Global Dialogue: HIV, Rights and the Law in the era of the 2030 Agenda

Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life, as envisaged by 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We are on the ground in more than 170 countries and territories, working with governments and people on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners that can bring about results.

The Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan and help countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.  BPPS’s staff provides technical advice to Country Offices; advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, South-South and Triangular cooperation initiatives, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas.

BPPS supports UNDP’s vision for the Strategic Plan 2018 – 2021 to ‘help countries to achieve sustainable development by eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, accelerating structural transformations for sustainable development and building resilience to crises and shocks.’ 

UNDP is a founding cosponsor of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), a partner of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, and a co-sponsor of several other international health partnerships. UNDP’s work on HIV, health and development, as described in the HIV, Health and Development Strategy 2016-2021: Connecting the Dots, leverages UNDP’s core strengths and mandates in human development, governance and capacity development to complement the efforts of specialist health-focused UN agencies. UNDP delivers three types of support to countries in HIV, health and development.

First, UNDP helps countries to mainstream attention to HIV and health into action on gender, poverty and the broader effort to achieve and sustain the Sustainable Development Goals.  For example, UNDP works with countries to understand the social and economic factors that play a crucial role in driving health and disease, and to respond to such dynamics with appropriate policies and programmes outside the health sector. UNDP also promotes specific action on the needs and rights of women and girls as they relate to HIV.

Second, UNDP works with partners to address the interactions between governance, human rights and health responses. Sometimes this is done through focused or specialized programmes, such as promoting attention to the role of the law and legal environments in facilitating stronger HIV responses, including the use of flexibilities in intellectual property law to lower the cost of drugs and diagnostics. UNDP also works to empower and include marginalized populations who are disproportionately affected by HIV, such as sex workers, men who have sex with men and people living with HIV. Beyond these focused efforts, UNDP plays a key role in ensuring attention to HIV and health within broader governance and rights initiatives, including support to municipal action on SDGs, sustainable responses for Health and HIV such as improving sustainability of AIDS financing, sustainable health procurement, strengthening of national human rights institutions and increasing access to justice for key populations.

Third, as a trusted, long-term partner with extensive operational experience, UNDP supports countries in effective implementation of complex, multilateral and multisectoral health projects, while simultaneously investing in capacity development so that national and local partners can assume these responsibilities over time. The UNDP/Global Fund partnership is an important part of this work, facilitating access to resources for action on SDG 3 by countries that face constraints in directly receiving and managing such funding.  UNDP partners with countries in crisis/post-crisis situations, those with weak institutional capacity or governance challenges, and countries under sanctions. When requested, UNDP acts as temporary Principal Recipient in these settings, working with national partners and the Global Fund to improve management, implementation and oversight of Global Fund grants, while simultaneously developing national capacity to be able to assume the Principal Recipient role over time.

Objective of the assignment:

To better understand the role of the law in strengthening or undermining AIDS responses and to examine the available evidence in a systematic way, in 2010, UNDP, on behalf of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), convened the Global Commission on HIV and the Law (the Commission). This independent Commission comprised fourteen distinguished individuals from diverse disciplines and nationalities, each with extensive experience or expertise on matters of public health, human rights, law and development. The Commission’s final report, HIV and the Law: Risks, Rights and Health, was published in July 2012. The report interrogates the relationship between HIV and the law, and includes recommendations covering the breadth of the HIV response. It was based on decades of medical, public health and legal research and the vast experience of the Commissioners and Technical Advisory Group. The report focuses on a group of critical, though not exhaustive issues: HIV-related stigma and discrimination; criminalization of HIV transmission, exposure and non-disclosure; and key populations, including people who use drugs (PWUD), sex workers, men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender persons, prisoners and migrants; gender-based violence, discrimination and inequalities; children and adolescents; and innovation, intellectual property and access to treatment. The Commission made a series of recommendations on each topic, intended to promote effective, sustainable responses to HIV consistent with governments’ human rights commitments.

In July 2017, five years after the release of the Commission’s report, UNDP convened a multi-stakeholder meeting titled The Global Commission on HIV and the Law at Five: Reflecting on Progress, Challenges and Opportunities to End AIDS by 2030.  The meeting provided an opportunity to revisit and critically examine ongoing efforts and partnerships required to meet the targets in SDG 3 to end AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria by 2030 and the pledge of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda) to leave no one behind and to reach those who are furthest behind first. In this respect, meeting recommended, among others, the expansion of Commission’s Report in the context of the 2030 Agenda, the pledge to leave no one behind, the latest science on HIV and emerging challenges including tuberculosis, hepatitis and other infectious diseases and how to respond to these in an effective manner.

UNDP is recruiting a Consultant to moderate the Global Dialogue on Advancing HIV, Rights and Law in the Era of 2030 Agenda on 22 July 2018, during the International AIDS Conference in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The Dialogue will be a Davos-style with an audience of about 500 as well as a virtual audience and will be inclusive and participatory to enhance effective dialogue. Simultaneous interpretation in English, French and Spanish will be made available and the use of multiple media will also contribute to increasing engagement.

