UNDP Jobs - 71960- International Consultant for Health and Human Righ

International Consultant for Health and Human Rights in the Context of Marginalized and Key Populations in Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Location :

Home-based with missions, TURKEY

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

09-May-17 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

estimated 15 May 2017 – 31 December 2017

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

approximately 135 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. As a founding Cosponsor of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), under the UNAIDS division of labor, UNDP is responsible for leading the response in addressing dimensions of AIDS relating to: development planning and mainstreaming; governance; and human rights, gender and sexual diversity. UNDP is also responsible for providing support to governments and national human rights and justice institutions, and CSOs in their efforts for the implementation of policies and programmes that protect the human rights of people affected by HIV and other marginalized and excluded segments of the societies. This is an integral part of UNDP’s mandate for the promotion of rule of law and human rights.

In 2011-2012, UNDP served as a Secretariat of the Global Commission on HIV and the Law – an independent body of eminent experts, which examined the correlations between laws, rights and health in the context of HIV and marginalized populations. Currently, UNDP is actively engaged in following up with the Commission’s recommendations, as outlined it its Report “Law, Risks, and Health”.

In Eastern Europe and Central Asia, of particular concern is the situation of key populations most at risk of HIV, such as people who use drugs, sex workers, migrants, inmates and men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender people (TG). While over the past three years, there has been some progress in removing punitive norms targeting key populations and adopting anti-discrimination laws that include sexual orientation and gender identity, several country progress reports in the region indicate a worrying increase of new infections among LGBTI people. This tendency is combined with the proliferation of homophobic laws under the guise of laws “against propaganda of no-traditional sexual relations among minors” and insufficient implementation of anti-discrimination provisions regarding sexual orientation and gender identity. Capacity of civil society to successfully advocate rights issues of key populations, particularly of LGBTI people, and to collaborate with government authorities is not high and numerous challenges hamper this dialogue. The situation of TG people in the EECA region is even more uncertain, as often up-to date accurate information is not available.

In cooperation with governments, other UN agencies, international organizations, and civil society actors, UNDP works to develop the capacity of national legislators, government offices and civil society actors on matters of rights, health and key populations. In support of this mission, UNDP has fostered the development of the Eurasian Coalition on Male Health – a regional umbrella NGO for MSM in the context of rights and health, and has carried out numerous other capacity development initiatives. ECOM is also currently implementing a regional Global Fund grant focusing on advocacy and service improvement of men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender gender (TG) people in 5 countries including Armenia, Belarus, FYR Macedonia, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan). UNDP has also worked on the implementation of a USAID funded sub-regional project in the Western Balkans (Being LGBTI in Eastern Europe) on further promoting and protecting the rights and health of LGBTI specifically in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, fYR of Macedonia and Serbia with spillover and synergy effects to other countries of the sub-region and beyond.

UNDP now seeks an international consultant to support the work of the Health and Development Team at the Istanbul Regional Hub on matters related to rights and health of marginalized populations, particularly LGBTI, as described in the terms of reference below.

Location: Home-based with missions to Albania, Moldova and Ukraine

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the Regional HHD Team Leader and guided by the Programme Specialist of the HIV, Health and Development Team at the UNDP HHD Team IRH-Istanbul (Supervisor) the Consultant shall:

Support the review of legislative, regulatory, policies and strategies related to health, rights and gender-based programmatic responses in the Western Balkan Region and beyond, as follows:

