Duration: 6 months (Possible to Extend)
Expected starting date of Assignment: November 2020
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PURPOSE OF CONSULTANCY
UNFPA expands the possibilities for women and young people to lead healthy and productive lives. We support countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. Advancing gender equality and promoting the empowerment of women is a key programme priority of UNFPA’s fourth UNFPA Myanmar’s fourth Country Programme Document (2018-2022). This includes addressing gaps in gender equality, improving sexual and reproductive health services, responding to and preventing Gender Based Violence (GBV) and integrating gender equality and human rights perspectives into national policies, development frameworks and laws.
Under its global mandate to address GBV in humanitarian settings, and as the lead agency for multi sectoral coordination of GBV, UNFPA is committed to ensuring that women and girls affected by the different emergencies are protected and that the needs of GBV survivors are met through adequate health responses, psychosocial support and case management in line with international guidelines and best practices. It is vital that frontline local organizations and first responders have the capacity and competency to provide quality response services and care for women and girls to ensure their right to safety from violence and safety in emergencies.
As a result of recent unrest and protracted humanitarian needs on top of limited health and social welfare services, communities living in UNFPA target areas of humanitarian responses, including in Rakhine, Kachin, northern Shan and Kayin State have been exposed for decades to numerous daily stressors, with repeated exposure to potentially traumatic events. This is particularly the case for women and girls who are also caregivers and survivors of gender based violence.
UNFPA manages programmes to support women and girls in target States as well as support policy and law development at the Union level. In all these programme areas, UNFPA is working with Government as well as international and national organizations. This requires building sustainable approaches to nationwide building of MHPSS capacity building and support networks.
The Women and Girls First programme (Phase II) will support the provision of multi sectoral GBV response and prevention services, delivered with complementary interventions to support women’s active participation and leadership in the peace process. As a critical component of GBV multi-sectoral response, UNFPA will employ an ethnographic and culturally sensitive stepped model of intervention to deliver appropriate mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS). That is, MHPSS interventions will commence with the provision of critical trauma support for an individual survivor followed by MHPSS interventions with the immediate family and community surrounding the survivor. This innovative approach in Myanmar provides both immediate, critical and lifesaving responses for the survivor as well as ensuring a supportive family and community environment enabling recovery and empowerment. This programme design supports a structured systems based approach, which requires long-term thinking.
The International Consultant for MHPSS will assist the Myanmar Country office in supporting the implementation of MHPSS interventions through sexual and reproductive health services and multi sectoral Gender based violence (GBV) response and prevention services supported by UNFPA. He/she will also support coordination among various actors to strengthen the availability of MHPSS services and systems, particularly to populations in conflict-affected states.
The International Consultant for MHPSS will provide technical guidance and support to International and National MHPSS Volunteers based at the Field Offices in target states as well as MHPSS roster team.
SUPERVISION AND WORKING ARRANGEMENT
The International Consultant for MHPSS is located in the UNFPA Country Office in Yangon and will report to Gender Equality/GBV Programme Specialist.
SCOPE OF WORK AND EXPECTED DELIVERABLES
The International Consultant for MHPSS will undertake a range of activities to enhance the capacity of organisations implementing GBV, Youth and SRHR programmes to support compliance with IASC Guidelines for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings as well as ensuring sustainable MHPSS interventions through building capacity of institutions including Government.
1) Strengthening mentoring/supervisory structures 35%
· Support Peer Support Networks in Maungdaw, Sittwe and Myitkyina and ensure the networks are maintained and strengthened through ongoing supervision of facilitators, engagement in regular review processes and collaborative development of relevant tools and training materials.
· Support further expansion of Peer Support Network model through encouragement of wider participation (e.g. child case management actors in Myitkyina; SRH actors) and consultation with partners on its development in new areas (e.g. Lashio, HpaAn, Taunggyi etc).
· Develop PSS mentoring training for GBV case management supervisors and support the roll-out to implementing partners including government departments across key regions. This will include the ongoing supervision of supervisors and set-up of a community of practice between supervisors.
· Support functioning of MHPSS roster team to provide timely technical support and MHPSS service provision to UNFPA partners as part of COVID-19 response.
2) Supporting rollout of minimum standards for focused PSS interventions and supporting use of evidence-based MHPSS interventions – 35%
· Support UNFPA partners in rolling out MHPSS minimum standards for GBV interventions as well as Stepped Care Approach to promote structured and quality PSS service provision
· Work with UNICEF to support Department of Social Welfare in finalizing the PSS curriculum and organize rollout training
· Coordinate the wider roll-out of evidence-based MHPSS interventions across health and protection sectors through engagement with research and implementing partners, and donors.
