JOB DESCRIPTION

The Position:

UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. UNFPA’s mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person”s potential is fulfilled.

Bangladesh has achieved significant progress towards universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), but still some challenges persist. Home deliveries remain high at 35%. Maternal mortality has decreased to 136/100,000 live births, but contraceptive use has plateaued at around 62% for over a decade. Discontinuation of modern contraceptives and gender-based violence (GBV) rates are unacceptably high. Preventable conditions like sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV/AIDS, Obstetric Fistula (OF), Cervical Cancer (CC), and unsafe abortions are areas of concern. Health disparities based on geography and background characteristics are growing. Urban health, as well as climate change impact on health require immediate attention.  SRHR and HGBV services are lacking in rural and urban communities due to gaps in availability and distribution of skilled-mix staff, and inadequate facilities readiness. Governance and policy issues remain critical to address them. The Rohingya influx in Bangladesh added other dimensions in the constrained health systems.

Recently, MoHFW has declared 500 UH&FWCs under DGFP as model primary health care centers out of around 4,300 union-level facilities. A total of 2,000 midwifery posts (4 for each of the UH&FWC) have been proposed to be created for 500 centers. Also, approval process of another 5000 midwifery posts is underway by the MoHFW.  With the end of 4^th HPNSP in June 2024 the MoHFW, GOB has almost finalized all planning and Programme documents related to 5^th health population and nutrition sector programme (5^th HPNSP) for 2024-2029. Meanwhile, the new interim government has revoked the sector-wide approach (SWAP) for the health, nutrition and population sector (HNP) as development modality rather opted for the project-based approach going forward. Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) authority in collaboration with the MoHFW has agreed to introduce human rights-based SRHR with a focus on creating more indigenous midwives within ethnic communities so that they can go back to their communities to provide SRH services.

The public health sector in Bangladesh is primarily funded through the MoHFW via two main modalities: the Government of Bangladesh”s Annual Development Programme (ADP) and the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAP), adopted in 1998. Additionally, other ministries also allocate health budgets for their personnel. Currently, the specific allocation to SRHR across its various components within the national health budgets, the Health Sector Programme, and other ministry budgets is not clearly understood. This lack of clarity has made it challenging to conduct a thorough budget and expenditure analysis for SRHR, which would include factoring in initial budgets, revised budgets, and actual expenditures. This issue may stem from SRHR initiatives being integrated into various programs and, more specifically, different operational plans (OPs) of sector programmes. Furthermore, challenges arise from cross-cutting costs associated with shared infrastructure, human resources, commodities, and information systems.

It is in this background that UNFPA is looking for a highly experienced public health professional with substantive experience of working in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Govt. of Bangladesh (GoB) at a senior planning and decision-making level, with knowledge of health sector planning, budgeting and policies and experience of working with other ministries and government agencies, to advocate for addressing these challenges and concerns.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person”s potential is fulfilled.  UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

You would be responsible for:

Working under the direct supervision of Chief of Health, the National SRHR Policy and Planning Consultant will be responsible for working with Senior/ Secretary/Addl./Jt. Secretary of MoHFW and other decision-making officials in other ministries, offices and parliamentary committees viz., Chief Adviser/PM’s Office, Planning Commission, Finance Ministry, MOLGRD, MOSW, MOWCA, MOCHTA, MODMR, etc. for strengthening critical areas of health systems for delivering equitable, quality and comprehensive SRHR and HGBV services across different tiers of health systems: community, primary, secondary and tertiary. Specifically, the Consultant will be responsible for:

