International Consultancy - SRH M&E Consultant- Arab States Regional Office - Amman HUB

SRH M&E Consultant - International Consultancy 

Location: Amman, Jordan

Application Deadline :  30 August 2023

Type of Contract :  Individual Consultant 

Language Required:  Fluency in English is a Must

Duration:  2 Months

Hiring Office: UNFPA Arab States Regional office - Amman HUB

Purpose of Consultancy: 

UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health (SRH) agency. UNFPA’s three strategic goals (zero unmet need for family planning; zero preventable maternal deaths; and zero gender-based violence and harmful practices) are aligned with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Since its formal establishment in December 2022 - UNFPA chairs the Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Task Team within the Global Health Cluster. In addition, UNFPA sits on the steering committee for the Interagency Working Group (IAGW) for Reproductive Health in Emergencies, ensuring that the provision of quality life-saving reproductive health services during humanitarian crises are available and accessible by the affected community. The humanitarian response coordination mechanism for Syria involves a WOS architecture that links and coordinates the various humanitarian hubs, responding to the emergency: in Gaziantep, Turkiye (for cross border into NWS), in NES (largely the NGO forum), and in Damascus, covering Government of Syria controlled areas. UNFPA leads and participates in SRH technical working groups in Gaziantep, Damascus, and in Aleppo, Hama and Latakia, under the Health Cluster. Currently there is no SRH technical working group in NES, and SRH issues are addressed under the health coordination group. While there are SRH TWGs at various hub levels, there is no overarching WOS SRH coordination forum, and data collection and information sharing around assessments, best practices, identification of gaps, and tools have been limited. Purpose: A desk review is required to understand where SRH data have been collected within the geographic locations across the WOS, what the data includes and an analysis of the findings. This would include any assessment or report from UN agencies, cluster / sector, government, NGO or CSO for the past two years and for assessments in planning, covering the government of Syria controlled areas, NES and NWS. This will enable UNFPA to understand trends in data collection, how SRH is incorporated into humanitarian needs assessments, and how this data informs the Humanitarian Response Plan. Further, it will ensure de-duplication of assessments and improve respondent fatigue, enable partners to coordinate assessments in a more effective manner, and ultimately, promote data-driven programming and advocacy. This will help towards a better understanding of the needs and gaps identified in the provision of services for reproductive health, particularly in relation to basic life-saving MISP requirements. In addition, this will serve to better understand what we do not know, to inform the development of a comprehensive WOS SRH assessment in 2024. Through this exercise, based on needs identified, indicators should be suggested for future SRH assessments.

The Consultant will report directly to Head of the Regional Humanitarian Hub for Syria and the Arab States.

Description of services, activities, or outputs:

Under the supervision of the Head of the UNFPA Regional Humanitarian Hub for Syria and the Arab States, in coordination with a technical review group including the SRH coordinators from the WOS hubs, and in collaboration with the Regional Humanitarian Data Specialist, the SRH consultant will be responsible to: 

1) Complete a desk review 

• Collection and mapping of SRH assessments or reports across the health and protection sectors, and other coordination mechanisms (example NGO forum) if available, and including for the HNO, SERNA, REACH, HeRAMS etc.This includes public or external documents, and internal documents developed by UNFPA.  
• Collection and mapping of SRH assessments or reports from humanitarian agencies, including the UN, INGO, and NGOs, including needs assessments, reports on specific issues. This includes public or external documents, and internal documents developed by UNFPA. 
• Collection of information on available facility evaluations, 3Ws, and referral pathways, and other SRH specific services or programmes 
• All geographic regions to be assessed, including the Government of Syria, NES, and NWS 
• Analyze the data collected: identify trends, incorporation of SRH issues into larger coordination assessments, inclusion into HRP 
• Recommendations on elements needed for the 2024 assessment to ensure that data and indicator gaps are addressed 
• Recommendations on tools or processes to continue to register and map future SRH assessments across the humanitarian partnership.

2) Presentation of findings at the Health Cluster Coordination and / or SRH TWG meetings for WOS.

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education:  

Master’s degree from an accredited academic institution, preferably in health-related field, public health, relevant social sciences, or related field.

Knowledge and Experience: 

• 7 years of demonstrable experience in designing and implementing monitoring and evaluation mechanisms in humanitarian emergencies, with a focus on M&E of SRH programmes, including at least 3 years based in an emergency context.
• Ability to develop/adapt M&E tools to work effectively with field missions, local stakeholders and beneficiaries, remote monitoring 
• Solid understanding and grounded experience of SRH responses in emergencies 
• Proven experience on building capacities, including training and mentoring staff on M&E 
• Sound knowledge of existing global guidance on SRH M&E tools and methodologies 
• Excellent written communication skills
• Ability to meet deadlines, work with a minimum of supervision, and deliver quality products is essential. 
• Demonstrated experience of working in the Arab States region is highly desirable 
• Excellent interpersonal skills 
• Experience in and/or knowledge of the Coordination Mechanism and the Health Cluster / SRH TWGs in particular

Languages: 

• Fluency and excellent writing skills in English. 
• Knowledge of Arabic highly desirable

Compensation and Benefits:

UNFPA will provide the consultant with relevant documents for her/his further background and will arrange travel if needed.

Disclaimer: 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Fraudulent notices, letters or offers may be submitted to the UNFPA fraud hotline http://www.unfpa.org/help/hotline.cfm

In accordance with the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations, persons applying to posts in the international Professional category, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.