International Consultancy: Research on SRHR & Climate Change, Johannesburg, South Africa

UNFPA is committed to achieving its three transformative results (ending preventable maternal mortality, ending unmet need for family planning, and ending gender-based violence and harmful practices with HIV considered the additional result in ESA region) by limiting the impact of climate change on women, girls, young people and other vulnerable groups through its work on gender adaptation including Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and HIV; climate vulnerability assessments; systems strengthening; and building individual and community resilience, is deepening its work on gender-transformative and gender-responsive adaptation action.  

To deep our work across country offices, UNFPA ESARO is looking to carry out a series on deeper research on climate change and various layers of SRHR including maternal health, GBV, child marriage and FGM. These studies aim to contribute to strengthening the country-driven process to present more evidence at the national and subnational level on the linkages between climate change, SRHR and GBV, and analyze gendered impacts of climate change at the individual, community and systems level as well as during emergency responses. They will also provide a narrative on adaptive capacity to improve understanding of impacts of climate change on women and girls at the local level and available capacity for transformation.

Findings of this study will be used to inform policy makers and practitioners on the linkage between climate change, SRHR, GBV and other related intersections at the national , regional and global level. The study will also provide evidence-based information on active local actors, innovative initiatives and implications of climate change on local communities and how it can translate into possible interventions carried out with the support of UNFPA and other key partners. 

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Purpose of Assignment 

Below are examples of key intersections that some of the research will focus on:

1. What are evidences of the impact of climate change or enviromental change on SRHR including GBV, Child Marriage and FGM at country, regional or global level? Major climate events in the region include cyclones, drought, water scarcity, intense rain, sea level rise, flooding and typhoons;
2. What are the impacts of climate change on HIV infections & mother to child transmissions of HIV?
3. What are the impacts of climate change on maternal health including nutritional/food security?
4. What are the impact of climate change on adolescent health?Conduct a case studies on how climate change  impacts women and girls in specific country hotspots;
5. What are the programmatic and policy options that can help reduce the climate-induced risk of GBV, CM, FGM and HIV and promote the resilience and adaptability of women and girls? 

• - What are the interventions, services, and information available to support women and girls in preventing the risk of GBV, child marriage, HIV and female genital mutilation in the context of climate change? 
• - What could be the role of early warning and protection systems in this context? 
• - What knowledge and capacities are available to local communities to employ strategies to buffer shocks and adapt to climate change to prevent GBV, child marriage, HIV and female genital mutilation? 
• - What is the role of local institutions, power relations between men and women in decision making and  policies?;

1. What are the programmatic recommendations and policy options that could be integrated in the national adaptation response that strengthen resilience to climate change of women and girls?
2. How to strengthen  health system resilience to climate change?

For this purpose, we are looking at opening this call to receive submissions from experts on SRHR and climate and gender that will constitute our pool of experts for research on these intersections within the region. This will then serve as the database for current and future recruitments based on identified expertise. 

The selected consultant will deliver research work in English/French or Spanish depending on country of study language.

Scope of work 

Key tasks for the assignment may include but not limited to: 

1. Prepare an inception report to outline the methodological approach for the evidence generation and review and case studies as well as the key stakeholder consultation to inform policy 
2. Generate new evidence and conduct a review on existing evidence on the impacts of climate change on SRHR and related intersections including identifying hotspots, potential case studies. Desk review and a series of case studies and secondary data collection (through qualitative and quantitative approaches).  
3. Produce a report based on the analysis of the new evidence generated and review of existing evidence. Data and evidence analysis
4. In selected hotspot ares conduct key informant interviews and focused-group discussions with key stakeholders such as CSOs working on SRHR and the prevention of harmful practices including GBV, child marriage, HIV and female genital mutilation to review how CC affects SRHR in these selected area. This will involve FGDs in the regions of focus and key interviews (this will include elaboration of interview guide etc).
5. Facilitate a series of hybrid stakeholders consultations to validate findings  to inform the necessary adaptation actions that support the integration of SRHR and other related intersections’ programming in the national adaptation response. 
6. Prepare the final report and a policy brief including a detailed summary of findings, identify possible programmatic interventions and entry points as well as write a dedicated analysis of a particular country that will be spotlighted.

Duration 

The consultancy shall not exceed six months with around 50 working days.  

Place where services are to be delivered

The consultancy will be home based with travel as may be required.

Schedule of Activities
Delivery dates and how work will be delivered

Inception report (10%)
Review of evidence and case study in selected hotspots (40%)
Stakeholder consultation for identify key policy option (30%)
Final report and policy brief (20%)

Required expertise

• An advanced degree or equivalent level in one of the following fields: Public health, Law, Medical Demography, Development Studies, Health Economics, Social Policy, or other related relevant expertise;
• Experience of a minimum of 7 years of which at least 5 years is on climate change is required and past experience in working with the UN is an added advantage;
• Demonstrated  experience of successfully working on SRHR,  gender-based violence, including harmful practices, and with health system assessment
• Demonstrated Previous experience in assessing the impact of climate change on gender-based violence, including harmful practices 
• Verifiable  experience in  production of quality study reports;
• Proven experience in development research papers around adolescent and young people’s sexual and reproductive health and rights;
• Excellent report writing, communication, and computer skills.
• Excellent oral and written English, French knowledge would be an advantage. 
• Action point to be noted by applicant: Examples of previous research in similar areas should accompany the application. 
• Action point to be noted by applicant: submit a cover letter detailing motivation (500 words max). 

Payment schedule and CoA   
Payment schedule

Deliverables 1-2: 30 % of the total payment

Deliverables 3-5: 30% of the total payment

Deliverable 6: 15% of the total payment

Deliverables 7-9: 25% of the total payment

UNFPA will only respond to those applicants in whom we have further interest.

The United Nations 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.