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Purpose of consultancy:

Providing girls and women with the necessary information, resources, skills, social support, and water, sanitation, waste disposal and health services required to manage their menstrual needs and other types of vaginal bleeding through the life course from menarche to menopause is important for girls’ and women’s health, well-being, mobility, educational and economic empowerment, and dignity. Yet many girls and women in Africa, especially those who live in poor areas, and those that have been displaced or affected by political, economic and social emergencies, have limited access to age-appropriate information on menstrual health, skills, health and hygiene services (including disposal and waste management) and products that are accessible, effective, comfortable, convenient, affordable and safe to use and change. This hinders the ability of girls and women to understand and manage menstruation and to seek help and support when they experience menstrual health problems, thereby negatively impacting their self-esteem, agency, and ability participate in daily activities, including school, social activities and work.

Today many countries in Africa are moving towards more holistic responses to menstrual health management (MHM) with strengthened efforts to ensure that the focus on menstrual health management is expanded from product availability as a stand-alone solution to integrated, cross-sectoral policy and programmatic responses involving gender, education (including Comprehensive Sexuality Education/CSE for in- and out-of-school youth), water and sanitation (WASH), waste disposal and primary health care sectors, both in development and humanitarian contexts. It is also increasingly recognized as an issue for research and learning, monitoring and evaluation. However, despite progress in some countries, many of these efforts remain undocumented, limited in geographical coverage, not fully supported by evidence-based practices, and largely donor or charity dependent. More needs to be done to strengthen high-level policy commitment, coordination, knowledge sharing, and evidence-based programming. There is also a need to develop effective and innovative approaches to supply management and distribution, build commitment to strengthen education efforts, improve water and sanitation infrastructure in school and other spaces, and to ensure that multi-sectoral plans are costed and supported with adequate financial resources to sustain efforts, develop monitoring and evaluation, and bring programmes to scale across the African continent.

The purpose of the consultancy is to oversee the management, communication and advocacy of Menstrual Health issues, as the lead coordinator of the African Coalition for Menstrual Health Management (ACMHM) secretariat currently hosted by the UNFPA ESARO’s integrated Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Unit.

Scope of work:

The Coordinator will lead the management of the Coalition Secretariat and oversee all communication, advocacy and resource mobilisation tasks. At an operational level, the Coordinator is responsible for planning, implementing, and managing all activities associated with the coalition that include providing support for coordination, advocacy, communications research and knowledge management, as well as overall leadership and support for MHM issues. The consultant will also support UNFPA to integrate MHM in within comprehensive SRHR policies and programmes.  

Coordination of the secretariat of the African Coalition for Menstrual Health Management

The consultant is expected to lead the following tasks:

Advocacy, policy and strategy development and implementation

  • Work with UNFPA and the Coalition leadership to finalise and implement a 5-year strategy, action plan and a joint advocacy strategy for the African Coalition for Menstrual Health Management
  • Develop position briefs and statements;
  • Lead the contribution of ACMHM to a global review of MHM related policies;
  • Guide Coalition member’s efforts to advocate for policies/legislation at regional/national levels;
  • Represent the Coalition in global, regional and national policy dialogues and high-level discussions, including during the 2020 International Menstrual Hygiene Day; and
  • Conduct media outreach and act as the media spokesperson in all matters related to menstrual health management.

Research and knowledge management

  • Continually broaden expertise in the area of Menstrual Health Management and serve as a resource person for the Coalition members;
  • Conduct literature/resource reviews to identify and document best practices on MHM for the African Coalition for Menstrual Health Management;
  • Support the development and implementation of knowledge products, such as the application of instruments and tools for testing effectiveness of coalition strategies; and
  • Liaise and broker TA between global, regional and national partners for knowledge management, capacity building and South-South collaboration within and beyond the Coalition.

Partnership and resource mobilization

  • Represent the coalition in relevant fora global, regionally and nationally;
  • Recruit and maintain a diverse Coalition membership with African, regional and national partners;
  • Assess performance and provide guidance to the African Coalition for Menstrual Health Management task forces on TOR development, implementation and reporting;
  • Establish and maintain partnerships with global menstrual health management initiatives such as the Global MH Collective, MHM in Ten, the MH Hub, the International Menstrual Hygiene Day and the Cup Coalition; and
  • Lead the organization, resource mobilization efforts and reporting back of the 2nd African Symposium on Menstrual Health Management, planned for May 2020.

Communications

  • Lead the overall maintenance and management of the Coalition website;
  • Develop marketing and media materials, campaigns, and identify African Coalition for Menstrual Health Management promotion opportunities in conjunction with the Coalition members and external partners;
  • Compile, analyse and document findings and progress of Coalition activities in written quarterly reports to UNFPA, other funding agencies, and Coalition members;
  • Co-ordinate the various internal communications initiatives of the African Coalition for Menstrual Health Management, including, but not limited to:
    • Collate information, writing, editing and designing quarterly newsletters;
    • Manage the Coalition list-serve and database;
    • Lead and coordinate the branding and visual identity of the Coalition;
    • Social media - lead the development of content for various media platforms and manage related social media accounts; and
    • Report and present coalition progress and program findings through online and face-to-face communication with Coalition members and external partners.

