Preparation of the High-Level Meeting on Protection of Healthcare

Summary

The ICRC is looking for a consultant to organize a high-level event to convene Ministers of Health (MoH) and discuss protection of healthcare. The role will involve liaising from within the Steering Committee of the event (representatives of the Government of Switzerland, the ICRC, the IFRC and the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition) with a range of other external stakeholders, especially those in liaison with the Minister’s offices.

Background

As global attention to violence against health care in conflict and other emergencies has increased since adoption of Security Council resolution 2286 (2016), the potential role of Ministries of Health in prevention and protection has not gained traction. Neither the resolution nor Sec. General’s recommendations on its implementation identify a major role for Ministries of Health except in data collection. However, several MoH have championed actions to increase the safety and security of health workers, facilities and services.

The MoH-led efforts have great potential to ensure that protection of healthcare is systematically integrated in the agenda of MoHs, but there are scant opportunities for MoHs to come together and share such experience and learnings, towards expanding and replicating practices. A convening of MoHs could be especially timely for three reasons: the first one is the COVID-19 pandemic and its burden on health workers (including rise in harassment and violence towards them) made MoHs more interested in the topic. Secondly, 2022 will mark the 10th anniversary of the World Health Assembly’s (WHA) resolution that brought to the World Health Organization (WHO) and its members responsibilities in protecting health care. Finally, WHO and other international organizations are current engaged in drafting a compact on Health Workforce that brings forward considerations on protection, security and well-being of health workers.

Deliverables

In consultation with the event’s Steering Committee (SCo), the consultant will be in charge of leading and delivering the following items:

· Contribute to the discussion of the format and the agenda of the event, ensuring that the objectives are being achieved;

· Manage implementation of decisions made by the SCo regarding the format and agenda of the event

· Support implementation of the communication plan, as decided by the SCo;

· Manage communication with external interlocutors and especially those responsible for ensuring participation of the invited ministers;

· Management of the event with regards to logistic, information-management and technical support to translation and other digital features;

· Reporting on the outcomes of the event, jointly with focal points from the SCo.

The event is planned to take place in the 22^nd of May and the consultant will be expected to start working by March.

Profile

The ideal consultant has prior working knowledge in the domains of humanitarian policy and diplomacy, with proven record of organizing high-level events. She/He has great project management skills and is comfortable to be in communication and coordination with a range of different stakeholders.

The consultant will be expected to work full-time only between early April and mid-June, with intense dedication in the last weeks of May, around the time of the event.

Fluency in English is required and working fluency in additional languages (French, Spanish, Arabic) will be considered an advantage.

The consultant should have a registered consultancy agency in Switzerland or be willing to provide services through a human resource agency.