Consultant Risk Communication - Tenders Global

Consultant Risk Communication

World Health Organization

tendersglobal.net

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Description

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Learnings from the COVID-19 pandemic underscore that an infodemic, or the overabundance of accurate and inaccurate information in digital and physical spaces, hinders timely outbreak responses and vaccination efforts, leading to anxiety, depression, and negative health behaviours among those drawn to rumours and conspiracy theories. Gaps in risk communication, limited insights into the behavioural and sociocultural contexts, and the spread of rumours and mis- and disinformation, amplify challenges posed both by the pandemic and infodemic.
For these reasons, risk communication and infodemic management are identified as key capacities in the third high-level implementation plan (HLIP III) for strengthening pandemic influenza preparedness and response. Strengthening capacities in these two areas can help Member States in the Western Pacific Region understand community needs, generate actionable insights, improve fact-checking, prebunking, and debunking skills, and develop effective communication strategies and interventions during and between an acute health event. 
The consultancy will provide technical support for utilizing online social listening and infodemic risk assessment tools, producing training modules, and delivering training to reinforce risk communication and infodemic management capacities in the Western Pacific Region. It will also support research and other activities that will promote an enhanced understanding of individual and community behaviours, aiding the design and implementation of strategies to reduce the risk and impact of future influenza outbreaks and pandemics. 
Reinforce capacities for risk communication and infodemic management for emergency preparedness and response:
  • Update risk communication and infodemic management training packages tailored to the needs of the Member States in the Western Pacific Region. 
  • Support planning and delivery of capacity-building initiatives for risk communication and infodemic management to prepare for a future influenza pandemic.
  • Develop tools and resources for social inoculation against rumours and mis- and disinformation.
  • Establish mentoring systems to enable Member States at national and subnational levels to access technical support in an accessible and timely manner, helping improve the quality of risk communication approaches.
Create evidence to increase understanding of behaviours on various digital and messaging platforms:
  • Design and conduct evidence-generation exercises in at least one PIP priority country to understand better user interaction and sharing behaviour on various digital and messaging platforms.
  • Support Member States in developing resources for the management and response to health-related mis- and disinformation.
  • Prepare (internal and external) documentation of approaches, lessons, best practices and innovations for the use digital and messaging platforms.
Provide incident-specific risk communication and infodemic management support for emergency preparedness and response:
  • Carry out social listening to support risk assessment and risk communication 
  • Promote safe and appropriate engagement in digital spaces 
Other Deliverables:
  • Progress report (monthly); and
  • Technical report at the end of consultancy.
Qualifications, Experience, Skills And Languages:
Educational Qualifications:
Essential:
  • University degree in Communications, Social and Behavioural Science, Public Health, Data Science, or a related field.
Experience Required:
Essential:
  • Minimum of five years experience working in strategic communications capacity building. Experience in risk communications, digital communications, social media analysis and behavioural and/or social sciences.
Skills/Technical Skills and Knowledge:
Essential:
  • Expert knowledge in strategic communication principles and practice 
  • Skills in data analysis, and monitoring and evaluation of digital platforms 
  • Ability to identify, assess, analyse, synthesise and provide recommendations
Language requirements:
  • Written and spoken fluency in English is essential.

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