Provides technical assistance to the UNDP country offices and national partners to implement recommendations of the country LGBTI rights reports (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, fYR of Macedonia and Serbia);
Provides technical and implementation support for planning and organizing of up to 2 Steering Committee and 1 board meeting (drafting presentations, minutes, reports and other);
Facilitates and contributes to the finalization of the country LGBTI rights reports (for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, fYR of Macedonia and Serbia) including quality assurance at the IRH, layout and design, and national launches of the final publications;
Drafts and contributes to the development of final BLEE narrative report to be submitted to the donor (USAID);
Provides technical support and capacity building to the assessed LGBTI NGOs in programming countries conducted together with ERA – using the recommendations from the 10 CSO assessment reports and CSO cumulative assessment report;
Contributes at least 12 further content items to the virtual repository/one stop shop interactive platform on LGBTI rights issues in the Western Balkan regions (developed with ERA and hosted on their website);
Provides inputs and contributes to the identification (References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999)) and development of background documents for further partnership opportunities building on the results and lessons learnt from the BLEE project in the Western Balkans and beyond;
Provides technical assistance to UNDP country offices and national partners in the potential BLEE scale up countries and territories including Kosovo ( , Georgia, Montenegro, Moldova, Turkey and Ukraine;
Liaises as necessary with the Policy Specialist on Health and Key Populations at HHD HQ based on consultations with the Regional HHD Team Leader.

Serves as focal point for addressing health and human rights in the context of marginalized and key populations in Eastern Europe and Central Asia as follows:

Liaises with the Eurasian Coalition on Male Health (ECOM) and other regional civil society organizations (such as SWAN, ECUO, EHRN and other) to ensure that that UNDP is meaningfully engaged in regional and country activities related to rights, health and key populations at higher risk of HIV where appropriate;
Under the guidance of the supervisor, provides policy and other strategic guidance to UNDP COs and national partners in the EECA region on issues related to rights, key populations and health;
Contributes to content for UNDP and CSO for periodic reports on rights, health and key populations;
Contributes to up to 4 flagship knowledge products related to health and rights of key populations (2- 5 pages each).

Deliverables and Payment Schedule:

Payments will be made based on the Supervisor’s acceptance of deliverables and in line with payment schedule below. Main deliverables are:

Deliverable 1 - Finalized detailed work-plan for implementation of the consultancy – 1 month after signing contract;
Deliverable 2 - Provided technical and implementation support for planning and organizing of up to 2 Steering Committee and 1 board meeting (drafting presentations, minutes, reports and other) – 2 months after signing contract;
Deliverable 3 - Facilitated and contributed to the finalization of the country LGBTI rights reports (for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, fYR of Macedonia and Serbia – English and local languages) including quality assurance at the IRH, layout and design, and national launches of the final publications – 2 months after signing contract;
Deliverable 4 - Drafted and contributed to final BLEE narrative report to be submitted to the donor (USAID) – 4 months after signing contract;
Deliverable 5 - Provided technical support and capacity building to the assessed LGBTI NGOs in programming countries – using the recommendations from the 10 CSO assessment reports and CSO cumulative assessment report – 4 months after signing contract;
Deliverable 6 - Contributed at least 12 further content items to the development of virtual repository/one stop shop interactive platform on LGBTI rights issues in the Western Balkans (developed with ERA and hosted on their website) – 7 months after signing contract;
Deliverable 7 - Provided inputs and contributed to further partnership opportunities based on results and lessons learnt from the BLEE project in the Western Balkans and beyond – 3 months after signing contract;
Deliverable 8 - Provided technical assistance to UNDP country offices and national partners in implement recommendations of the country LGBTI rights reports (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, fYR of Macedonia and Serbia) – 6 months after signing contract;
Deliverable 9 - Provided technical assistance to UNDP country offices and national partners in the potential BLEE scale up countries and territories including Kosovo, Georgia, Montenegro, Moldova, Turkey and Ukraine – 6 months after signing contract;
Deliverable 10 - Liaised with the Eurasian Coalition on Male Health (ECOM) and other civil society organizations (such as SWAN, ECUO, EHRN and other) to ensure that UNDP is meaningfully engaged in regional and country activities related to rights, health and key populations at higher risk of HIV – 5 months after signing contract;
Deliverable 11 - Provided, under the guidance of the supervisor, policy and other strategic guidance to UNDP COs and national partners (up to 3 countries) in the EECA region on issues related to rights, key populations and health – 6 months after signing contract;
Deliverable 12 - Contributed to content for UNDP and CSO periodic reports on rights, health and key populations (up to 2 reporting processes) – 7 months after signing contract;
Deliverable 13 - Contributed to up to 4 flagship knowledge products related to health and rights of key populations (2-5 pages each) – 5 months after signing contract.
Deliverable 14 - Developed end of consultancy report – 7 months after signing contract.