Management

  • Collaborate with relevant UNFPA staff at HQ, the Regional Office and Country Offices.

Place where services are to be delivered:

UNFPA East and Southern Africa Regional Office

The consultant is expected to support the Regional Programme Specialist, Adolescent and Youth in the following areas:

  • Provide evidence based support to UNFPA ESARO and country offices for enhanced advocacy and policy dialogues;
  • Support the integration of MHM into programme design;
  • Contribute to UNFPA ESARO’s MHM advocacy and knowledge management processes and products; and
  • Support UNFPA ESARO and CO resource mobilization for enhanced funding for MHM.
  • 2nd Africa MHM Symposium.

Work Relations:

The Consultant will work under the overall supervision of the Regional Director, UNFPA East and Southern Africa with daily supervision by the Adolescent and Youth Programme Specialist. This requires close collaboration with African Coalition for Menstrual Health Management members, other key partners and UNFPA Country Offices.

Required competencies:

CORE VALUES

  • Exemplifying integrity
  • Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system
  • Embracing diversity
  • Embracing change

CORE COMPETENCIES

  • Achieving results
  • Being accountable
  • Developing & applying professional expertise
  • Thinking analytically and strategically
  • Working in teams/managing ourselves and relationships
  • Communicating for impact

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES

  • Conceptual innovation in the provision of technical expertise
  • Job knowledge, Technical expertise
  • Strengthening the capacity of country offices
  • Facilitating quality programme results
  • Delivering results-based programmes
  • Strategically positioning UNFPA programmes
  • Internal & external communication

Duration and working schedule:

From March 2021 to June 2021 – full-time based in the UNFPA East and Southern Africa Regional Office with possibility to working from home due to the current COVID19 pandemic.

Expected Deliverables

  • Successful organization and reporting of the 2nd Africa MHM Symposium
  • Increased ACMHM membership and partnerships
  • One annual ACMHM thematic task Force meetings held (virtual/face-to-face)
  • At least one ACMHM Leadership meeting held and report developed (virtual/face-to-face)
  • At least one resource mobilisation proposals developed and submitted to potential donors
  • Representation of ACMHM at country and regional forums
  • Updated ACMHM database / listserv
  • ACMHM progress documented and shared through various platforms
  • ACMHM website and social media accounts updated and functional
  • Q1 newsletter developed and circulated

Technical support on MHM provided to UNFPA ESARO, country offices and partners

Place where services are to be delivered:

ESARO, Johannesburg, South Africa

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy etc.):

All reports and feedback are delivered in electronic copies.

Monthly deliverables will be agreed with the selected consultant.

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

The IC will:

  • Document ACMHM lessons and achievements
  • Lead the quarterly newsletter development
  • Engage with the Coalition members and partners on a monthly basis
  • Monitor good practices for documentation
  • Complete any other tasks required by the unit Lead
  • Work with the communications unit to develop communications products

Submit report for major activities undertaken e.g. 2nd Africa MHM Symposium

Supervisory arrangement:

The IC will work under the overall supervision of the Regional Director with daily supervision by the Adolescent and Youth Programme Specialist, UNFPA ESARO.

Expected travel: None

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:

Education:  A University degree at Master level or equivalent in health education, public health, social sciences, or other field directly related to the substantive areas of this position.

Experience and skills

  • 5 years’ relevant work experience with government, UN or NGOs on issues related to sexual and reproductive health, health education, adolescent health or related areas;
  • Experience in strategy and action plan development;
  • Strong advocacy and networking skills with the ability to liaise with and engage government, UN agencies, CSOs and other stakeholders in a professional and friendly manner;
  • Experience in M&E, including development of indicators and tools;
  • Excellent administration, coordination and organizational skills;
  • Strong communication skills and proven experience with the use of social media and other channels for effective advocacy, knowledge sharing and campaigning;
  • Strong writing and analytical skills;
  • Ability to work with and within inter-disciplinary and multicultural groups;
  • Good computer skills, including for the establishment and maintenance of online databases; and

Experience with resource mobilization and grant/proposal development is an asset.

Other relevant information or special conditions, if any:

The deadline for applications is 17 February 2021, 5pm South African time.

•    Submit your application with a detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV) and motivational letter to jobs.esaro@unfpa.org. Please specify in the email subject ‘National Consultant- Menstrual Health Management.

•    UNFPA does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, processing, training) or other fee, or request information on applicants’ bank accounts.

•    UNFPA will only respond to those applicants in whom the Regional Office has further interest. In the event that UNFPA does not contact you by 5 March 2021, please consider your application unsuccessful.