UNICEF Country Office in Greece is seeking to recruit a Consultant - Roma expert on health, based in Thessaloniki, who will support the H.E.A.L.E.R. and ENVIROM Network initiatives implemented by the Roma Women Association of Dendropotamos and provide act as a link between the UNICEF team working on Roma inclusion and the Roma Women Association of Dendropotamos. The Roma expert will produce and process data on the impact of hazardous environments (Type I settlements) and health issues (morbidity, comorbidity, etc.) among Roma living in selected settlements across Greece, offer technical support on intercultural mediation in health (Roma residents of Type I settlements and health structures) through needs assessment and protocol development, support capacity building of health mediators with a special focus on young girls᾽ and women᾽s reproductive health and awareness-raising of health practitioners.
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.
For every child,
Roma in Greece have persistently experienced prejudice, stereotyping, segregation, enforced evictions and suffered from multiple forms of discrimination that result in their social and economic exclusion. Discrimination and exclusion significantly constrain Roma populations, such as children, young people, women and elderly Roma from equal access to housing, employment, education, health care and social protection services. Notwithstanding, key social welfare indicators for Roma in lag significantly behind those of non-Roma populations and efforts to narrow the gap between Roma and non-Roma have had thus far limited success.
In particular, Roma children in Greece are disproportionately vulnerable to poverty and other forms of deprivation, and multiple forms of violence. Indeed, a Roma child is twice as likely to grow up in poverty as a non-Roma child. Especially in areas where Roma reside in segregated impoverished settlements, children face the heightened threat of being trapped in the vicious cycle of multiple deprivation and systemic exclusion; including but not limited to: lack of disaggregated housing, socio-spatial exclusion and environmental deprivation (i.e. live in hazardous and/or unhealthy environments), the lasting impact of exposure to poorer health and nutrition that inevitably leads to lower life expectancy rates, limited opportunities in their life circle connected to poor school performance and high drop-out rates, early marriage/informal unions and early pregnancies that lead to heightened risks of gender-based violence, low access to employability, further marginalization and social reproduction of extreme conditions poverty, and exclusion.
UNICEF aims to strengthen national and local capacities for planning and implementing child-sensitive social protection policies that explicitly target Roma poverty, discrimination and exclusion in line with the EU Roma Strategic Framework 2021-2030 and the National Strategy for the Social Inclusion of Roma 2021-2030. As of March 2021, UNICEF in Greece has closely collaborated with the Secretary General for Social Solidarity and Fight against Poverty of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, offering technical support and expertise provision on intersectional approaches in Roma inclusive policy. UNICEF know-how is mobilized towards evidence collection support and analysis of the socio-economic vulnerabilities of Roma children, youth, women and families, identifying and monitoring areas of priority action on the basis of the lens of multiple deprivation. Evidence generation will ensure that key legal, administrative and systemic bottlenecks in Roma social inclusion policy are adequately addressed.
Through collaboration with partners (including Roma partners), UNICEF implements an array of actions on Roma inclusion in the framework of Child Guarantee; i.e. life-skills development and employability for Roma youth through training and job placement, quality and inclusive education through policy research and teachers᾽ trainings, as well as youth representation and participation, awareness-raising and empowerment through representation of positive Roma youth narratives and achievements, Roma to Roma (peer to peer) community mobilization and support models in the areas of nutrition, parenting and health through women᾽s empowerment and capacity building.
Based on a Memorandum of Understanding between the Roma Women Association of Dendropotamos and UNICEF and in the ambit of their joint strategy, UNICEF will support communication initiatives and implementation of programmes that address the specific needs of Roma children, women and at-risk families on the areas of nutrition, health and healthy living, and environmental justice. Specifically, UNICEF will support: i) the concept of Roma Health Mediation in Greece, in the ambit of the H.E.A.L.E.R. Initiatives, commenced by the Roma Women Association of Dendropotamos and supported by the Open Society Foundations, with the aim of improving the lives of Roma children and women, ii), best practices to jointly enhance the ENVIROM Network, an initiative commenced by the Roma Women Association of Dendropotamos, with the support of the Open Society Foundations, with the purpose to empower Roma women and children in individual and collective levels with capacities, information and knowledge to exercise their rights to a healthy and sustainable environment and seek environmental justice for their communities promoting Roma women and children’s Access to Water and Sanitation, inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable environments for Roma children, access to adequate energy, on the basis of Agenda 2030, the 2020-2030 EU Roma Strategic Framework the National Strategy on Roma Inclusion 2021-2030.
UNICEF GREECE Country Office is seeking to recruit a Roma expert on health, based in Thessaloniki, who will support the H.E.A.L.E.R. and ENVIROM Network initiatives implemented by the Roma Women Association of Dendropotamos and provide act as a link between the UNICEF team working on Roma inclusion and the Roma Women Association of Dendropotamos. The Roma expert will produce and process data on the impact of hazardous environments (Type I settlements) and health issues (morbidity, comorbidity, etc.) among Roma living in selected settlements across Greece, offer technical support on intercultural mediation in health (Roma residents of Type I settlements and health structures) through needs assessment and protocol development, support capacity building of health mediators with a special focus on young girls᾽ and women᾽s reproductive health and awareness-raising of health practitioners.
How can you make a difference?
With a view of empowering Roma women and children to exercise their rights to a healthy and sustainable environment through improving data gaps on Roma health in relation to poor living conditions, support capacity building in Roma health mediation and awareness-raising on health practitioners, the consultant on Roma health and environmental justice will undertake the following key tasks:
• Support the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the H.E.A.L.E.R. and ENVIROM Network initiatives implemented by the Roma Women Association of Dendropotamos in collaboration with UNICEF with the support of Open Society Foundation.
