United Nations Children's Fund
tendersglobal.net
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, an opportunity…
Purpose of Activity/Assignment:
The national consultant will develop an evidence based national Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) strategy for reduction of ethnic children stunting and severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in Viet Nam for Ministry of Health (MOH).
Context:
Stunting refers to low height for age and reflects chronic malnutrition. Recent global evidence indicates that stunting can be significantly reduced by investing in nutrition in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life – from conception to the age of 2 years. Once stunting sets in during this period, it is unlikely to be reversed.
SAM refers to very low weight for height (below –3z scores of the median WHO growth standards). The most serious form of SAM is severe wasting/thinness (marasmus), or the presence of nutritional oedema (or kwashiorkor). If left untreated, SAM can result in death.
In Viet Nam, despite significant improvements in a range of health and social indicators in Viet Nam, children under 5 remain exposed to multiple deprivations in health and nutrition, especially the disadvantaged regions of Central Highlands, Central Coastal, and the Northwest. As a result, these areas are characterized by high mortality rates among children both under 1 and under 5 years and high prevalence of stunting among under 5 years old. The causes of these problems are multiple and can be seen on both the supply and demand side. With regards to supply, challenges include funding constraints for children, limited government capacity, lack of quality and inclusive health and nutrition services for children with disabilities and from ethnic minorities, and a disparity in access to healthcare services. On the demand side, poor home health care, poor knowledge on food and maternal and child nutrition feeding practices, and unequal gender norms, all contribute to inadequate nutrition for children, especially in disadvantaged regions where ethnic minorities live. More than 50% of babies are introduced to complementary foods too early (before 6 months) while 18% of children aged 6 months to 2 years do not have a diet that is sufficiently diverse and 36% are not fed frequently enough. These children have poor quality diets that are lacking in essential nutrients. A third (35%) do not consume animal-based foods on a daily basis while 22% do not consume vitamin A and 14% do not consume iron-rich foods on a daily basis. There is some evidence that daily consumption of green vegetables is also low. The poorest children and those living in remote areas and from ethnic minority families have the least adequate complementary feeding practices.
Recent economic progress has improved the well-being of millions of Vietnamese children, but not all have benefited equally from such prosperity. Inequities persist in Viet Nam between girls and boys, rural and urban and different ethnic groups.
Breastfeeding continues to be low country-wide, but boys are more likely to be exclusively breastfed than girls[1]. Progress in reducing malnutrition (stunting), which affects one quarter of the under 5 population has been slow, with the highest prevalence of stunting found in the Central Highlands (34%) and other disadvantaged regions where ethnic minorities live (27.3% in the Central coastal region and 30.3 % in the Northwest)[2].
The 2020 survey measuring SDG indicators on children and women conducted by the General Statistics Office (GSO) with support from UNICEF[3] shows that the prevalence of stunting is high at the national average of 20% while among ethnic children is nearly twice (32%). Only 42% of children 6-23 months received a minimum acceptable diet.
The findings from the 2022 formative research on rural water supply, sanitation, hygiene (WASH), and nutrition in Viet Nam show that, in the researched provinces – Dien Bien, Gia Lai and Soc Trang, all communities, including ethnic minorities, faced three main issues of poor exclusive breastfeeding, inadequate and insufficient complementary feeding and over consumption of sugary and unhealthy foods and drinks which could lead to obesity, diabetes, tooth decay and other conditions. The research’s findings also show the existing barriers in community practices in relation to exclusive and continued breastfeeding and appropriate complementary feeding. It includes:
– Lack of knowledge and skills on identification and processing of the local food for meal of young child, existing misconceptions among parents, child caregivers. There still is a number of health care workers, including doctors, nurses, midwives, and community health workers at the district, commune and village levels, strengthened inappropriate beliefs and practices, such as providing babies with water.
– Limited access to markets, local food system and lack of availability of a diversity of affordable, nutritious foods, especially for impoverished ethnic groups.
– Lack of social support for pregnant, breastfeeding women, parents and child caregivers, whose children suffer from malnutrition or stunting.
– Lack of targeted programs to monitor and address stunting, especially in Dien Bien, where ethnic communities do not come to the health center for child malnutrition treatment.
