Consultancy for Analysis of regional level platforms on maternal and child nutrition in South Asia

The UNICEF, WHO, World Bank joint global and regional child malnutrition estimates from 1990 to 2017 reveal that two out of five stunted children under the age of five live in South Asia. This translates to 61.2 million stunted children in South Asia out of the global stunting burden of 155 million children under the age of five. The 2017 joint estimates reveal slow declines in childhood stunting and other forms of malnutrition and insufficient progress to reach the World Health Assembly targets set for 2025 and the Sustainable Development Goals set for 2030. This considerable burden of childhood stunting has far reaching consequences for child survival, growth and development in South Asia and accelerated efforts for continued and sustained gains are urgently required. UNICEF ROSA seeks to achieve this ambition through a number of strategies which include; (i) programming excellence for at-scale results including through cross-sectoral programming; (ii) developing and leveraging resources and partnerships, including with UN agencies; (iii) advocacy to win support for the cause of maternal and child nutrition from decision-makers and public; (iv) knowledge and evidence to drive positive change for maternal and child nutrition.

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you.

For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

Purpose of the Assignment

The purpose of this consultancy is to map existing regional platforms on nutrition in South Asia, to conduct an analysis to understand how these platforms are connected, and to seek inputs that will guide efforts to improve coordination, cooperation and collaboration among these platforms. In addition, the consultancy will assist the SAARC Secretariat in identifying opportunities across its various bodies to support member states in implementing actions within the SAARC South Asia Action Framework on Nutrition.

Assignment Tasks

i) Conduct a literature review of existing evidence on success factors for regional platforms and stakeholder coordination and networking at regional level and capacity strengthening.

ii)  Identify regional platforms working on nutrition and related sectors in South Asia

• With the support of UNICEF Regional Office Advisors and Country Office colleagues, identify a list of regional platforms that are working on nutrition and related sectors in South Asia.

iii) Conduct a rapid mapping of the profile of each regional platform, an analysis of its networks and partnerships with other regional platforms, and its capacity to strengthen regional coordination and partnerships.

• Develop methods and data/information collection instruments to obtain relevant data and information from each regional platform. The methods may include literature review, online information searches, key informant interviews, and others. The data and information will include, but is not limited, to the following:
  • Country coverage (and state for India); areas of nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive programming; and strategic areas of expertise (e.g. policy advocacy, capacity development, knowledge generation, etc)
  • Networks and partnerships with other regional platforms, and the characteristics of these relationships
  • Self-reported capacity to engage in regional level coordination and networks (e.g. motivation, influence, resources and authority)
  • Insights into what conditions need to be met to strengthen regional level coordination and partnership in South Asia; on what and how coordination is needed; what opportunities exist; and ways to mitigate weaknesses or threats.
• Collect and analyse data and information

iv)  Examine the opportunities within SAARC Secretariat and its various bodies to support member states in implementing actions within the SAARC South Asia Action Framework on Nutrition and for strengthening accountabilities on global and regional commitments and targets.

• Through desk review and key informant interviews, identify opportunities on how the various bodies of SAARC, together with the SAARC Secretariat, can support members states in in implementing actions within the SAARC South Asia Action Framework on Nutrition

v) Synthesise data and information and formulate recommendations, including the following

• Agency profiles for regional economic bodies, donors, UN agencies, development partners and associations working on nutrition and related fields in South Asia
• Existing networks between regional platforms, the characteristics of these networks, and strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
• Recommendations on how region platforms can work more effectively together to advance progress on regional and country commitments on nutrition, including on what and how agencies will work together, requirements for effective engagement, and which agencies have the capacity to play an active role.
• Recommendations on how SAARC can fully utilize opportunities across all of its bodies in supporting members states in in implementing actions within the SAARC South Asia Action Framework on Nutrition

vi) Present findings to a 2-day forum of regional actors on nutrition, and facilitate discussions.

Expected Deliverables

1. Inception paper indicating the workplan, methods, data/information instruments, analysis framework.

2. First draft synthesis paper, including the literature review of existing evidence, profiles of reginal platforms, analysis of networks and partnerships, and recommendations, and PowerPoint of preliminary findings

3. Minutes of the stakeholder consultation.

4. Final synthesis paper, including the literature review of existing evidence, profiles of reginal platforms, analysis of networks and partnerships, and recommendations, and PowerPoint presentation of final outcomes of the exercise.

Qualifications of Successful Candidate

1. Education:

An Advanced University Degree or higher in  Nutrition, Public health or Economics, Public Policy, Social Sciences, International Relations, Political Science or other  social science related fields.

2. Work Experience:

• A minimum of 8 years of relevant professional experience in public health/nutrition planning and management at the international level, including in low and middle income countries.
• Experience in at least one of the following: stakeholder landscape mapping, social or organizational network analysis, and analysis of global/regional platforms in the development field.
• Knowledge of the nutrition landscape in South Asia region, experience in working with regional platforms in South Asia working on maternal and child nutrition and  health an asset

3. Competencies:

• Excellent communication skills, including interviewing skills and writing skills.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Demonstrable analytical skills

4. Language Proficiency:

Excellent oral and written English skills required.

To view our competency framework, please click here. 

Please indicate your ability, availability and daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above (including travel and daily subsistence allowance, if applicable).  Applications submitted without a daily/monthly rate will not be considered.

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