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Individual Contractor for Maternal, Neonatal, Child Health and Nutrition

  • Organization: UNICEF - United Nations Children’s Fund
  • Location:
  • Grade: Consultancy - International Consultant - Internationally recruited Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Public Health and Health Service
    • Nutrition
    • Children's rights (health and protection)
    • Sexual and reproductive health
  • Closing Date: Closed

UNICEF in Serbia is seeking an Individual Contractor to support UNICEF in assisting the health system to secure improvement of the access and quality of Maternal, Neonatal, Child Health and Nutrition (MNCH&N) services and programmes, particularly for the most vulnerable families and support improvement of health-related practices among children and their parents/caregivers with the focus on the most vulnerable populations. The duration of the assignment is 11,5 months, from 20 February 2018 to 5 February 2019.

 

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

Improving maternal, neonatal and child health and nutrition (MNCH&N) in Serbia, particularly for the most vulnerable and excluded populations, is one of the priorities of the Programme of co-operation between UNICEF and the Government of Serbia.

Despite a reduction in child mortality rates at national level, Serbia's infant mortality rate of little less than 6 remains above the EU-27 average of 4. Data from Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) in 2005, 2010 and 2014 reveal significantly higher rates of infant and under-5 mortality among Roma children, which remains two times higher than that of the general population. Child mortality due to preventable causes is further compounded by poverty, poor living conditions and lower levels of education, as well as social exclusion and insufficiently accessible antenatal and postnatal health care across deprived social groups. In addition, recent data reveal regional variations, particularly relating to perinatal mortality. The assessment of the organisation of neonatal health care in Serbia, done by the Institute of Mothers and Child Health and Ministry of Health (MoH) Expert group on health care of women, children and youth, found that many causes for disparities in perinatal mortality are to be found in the organization and coordination of local health services.  Some practices, from antenatal, delivery, to postnatal and child health care, need modernisation in order to be fully aligned with evidence-based culture and core principles of the quality of care standards such as rights-based, respectful, family-centred care.

Recent immunisation and nutrition data among general and the most vulnerable populations call upon re-intensification of the work in these areas. According to MICS 2014, only 13% of children 0-24m of age living in Roma settlements have been fully immunised on time, while every 5th child from the same population group has been identified as stunted and only 30% with adequate nutrition habits. In addition, low breastfeeding rate with only 13% of children exclusively breastfed up to the 6 months of age has been persisting for years. Promotion of breastfeeding (including in maternities) and reinforcement of the Code for marketing breastmilk substitutes are not yet widely supported. 

All these findings have influenced UNICEF programming in Serbia, and in partnership with Ministry of Health, various health institutions and civil society organisations, UNICEF has, in the previous few years, initiated projects that aim to strengthen maternal and neonatal services through accreditation processes, capacity building and policy related activities. The new research on immunisation and nutrition revealed evidence that should guide community mobilisation work in the coming years.

In 2018, UNICEF will continue to work on health system strengthening for greater results and sustainability. The future support is envisaged in the provision of coherent technical assistance and policy advice not only to secure evidence based policy development, but also by demonstrating mechanisms and implementation modalities at national, local and institutional levels in the area of MNCH&N. UNICEF has been and will continue to support development of enabling legal framework, studies and researches for ensuring quality MNCH&N, improvement of data collection and management, implementation of quality standards of the health institutions and capacity building of health professionals, parents, local stakeholders.

The purpose of this assignment is to support UNICEF in assisting the health system to secure improvement of the access and quality of MNCH&N services and programmes, particularly for the most vulnerable families and support improvement of health-related practices among children and their parents/caregivers with the focus on the most vulnerable populations.

 

Start Date:20/02/2018 

End Date: 5/02/2019

Number of working days/months 11.5 months (full-time)

Work Assignment Overview

The work will be delivered in accordance with the more detailed monthly work plans agreed between Individual Contractor and Supervisor at the beginning of every month.

Monthly Reports will be submitted at the end of each month. Each monthly report will include:

-Overview of activities realized / progress, and

-Outputs/draft documents as per the more detailed time-line agreed and as included under deliverables for each specific task described below.

Task 1:  Support to MNCH&N component of the programme implementation: 

-Support development of project proposals with partners in the area of MNCH&N

-Support main UNICEF partners in the area of MNCH&N in respective project implementation (MoH, IPH, Agency for accreditation of health institutions, relevant health institutions, professional associations and other civil society organisations)

-Assist in progress monitoring, provide recommendations for improvement and further action to achieve sustainable results

 

Deliverables: Contribution to at least 2 new projects and 2 ToRs for international/national consultancy support to the progremme; programme monitoring reports and field trip reports.

 

Timeframe: Throughout 11.5 months

Task 2:  Support knowledge generation, knowledge exchange and evidence based policy advocacy to improve quality and access of the MNCH&N services and MNCH&N outcomes for the most vulnerable children and their families: 

-Support implementation/finalization and presentation of the relevant research and situation analyses

-Support preparation of publications, briefs on research findings and relevant technical inputs for policy advocacy

-Support preparation of new research concept notes (IDD/nutrition, maternities/NICU etc.)

-Organize knowledge exchange events and technical round tables in the area of MNCH&N

-Support the organization of different coordination and partnerships building meetings at national and local levels and strengthen/leverage existing governmental (national and local) and non-governmental initiatives and platforms to ensure commitment and engagement for MNCH&N

-Support regional knowledge and information exchange as per need

 

Deliverables: Inputs to the research reports and briefs; inputs to the presentations of research and recommendations for various for a/conferences; at least one new concept note for the research/assessment; two round tables organised; inputs to policy/legislation review initiatives based on evidence; at least three new partnerships established with professional and parents organisations.

 

Timeframe: Throughout 11.5 months

Task 3:  Support development of MNCH&N communication and education materials: 

-Facilitate provision of technical input for communication and education materials for parents (including the most vulnerable) and relevant professionals and support process of development and finalization of the same 

-Provide programmatic support to other related on-going communication initiatives regarding MNCH&N activities (for face-book, UNICEF internet site etc.).

 

Deliverables: Communication and education materials effectively finalised; inputs for face-book and other communication initiatives.

 

Timeframe:  Throughout 11.5 months

Task 4:  Contribute to donor reporting

Deliverables: Prepared contribution for minimum 2 donor reports capturing impact on children

Timeframe:  Throughout 11.5 months

Task 5: Support implementation and monitoring of health and nutrition activities as part of emergency and/or emergency preparedness and disaster risk reduction activities

 

Deliverables:  Monitoring visits and field trip reports; relevant briefs/reports as required.

 

Timeframe:  All 11.5 months (depending on the need)

 

Minimum Qualifications required:

Masters degree in public health or medical fields related to maternal and child health

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

5 years of professional work experience in planning, programming, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of health-related programmes is required, preferably in the area of maternal and child health and nutrition.

Technical expert capacity in maternal and child health and nutrition is preferred.

Excellent knowledge of health system in Serbia;

Knowledge of child rights;

Experience in working with vulnerable population, e.g. Roma is an asset;

Computer skills and literacy;

Excellent English and Serbian skills, spoken and written;

Experience in working with UN is an asset.

The application must include the following:

  1. Daily rate in RSD (all costs to be included e.g. health insurance, pension, usage of mobile phone)
  2. Daily allowance cost for travel within Serbia in RSD (for overnight)
  3. Daily allowance cost for travel within Serbia in RSD (without overnight, for more than 8 hours trip)

Important note: Incomplete applications will not be taken into consideration.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities to apply.

 

This vacancy is now closed.
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