Country: United States of America
Closing date: 15 Sep 2016
Background & Rationale
On 3 March 2014, Chile notified the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) of the World Health Organization (WHO) that it had confirmed a case of indigenous transmission of Zika virus on Easter Island, where the virus continued to be detected until June 2014. In May 2015, the public health authorities of Brazil confirmed the transmission of Zika virus in the northeast of the country. On 1 February 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) Director General announced Zika as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, following the recommendation of the meeting of experts of the Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations, 2005.
To date, 53 countries and territories have confirmed local, vector-borne transmission of Zika virus disease in the Region of the Americas since 2015. In addition, five countries in the Americas (Argentina, Canada, Chile, Peru, and the United States of America) have reported sexually transmitted Zika cases, and 17 countries or territories have reported microcephaly and other congenital malformations potentially associated with Zika virus.
Based on the evolving nature of the outbreak, in August 2016, WHO reported that, overall, the global risk assessment of Zika has not changed; Zika virus continues to spread geographically to areas where competent vectors are present and recent cases of Zika virus in Africa highlight the need to better understand the virology of the global outbreak.
Anyone not previously exposed to the virus and who lives in an area where the mosquito is present, and where imported or local cases have been reported, may be at risk for infection. Since the Aedes mosquito is found in all regions, it is likely that outbreaks will occur in other countries that have not yet reported any cases.
Zika virus is a mosquito-borne virus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. The same mosquito also transmits 3 other vector-borne diseases -- dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever, usually causing mild fever, rash, conjunctivitis, and muscle pain. There is no vaccine or specific drug for this virus, treatment is symptomatic. Prevention is through personal protection from mosquito bites and reducing vector density as well as by avoiding sexual transmission from an infected person to their partner by using a barrier method of contraception. There is scientific consensus that Zika virus is a cause of microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome. Links to other neurological complications are also being investigated.
The WHO-led Zika Strategic Response Framework for the global community outlines four areas of focus – Surveillance, Response, Research and Care and Support. Stemming from this, and cognisant of the organisation’s expertise and comparative advance, UNICEF’s response, globally and specifically in Latin American Countries (LAC) is around prevention and control of Zika and in mitigating impact of Zika on children and families.
Since early 2016, UNICEF is responding in the LAC region to support the ministries of health, other relevant line ministries particularly education and child protection as well as civil society organization and other stakeholders through advocacy, risk communication and community engagement for vector control and promoting personal protective behaviours as well as in health monitoring, surveillance and research. With epidemic established in LAC, UNICEF is also supporting the government to address non-clinical care and support needs of families who have children that are born with microcephaly or other congenital malformations. UNICEF is also responding to the Zika outbreak in West and Central Africa region, especially in Cabo Verde and Guinea-Bissau where case of Zika and microcephaly have been confirmed. And in other regions, UNICEF is gearing up its support to government in being prepared to address Zika.
Purpose
As part of the global preparedness and response to Zika outbreak, UNICEF is tasked to coordinate and provide technical leadership, with partners, through the Communication for Development teams in the area of Risk Communication and Community Engagement in high-priority countries in LAC and use these lessons to prepare other regions that are most at risk for possible Zika outbreaks.
An experienced Communication for Development (C4D) consultant is required to specifically carry out the following tasks.
Provide technical leadership to priority countries to refine and accelerate/adapt on-going national risk communication and community engagement plans for personal protection, community vector control and care for affected children and families in countries affected by Zika, with a particular focus on high risk population groups (pregnant women and young children with microcephaly or other congenital disorders), together with partners such as the Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs (JHU/CCP), and disseminate models for planning and response to countries in LAC and other regions.
Continue on-going global coordination in the area of Risk Communication and Community Engagement by working closely with WHO/PAHO, International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) along with the US Agency for International Development (USAID), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) among others.
Provide technical support in M&E to Latin American Countries Regional Office (LACRO) on developing a regional risk communication and community engagement M&E toolkit and resource package to be used to update on-going national and sub-national Zika communication plans.
Support LACRO by providing materials, case studies and other resources for capacity development of government and other local partners in priority LAC countries, and disseminate these tools to other regions.
Documentation and learning of the risk communication and community engagement response to reducing the transmission of Zika virus and other mosquito-borne diseases and to mitigate negative effects of the diseases and its consequences for families affected.
Expected results: (measurable results)
Improved global tools for technical support for planning, implementation and monitoring and in capacity building of risk communication and community engagement for Zika.
Improved global coordination with partners of risk communication and community engagement for Zika.
Available lessons and documentation on of risk communication and community engagement in the context of Zika.
Duty Station
New York based with travel to priority countries in LAC and other regions as required.
Timeframe
Start date: 15 October 2016 End date: 15 September 2017
Deliverables; Duration (Estimated # of Days); Deadline
Recommendations made to country offices on risk communication and community engagement plans based on new evidence, regional/global experience and support missions; Monthly; End of contract
Global coordination calls with WHO/IFRC, USAID, CDC, UNPA and follow up actions with RO/COs; Weekly; End of contract
M&E tools developed with LACRO and monitoring data reported on knowledge, risk perceptions, practices, rumours as per the global Strategic Response Framework; Monthly with Quarterly synthesis; End of contract
Capacity development tools synthesized, shared and technical support for roll out to priority countries; Quarterly; Mid-Feb 2017
Documentation and lessons learned synthesized and disseminated to ROs and partners; Quarterly; End of contract
Key competences, technical background, and experience required Deadline
Academic qualification: Master’s degree specializing in communication studies or mass communication in international development with a focus on behaviour change communication, community engagement or social mobilization.
Specialized training in health communication or risk communication in the context of public health emergencies/outbreaks.
Experience: in working with several UN partner agencies, support to governments during an emergency, and in providing technical support around communication to large scale interventions in the context of vector control initiatives in Latin America, Africa or Asia is preferred.
Length of relevant work experience– mid level, 6-8 years in international settings.
Languages needed: fluent in Spanish and English; other UN languages are an advantage
How to apply:
How to apply http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/?job=498744
Applications must include:
- Cover letter,
- CV, and
- P-11 form[1]
[1] P 11 form can be downloaded from our website athttp://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/Personal_History_P11.doc