3) Mainstreaming MHPSS/raising MHPSS awareness – 20%
· Maintain PFA and PSS training materials and manuals and where necessary adapt to increase MHPSS awareness and practice of basic PSS skills among a range of actors including government departments providing SRHR and GBV services
· Support PFA/PSS and other mainstreaming MHPSS trainings across sites among a range of partners including government departments, and UNFPA analysts and key staff among implementing partners supported to deliver trainings in line with TOT strategy.
· Work closely with Department of Social Welfare, Youth Affairs Committee and other partners working with young people to strengthen MHPSS interventions targeting youth
4) Advocacy and coordination – 10%
· Act as co-chair for the national MHPSS Working Group, currently a sub-working group of the Protection Sector, and maintain strong links with other clusters/sectors including the Health Cluster. This includes building effective relationship with a range of MHPSS actors in Myanmar and ensuring their activities are coordinated.
· Further opportunities for expansion of MHPSS programming within UNFPA’s mandate identified and supported through contributing to the writing of funding proposals and donor reports.
5) Monitoring and evaluation – 5%
· Existing training evaluation materials refined and rolled-out across all capacity building activities.
· In collaboration with the M&E specialists, develop/strengthen tools and a clear framework for monitoring the impact of the different tiers of the MHPSS strategy developed and implemented across sites.
The consultant is expected to be in Yangon office with a full-time basis ( 5 working days per week) with field missions to support field offices and partners as discussed with the supervisor. Currently, working from home modality is in place for UNFPA Myanmar due to COVID-19.
MONITORING AND PROGRESS CONTROL
The International Consultant for MHPSS will report to Gender Equality/GBV Programme Specialist and will oversee and support International and National MHPSS Volunteers based at the Field Offices in target states as well as MHPSS roster team.
At a minimum, s/he will be responsible for delivering the following over the period of contract:
▪ Guide MHPSS roster team to provide training, follow-up sessions and technical support as requested by UNFPA partners
▪ Plan and organize rollout training and mentoring & supervision for DSW case managers based on the developed PSS curriculum
▪ Organize MHPSS roundtables at national level
▪ Prepare and start implementation of IAT training in collaboration with Perdana University
▪ Support structured rollout of MHPSS Minimum Standards for GBV Interventions and Stepped Care approach for UNFPA partners
▪ Co-chair monthly MHPSS WG and oversee State level Peer Support Networks
▪ Lead UNFPA engagement with government and educational partners to strengthen MHPSS system in the country
▪ Facilitate MHPSS integration in UNFPA SRHR programming
▪ Lead UNFPA’s engagement with government and NGO/CSO partners to strengthen MHPSS interventions for young people
▪ Monthly progress report
The International Consultant for MHPSS will be responsible for conducting regular monitoring of the project and will report on a monthly basis to Gender Equality/GBV Programme Specialist. In addition to maintaining deadlines for the key deliverables, the consultant will provide a final report outlining achievements and recommendations.
Remarks: Payment will be made on a monthly basis upon delivery of the monthly progress report.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Education:
Advanced university degree with specialization in areas such as clinical psychology, clinical social work or mental health.
Knowledge and Experience
● At least 5 years of specialized experience in community based psychosocial support interventions particularly as it relates to GBV, and experience in this field at international level in a humanitarian context.
● Demonstrated knowledge of IASC Guidelines on MHPSS in Emergency Settings
● Demonstrated experience on counseling skills and clinical supervision of lay counsellors
● Demonstrated knowledge of reproductive health issues and/or protection issues in humanitarian settings, and of humanitarian emergency operations and roles/responsibilities of humanitarian actors.
● Proficiency in English and in other official languages or the UN required/desirable.
● Strong training and supervision experience required
Languages
● Fluency in English is required.
HOW TO APPLY
Applicants with the required qualifications and experience should submit the application, which includes following documents:
• A written letter of application (please indicate the vacancy number and consultancy title that your application letter).
• A curriculum vitae (CV),
• UN P11 form completed and signed by the applicant (http://myanmar.unfpa.org/en/vacancies/un-p11-personalhistory-form), education certificates and the names and contact information of three references.
Applications should be addressed to:
Email: hr.myanmar@unfpa.org
Attention: International Operations Manager,
Room A07, UNFPA, No.6, Natmauk Road, Yangon
Note:
UNFPA reserves the right to offer comparable assignment to those qualified candidates that may not have been selected for this consultancy assignment which they applied for. These offers will be based on the needs of the organization, appropriateness and relevance to the candidate’s educational backgrounds and work experience. Only those candidates in whose qualifications and experience the Office has further interest will be contacted for subsequent interviews.
(i) This vacancy is open to applicants of either sex.
(ii) UNFPA does not solicit or screen for information in respect of HIV or AIDS and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.
(iii) UNFPA regrets its inability to reply individually or to attend to telephone queries on the above advertised post.
We are no longer accepting applications for this position.
