Sexual Reproductive Health Consultant (National Post)-UNFPA South Sudan

UNFPA-South Sudan Country Office

Opening for Consultancy

Job Title: Sexual Reproductive Health Consultant (National Post).

Contract type: Individual Consultant (IC)

Closing date: 22 July 2022 (5pm-South Sudan Time)

Duty Station: Juba, South Sudan

Purpose of consultancy:

South Sudan has made some progress, albeit slow, in improving the health of women, newborns, children and adolescents. Despite this progress, South Sudan has some of the world’s worst social indicators, particularly for women and girls. Recent United Nations statistics estimated the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) at 789 and 1160 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2015 and 2017, respectively. The high MMR is associated with high maternal morbidity, the most devastating of which is obstetric fistula. The neonatal mortality rate also remained high at 39.6 deaths per 1,000 live births with only a small change at the end of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) period in 2015. The high MMR was mainly due to limited coverage and availability of quality services, confirmed by the extremely low skilled birth attendance rate of 19 per cent with over 80 per cent of women delivering at home assisted by untrained attendants.

Family planning service uptake is extremely low in the country with an estimated 8% of women aged 15-49 years currently married/or in union using any family planning methods and an unmet need for contraception among currently married/or in union of 29 %. (SWOP, 2022). Further, according to the data available on the prevalence of gender-based violence and harmful practices in the country, the State of the World Population Report highlighted that intimate partner violence was 27% (2018) and child marriage by age 18 was 52 percent.

Purpose

The consultant will work within the UNFPA Country Office in Juba and will be expected to travel to some field locations. He/ she will provide technical assistance and contribute to the work of the programme team as well as other consultants, advisors, and experts. He/ she will establish and maintain collaborative relationships with counterparts in government, multi-lateral and bilateral donor agencies and civil society organizations to address emerging issues, and effectively influence diverse stakeholders to contribute to achieving UNFPA’s mandate

Scope of work:

• In collaboration with Government counterparts, NGOs, and other partners, contribute to the design, planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the Canada-funded project including SRH/maternal health and FP initiatives in UNFPA Country programme
• Contribute to achievement of programme results by supporting the revision, updating and implementation of SRH/FP/HIV and GBV related policies, guidelines, and strategies; and integrating SRH programming in all country office activities and initiatives.
• Contribute to addressing harmful practices including Child Marriage and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) among adolescents and youth and promoting menstrual health management.
• Working with other members of the ISRH unit in the CO, he/she will contribute to establishing and scaling up partnerships with NGOs, women-led organizations, executing agencies, experts, government counterparts and other UN agencies to facilitate timely and efficient delivery of sexual and reproductive health programmes
• Contribute to establishment or strengthening of national level SRHR think-tanks/advisory panels, academia and professional associations and networks for active engagement in policy formulation and programming for sexual and reproductive health, and other related issues.
• Work with Country Office staff to apply UNFPA business processes for management of implementing partners working in SRH, planning, monitoring, and reporting on SRH programmes and results
• Participate in communication, advocacy, and resource mobilization efforts of the CO, by ensuring preparation of relevant documentation including project summaries, conference papers, speeches, donor profiles, and participating in related meetings and CO events

Expected results

The consultant is expected to submit monthly attendance sheet and report.

Expected Deliverables

• A work plan for the six months of consultancy (identifying tasks, timelines, and deliverables) done in collaboration with the programme staff and approved by supervisor
• Monthly attendance sheets submitted together with monthly reports, providing progress in the implementation of the work plan
• All deliverables as identified in the work plan
• Final report to be submitted two weeks after completion of assignment
• The Consultants will directly report to the Head of the Integrated Sexual and Reproductive Health unit who will provide oversight of their work.
• The consultants will be expected to travel to the field sites for project assessments and monitoring activities. Support will be provided for logistical arrangements for travel

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements.

• Advanced degree in health, population, demography and/or other related social science discipline
• Five to seven years of increasingly responsible professional experience and responsibilities at national level in the field of sexual and reproductive and maternal health/Family planning programmes
• Experience in programme/ project management including experience in large multi-sector projects, designing, and appraising proposals and actively liaising with relevant and potential project partners.
• Experience in drafting and implementing policies and legislation on SRH is an asset
• Proven experience in coordinating/managing a multi-disciplinary team of staff, experts, and consultants.
• Experience in drafting and implementing policies and legislation on SRH.
• Field experience is an asset.
• Prior experience in the UN system is an asset.

Languages:

• Fluent in written and spoken English, knowledge of Arabic will be an asset.