WASH Yanomami Response Consultant, Boa Vista, Brazil

While important progress has been made in Brazil and throughout the world over the last years regarding the implementation of the Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC), much remains to be done to guarantee an integral protection of children and to ensure that all children have their fundamental rights fulfilled and respected in an equal manner and without discrimination. The urgent need for authorities at all levels to further address the rights of children in their legislations, programmes, policy frameworks, services and budgets has become even more evident in the light of the current pandemic, given the multiple impacts that COVID-19 has on children, including indirect impacts such as increased threats to their wellbeing, safety, and health.

Regarding the Yanomami and Ye’kuana Indigenous peoples crisis that gained visibility in late January and presents many adversities which seriously affect the survival and development of children and adolescents in the communities, such as contamination of water sources used for human consumption, waterborne diseases, climate change, deforestation, armed violence, and epidemics are all factors. Illegal mining and logging, which includes recent deforestation, exposed soil, small tailings ponds, mercury contamination in the watershed, alters the availability of food (hunting, fishing, gathering, etc.) and impacts child food security and nutrition, exposes the population to vector-borne diseases, and prevents access to clean drinking water.

In this context, UNICEF has supported local health and sanitation services, with an emphasis on maintaining essential primary health care services, fostering actions relevant to provide minimum WASH standards in health care facilities (HCF) to prevent waterborne diseases, malnutrition and acute diarrheal. In this sense, basic actions in health and sanitation are determining and conditioning factors for the welfare of the Yanomami and Ye’kuana.

To take action, UNICEF Boa Vista/RR office is promoting the strengthening of public services with special attention to the diversities of Yanomami and Ye’kuana indigenous populations in CASAI and in the territories through a series of activities like assessment of wash conditions in HCF and communities in the territory, providing basic equipments, materials and WASH infrastructure as well as build capacity of cleaning and health professionals (WASH IPC) and indigenous health and sanitation agents (Agente Indigena de Saneamento e Agente Indígena de Saúde – AISAN e AIS).

To achieve this goal, a consultant will will be responsible for implementing and monitor the work plan that underpins the demand described in this ToR and which will be developed together with the public health and sanitation services at local and national levels. The consultant will work closely together and with the UNICEF Boa Vista team, especially with the Health and WASH teams.

PURPOSE

UNICEF Brazil Country Office is looking for a WASH consultant to be accountable for assess, identifying, systemize, monitor WASH needs in the Yanomami and Ye’kuana territory considering UNICEF’s CCCs (Core Commitments for Children) as well as provide WASH technical support and promote good practices of hygiene promotion align with the health authorities. Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Chief field office and with the support of the WASH officer, the selected consultant will contribute to UNICEF’s work by:

1. Work together with the national and local public health authorities (DEAMB and SESANI-YY) and in the Emergency Operational Center Yanomami (COE), been part of the infrastructure and water working group, provide technical support to WASH activities to prevent diseases related to inadequate environmental sanitation (DRSAI).

2. Support the local public health authorities to prioritize key WASH areas of intervention to save lives, including conducting needs assessments in territory or systematization of data gathered by the SESANI, develop WASH action plans to Health Care Facilities (HCF) and communities to follow national and international standards (e.g: sphere).

3. Support national and local public health authorities in the development and implementation of the hygiene promotion on water consumption (health education) standard activities/strategy in territory, including the support of the formulation of a WASH guide culturally adapted to the specificities of the Yanomami indigenous population, including the trainning of Indigenous Health and Sanitation Agents (AISAN and AIS).

EXPECTED RESULTS:

The overall expected results are as follow:

1. Support COE and DSEI-YY to installsmall water units (pumping and treatment units) in the Yanomami territory following the priority list released by SESAI. DSEI-YY will provide the logistics, the consultant is responsible to articulate the schedule and provide technical support.

2. Support DSEI-Y to develop a training methodology of AISAN, technicians, or health professionals and community in WASH activities to promote correct operation and maintenance of WASH infrastructure, including conduction field trainings.

3. Collaborate with COE/DSEI-Y to organize training sessions on water quality monitoring and fundamental WASH content for water and sanitation technician.

DELIVERABLES:

Deliverable 1:

• One water unit installed.

• Collaborate with COE/DSEI-YY to enhance and refine the content for training sessions aimed at AISAN, AIS, technicians, healthcare professionals, and community members, focusing on safe water consumption and maintenance

• Advocate with DSEI-Y for the focal points promote capacity building sessions with 2 AISAN, considering safe water management and consumption or conduce the activities for himself (considering logistics provided by DSEI-Y)

Duration: 50 days from the contract signature date

Payment: 33% of the total amount of the contract

Deliverable 2:

• One water unit installed.

• Collaborate with COE/DSEI-YY to enhance and refine the content for training sessions aimed at AISAN, AIS, technicians, healthcare professionals, and community members, focusing on safe water consumption and maintenance.

• Advocate with DSEI-Y for the focal points promote capacity building sessions with at least 3 AISAN, considering safe water management and consumption or conduce the activities for himself (considering logistics provided by DSEI-Y)

Duration: 80 days from the contract signature date

Payment: 33% of the total amount of the contract

Deliverable 3:

• One water unit installed.

• Collaborate with COE/DSEI-YY to enhance and refine the content for training sessions aimed at AISAN, AIS, technicians, healthcare professionals, and community members, focusing on safe water consumption and maintenance

• Collaborate with COE/DSEI-Y to organize at least one training session (or a brief video class) on water quality monitoring and fundamental WASH content for water and sanitation technician. The training session could be facilitated by a qualified professional from another public authority.

Duration: 110 days from the contract signature date

Payment: 34% of the total amount of the contract.

GENERAL CONDITIONS: PROCEDURES AND LOGISTICS

• The selected consultant will be presential and must provide necessary equipment and stationery to carry out the work presented in this Term of Reference.

• For Consultant’s, health insurance should be included in the consultant’s fee. Flight costs and accommodation on the Yanomami territory will be arranged with the Health authority. DSA and food must be included in the consultant fee.

• No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both UNICEF and the Consultant or individual Contractor.

• Consultants will not have supervisory responsibilities or authority on UNICEF budget.

• The consultant will work in person under a full-time basis and prior authorization and/or clearance from UNICEF to engage in external activities is required.

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.

• 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.

• The financial proposal must include daily fees, accommodation (for applicants outside of Boa Vista) and communication coasts

RESTRICTIONS

• Consultants and individual contractors may not receive training at the expense of UNICEF.  Notwithstanding, consultants and individual contracts must complete the applicable mandatory trainings.

• 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.