Antecedentes

The Philippines HIV epidemic which impacts disproportionately on men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender people. The sharp rise in HIV incidence in the country, which has increased by 812% from 2008 to 2013, is attributed to a concentrated epidemic among MSM and transgender people, with at least 80% of new cases transmitted through unprotected male-to-male sex. Current epidemiological data do not disaggregate for transgender people, but an Integrated HIV Behavioral and Serologic Surveillance conducted in Cebu City indicates an invisible concentrated HIV epidemic specifically among transgender people as well.

Other worrying aspects of the epidemic include restrictive legal, policy and social environments; highly discriminatory stereotypes and myths; and violation of the rights of people of diverse sexual orientation and gender identities.  Even in the absence of criminalization, other provisions of law that violate the rights of MSM and transgender communities are arbitrarily and inappropriately used obstructing HIV interventions, advocacy, outreach, and sexual health related service delivery.

On 27 April 2012, the Philippine National AIDS Council (PNAC) approved a National Comprehensive Strategic Plan on HIV and AIDS for Men having Sex with Men and Transgender Population (‘MSM & TG Strategic Plan’), a roadmap of interventions to arrest the increasing HIV epidemic among Filipino MSM and transgender people. A subsequent Operational Plan was crafted and presented to the Executive Committee of PNAC, and it was eventually adopted by various stakeholders on 7 December 2012.  These national level policy actions were supported by UNDP.

The direction provided by the Department of Health and the PNAC Executive Committee for the ‘MSM and TG Plan’ is towards localization, with the National Capital Region (NCR), which accounts for the one-half of the HIV incidence for the MSM and transgender people, as the first area where the Plan will be localized.

In support of this city-based strategy, the Department of Health and UNDP will conduct a city-based study on stigma, discrimination impacting universal access to HIV and health services for men who have sex with men and transgender people in NCR. This activity is supported by UNDP under the ISEAN-HIVOS Multi-Country Programme which covers Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Timor-Leste.

Deberes y responsabilidades

Objective of the assignment

To conduct a city-based study on stigma and discrimination impacting universal access to HIV and health services for MSM and transgender people in National Capital Region.

The aims of this study are the following:

• To assess the level of stigma and discrimination associated with MSM and transgender people;
• To assess HIV risks and vulnerabilities associated with MSM and transgender people;
• To understand the dynamics of stigma and discrimination associated issues while accessing public health services, especially pertaining to HIV treatment, care and support.

Scope of Work

The International Consultant will act as a lead consultant and analyze the impacts of stigma and discrimination impacting universal access to HIV and health services for men who have sex with men, and transgender people, based on quantitative and qualitative data collected and compiled by the national consultant. The Consultant will manage and supervise the whole process of the study. The research will be carried out in the National Capital Region (NCR), specifically Quezon City, Makati, Mandaluyong, Manila and Pasig.

The IC will be required to make three trips to Metro Manila to conduct the following:

• First to inform development of protocol – which services to be assessed (7 days);
• Second to train the community/health – initiate data collection (5 days);
• Third to inform stakeholders on prelim results (3 days).

The Consultant will undertake the following tasks:

• Coordinate with the Department of Health to identify the types services and location to be accessed and may include DOH/public health care providers, private health and community based service provides;
• Coordinate with local NGOs and CBOs working with MSM and transgender people in the targeted sites to discuss the feasibility, the acceptability and the procedures of the study, and identify potential interviewers;
• Work with DOH to obtain Ethical Committee approval prior to implementing the study;
• Develop a detailed research plan and timeline in consultation with the national consultant;
• Develop a survey protocol with checklists and to convene stakeholder consultative meeting(s) to get feedbacks on the survey protocol from the MSM Technical working Group (TWG) and conduct a pre-test of the protocol;
• Provide guidance to the national consultant in collecting, formatting and analyzing the quantitative and qualitative data;
• Coordinate with ongoing programmes such as USAID/FHI Quezon City;
• Develop a set of key findings and recommendations and prepare draft study report;
• Present the draft report to Department of Health and the UN Theme Group on Health;
• Lead national consultations and work with the national consultant to triangulate inputs from stakeholders;
• Finalize the report with recommendations for policy changes.

