Antecedentes

Being LGBTI in Asia and the Pacific (BLIAP) is a regional programme aimed at addressing inequality, violence and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status, and promotes universal access to health and social services. It is a collaboration between governments, civil society, regional institutions and other stakeholders to advance the social inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people. The programme recognizes that LGBTI people are highly marginalized and face varied forms of stigma and discrimination based on their distinct sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions. The programme is supported by UNDP, the Embassy of Sweden in Bangkok, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Ministry for European Affairs and Equality (Malta), the Government of Canada and Faith in Love Foundation (Hong Kong).  

Previous research has shown that LGBT people around the world struggle for better health and well-being. When LGBT people face stigma and acts of prejudice, they experience a type of stress and trauma that is not experienced by heterosexual, cisgender people, resulting in poor mental and physical health outcomes. Research also indicates that LGBT people may have higher rates of substance use and abuse, including alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs, than non-LGBT people. Meanwhile, some types of substance use such as sexualized drug use (i.e. chemsex) have been linked to high risk sexual behaviours that can fuel transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. Several donor agencies and development partners have identified chemsex as a priority area at the intersection of health, HIV, human rights, and SOGIE. However, limited data is currently available on drug use patterns among LGBT people in Thailand, and limited programmatic efforts are being implemented in Thailand, Asia and the rest of the world to address the special needs of LGBT communities who use substances. In this context, the human rights of LGBT communities are not fully realized.

UNDP with national partners published in 2019 the research study Tolerance but not inclusion: A national survey on experiences of discrimination and social attitudes towards LGBT people in Thailand. The research found that the most commonly used substances among LGBT people surveyed were alcohol (54.1 percent used in the past 30 days), and tobacco (16.6 percent). Worryingly, and possibly owing to difficulties in accessing health services, over half, 52.7 percent, of transgender women reported using hormones without medical supervision while a significant minority, 41.4 percent, of them reported injecting hormones without medical supervision. Some subgroups reported significant use of other substances in the last 30 days, such as sedatives/sleeping pills and alkyl nitrites/poppers and to a lesser extent methamphetamines and amphetamines, indicating need for further research and analysis to understand patterns of substance use among the LGBT population in Thailand.

To start addressing these gaps in knowledge, UNDP Thailand is recruiting an experienced international consultant to conduct in-depth research based on the survey data set on LGBT substance use and its implications for health, access to health services, and/or HIV transmission, testing and treatment. The work is expected to be carried out in partnership with an academic/research partner, to be identified by UNDP, to support the statistical analysis of survey data. It is expected that the work undertaken will help stakeholders in Thailand develop a common position related to substance use among LGBT community groups and inform programmatic decisions and funding allocations. Ultimately, the outputs should be disseminated targeting stakeholders working in the drug policy and harm reduction field to support both local and international advocacy. The articles also will directly contribute to a growing body of knowledge related to chemsex and substance use among LGBT communities.

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. UNDP’s vision is to support countries in achieving the simultaneous eradication of poverty and significant reduction of inequalities and exclusion. For more information on “Being LGBTI in Asia and the Pacific” visit this link.

Deberes y responsabilidades

Scope of Work

The consultant will be responsible for delivering the following outputs:

• Review, verify and triangulate the data collected and agree with UNDP specific areas to focus on for further study within the overarching theme of LGBT substance use patterns and its implications for health, access to health services, and/or HIV transmission, testing and treatment.
• Prepare a work plan, including thematic areas for the three articles, identifying the journals and their requirements (including cost) where the articles could be published.
• In consultation with UNDP, draft three articles, based on the agreed thematic areas, for eventual submission to an academic journal.
• Prepare peer reviewed manuscripts, integrating feedback and suggestions from UNDP and other colleagues.
• Develop a set of PowerPoint slides to support dissemination of findings.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

The consultant is expected to produce the following deliverables:

Institutional Arrangement

Under the overall guidance of the Programme Specialist/Team Leader, of the Democratic Governance and Social Advocacy Unit, the national consultant will report directly to and work closely with the Project Manager - Gender Equality and Social Inclusion

Duration of the Work

The duration of the assignment is 20 May to 5 November with a maximum of 25 working days.

Duty Station

Home based with no travel. 

Competencias

• A proven track record of publications to an academic standard;
• Expertise on drug use as a health and human rights issue;
• Established global network in drug policy, harm reduction and HIV prevention among key populations;
• Knowledge and understanding of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression issues, including as they relate to health, human rights and HIV;
• Previous experience working with the UN, development partners, government agencies, and/or civil society organizations is an advantage.

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

Educational Qualifications

• A degree in a relevant field such as Social Sciences, Criminology, or Medicine

Experience

• At least 12 years of relevant experience in research and programme implementation, monitoring and evaluation relating to drug use, harm reduction, and HIV among key populations
• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in working with LGBT communities, ideally those who use substances, in Thailand

Language requirements

• High proficiency in written English. Thai language skills an advantage.

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

The contract will be based on Lump Sum

Consultant must send a financial proposal based on Lump Sum. The total amount quoted shall be all-inclusive and include all costs components required to perform the deliverables identified in the TOR, including professional fee, travel costs, living allowance (if any work is to be done outside the IC´s duty station) and any other applicable cost to be incurred by the IC in completing the assignment. The contract price will be fixed output-based price regardless of extension of the herein specified duration. Payments will be done upon completion of the deliverables/outputs and as per below percentages:

In general, UNDP shall 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

Evaluation Method and Criteria

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology;

Cumulative analysis

The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as a) responsive/compliant/acceptable; and b) having received the highest score out of set of weighted technical criteria (70%) *and financial criteria (30%). Financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced qualified proposal received by UNDP for the assignment.

·        Only those applications which are responsive, compliant and accept in general condition will be evaluated;

·        The financial proposal shall specify a lump sum fee;

Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 70 points)

·        Criteria 1:  Relevance of education – Max 10 points

·        Criteria 2: Proficiency in English – Max 10 points

·        Criteria 3: Relevance of experience in area of specialization – Max 30 points

·        Criteria 4: Demonstrated competencies in key areas – Max 20 points

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of technical evaluation) would be considered for Financial Evaluation.

Documentation required

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Please group them into one (1) single PDF document as the application only allows to upload maximum one document:

• Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided in Annex II.
• Personal CV indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references.
• Cover letter detailing how the Candidate’s expertise and qualifications corresponds to the requirements of the assignment
• Brief Technical Proposal (maximum 2 pages) that demonstrates the consultant’s understanding of the context and situation in which the assignment will take place and the proposed strategy to achieve the specific objectives of the assignment.
• Samples of previous publications (minimum 2 publications) to demonstrate a proven track record of publications to an academic standard
• Financial proposal, as per template provided in Annex II. Note: If an Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.

Incomplete proposals may not be considered. The shortlisted candidates may be contacted and the successful candidate will be notified.

To download form and related documents, please follow the link below:

https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=65249