Health and Nutrition Consultant for the Emergency in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

This consultancy aims to provide technical support to UNICEF teams deployed to the frontline implementing emergency services in partnership with health authorities as well as inform advocacy engagement in issues regarding the response efforts to resume and improve the provision of primary health care services in affected areas. The support will include actions currently under implementation through partnership agreements managed by UNICEF teams such as capacity building activities to community health workers, health and nutrition professionals at municipal and state levels as well as to UNICEF ‘’multiplicadores’’ on primary health care, nutrition practices, promotion of mental health among other topics. The consultant will also monitor the health and nutrition needs arising from the child safe/friendly space, multipliers and will support with referral to address them. The consultant activities and deliverables will be on the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre and nearby cities (Canoas, São Leopoldo, El Dorado do Sul).

Rio Grande do Sul has been affected by extreme floods event ever seen in May 2024. It was caused by heavy rains, followed by the breach of protective dikes on the Jacuí and  Guaíba rivers. The water reached levels higher than the previous historical flood in 1941. Health facilities and services have been severely impacted, over 78,000 people were living in shelters in the peak of the emergency in May and about 800,000 people displaced. As of 04 May 2024, there were 110 hospitals affected which 17 not functioning and 75 operating partially.  As of 30 August, 15 health facilities were still closed in Metropolitan area of Porto Alegre, mainly in Canoas, São Leopoldo and Taquari valley area. Indigenous areas and traditional communities were further affected due to the pre-existing vulnerability of these populations.

The army forces were activated to provide humanitarian assistance to the affected population including health services. From 3^rd-29 May 13 ‘’Hospitais campanha’’ were activated in several municipalities were nearly 52,000 people were assisted. As of 24 July, seven ‘’hospitais campanha’’ were deactivated in six municipalities. In 2024, the cases of Dengue reported are above average and represents a concern for the health authorities. Cases were reported in 470 municipalities and the death toll is 279.

UNICEF works closely with the health authorities at federal, state and municipality levels to provide technical assistance and support the response efforts. The network of community health workers was affected by the floods disrupting their work and currently there are slowly resuming their duties. UNICEF has been supporting with refresher workshops for these workers which are key frontliners for primary care in the communities.

Public health initiatives have been critical in mitigating the impacts of the floods, focusing on preventing outbreaks of infectious diseases among the affected population. UNICEF is working with the State Health Secretary to provide health information to the affected population, and highlight the needs of children and caregivers requiring health assistance. 

In this context, UNICEF intends to continue providing capacity building to the community health workers as well as the ‘’multiplicadores’’ on women and children rights to health and adequate nutrition. To achieve this goal, a consultant will be responsible for providing the technical support and collaborating with health authorities at state and municipal level, in alignment with UNICEF Core Commitments for Children (CCCs).  

SCOPE OF WORK:

This consultancy aims to provide technical support to UNICEF teams deployed to the frontline implementing emergency services in partnership with health authorities as well as inform advocacy engagement in issues regarding the response efforts to resume and improve the provision of primary health care services in affected areas. The support will include actions currently under implementation through partnership agreements managed by UNICEF teams such as capacity building activities to community health workers, health and nutrition professionals at municipal and state levels as well as to UNICEF ‘’multiplicadores’’ on primary health care, nutrition practices, promotion of mental health among other topics. The consultant will also monitor the health and nutrition needs arising from the child safe/friendly space, multipliers and will support with referral to address them. The consultant activities and deliverables will be on the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre and nearby cities (Canoas, São Leopoldo, El Dorado do Sul).

DELIVERABLES

              1. Work Assignment overview 1

1.1. Deliverables/Outputs (deliverables should be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time bound)

• Training for two groups of 20 participants each:
  • Objective: Within the framework of the “Multipliers” initiative, provide training on children and women’s right to health and adequate nutrition.
  • Focus: Apply and adapt global and national policies, instruments and commitments to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all, with a special focus on children.
• Training for Nutritionists:
  • Objective: Prepare and deliver priority capacity building initiatives for local nutritionists and food security professionals.
  • Focus: Facilitate the exchange of best practices and lessons learned in supporting populations affected by floods in Rio Grande do Sul, with an emphasis on priority cities of Porto Alegre, São Leopoldo, and Canoas.
• Awareness Raising:
  • Objective: Support UNICEF engagement of key local partners of relevance for health and nutrition response and recovery efforts in Rio Grande do Sul.
  • Focus: Disseminate, support, and monitor the full implementation of the Early Childhood Technical Note developed with the Early Childhood Committee and Networks.
• Technical Support on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support to enhance access to mental health services:
  • Objective: Provide technical and operational assistance to UNICEF staff for effective management of partnership agreements in Rio Grande do Sul on the subject, with an emphasis on adolescent mental health.
  • Focus: Promote the “Pode Falar” initiative, including engagement with its network of partners.
• Status assessment of Primary Health Care and essential service:
  • Objective: Support UNICEF staff coordination efforts with local authorities, including UNICEF support to the monitoring of primary health care provision with special attention to MCHN services and areas where health units have been and remain closed .
  • Focus: Collaborate on recommending and implementing mitigation measures.
• Reporting:
  • Objective: Document and report on the activities outlined above

