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, health

Please access UNICEF Sierra Leone information here and here

How can you make a difference? 

The purpose of this consultancy is to conduct a Gender Barrier Analysis Integrated Health and Nutrition, Immunization and VAS to enhance data and evidence to inform health and nutrition-related policy and programming. The specific objectives are:

1. To analyze how local beliefs, cultural norms and societal context, gender inequalities, and power dynamics differently impact women, men, girls, boys, adolescent girls, pregnant women, caregivers (both male and female), as well as including the specific needs of people with disabilities in accessing to health and nutrition services and realizing their rights.
2. To identify how broader social, economic, political context influence the UNICEF programming related to gender dimensions.
3. To understand and assess how policies, systems, structures, and services, along ongoing program interventions influence formal and informal rights of women, men, girls, and boys in accessing health and nutrition services.
4. Identify gaps in UNICEF programming and opportunities for enhancing interventions and making it more gender-responsive and transformative.
5. To provide practical and actionable recommendations to further integrate a gender-responsive and transformative approach into existing health and nutrition policies, strategies, and interventions for improving access and uptake to (maternal) and child health services.
6. As part of the Gender Barrier Analysis) assess the gender related capacity needs of service providers/frontline workers and issues affecting their roles.
7. To assess gender-related supply side barriers to utilize and delivery of health & nutrition services.

Specific Tasks:

1. Conduct a thorough literature and desk review to understand existing gender-related barriers in accessing child health and nutrition services, how current interventions address them – including the level of gender-responsiveness and inform primary data collection methodology and scope.
2. Conduct a secondary analysis of available data nationally and in selected districts of the research: to identify which factors are associated with gender responsive programming, which factors differently impact girls and boys, the relative importance of these factors in determining children access to health and nutrition services and goods and how multiple vulnerabilities intersect.
3. Select methods and tools for conducting the gender barriers analysis using a gender analysis framework considering the following dimensions such as Role and responsibilities; Access to Resources; Beliefs and Perceptions; Needs and Priorities; Institutions, Laws and Policies along a socio-ecological level (individual, household, community, health facility, policy and laws).
4. Conduct primary data collection – Collaboratively develop research questions and (gender-sensitive) data collection strategies and tools, including questionnaires and interview guides, to gather information from relevant stakeholders (adolescent girls and boys, parents, caregivers, people with disabilities, community leaders, groups and influencers, traditional and religious leaders, health care workers, community volunteers, Ministries, etc.). This can include Key Informant Interviews and Focus Group Discussions.
5. Conduct gender capacity needs assessment as primary data (qualitative) collection.
6. Conduct validation exercises with government and relevant stakeholders.
7. Develop a report summarizing the findings, including recommendations for improving gender-sensitive programming.

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Gender Studies, Social Science, women studies Anthropology, Sociology, or any related field.
• A minimum of eight years of relevant professional experience in conducting and leading studies, research and evaluation in relevant fields, such as gender, health and nutrition.
• Professional experience in conducting and leading a gender analysis.
• In-depth knowledge of gender-transformative approaches.
• Skills in qualitative data analysis.
• Experience working with UN agencies and national government in an international setting.
• Professional experience in and/or familiarity with West and Central Africa and/or Sierra Leone context is considered an asset.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

You are very strongly encouraged to read the full terms of reference here:  VA TOR – Gender Barrier Analysis for Integrated Health.pdf

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 committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

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.