, the UN Volunteer will help PHHE generate actionable evidence, highlight good practices, and promote the adoption of scalable, sustainable, and responsible digital solutions for health emergencies.

Task DescriptionUnder the overall guidance of the Team Lead – GIS and Digital Solutions, the UN Volunteer will: • Conduct needs assessments through structured needs analysis and solution identification exercises relevant to health emergency preparedness, response, and resilience across the WHO European Region. • Perform horizon scanning to identify innovative and emerging solutions globally, including the use of artificial intelligence and other advanced digital technologies. • Engage with Member States, WHO teams, academia, and partners through surveys, interviews, and workshops to capture country-specific contexts, needs, and good practices. • Document and synthesize findings from assessments and scanning exercises into knowledge products (reports, case studies, briefs). • Support dissemination and publication of outputs to ensure knowledge sharing and accessibility across the Region. • Contribute to broader PHHE activities related to partnerships, governance, and capacity-building on digital solutions for emergencies. • Perform any other related tasks as required by PHHE on the digital solution for health emergencies. Results/Expected Outputs • Comprehensive mapping of existing digital solutions, capacities, and needs for emergency preparedness, response, and resilience in the the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region. • Horizon scanning report highlighting global digital tools and technologies, with emphasis on innovative and AI-enabled solutions relevant to emergencies. • Published knowledge products (e.g., assessment reports, case studies, technical briefs) that can be shared with Member States and partners. • Strengthened evidence base to inform PHHE’s regional roadmap and strategic guidance on digital health in emergencies. • Enhanced visibility of the World Health Organization (WHO)/Europe’s role in advancing digital innovation for health emergency preparedness and response. Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities: • Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance: in events that mark International Volunteer Day, 5th of December). • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country. • Provide annual and the end of assignment self-reports on UN Volunteer actions, results, and opportunities (for instance: at https://vra.unv.org), • Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc. • Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers. - • Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

Competencies and values• Accountability • Adaptability and flexibility • Creativity • Professionalism

Living conditions and remarksThis is a volunteer assignment, not employment. By sharing your time, energy, and talents, you can support communities in need and become part of something greater than yourself — a global movement for peace, development, and humanitarian aid. Volunteering strengthens trust, solidarity, and reciprocity among citizens, and it can promote a sense of belonging and purpose. Summary of National UN Volunteer Expert Entitlements (paid in local currency): • Current Monthly Living Allowance (MLA) is USD 2,260 (Paid in Turkish Lira) • Private insurance: Health, dental, life, and dismemberment coverage by CIGNA As per the UN’s diplomatic mission status, it is not included in the National Security Institution’s (SGK) system but can only be initiated on a private basis by UN Volunteers. • Entry allowance (one-time payment): USD 400 (Paid in Turkish Lira) • Exit allowance: USD 134 per month and upon the satisfactory completion of the assignment (Paid in Turkish Lira) • Annual leave: 2.5 days accrued per calendar month • Free access to different learning platforms and UN & UNV network The UN Volunteer will be based in Istanbul and will be responsible for arranging her/his own housing and other living essentials. The full entitlements at the duty station: https://app.unv.org/calculator. Notes: 1) It is important to note that UNV assignments are volunteer assignments, not employment. 2) The allowances are in no way to be understood as compensation, reward, or salary in exchange for the volunteer work.