Find Latest Jobs in Pakistan

Purpose of consultancy:

Pakistan is vulnerable to and has experienced series of unexpected shocks over the last few years driven the most vulnerable into compounded crises, with little opportunity for recovery, affecting nearly every part of the country. Drought-like conditions in 2019 were followed by a winter emergency across much of the western parts of the country, while the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic shock, coupled with public health measures, dealt a severe blow to livelihoods and the economy, disrupted education, and resulted in an increasing food insecurity and protection sector needs.

Women and children particularly from disadvantaged households, those home-based, domestic workers, and daily wage earners (small shops, self-employed persons, and families), households headed by women and children are among the most impacted by these shocks. These vulnerable groups, particularly people with disabilities, elderly, women, children, and adolescents are at a heightened risk of resorting to negative coping mechanisms. The refugees and hosting communities is another vulnerable group severely impacted by these crises . These repetitive disasters have exacerbated existing gender inequalities and discrimination, particularly within families, affecting the psychological and physical health of survivors. The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic will likely stress further the socio-economic situation, with vulnerable groups and refugees facing an increasingly dire situation across large areas of the country. Additional natural disasters are extremely likely, further setting back attempts at recovery and tipping more people into both short and long-term need. According to IMF, poverty is estimated to rise from 24.3 % to 40% and the economic impact will be most acute on vulnerable groups and the refugee population.

In this context, the 2021 Pakistan Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) and 2021 Pakistan Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) set out the needs and key strategic objectives of the humanitarian community in Pakistan at this juncture. Strong coordination mechanisms are required to ensure a comprehensive humanitarian response to be implemented in line with international principles and standards and that the most vulnerable are not left behind.

To this end, UNFPA along with other UN agencies in Sindh, has led the establishment of coordination platforms to ensure a cohesive and harmonized approach to preparedness and response through mobilization of government departments, development partners, CSOs and UN agencies. In this context, UNFPA in Sindh is a co-lead of the Reproductive Health Working Group, Protection Sector Working Group, and Gender-based Violence (GBV) sub-group, notified by Department of Health (DOH), Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Women Development Department (WDD) respectively. Each Working Group has its individual priority actions contributing to overall capacity development and institutional strengthening of provincial departments to adequately plan, prepare and respond to humanitarian calamities through life-saving interventions by integrating Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) and GBV in overall humanitarian response. To provide technical guidance and support to smooth implementation of priority actions envisaged within the above-mentioned coordination platforms in Sindh, UNFPA is seeking candidate able to transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

• In a highly complex operating environment, the SRH/GBV Technical Specialist will play a vital role in promoting partnership, synergy and strategic alliances with counterparts in government, multi-lateral and bi-lateral agencies and civil society.

• She/he will contribute to the coordination and smooth implementation of UNFPA activities in the areas of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and gender based violence (GBV) in emergencies, and provide information on achievement of results in the implementation of the humanitarian portfolio in Sindh.

• The SRH/GBV Technical Specialist will facilitate and coordinate Implementing Partners, government departments, technical advisers and experts and contribute to UN systems coordination through participation in technical dialogue, documentation and knowledge management of emerging good practices and provision of inputs into joint common system initiatives

• The SRH/GBV Technical Specialist reports directly to the UNFPA Head of Office in Sindh and works in close coordination and synergy with the CO Humanitarian Team.

This activity is planned and part of MPA milestones for 2021 and will contribute to the overall CO continued efforts in institutional strengthening of the government systems and for increased preparedness and resilience at provincial level, and further support to governments to implement and report on the progress in their national strategies on DRR.

Scope of work:

1. Support the Government’s leadership role and ownership in steering the RH Working Group under provincial Health sector, Protection Sector Working Group and GBV sub-group.

2. Provide technical guidance and expert support in development of protection policies, strategies and standards by ensuring consistency with other sectoral strategies and aligned with international standards and GoS policies and guidelines.

3. Lead the identification of the capacity building needs and assist in building the capacity of SRH/GBV partners in collaboration with communities to deliver appropriate SRH/GBV services including MISP, psychosocial support and referral services for women, children and their families.

4. Advocate for setting up of adequate monitoring mechanisms to review the outcome of preparedness and response interventions in SRH/GBV and progress against implementation plans.

5. Advocate and technically advise for developing accountability and monitoring mechanisms with the aim to improve transparency towards international and national organizations and local and provincial authorities.