Payment schedule:

1st installment – after submission and approval of deliverables 1 – 10% - 1 month after signing;
2nd installment – after submission and approval of deliverable 2, 3 – 15% – 2 months after signing;
3rd installment – after submission and approval of deliverable 7 – 15% – 3 months after signing;
4th installment – after submission and approval of deliverable 4, 5 – 15% - 4 months after signing;
5th installment – after submission and approval of deliverable 10, 13 – 15% - 5 months after signing;
6th installment - after submission and approval of deliverables 8, 9, 11 – 15% - 6 months after signing;
7th installment - after submission and approval of deliverables 6, 12, 14 – 15% - 7 months after signing.

Competencies

Corporate competencies:

Commitment to the principles set forth in the UN High Level Declarations on HIV and AIDS, the UN Human Rights Council resolutions on LGBTI;
Commitment to the UNDP Strategic Plan;
Adherence to strict confidentiality and protection of medical secrets, privacy and anonymity of people living with, or affected by HIV.

Functional competencies:

Very good understanding of problems of key populations, including LGBTI people in the context of rights and health in Eastern Europe and Central Asia;
Very good understanding of work of government and non-state actors – civil society organizations, networks, community groups and others;
Ability to work independently and in a team, strict adherence to completing assigned tasks in a timely manner.
Excellent organizational, research, drafting and communication skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications/Education:

Masters’ degree in human rights, law, international human rights law, international relations, international development, or other related fields.

Experience:

At least 3 years of relevant regional experience in the field of LGBTI rights, health, rights, key populations most at risk of HIV.
At least 2 years of experience in managing projects, organizing conferences, roundtables and drafting project reports.
At least 3 years of experience in advocacy, including advocacy on LGBTI rights, human rights and health, HIV.
At least 2 years of experience in researching, reporting and contributing to reports related to rights violation of LGBTI people and other key populations.

Language skills:

Fluency and ability to communicate in English, and Bosnian, or Croatian, or Montenegrin, or Serbian;
Knowledge of one more Western Balkan language is a plus;
Knowledge of Russian is a plus.

Evaluation of Applicants:
Individual consultants are evaluated based on a cumulative analysis taking into consideration the combination of the applicants’ qualifications and a financial proposal.
The award of the contract is made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

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

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on a cumulative analysis taking into consideration the combination of the applicants’ qualifications, as evidenced by the P11 and a financial proposal as a lump sum in US$, which includes all consultant’s costs except missions.

Technical Criteria -70% of total evaluation - max. points: 56:

Relevant experience: human rights, health and LGBTI rights - max. points: 21;
Relevant experience: managing project, organizing conferences, drafting reports - max. points: 15;
Relevant experience: advocacy - max. points: 15;
Communication and language skills (based on desk review of CV) - max. points: 5;

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation - max. points: 24.

Only candidates who will get at least 70% of score in technical evaluation will be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

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* in USD - specifying a) total lump sum amount for the tasks specified in this announcement and b) breakdown of costs related to one mission to Albania, Moldova, Ukraine (consisting of i) travel costs and ii) per diem for 3 days in each of these countries).

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials

*Please note that the financial proposal shall take into account various expenses incurred by the consultant/contractor during the contract period e.g. fee, health insurance, vaccination and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services...). Candidates are requested to apply price for an economy class ticket on the most direct routes and per diems not exceeding maximum UN daily allowance rates (http://icsc.un.org/rootindex.asp).

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.