1.2. Deadline (final deliverable date): first 30 days after the contract signature

1.3. Estimate Budget (% and budget estimated): 30

2. Work Assignment overview 2

2.1. Deliverables/Outputs

• Training for a group of 20 participants:
  • Objective: Within the framework of the “Multipliers” initiative, provide training on children and women’s right to health and adequate nutrition.
  • Focus 1: Support the application and adaptation of global and national policies, instruments and commitments aiming at ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all, with a special focus on children.
  • Focus 2: Support as per implementation provisions, the monitoring of feedback from the ‘’Multipliers’’ on the demands presented by the affected population related to health and nutrition, to allow for UNICEF and partners’ advocacy with authorities to address them as much as possible
• Training for Community Health Agents:
  • Objective: Support technical and pedagogical inputs for priority capacity building initiatives for two groups of Community Health Agents.
  • Focus: Covering issues of maternal, neonatal, child, and adolescent health, and safeguard breastfeeding against unethical marketing practices in line with the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and relevant World Health Assembly resolutions and international guidelines, with an emphasis on the local response priority cities
• Technical support to “Espaços da Gurizada”:
  • Objective: Provide guidance to “Espaços da Gurizada” teams on designing and delivering interventions addressing child health and nutrition.
  • Focus: Monitor the demands related with health and nutrition arising from the ‘’espaços da Gurizada’’ and support in addressing them through dissemination of possible referrals or technical assistance
• Technical Support on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support to enhance access to mental health services:
  • Objective: Provide technical and operational assistance to UNICEF teams on the field managing partnerships agreements in Rio Grande do Sul on the subject, with an emphasis on adolescent mental health.
  • Focus: Promote the “Pode Falar” initiative, including engagement with its network of partners.
• Reporting:
  • Objective: Document and report on the activities listed above

2.2. Deadline: 60 days after the contract signature

2.3. Estimate Budget (% of total budget): 35.

3.               Work Assignment overview

3.1. Deliverables/Outputs

·       Lessons learned exercise:

o   Objective: Workshop to identify key lessons learned during the emergency response in Rio Grande do Sul.

o   Focus: Reflection on what went well, what needs to be improved, what are the areas that need to be strengthen to improve future responses in the sectors of health and nutrition as well as in other sectors such as WASH, and integration with Social Protection, Education, Child Protection.

·       Preparedness priorities:

o   Objective: reflect on the preparedness needs for timely response of health and nutrition sector

o   Focus: in coordination and collaboration with the health authorities, identify the key preparedness measures and immediate priorities to ensure timely and effective response on health and nutrition

·       Evaluation of the preliminary impact of the multipliers of information (multiplicadores):

o   Objective: support the evaluation process to understand the impact of multipliers of information in the affected population.

o   Focus: in coordination with other UNICEF sectors, develop the Terms of reference for the evaluation, support the data collection process and dissemination of the evaluation results

·       Reporting:

o   Objective: Document and report on the activities listed above

3.2. Deadline: 90 days after the contract signature

3.3. Estimate Budget (% of total budget): 35

DURATION OF CONTRACT: 2,5 months

TRAVEL PLAN

The consultancy activities will be conducted in the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre, where the consultancy products will also be developed.   

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENT

• A university degree with a postgraduate certificate in one of the following fields is required: public health, nursing, medicine, nutrition, social sciences or related fields.
• An advanced university degree in public health, maternal and child health or nutrition is an asset.
• A minimum of three years of professional experience in one or more of the referred areas is required.
• Work experience in humanitarian settings or emergencies is an asset

LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

Fluency in Portuguese is required, working knowledge of English and Spanish would be assets.  

The proposal must contain the following items:  

1) Curriculum  

2) An example of previous work carried out by the proponent on the field of interest  

3) Financial proposal for the entire consultancy. 

The proposal that, meeting the technical criteria of this document, offers the best price will be considered the winner. 

UNICEF’S CORE VALUES

Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS)

 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 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.

GENERAL CONDITIONS: PROCEDURES AND LOGISTICS

• Consultant will work from home using own equipment and stationery. UNICEF will provide office space for consultative meetings when needed.
• Consultant’s, travel costs should be included in the consultant’s fee.
• No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both UNICEF and the consultant and mandatory courses are completed.
• Consultants will not have any representative, certifying, or approving authority, or supervisory responsibilities or authority on UNICEF budget.
• The consultant will work remotely on a delivery basis.

FINANCIAL PROPOSAL

• Costs indicated are estimated. Final rate shall follow “best value for money” principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible fee.
• A financial proposal including the fee for the assignment based on the deliverables and number of days must be submitted. Consultants are asked to stipulate all-inclusive fees, including lump sum, administrative cost, travel cost and subsistence costs, as applicable.
• The payment will be based on submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

INSURANCE AND HEALTH COVERAGE

• The contractor is fully responsible for arranging, at his or her own expenses, such life, health, and other forms of insurance covering the term of the contract as he or she considers appropriate.
• The contractor is not eligible to participate in the life or health insurance schemes available to UNICEF and United Nations staff members.

RESTRICTIONS

• Consultants may not receive training at the expense of UNICEF.  Notwithstanding, consultants must complete the applicable mandatory trainings before the signature of the contract. 
• In case of government officials, the contract cannot be issued without prior written clearance by the Government​, or unless on leave without pay.

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.