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Qualifications

Purpose of consultancy 

The purpose of this vacancy notice is to establish a list of qualified candidates who will contribute to the implementation of initiatives related to projects on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in WHO regional and country offices in the African region.

Background

WHO/AFRO is implementing several initiatives that aim to increase access to SRHR services in both the development and emergency settings. WHO/AFRO provides technical support to an increasing number of ‘focus’ countries together with on-demand and routine normative technical support to all the 47 countries in the WHO African region. The role of the WHO AFRO Reproductive and Maternal Health and Healthy Ageing unit within the Universal health Coverage Life Course Cluster is to support countries in developing, implementing, monitoring, and reporting on relevant strategies and plans. The unit is also responsible for ensuring the coordination of SRHR activities and the follow-up of agreed action plans. The unit is engaged in continued policy dialogue, advocacy, and resource mobilization for the implementation and scale-up of quality SRHR interventions in countries.

Deliverables

Output 1: Integrating SRHR services in Universal Health Coverage (UHC) - national essential services lists and benefits packages are key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) SRHR targets by ensuring essential services for each age cohort reach every person without financial risk.

·         National UHC frameworks, roadmaps and related UHC essential services benefit packages reviewed and the status of inclusion (and exclusion) of the key elements of SRHR documented.

·         Prioritization exercise for SRHR services in member states’ essential services list and benefits packages in the African region, including in humanitarian and emergency settings.

·         Facilitate the constitution and functioning of a technical working group for the integration of SRHR in UHC.

·         Costing of SRHR services in the African region using an agreed methodology.

·         Development of a roadmap for the integration of SRHR in UHC in the WHO/AFRO Region. This includes developing, implementing, and monitoring key performance indicators, work plans, and budgets to integrate SRHR as integral components of countries' primary health care.

·         Identify and document good practices in the integration of SRHR into national UHC frameworks/roadmaps.

·         Countries supported to integrate SRHR into UHC including through policy dialogues and resource mobilization.

·         Development of a comprehensive report on the status of SRHR integration into UHC in African region

Output 2: Innovative methods to improve access to SRHR services in the African

  A.   Digital Health: 

·         Needs assessment on the status and opportunities for digital health interventions for SRHR in focus countries using a ready-developed Country Assessment Tool.

·         Prepare and facilitate regional webinars and onsite workshops to raise awareness and build capacity to optimize the digitalization of SRHR services

·         Advocacy and policy dialogue on digital health interventions for SRHR.

·         Country-level training on tools related to the use and implementation of Digital Adaptation Kits (DAKs) and self-care interventions for SRHR.

·         Development and integration of SRHR workflows in the digital health platform of countries.

·         Monitor and document uptake of DAKs and self-care interventions for SRHR country implementation, including technical assistance needs for successful implementation.

   B.   Self-care: 

·         Map the status, barriers, and success factors for self-care implementation across member states in WHO Africa region. 

·         Regional self-care summit in WHO African region bringing together all partners, MOH, WCOs and other key stakeholders to encourage adaptation and implementation of selfcare guidelines. 

·         Regional strategy, including monitoring and evaluation framework for implementing self-care in WHO African Region developed. 

·         Technical assistance to member states to roll out and scale up the implementation of self-care for SRHR services, including in humanitarian and emergency settings.

Output 3: SRHR in Humanitarian Emergencies.

•                     Initiatives providing comprehensive SRHR services, including abortion care and family planning, and preventing maternal death in conflict and emergency settings supported.

•                     Rights-based SRHR in humanitarian settings training packages for healthcare workers and regional capacity of care workers developed.

•                     Feasibility and implementation of Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and response (MPDSR) in humanitarian settings assessed.

•                     Minimum initial service package for reproductive health in emergencies (MISP) readiness assessment in the African region conducted, and national capacity on MISP built.

•                     Continuity of essential health services during emergency monitored.

Output 4: SRHR evidence generation and documentation of best practices.

·         National and regional analyses of SRHR trends, including technical recommendations on programmatic learnings from successes and challenges during peace and shocks.

·         Development and update of a national/regional database/profiles on SRHR

·         Documenting SRHR lessons, best practices, and case studies. This includes supporting SRHR implementation research.

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:

Essential: 

• For lower end of band level B: Minimum first university degree in medicine or social science with a bachelor's degree in public health or equivalent or related field.
• For mid and high-end band level B: Advanced university degree in in medicine or social science with a master's degree in public health or equivalent or related field.
• For band level C: Advanced university degree in Advanced university degree in in medicine or social science with a master's degree in public health or equivalent or related field.

  Desirable:

  PhD in public health, RMH/SRHR or related programs, Residency training or postgraduate fellowship in obstetrics and gynecology, Monitoring and Evaluation or Project or Results-based Management certification.