The Consultant will be guided and supported by UNDP Philippines and UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub in Bangkok Thailand.

Contract Duration

February 2015 - July 2015 (Maximum 35 days working days).

Duty Station

Home-Bbased with expected travel to the Philippines. The Consultant is expected to make three (3) visits to Manila, Philippines.  The travel to Philippines is to be coordinated between the consultant and the Department of Health (DOH).

Final Products

City-based study on stigma and discrimination impacting universal access to HIV and health services for men who have sex with men and transgender people with policy recommendations.

Provision of Monitoring and Progress Controls

The consultant will report to UNDP BRH through the Philippines Department of Health and UNDP Philippines. The Regional Policy Advisor on HIV, Human Rights and Governance based at UNDP BRH in Bangkok, Thailand will communicate and work closely with the national partners and the consultant to ensure timely delivery of expected outputs. The consultant will schedule regular (monthly) communications via Skype with the national consultant to assess the progress of the implementation of the study and discuss potential issues met during the preparation and implementation of the study. An implementation progress report including the revised timeline, will be prepared by both consultants and submitted bimonthly to UNDP BRH, UNDP Philippines, and DoH Philippines.

Documents to be Included When Submitting the Proposals

Interested individual consultant must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate your  qualifications:

• Proposal:  Brief motivation letter (not more than one page) indicating why the applicant thinks is an outstanding candidate for the job:
• Financial proposal: The financial proposal must indicate daily professional fee in USD for a consultancy not exceeding 35 days and all travel related expenses in USD.  Please use Template for Submission of Financial Proposal (Annex II) for submission:
• Personal CV and/or P11 including past experience in similar projects and the name and contact details of 3 references.

Financial Proposal

• Lump sum contracts: The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in installments or upon completion of the entire contract). Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR.  In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including travel, per diems, and number of anticipated working days);
• Travel: All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources. In the case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

Evaluation

The award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

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

Technical Criteria weight; 70%.

Financial Criteria weight; 30%.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 350 technical points would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Competencias

Functional Competencies:

• Knowledge of international legislation and practices with regards to human rights and law;
• Good understanding of CSS, human rights and advocacy issues with regards to HIV;
• Strong analytical skills and ability to consolidate information from multiple sources;
• Ability to draft strategic information for decision makers in concise and attractive manner;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English;
• Strong presentation skills;
• Respect to cultural and sexual diversity.

Client Orientation

• Contributing to positive outcomes for the client;
• Anticipates client needs;
• Works towards creating an enabling environment for a smooth relationship between the clients and service provider;
• Demonstrates understanding of client’s perspective.

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing 
Developing tools and mechanisms 

•  Makes the case for innovative ideas documenting successes and building them into the design of new approaches;
• Identifies new approaches and strategies that promote the use of tools and mechanisms.

Core Competencies:

• Promoting ethics and integrity, creating organizational precedents;
• Building support and political acumen;
• Building staff competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation;
• Building and promoting effective teams;
• Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication;
• Creating an emotionally intelligent organization;
• Leveraging conflict in the interests of UNDP & setting standards;
• Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member;
• Fair and transparent decision making; calculated risk-taking.

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

Academic Qualifications:

• A minimum of Master’s Degree in Public Health, Epidemiology, Social Sciences, Health Demography or other relevant field is required.

Years of experience:

• Minimum of 15 (fifteen) years’ experience in field of addressing needs for MSM and transgender people and sex workers in Asia and the Pacific;
• Substantive experience in conducting health and HIV research projects in the Philippines and Asia-Pacific region is recommended;
• Minimum of 5 publish journals/articles on vulnerabilities to HIV infection among key populations is preferred;
• Extensive experience working with the UN, development partners, multilateral organizations and NGOs;.

Language:

• Excellent English proficiency, e.g. final report written in English.