Reference: UNDP, Global Commission on HIV and the Law: Rights, Risks and Health, (July 2012), available at http://www.hivlawcommission.org/index.php/report

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of Team Leader, Human Rights, Key Populations and Treatment Access, the Consultant will be responsible for:

Specific Deliverables and Activities:

• Review the relevant documents of the Commission, including Commission@5 meeting, including the Background Paper, meeting reports with a view to understanding the implementation of the Commission’s recommendation and the emerging issues;
• Work with the UNDP HIV, Health and Development Group in New York in preparing for the Global Dialogue, including detailed scripting for Global Dialogue;
• Facilitate preparatory meetings in Amsterdam, The Netherlands on 21 July 2018
• Act as expert moderator during the Global Dialogue on 22 July 2018

All deliverables and any rights related to them will be the property of UNDP.

Reporting:

The consultant will regularly evaluate progress in meeting the set targets with the Team leader: Human Rights, Key Populations and Treatment Access.

Travel

This consultancy anticipates travel to Amsterdam, The Netherlands from 20 – 23 July 2018. Applicants should include their travel costs in the financial proposal. Lodging and terminal expenses will be provided by UNDP. UNDP shall not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources

Timeframe

Except for the travel period provided above, the consultant’s assignment will be home based and is expected to last 20 days, completed over the period from 1 June 2018 – 31 July 2018

Evaluation

Applicants will be screened against qualifications and competencies specified below through a desk review or an interview process. Applicants will be evaluated based on: Cumulative analysis method that combines the results of technical and financial evaluation results.

• Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
• Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.
• Technical Criteria weight: 70 points
• Financial Criteria weight: 30 points

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 (70%) points on technical part will be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Criteria for technical evaluation (70 points maximum):

• Degree in Journalism, Public Affairs, Political Sciences, Development, Anthropology, or any other related field (maximum points: 15)
• Minimum of 10 years international media and journalism professional experience, including past experience working with a globally recognized media outfit such as CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera (maximum points:20)
• A demonstrated ability to lead discussions around development issues including HIV, as evidenced by previous experience moderating large meetings, dialogues, Q&A sessions, or other similar events (maximum points:25)
• Previous experience working with international agencies including the United Nations (maximum points:10)

Criteria for financial evaluation (30 points maximum):

The following formula will be used to evaluate financial proposal:

p = y (µ/z), where

p = points for the financial proposal being evaluatedy = maximum number of points for the financial proposalµ = price of the lowest priced proposalz = price of the proposal being evaluated

Competencies

Organizational Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards.
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional competencies:

• Systematic, organizational, analytical skills, thorough and attention to details.

• Demonstrated ability to think fast in a logical and organized manner.
• Highly proficient in the use of IT.

• Excellent negotiation, communication and networking skills.
• Excellent multi-tasking abilities and ability to remain calm and work under pressure.

Partnership building and team work:

• Client oriented and assists in identifying solutions to problems.
• Demonstrated well developed people management skills.
• Strong ability to work with teams; creating an enabling environment and supporting colleagues.
• Demonstrated flexibility in a multi-cultural environment.

Communications and Advocacy:

• Demonstrated ability to write clearly and convincingly.
• Good research and writing skills with demonstrated ability to think strategically.
• Excellent capacity to communicate clearly and concisely.
• Strong inter-personal, negotiation and liaison skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Experience:

• Degree in Journalism, Public Affairs, Political Sciences, Development, Anthropology, or any other related field;
• International media professional with over 10 years journalism experience;
• Past experience working with a globally recognized media outfit (CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera etc.);
• Demonstrated ability to lead discussions, as evidenced by previous experience moderating large meetings, dialogues, Q&A sessions, or other similar events;
• Previous experience working with international agencies;
• Strong understanding of development issues, including HIV;
• Previous UN experience preferred;
• Ability to work in English.

GUIDELINES FOR APPLICATION:

Guidelines for Applications:

Interested applicants are advised to carefully review this advertisement and ensure that they meet the requirements and qualifications described.

Qualified candidates are requested to apply online via this website. The application should contain:

• Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position.
• Signed and Updated Personal History Form (P11). The template can be downloaded from this link: P11). Applications without P11 will not be considered.
• Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability indicating all-inclusive daily rate.

Please note that our system only takes one attachment. Therefore, kindly scan all your documents into a single PDF file to upload.

*Please note that the financial proposal is all-inclusive and shall take into account various expenses incurred by the consultant/contractor during the contract period (e.g. rent of dwelling, fee, health insurance, vaccination, visa costs and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services). All envisaged costs (except of the unforeseen travel costs for missions, if any) must be included in the financial proposal. Unforeseen travel costs for missions, if any, will be paid separately according to UNDP rules and regulations. All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. Per diems cannot exceed UN DSA rates (http://icsc.un.org/rootindex.asp).

Security: Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director. Consultants are also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under https://trip.dss.un.org

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials.

Due to large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.

ANNEX 1- INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS is provided here: http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/documents/procurement/documents/IC%20-%20General%20Conditions.pdf