International Consultant for the development of Family Planning Guidelines and Human Rights Protocols for Somalia

Background

The Government of the Federal Republic has recently embarked on its plan to offer essential services that have normally been provided by the private sector and relief organizations. In 2015, Somalia became an FP2020 commitment making country, and in 2017 the government revised its commitment to ensure access to quality reproductive health services, including family planning, in emergency and crisis settings from 50% of facilities offering FP services in 2017 to 80% by 2020. With the September 2018 announcement of the World Bank’s direct investment of $80 million in the government and the prospect of a 2018/2019 demographic and health survey, the government’s goal of expanding service delivery, building resilience to climatic shocks, and boosting economic opportunities is promising**.** Somalia is currently in the process of finalizing and signing the FP 2030 commitments

In Somalia FP continues to be a highly sensitive topic. This has made it difficult in many circumstances to openly discuss and promote the use of modern contraceptives and to advocate for maternal health and women’s rights. The fertility rate in Somali population is estimated to be one of the highest in the world with 6.9 children per woman. The unmet need for birth spacing is approximated at 26% and the maternal mortality ratio of 692 per 100,000 live births (SDHS, 2020)**.**The following is the desired contraceptive method mix for married women of reproductive age in Somali population: Any method – 6.9%, Any modern contraceptive method – 0.9%, IUCD 0.05, Injectable – 0.1%, Implants – 0.2%, Pills-0.4%, Condoms- 0.03%, LAM-0.1%, Any traditional method- 6% and women not currently using FP methods-93.1% (SDHS, 2020)

Rationale for Revision of FP Guidelines and Protocols

In Somalia, the number of trained health personnel to provide all modern contraceptives is still low. Training of Service providers also has come with its own burden and conflict of interest in traditional birthing practices. This has an impact on the quality of care in counselling and supporting women to have fully informed choices and consequences of utilization of contraceptives.

In view of this personal and professional conflict, UNFPA in collaboration with Somalia Ministries of Health since 2019 has been working on standardization of Birth Spacing training curriculums and materials across Somalia and Somaliland to address the health providers’ gaps that affect the uptake of Birth Spacing.

Physicians across the Continent (PAC) is an implementing partner for UNFPA and is working in collaboration with FMOH through the support and funding from UNFPA to implement FP/SRH activities.

UNFPA plans to have one International Consultant to work alongside two local consultants from the Federal Ministry of Health to achieve the following objectives:

1. Plan a consultative meeting with all FP stakeholders and Ministry of health policymakers to review WHO Global guidelines for Family Planning and FP Human rights protocols and provide their inputs and recommendations for the development of context-specific FP guidelines for Somalia.
2. Revise and incorporate all the inputs provided by stakeholders during the high-level consultative workshop with Ministry of Health policymakers and stakeholders and prepare a workshop report highlighting the key inputs and recommendations from the workshop
3. Complete the development of Somalia FP guidelines and FP human rights protocols and come up with a draft version.
4. Plan for a validation workshop with all the FP stakeholders and present the draft version for validation
5. Incorporate all the inputs from the validation workshop and come up with a final version of the FP guidelines for Somalia.
6. Alongside local consultants, ensure submission of FP guidelines and protocols for signature and endorsement by the FMOH.

Scope of Work

The International consultant will take lead in quality and objective facilitation. Provide rich and blended adult principles. The discussion generated by the Consultant will be focused on allowing the stakeholders to direct, lead and in the end get inputs for the finalization of the Somalia FP guidelines and Human rights principles. This process will be carried out in a non –threatening, non-bias and open environment of embracing even the most unfavorable feedback from the stakeholders.

The Consultants will be required to incorporate the inclusivity of ideas, controversies and recommendations meant to support in producing a standard reference FP guideline. The FP protocols and guidelines should reflect the national goals and FP2030 in rendering the highest attainable standards of FP/SRHR services to women and their families.

Roles and Responsibilities

The consultants will co-facilitate the consultative and service providers workshop with the two local consultants by ensuring the following duties are provided timely and appropriately

1. Prepare the workshop agenda for the 2 days with clear deliverables in each day.
2. Prepare a PowerPoint Presentation for areas of discussion with stakeholders.
3. Share and circulate the timetable and WHO FP guidelines and FP Human Rights principles to all participants prior to the workshop.
4. Facilitate the review of the WHO’s latest version of Family planning guidelines and FP Human Rights principles, protocols with well-articulated inputs.
5. Prepare and take clear notes on all the inputs, discussions shared in the workshop.
6. Incorporate inputs provided in the workshop by all Stakeholders into the Somalia FP guideline and human rights principles
7. Share final revised FP Guidelines and Protocols to UNFPA, FMOH and PAC for proofreading
8. Ensure endorsement of the finalized documents by the Minister of Health, Director of Medical Services

Time Frame

The consultancy is for 15 days from the date of signing the contract.

Location: Mogadishu, Somalia

Consultancy Time Schedules:

S/NO Consultancy Activities Dates

1. Signing of the Contract ASAP

2. Share and receive inputs of the Consultative workshop and RHWG 16th Nov 2022

3. Conduct Guidelines and Protocols Workshop 19th -24thNov 2022

4. Submit Workshop Report and 1st Final 30th Nov

4. Submit Final Draft to UNFPA for approval 5th Dec

5. Submit Final Draft to MOH for Endorsement 10th Dec

Required Qualifications

• Both local and International Consultants should have the following qualifications:
• Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine, Nursing or Midwifery.
• Master’s Degree in Public Health, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Public health
• At least 5 years’ experience in FP and Sexual Reproductive Health Program
• Fluency in spoken and written English with excellent computer skills
• Experience in facilitation in culturally sensitive environment

Terms and Conditions of Consultancy

The Consultant will be paid upon submission of the workshop report, final draft as key deliverables and finalized, signed Somalia FP guidelines and Human Rights Protocols by the Minister of Health and the Director of Family Health.

Deadline: 14th November 2022, due to the urgency of the position, successful applicants will be filtered and notified before the closure of the advert period.