Consultancy: Obstacles to Immunization Coverage and Equity relating to Gender, Health Section, PD, NYHQ, #510904

The Health Section: Implementation Research and Delivery Science Unit is seeking Consultants on obstacles to immunization coverage and equity relating to gender

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

Background & Rationale

Immunizations reach approximately 6 out of 7 of the world’s infants, making it one of the most successful global public health programmes. Despite these successes, coverage gains have stagnated and children who are under-immunised are increasingly concentrated in disadvantaged and under-served communities. Among the significant drivers of immunisation coverage and equity barriers are obstacles relating to gender.

Empirical research reveals that global immunization rates are affected by the agency, education, and empowerment of women, more so than disparities within households between girls and boys. In some contexts, children are favoured for immunization based on their sex (most often, boys are favoured over girls). Yet the likelihood of immunization of children within the household is more vulnerable to factors associated with women’s access to quality services, education, and empowerment particularly within impoverished and resource challenged settings.

Global leaders have called for an urgency in achieving immunisation coverage and equity goals. This includes a call for better use of data and analysis to target support and measure progress, increased innovation, and accelerated adoption and dissemination of successful strategies. In addition, UNICEF’s Gender Action Plan (2018-2021) articulates the organization’s emphasis on equity as it relates to gender, especially as the deprivations women and girls face increase multi-fold when they are also disadvantaged by poverty, ethnic identity, geographic location, disability, and/or fragile and crisis conditions.

Purpose

The purpose of this assignment is to identify evidence on, and implementation research gaps relating to, obstacles to immunisation coverage and equity relating to gender. The information gleaned from this work will be reviewed and endorsed by key partners to create a prioritised agenda for related implementation research.

Expected results: (measurable results)

The Consultant will perform the following tasks:

1. Define a framework for key drivers of obstacles to immunization coverage and equity relating to gender in priority Gavi countries.
2. Conduct a scoping review of the evidence on key interventions and policies designed to close disparities in immunization coverage and equity including removing barriers/ promoting equity of access and utilization of immunization services.
3. Identify key evidence gaps in obstacles to immunization coverage and equity relating to gender, including measurement of gender equity and propose a prioritized implementation research agenda in response to these gaps.
4. Convene a workshop with key GAVI partners to review and endorse the products above.

Throughout the assignment, the Consultant will receive guidance from her/his supervisor within the Implementation Research and Delivery Science Unit (IRDS) in the Health Section, UNICEF New York.

 Duty Station

The consultant will be based at UNICEF’s New York office. One trip to Geneva is anticipated to participate in meeting of partners to validate work.

Timeframe 6 months

Start date:   15 March 2018   
End date:  14 September 2018          

Key competences, technical background, and experience required  

• Advanced university degree (Master's) in health, social sciences or related field. Preferably a higher degree encompassing knowledge of epidemiology, statistics, assessment of evidence and/or data and research methods.
• A minimum of 8 years of relevant professional work experience with clear responsibilities; experience conducting reviews of the literature; documented knowledge of research relating to gender, implementation research and maternal, newborn, child and/or adolescent health programming.
• Experience conducting gender analysis with capacity to identify key barriers and bottlenecks (ex: systemic, cultural and social norms, supply, demand)
• Fluency in written and spoken English essential; fluency in a second UN language is an asset.

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.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

Remarks

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.   
At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization