UNDP Jobs - 53930- International Consultant: Rights and Regulatory Fr

International Consultant: Rights and Regulatory Frameworks of Non-communicable Diseases and Health Equity within Strategic UN programming documents in Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Location :

Home-based, with two missions

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

03-Mar-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Estimated March – 31 December 2015

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

Approximately 75 working days

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

UNDP is the UN's global development network advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. In its drive to promote sustainable human development, UNDP is currently implementing hundreds of projects in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, mainly through its country offices and the Istanbul Regional Hub. Technically, this work is supported by work in the field of democratic governance; poverty reduction; energy & environment; HIV, health and development (HHD); crisis prevention & recovery; knowledge, innovation & capacity development; partnerships; and gender.

The social, economic and environmental determinants (SEEDs) of health and health inequities have been recognized as important factors that need to be addressed to achieve sustainable human development (1/2/3/4). SEEDs of health and health inequities have an impact on the burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), play a critical role in the efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and are playing an increasingly dominant role in the post-2015 global development and health debate as the main pillars for sustainable human development.

Following the call for global action of the Rio Political Declaration on Social Determinants of Health (5) and with reference to the UNDP Strategy Note for HIV, Health and Development (6) underlining the critical role of SEEDs of health for UNDP’s work on inclusive growth, social justice and environmental protection, UNDP’s IRH through its HHD Team has pro-actively engaged in addressing SEEDs of health and health inequities more systematically for the future programming at UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Europe and Central Asia (RBEC).

UNDP IRH is partnering with the WHO European Office for Investment in Health and Development to support responses to address SEEDs. This includes NCDs (such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes) which represent a leading threat to human health and development. Multisectoral responses outside the health sector can help to contribute to addressing the risk factors of poor diet, harmful use of alcohol, tobacco use and physical inactivity. Working with WHO, UNDP support focuses on the areas of (i) linking NCDs to development instruments to address prevention and impact mitigation, (ii) assisting with planning of national strategies for NCDs, and (iii) advancing tobacco prevention and control through supporting national strategy development and national coordination mechanisms, legislative reviews, and prevention of corruption as appropriate.

UNDP IRH is looking for an international consultant to support its work related to analysis of regulatory frameworks on NCDs and providing advice for their improvement, as well as linking NCDs and development to protecting, upholding and fulfilling the international human right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.

Notes:
(1) WHO. Closing the gap in a generation. Commission on Social Determinants of Health Report, 2008.
(2) Wilkinson, R.; Pickett, K. The spirit level. New York 2009.
(3) 56th World Health Assembly. Outcome of the World Conference on Social Determinants of Health. WHA65.8, Geneva May 2012.
(4) Marmot, M. et al. WHO Europe review of social determinants of health and the health divide. Lancet 2012; 380:1011-1029.
(5) WHO. Rio Political Declaration on Social Determinants of Health. World Conference on Social Determinants of Health, Rio de Janeiro, October 2011.
(6) UNDP. Strategy Note HIV, Health and Development 2012 – 2013. New York, 2012.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the Supervision of the HHD Regional Team Leader, in close coordination with the HHD Programme and Legal Specialists, and in close collaboration with WHO Europe, the consultant is expected to carry out the following activities:

Task One (estimated 40 working days): Development of checklist and assessment tool of the multisectoral legal, regulatory and policy framework for NCDs to be used during joint UN multisectoral assessments of national NCD responses in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The work will include:

Review and build on the WHO Europe Health Systems Strengthening NCD Country Assessment Guide;
Review, summarize and build on initiatives from other stakeholders working on multisectoral NCD assessments;
Use as example Belarus as the first country in the region that has already conducted a joint UN multisectoral assessment;
Design the assessment tool in a way that it produces easily action points as recommendations for the multisectoral assessment report of the joint UN country assessments;
Review and discuss drafts together with WHO Europe and other UN agencies on regional level, and with the global UN Interagency Task Force on Prevention and Control of NCDs;
Pilot test the draft checklist and assessment tool during the next joint UN NCDs country assessment (likely in early Q3 of 2015);
Provide final checklist and assessment tool.

Task Two (estimated 20 working days): Review programming opportunities for the regional UNDP HIV, Health and Development (HHD) team in relation to the implementation of the ICESCR in Europe and Central Asia and provide report with recommendations. While focusing on the right to health angle, the work will include:

Summarize Articles of the ICESCR and Committee Comments (e.g. Comment 14) relevant for UNDP programming in the context of a rights-based approach to health considering a multisectoral, whole-of-government strategies, social, economic and environmental determinants of health and health inequities;
Summarize reporting requirements and mechanisms; Compare the official report with shadow reports produced by civil society organizations;
Review and summarize quality (related to the health agenda) of the reports and the inclusiveness of the reporting process on country level; produce country case reports as examples;
Review and summarize examples of report review processes and queries by the Committee;
Finalize report with recommendations on programming opportunities for the regional UNDP HIV, Health and Development (HHD) team in relation to the implementation of the ICESCR in Europe and Central Asia;
Carry out a mapping exercise for Belarus, Turkey and Ukraine by examining and summarizing the pace of progress of the country towards implementation of Article 12 of the ICESCR, as well as the list of Issues (LOI) to be addressed in the next reporting cycle.

Task Three (estimated 15 workings day): Review strategic UN programming documents (Common Country Assessment and United Nations Development Assistance Frameworks – CCA-UNDAFs) in selected countries of EECA and provide specific recommendations on how best to integrate health and health equity (HIV prevention, treatment and care and other communicable diseases, the social, economic and environmental determinants of health, and non-communicable diseases including implementation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control – FCTC). The work will include:

Review draft CCA-UNDAFs and provide timely recommendations to the UNCTs through the Peer Support Group (PSG) on how best to integrate health and health equity (Albania, Montenegro and Ukraine);
Document lessons learnt from the experience of integrating health and health equity into the UN strategic programming documents in Albania, Montenegro and Ukraine;
Update checklist for the integration of health and health equity in CCA-UNDAFs;
Conduct brief webinar session on lessons learnt for relevant partners including the Regional Task Force on NCDs prevention and Control and Social Determinants of Health.

The consultant may be expected to contribute to blog posts and publications on the UNDP website, to comment on draft knowledge products in the relevant field, to participate in meetings, seminars, discussions and prepare/make presentations.

The Consultant is expected to be home-based with two missions to the EECA region (one to Istanbul, Turkey, which is to be included in costs outlined under the framework of this consultancy and one to other country of the region (TBD) to be covered in line with UNDP rules and regulations).

Deliverables:

Draft Checklist and Assessment Tool of the multisectoral legal, regulatory and policy framework for NCDs to be piloted (estimated 20 pages);
Final Checklist and Assessment Tool;
Report with recommendations on programming opportunities related to implementation of the ICESCR in EECA (estimated 20 pages);
Three country mapping analyses (Belarus, Turkey and Ukraine) on progress towards implementation of Article 12 ICESCR, as well as the list of Issues (LOI) to be addressed in the next reporting cycle (15-20 pages per country mapping report);
CCA-UNDAF draft documents (Albania, Montenegro and Ukraine) with health and health equity integrated in the relevant sections (approximately 45-50 pages to be reviewed per country);
Checklist on the integration of health and health equity into CCA-UNDAFs and other strategic programming documents updated (15-20 pages);
Specific tasks for the finalization of above mentioned deliverables will be agreed upon with the Supervisor at the beginning of each month, in writing. Payments will be made once a quarter (every 3 months adding up to a total of 3 payments) upon submitted satisfactory progress report against tasks/deliverables their timely execution and acceptance by the Supervisor.

Competencies

Corporate competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards; Commitment to the principles set forth in the UN High Level Declarations on HIV and AIDS, High Level Declaration on NCDs and the Report of the Global Commission on the Social Determinants of Health;
Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Treats all people fairly without favoritism;
Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Functional competencies:

Very good understanding of the legal and practical aspects of HIV and co-infections in the region;
Familiarity with national healthcare systems and legal and practical issues surrounding non-communicable diseases;
Familiarity with the social determinants of health and health inequities;
Familiarity with the UN system and the development of UN specific programming documents, policies and strategies;
Excellent organizational skills, ability to work independently, strict adherence to completing assigned tasks in a timely manner;
Quality-oriented professional, constructive approach to obstacles and delays in planned performance;
Excellent research and drafting skills;
Excellent communication and presentation skills, oral and written;
Advanced user of virtual communication tools.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

An advanced degree (masters or higher) in law, international law or human rights, public health, international relations, or other relevant field.

Experience:

Five or more years of relevant regional experience in the field of the right to health, NCDs and analysis/program work in the field of NCDs and SEEDs;
Of which five years of experience in research and technical advisory work in the field of health law;
Of which three or more years of experience working with the UN system specifically in the field of the health (addressing the social, economic and environmental determinants of health, NCDs, HIV and other health-related developmental issues);
Experience in drafting reports and preparing assessment tools is an advantage;
Experience in policy and program work on tobacco is an advantage.

Language skills:

Fluency and ability to communicate and write complex research in English;
Knowledge of more EECA languages is a plus.

Publications:

At least three recent relevant publications, or professional documents (reports, analyses), as author, in the field of SEEDs, NCDs, health law and legislation, in English.

Evaluation of Applicants:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on a cumulative analysis taking into consideration the combination of the applicants’ qualifications, an interview, a test and a financial proposal.
The award of the contract should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

Responsive/compliant/acceptable;
Having successfully passed the interview;
Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Only those candidates who obtained at least 70% of points in each step of the process technical (P11 desk reviews and interviews) will be considered for financial proposal evaluation.

Technical Criteria -70% of total evaluation - max. 50 points:

Relevant education and additional qualifications - max. 2.5 points;
Publications (as listed in P11) - max. 2.5 points;
Relevant regional experience in the field of the right to health, NCDs (including work on tobacco control) and analysis/program work in the field of NCDs and SEEDs - max. 10 points;
Experience in research and technical advisory work in the field of health law - max. 10 points;
Experience working with the UN system specifically in the field of the health - max. 10 points;
Experience in drafting reports and preparing assessment tools - max. 5 points;
Corporate and functional competencies, communication skills and languages (evaluated through a phone/virtual interview) - max. 10 points.

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation – max. 21 points.

Application procedures:

Qualified candidates are requested to apply online via this website. The application should contain:

Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position. Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application;
Filled P11 form including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees (blank form can be downloaded from http://europeandcis.undp.org/files/hrforms/P11_modified_for_SCs_and_ICs.doc). Please upload the P11 instead of your CV;
Financial Proposal* - specifying a lump sump . Payment to be made once a quarter upon submitted satisfactory progress report against deliverables. Financial proposal must include one mission to Istanbul, Turkey (mission to other country of the region (TBC) will be covered separately according to UNDP rules and regulations);
Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials. Please note that UNDP jobsite system allows only one uploading of application document, so please make sure that you merge all your documents into a single file.

*Please note that the financial proposal is all-inclusive and shall take into account various expenses incurred by the consultant/contractor during the contract period (e.g. rent of dwelling, fee, health insurance, vaccination and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services...). All envisaged costs including one trip to Istanbul, Turkey – 3 working days) must be included in the financial proposal. Travel costs for other missions, if any, will be paid separately according to UNDP rules and regulations.

The selected candidate is responsible for obtaining necessary visas, if applicable. UNDP will strive to support the application process.

Payments will be made only upon confirmation of UNDP on delivering on the contract obligations in a satisfactory manner.

Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director. Consultants are also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under dss.un.org
General Terms and conditions as well as other related documents can be found under: http://on.undp.org/t7fJs.

Qualified women and members of minorities are encouraged to apply.

Due to large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.