UNICEF is shifting to a new partnership phase with Viet Nam for 2022-2026 Country programme. Nutrition for children and women continues to be one of the core components in the partnership strategy. UNICEF Viet Nam supports the Government at both national and provincial levels, particularly to achieve the goal of child malnutrition reduction in hard to reach and vulnerable groups in Dien Bien (Northwest region), Gia Lai (Central Highlands), and Soc Trang (Mekong River delta) project provinces.
[4] Please refer to the UNICEF’s SBC Guidance and Social and Behaviour Change Communications (SBCC)
How can you make a difference?
For full Objective, Tasks, Deliverables, please find as enclosed 1-Individual consultant TOR_SBCC strategy_Ethnic SAM-Final (002).pdf
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Education:
– Minimum Qualifications required: Master in Social and Behaviour Change Communication, Behavioural Science, Social Sciences, Public Health, Nutrition.
Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:
The National SBCC Expert cum Team Leader with following qualifications:
– Minimum of Master level degree(s) in the relevant field, such as Social and behaviour change communication, behavioural science, social sciences, public health, nutrition, and at least 8 years of relevant experience.
– At least 8 years of proven and successful experience in the design and implementation of behavior change programs, preferably with at least five years’ experience in nutrition. (Note that strong experience within behavior change carries the greatest weight).
– Strong experiences in development of BCC (Behaviour change communication) materials in Viet Nam is desirable; familiarity with the nutrition and public health (including experience with community-based activities).
– Strong experiences in strategy and campaign concept design.
– Ability to effectively and respectfully work with and lead a team of professionals with different cultural and sectoral backgrounds.
– Native Vietnamese speaking and be fluent in English.
The Nutrition Expert (or Public Health Expert) – team member:
– Minimum of Master level degree(s) in the relevant field, such as nutrition, public health and at least 8 years of relevant experience.
– At least 8 years of proven experience in maternal and child nutrition field.
– Proven experience in providing technical support for the institution in the whole process of desk review, development of tools and methods, data collection and analysis.
– Familiarity with the rural nutrition, maternal health care sector in Viet Nam.
– Strong experiences in theme/message development.
– Ability to work with a team of professionals effectively and respectfully with different cultural and sectoral backgrounds.
– Native Vietnamese speaking and be fluent in English.
Evaluation Criteria:
A) Technical Evaluation: maximum 75 Points B) Financial Proposal: maximum 25 points
1.1 Educational background: 25 points
1.2 Relevant working experiences: 50 points
– Technical proposal submitted with relevant approach to meet the specific objectives and reach the specific target audience: 20 points.
– Relevant working experience with samples of SBCC strategy/campaign of the team leader: 20 points.
– Technical competencies and working experience of the team member (CV): 10 points.
The maximum number of points shall be allotted to the lowest Financial Proposal that is opened/evaluated and compared among technical qualified candidates who have attained a minimum 50-point score in the technical evaluation. Other Financial Proposals will receive points in inverse proportion to the lowest price.
The Contract shall be awarded to candidate obtaining the highest combined technical and financial scores, subject to the satisfactory result of the verification interview if needed.
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).
To view our competency framework, please visit here.
Submission of applications:
a. Letter of interest/confirmation of availability and CV;
b. A technical proposal which clearly explains the outline on how to deliver the tasks and deliverables;
c. Three references;
d. Financial proposal: All-inclusive lump-sum cost including consultancy fee, travel and any other relevant costs for this assignment. Quotation lumpsum_SBCC Ethnic SAM (002).xlsx
UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.
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.
Remarks:
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
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.
The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.
Apply for job
To help us track our recruitment effort, please indicate in your cover letter where (tendersglobal.net) you saw this job posting.
Related Jobs/Tenders
-
INNOPAY Consultant – Germany
Marsh McLennanDeutschland -
Customer Service Advisor 1
FoundeverNewcastle -
RDC-Coordinateur.trice Accès Humanitaire et Sécurité H/F-GOMA
Solidarités InternationalDemocratic Republic of the Congo -
Administrative Associate
UNDP - United Nations Development ProgrammePeshÄwar