Location:

Uzbekistan
Salary:

negotiable / YEAR
Job type:

CONTRACTOR
Posted:

2 months ago
Category:

Humanitarian and Crisis Response
Deadline:

05/08/2024

JOB DESCRIPTION

ABOUT THE COMPANY:

UNICEF was created with a distinct purpose in mind: to work with others to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease and discrimination place in a child’s path. We advocate for measures to give children the best start in life, because proper care at the youngest age forms the strongest foundation for a person’s future

JOB SUMMARY

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children.

To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, safety!

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

Uzbekistan, located in the Central Asian Region, has experienced a significant increase in cross-border movements of people, livestock, and goods due to globalization.

This increased flow has raised concerns about the potential spread of infectious diseases.

Furthermore, the emergence of novel viral infections on a global scale, such as COVID-19 and Ebola, has highlighted the need for robust public health infrastructure to effectively respond to health emergencies.

In 2012, Uzbekistan ratified the International Health Regulations (IHR – 2005), committing to promptly notify the World Health Organization (WHO) about the occurrence and spread of highly dangerous infections.

The Ministry of Health and Committee on Sanitary-Epidemiological Welfare and Public Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan has been entrusted with ensuring public sanitary and epidemiological welfare.

Risk communication plays a crucial role in effectively managing health emergencies.

To be effective, it must take into account various factors, including social, religious, cultural, political, and economic aspects associated with events, as well as the opinions of affected populations. Uzbekistan has adopted a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to risk communication, utilizing multiple channels and platforms, including state-owned media, to disseminate information and advice.

Uzbekistan underwent a Joint External Evaluation (JEE) of its core capacities for International Health Regulations (IHR) in May 2022.

The evaluation was conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and assessed the country’s ability to prevent, detect, and respond to public health risks.

The mission report was published on April 25, 2023, and is available on the WHO website 1. The report provides a detailed analysis of Uzbekistan’s IHR core capacities and outlines the country’s strengths and areas for improvement. The report highlights Uzbekistan’s need to enhance its emergency preparedness and response capacity to effectively address multi-hazard emergencies, including highly contagious and dangerous infections and epidemics.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) are the key institutions responsible for ensuring public health and safety during emergencies.

To support these efforts, a national consultant is required to provide technical expertise and guidance in strengthening the emergency preparedness and response capacity of MoH and MES.

Objective:

An international consultant will be engaged to support the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) in enhancing their coordination and integration mechanism on emergency preparedness and response.

The objective is to strengthen their ability to identify and respond to various health emergencies within well-coordinated and effective mechanisms.

The consultant will assess current capacity, identify gaps, and develop an action plan with strategies to address the identified gaps. International Consultant will provide technical support in finalizing emergency response plans, protocols, and coordination mechanisms. The consultant will be engaged in Capacity building activities through provision of tailored trainings and workshops, along with practical emergency drills and simulation exercises.

The consultant’s role will ensure a more robust documentation, knowledge management on coordinated approach to managing health emergencies, contributing to the overall goal of safeguarding public health during multi-hazard situations.

Scope of Work:

Under the supervision of Emergency, Climate Change and DRR Officer and in collaboration with UNICEF staff members, the international consultant will undertake the following activities:

Conduct a strategic needs assessment:

− Assess the current multi-sectoral emergency preparedness and response capacity and coordination mechanisms between MoH and MES, including their systems and resources.

Identify gaps and areas requiring improvement in coordination on early identification and response to multi-hazard emergencies.

b. Develop an action plan:

− Based on the needs assessment, develop a comprehensive action plan outlining specific steps and interventions to strengthen the emergency preparedness and response coordination mechanism of MoH and MES.

The action plan should include clear objectives, SOPs, activities, timelines, responsible parties, and indicators for monitoring and evaluation.

Enhance coordination mechanisms:

− Work closely with MoH and MES to establish or strengthen multisectoral coordination mechanisms between the two ministries and other relevant stakeholders involved in multi-hazard emergency preparedness and response. Facilitate regular meetings, information sharing, and joint planning exercises to improve coordination and collaboration.

Capacity building:

− Based on the needs assessment, develop and deliver training programs and workshops for MoH and MES staff on topics relevant to coordination, early identification and response to multi-hazard emergencies.

This may include training on risk assessment, emergency response planning, incident management, and utilization of relevant tools and technologies.

e. Technical guidance and support:

− Provide technical expertise and guidance to MoH and MES in finalizing emergency response plans, standard operating procedures, and protocols as a final product.

Support the implementation of best practices and international standards in emergency preparedness and response in both ministries.

e. Conduct practical drills and simulation exercises in the regions:

− Organize and facilitate emergency response drills and simulations, in coordination with MoH, MES, and other relevant stakeholders to demonstrate the multi-sectorial effectively coordinated exercises.

Evaluate the effectiveness of simulation exercises, identify areas for improvement, and provide recommendations for enhancing emergency preparedness and response coordination.

Knowledge management and reporting:

− Document all activities, lessons learnt, including assessments, training sessions, coordination meetings, and drills. Prepare a final report, highlighting achievements, challenges, and recommendations for further improvement. Share lessons learned and best practices with relevant stakeholders.

Work Assignments Overview – Deliverables/Outputs – Timeline

The consultant will conduct a comprehensive assessment of MoH and MES emergency preparedness and response capacity, identifying gaps and areas for improvement in multi-hazard emergency identification and response – Needs assessment report on emergency preparedness and response capacity of MoH and MES to include identified gaps and recommended action plans – 8 August 2024

The consultant will create a detailed action plan based on the needs assessment findings, outlining specific steps, objectives, activities, timelines, responsible parties, and monitoring indicators – Comprehensive action plan for strengthening emergency preparedness and response capacity and coordination mechanisms, including objectives, activities, timelines, responsible parties, and indicators – 16 August 2024

The consultant will develop and deliver training programs and workshops for MoH and MES staff on coordination, early identification and response to multi-hazard emergencies, including risk assessment, response planning, incident management, and utilization of tools and technologies – Training programs and workshops conducted, with relevant training materials and reports.

/ Emergency response drills and simulations organized, with evaluation reports and recommendations – 31 August 2024

4. The consultant will document all activities, prepare progress reports highlighting achievements, challenges, and recommendations, and share lessons learned and best practices with stakeholders for continuous improvement – Final consultancy report summarizing achievements, key outcomes, and recommendations – 10 September 2024

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.

Travel: International and Local are required.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in public health, health emergency and disaster risk management, social sciences, international relations, or a related field.

Experience:

At least 3 years of proven experience in conducting risk assessments, emergency preparedness planning, and response coordination with focus on health.
Strong knowledge of Public Health Emergency Management (PHEM) principles, practices, and guidelines.
Experience in designing and conducting PHEM exercises and workshops.
At least 3 years of work experience in international projects or programmes with a focus on health emergencies.
Knowledge of Central Asia especially Uzbekistan’s context and government structures as well as operational aspects of work with the ministries is an asset.
In-depth knowledge of international best practices in emergency preparedness and response.
Familiarity with the IHR core capacities and JEE framework.
Strong analytical and report writing skills.
Excellent communication and facilitation skills.
Experience working in Uzbekistan or similar contexts is an advantage.

Language requirements

Proficient knowledge English is required.
Knowledge of Russian is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children.

The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities.

This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination.

UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles.

All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

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.

How to Apply:
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Good luck!

This job has expired.