6. Advise on and build strong technical and programme multi-sectoral partnerships for advocacy of the inclusion of MISP, SRHiE and Gender Based Violence in health sector strategies, budgetary frameworks, policies through national institutions, networks, and alliances. Support the establishment of inclusive cross sector/multi-sectoral GBV coordination mechanisms at the provincial level and support/facilitate piloting of models at district level to address GBV issues.

7. Provide technical and operational guidance on the MISP roll-out and implementation and audience-specific trainings, when and where necessary and feasible (e.g. for service providers, community health workers and partners).

8. Collect or estimate basic demographic and SRH information to support MISP implementation and planning for comprehensive SRH service delivery; Use monitoring checklists to oversee services, collect service delivery information, analyse findings and act on identified gaps and overlaps; Lead and coordinate rapid and in-depth assessment of SRH needs of the affected population (in refugee villages, return areas and host communities).

9. Facilitate the achievement of programme results by identifying, providing and coordinating substantive and technical inputs into SRH in Emergency (SRHiE) implementation, ensuring substantive monitoring and oversight and coordinating and evaluating the direct and national execution of approved workplans and key interventions.

10. Explore innovative approaches in delivering SRH including family planning information and services to special groups e.g. refugees, internally displaced populations and persons with disabilities.

11. Promote knowledge sharing and continuous learning, testing, linking and documenting innovative strategies, approaches, lessons learned and best practices inside and outside UNFPA and replicating these strategies and approaches. Ensure that IPs integrate new substantive policies, methodologies and tools.

12. Facilitate policy dialogue and advocacy with Sindh provincial partners in support of addressing substantive SRH/FP/GBV issues in humanitarian settings.

13. Support policy dialogue with Government counterparts and UN and other development partners to facilitate the incorporation of SRH/MISP and GBV into sub-national emergency preparedness and contingency plans and strategies, UN systems initiatives and development frameworks.

14. Provide strategic inputs towards advocacy efforts of the Sindh Office by preparing or reviewing relevant documentation, i.e. project summaries, donor briefs, speeches, and participating in partners’ meetings and public information events.

15. Advise on and build strong technical and programme multi-sectoral partnerships for advocacy of the inclusion of MISP, SRHiE and Gender Based Violence in health sector strategies, budgetary frameworks, policies through national institutions, networks, and alliances.

16. Carry out any other duties as may be required by UNFPA leadership.

Deliverables

1. RHWG Action plan including plans for MISP integration and institutionalization.

2. Operational plan for Community Resilience Strategy including details on consultation workshop with key Stakeholders.

3. Sindh GBV referral mechanism developed and presented to GBV sub-group members.

4. Meetings of Protection Sector WG, GBV sub-group, RH WG are facilitated, including preparation of Agenda and Minutes.

5. A proposal to strengthen Gender and Child Cell of PDMA Sindh developed and agreed by PDMA.

Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:

Activities and progress will be monitored through regular contact with consultant and based on the mutually agreed monthly deliverables.

Consultant should submit monthly progress reports by e-mail.

Supervisory arrangements:

UNFPA Sindh Head of Office will directly supervise activities related to the consultancy.

CO Humanitarian Team will provide overall guidance.

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:

• Advanced university degree in Public Health, Midwifery, Disaster Response and Management or related Social Science field.

• 8 to 10 years of professional experience preferably in programme technical advisory and management roles in the public or private sector.

• Excellent organization skills, attention to detail, precision and accuracy;

• Demonstrated ability to refine programme design and to ensure alignment of organizational programme objectives to national priorities/capacities;

• Proven ability to lead and manage teams to achieve demonstrable results;

• Excellent communication and networking skills to foster partnerships at a high level of representation and to maintain political partnerships in the assigned country;

• Strong commitment and interest in development work, especially the mission of the United Nations Population Fund and dedication to the principles of the United Nations; and.

• Strong experience in a humanitarian or crisis context. Knowledge of Sindh context is an asset.

Inputs / services to be provided by UNFPA or implementing partner (e.g. support services, office space, equipment), if applicable:

UNFPA will provide the consultant with all available documents in relation to this consultancy.

UNFPA will also provide necessary additional logistical support in terms of arranging meetings, when it is necessary. Use of office space and computer equipment may be provided if needed

Advanced University Degree In Public Health,