• Support data generation through the development of methodology on data collection and triangulation on the impact of hazardous environmental factors and health issues among Roma living in selected settlements across Greece.
• Support data collection and analysis on the correlation between Roma socio-spatial marginalization and exclusion and ill health through the development of questionnaires on the correlation between Roma sociospatial marginalization and exclusion and ill health and coordinate pilot phase to support data collection.
• Document good practices, and lessons learned around the topics of health mediation (with an emphasis on young girls᾽ and women᾽ reproductive health), training and capacity building of mediators, useful monitoring tools, budget use, etc.
• Conduct needs assessment on Roma health mediation through desk review and visits in the field in selected Roma settlements and relevant health structures.
• Based on ethical guidelines and needs assessment results, develop a protocol on Roma health mediation.
• Contribute to the planning and implementation of capacity building activities and training for Roma health mediators.
• Coordinate the development of communication products on awareness-raising on Roma health risks among health practitioners.
• Liaise with entry-points in hospitals and health structures in selected localities with Roma settlements, key academics and Roma and pro-Roma stakeholders and organize meetings, seminars and knowledge-exchange sessions.
• Provide monthly updates on the progress of the partnership with Roma Women Association of Dendropotamos, including data generation tools development, capacity building, communication and dissemination efforts
Work Assignment Overview:
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Tasks/Milestone:
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Deliverables/Output
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Timeline
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With a view of empowering Roma women and children to exercise their rights to a healthy and sustainable environment through improving data gaps on Roma health in relation to poor living conditions, support capacity building in Roma health mediation and awareness-raising on health practitioners, the consultant on Roma health and environmental justice will undertake the following key tasks
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1. Provide monthly updates on the progress of the partnership with Roma Women Association of Dendropotamos, including data generation tools development, capacity building, communication and dissemination efforts.
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Monthly
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Data generation and data triangulation based on mixed research methods (quantitative and qualitative) on the impact of hazardous environments (Type I settlements) and health issues (morbidity, comorbidity, etc.) among Roma living in selected settlements across Greece
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1. Development of methodology of data collection (registration forms and excel with indicators) on the correlation between Roma socio-spatial marginalization and exclusion and ill health (individual/group factors) 2. Development of questionnaires (for individuals and Roma actors) to support data collection on the correlation between Roma socio-spatial marginalization and exclusion and ill health 31 July 2022 31 August 2022
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31 July 2022
31 August 2022
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Technical support on intercultural mediation in health (Roma residents of Type I settlements and health structures), capacity building of health mediators with a special focus on young girls᾽ and women᾽s reproductive health (pre-natal, perinatal and postnatal)
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1. Needs assessment and good practices report on health mediation
2. Development of a protocol
on Roma Health mediation
3. List of entry-points in
hospitals and health structures,
relevant academics and Roma
actors in the localities of
interest
4. Liaison and partnership
building with entry-points in
health structures, the academia
and Roma actors through
workshops, seminars and
knowledge exchange sessions
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30 June 2022
31 July 2022
31 August
2022
30
September
2022
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Awareness-raising of Roma health practitioners
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1. Elaboration and dissemination of communication material on Roma health risks among Roma health practitioners
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30 October 2022
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To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
- University degree (Master’s level) in Health Sciences
Social Sciences, Social Policy, or a similar field.
• At least 3 years of relevant professional experience in
the assessment, management and implementation of
health activities or research projects.
• Demonstrated experience in data collection and
analysis.
• A deep understanding of the context, policy, and
process for Roma child poverty and social exclusion at
the national and subnational levels in Greece is a strong
asset.
• Fieldwork experience in health-related projects and/or
working with Roma children/youth and women is highly
desirable;
• Excellent analytical, communication and negotiating
skills;
• Excellent team working skills and respect for diversity;
• Computer skills, including internet navigation, and
various office applications;
• Fluency in Greek and in English.
Management -Reporting
The said consultant will be contracted directly by UNICEF and report to the UNICEF Education Specialist and cooperate with the and work closely with the UNICEF Consultant for Policy Development on Roma, as well as the wider UNICEF Greece Country Office team. The consultant will be home-based.
All UNICEF rules and regulations related to travel of Consultants/ Individual Contractors apply.
Equipment
IT Equipment will be provided to the consultant, upon availability, to carry out the deliverables. Interested applicants are expected to have already the necessary IT equipment (lap top, mobile phone).
Timeframe and Payment Schedule
Fees:
Candidates are asked to indicate their required all-inclusive fees for the services to be provided. The final rate will be communicated to the candidate upon recommendation by the selection panel.
Payment schedule: Payment will be made on a monthly basis, based on agreed deliverables and a submission of progress reports to UNICEF by the consultant, upon approval by the direct supervisor. Monthly progress reports will be brief, produced in English and summarize key activities, achievements and challenges faced during the reporting period, priorities for the next reporting period, highlighting any support needs from or recommendations for UNICEF.
Deadlines regarding the deliverables are subject to revision depending on the date of recruitment.
UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs is incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines. All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future.
HOW TO APPLY
Applicants are invited to:
a. complete their UNICEF profile
c. Indicate a monthly fee for the aforementioned deliverables (Full time deployment)
Remarks:
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.
All regulations for Consultants and Individual Contractors, including General Terms and Conditions, do apply for this contract. 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.
Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.