• As per relevant MoHFW plan, policy formulation and/or updating on revitalising UH&FWCs and urban health facilities (USCs/RDs/GODs) as 24×7 primary health care facilities, offering maternity, basic SRHR, EmONC and HGBV services by the deployment of adequate number of midwives and facility readiness.
• Support MoHFW and its directorates including the DGNM and DGFP and advocacy with the Ministry of Finance for the creation of proposed 2,000 midwifery positions for the 500 model UH&FWCs and 5000 midwifery positions under HSD, develop recruitment rules, deployment and transfer guidance to make it sustainable for all future such post-creation and deployment initiatives.
• Support MoHFW and its different directorates for mainstreaming SRHR, HGBV and ICPD Programme of Action (PoA) in the designing and implementation and monitoring of the new development project proposals and ensuring adequate resource allocation for comprehensive SRH services in the relevant programmes/projects.
• Liaison and advocacy with the MoCHTA and the MoHFW for the deployment of midwives from ethnic background within their own community to serve on SRH issues.
• Support MoCHTA to develop a development scheme proposal (DSP) for the three Hill District Councils (HDC) and for the Hill Tracts Development Board of Chattogram on Strengthening SRHR services in hill districts through expansion of midwifery education (by providing stipend), climate resilient programmes and midwifery-led care.
• Liaison with MoCHTA for the early approval of 3 DSPs titled “Strengthening SRHR services in Bandarban/Rangamati/Khagrachari hill districts through expansion of midwifery education and midwifery-led care and ensuring allocation of funds for the implementation of those Schemes.
• Support MoHFW to develop two project proposals (DPP) based on World Bank (WB)-assisted Programme for Results of which one for the DGHs entitled “Health and Nutrition Services Improvement and system Strengthening project” and another for the DGFP entitled “Climate Responsive Reproductive Health and Population Services Improvement and System Strengthening Project for Results’.
• Assist MoHFW to prepare two feasibility study reports for the above-mentioned WB supported two development project proposals (DPPs) as per the decision of project evaluation committee (PEC) meeting of the Planning Commission.
• Support DGNM for post creation, recruitment, deployment, update transfer policy/organogram, capacity development of midwives and to facilitate conducive working environment for the midwives deployed through facility readiness of USC/UH&FWC.
• Build coordination with the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MoDMR) as well as with   ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) to mobilize funds for Climate resilience and adaptability in relation with SRHR impact.
• Review periodically SRHR related different project/programme and HR structure and the available staff thereof, both at the managerial and service delivery levels and the budgetary provision and availability of the hardware and software to run these structures, especially in the context of populations and geographies they serve and are accountable for-
  • Translation of the recommendations into MoHFW and other ministries’ Policies
  • Implementation of the policies
• Provide required support to the health economics unit to accomplish the study on ‘review of public financial management related to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) in Bangladesh’.
• Provide any other assistance to the Chief of Health in planning, organizing, facilitating meetings and dialogue with high level government officials on strategic and sensitive policy matters on UNFPA mandated areas on Health.

Key Deliverables:

• Detailed Plan of Action with timelines as per the tasks identified above
• Policy, guidelines, ToRs, SoPs, Readouts, brief reports, GOs, Minutes as relevant to the activities above, especially on issues like midwife post creation at the UH&FWCs, approval of DSP for the stipend of aspiring midwives from ethnic CHT girls, DPP for the WB supported projects and financing for the SRHR related components of the projects.
• Monthly reports in a standard format of tasks accomplished in the month.

Duration:
The Consultant will be recruited for a total of 11 Months (Sept 2025 – Aug 2026)

Place where services are to be delivered:
UNFPA Bangladesh Country Office.

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy etc.):

The consultant will provide technical assistance on a daily basis as per the UN working day/hours and will be paid on a monthly basis. The work will be submitted as deliverables identified above under the scope of work. These would be electronic and where needed hard copies.
Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:
The consultant will be expected to work remotely with regular in-person meetings to be held at UNFPA country office, project offices and in other partners’ offices. The Chief of Health, UNFPA will provide day-to-day monitoring and supervision.

Supervisory arrangements: 

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Chief of Health, UNFPA and will collaborate with programme managers for day-to-day activities.

Expected travel:

The Consultant will have to make her/his own arrangements and bear the cost of attending meetings and consultations while in Dhaka. UNFPA will pay for any work-related travel outside Dhaka.

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:

• Master’s or higher degree in Development Studies/ Health Economics/ Public Health/ Programme and Business Management or any other relevant field.
  At least 2 years of work experience in relevant fields.
• Work experience at a high level in the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare is mandatory.
• Work experience as an additional secretary in the relevant ministry is preferable.
  Knowledge of health systems and structures of MoH&FW and its Directorates and understanding of interlinkages of health with other development and social sector areas.
• Demonstrated experience of national health programme development, planning, oversight and implementation, with hands on experience with national Health Sector Programme.
• Strong advocacy and coordination skills and public health management.
• Fluent in English with excellent writing proficiency. Familiarity with UNFPA’s mandate and work.

The consultant will be hired as a national consultant, and remuneration will be paid equivalent to NoB level.

Required Competencies: 

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity,
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
• Embracing cultural diversity,
• Embracing change

Inputs/services to be provided by UNFPA or implementing partner (e.g support services, office space, equipment), if applicable:

The consultant will have to use his/her own laptop.

Payment Instruction:

Consultant will be paid on a monthly basis upon submission of monthly timesheet approved by the supervisor.

Other relevant information or special conditions, if any:

The tools, reports or documents or any part cannot be sold, used, or reproduced in any manner without the prior written approval of UNFPA.

This consultancy is open to nationals of Bangladesh.

Expected start date: As soon as possible (for 11 months)

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants” bank accounts.

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.