Country: Ghana
Closing date: 10 Mar 2017
If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you.
For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.
Background
Benefits of appropriate infant feeding are enormous including potential for improving child survival. For example growing evidence points to the impact of early initiation of breastfeeding on neonatal mortality. A 2006 study in rural Ghana showed that early initiation within the first hours of birth could prevent 22% of neonatal deaths, and initiation within the first day, 16% of deaths. Appropriate Breastfeeding support and promotion and complementary feeding are among key recommended strategies to ensure good child nutrition. According to DHS 2014 in Ghana, 52% of children are exclusively breastfed (up from 46 per cent in 2011, and only 13% children 6-23 months who receive minimum acceptable diet. This implies that more efforts have to be done to sustain, increase and accelerate exclusive breastfeeding rate and proper complementary feeding.
However some recent studies provide indication of challenges to appropriate infant feeding practices including exclusive breastfeeding. Such limitations include low knowledge about benefits of exclusive breastfeeding, inappropriate practices primarily because of conflicting messages from different sources, very selective dissemination of key messages, and other environmental factors such as socio-cultural practices that are inimical to child feeding and care practices, increasing demand on caregivers' time due to rapid urbanization, pressure from mother-in-laws among others. Taking social and behavior change practices on appropriate breastfeeding and complementary feeding to scale would impact positively child nutrition.
Additionally, the low levels of consumption of Vitamin A and iron rich foods contributes to micronutrient deficiencies. Anemia prevalence rate among children 6-59 months is about 66 percent and 42 percent of women are anemic. Iron deficiency is one of the major causes of anemia. Iron deficiencies affect cognitive development of children. Severe vitamin A deficiency (VAD) can cause eye damage and is the leading cause of childhood blindness. VAD also increases the severity of infections and slows recovery from illness.
With support from UNICEF, Ghana Health Service has developed a framework for the communication for behavior and social change strategy. For Vitamin A and iron folate supplementation the there is no C4D strategy at present and the framework needs to be developed. This consultancy requires incorporations of new findings from formative studies on breastfeeding and complementary feeding, and social norms study while developing the narrative of the C4D strategy further support will also be required to develop the creative brief, key messages and support the implementation of the C4D strategy for Exclusive Breastfeeding and Complementary feeding. Additionally, the consultant will also have to develop a C4D strategy for Vitamin A and iron folate supplementation and Micronutrient Powders, develop the creative brief, key messages and then support the creative process.
Objectives
Specific Tasks
Exclusive breastfeeding and Complementary feeding
Micronutrient Rich Sources
Methodology
Expected Deliverables
The following deliverables are expected to be achieved:
Tasks
Deliverable
# of days
Timeframe
An initial period of in-country work;
1. Meet with partners and finalise the strategy matrixes for Exclusive Breastfeeding and Complementary feeding
2. Commence work on the reader-friendly narrative strategy and key messages
3. Develop the creative brief and TOR for a campaign
4. Co-facilitate the C4D strategy development workshop for Vitamin A, Iron Folate and Micronutrient Powder
5. Finalise the strategy matrixes together with the partners for appropriate intake of Vitamin A, Iron Folate and Micronutrient Powder.
Communication strategy matrixes finalized for breastfeeding and complementary feeding, Vitamin A, Iron Folate and Micronutrient Powder
Creative briefs on vitamin A, Iron, complementary feeding, micronutrient powder
10 to 25 days (approximately)
1st March-Sept 2017
Work from home location
6. To finalise the narrative report, key messages and the strategy matrixes
7. Use information from the social norms study to further improve the C4D strategy
8. Finalise the comments and feedback on the narrative report and the strategy matrixes for Exclusive breastfeeding and complementary feeding
9. Finalise the C4D strategies for appropriate intake of Vitamin A Iron folate and Micronutrient Powder and submit for final approval
10. Finalise the creative brief and TOR for review and approval for Exclusive Breast feeding and Complementary feeding
11. Develop the creative brief and TOR for review and approval for vitamin A, Iron folate and Micronutrient Powder
12. Finalise key messages on Exclusive breastfeeding, complementary feeding , Vitamin A and iron supplementation and Micronutrient Powder
Communication and advocacy Strategy on Exclusive breastfeeding and complementary feeding; communication and advocacy strategy for Vitamin A, Iron Folate and Micronutrient Powder,
Finalised creative briefs and ToR for campaign
10 - 15 days approximately
1st April-May 2017
In-country support
11. to work oncreative products and material including the brand positioning and the implementation plan for Exclusive Breast feeding and Complementary feeding.
12. to work onthe creative products and material for Vitamin A , Iron folate and Micronutrient Powder
Draft creative material developed for breastfeeding and complementary feeding, Vitamin A, Iron folate, Micronutrient Powder
20-30 days approximately
1st June-July 2017
Work from home location
13. Work from home location to finalise the monitoring plans and all other documentation.
Monitoring plans for campaign on breastfeeding complementary feeding Vitamin A , Iron folate, and Micronutrient Powder
5 -10 days
Aug - Sept 2017
The assignment is expected to be completed within a period of a maximum of 95 working (number of days could also be less) days spread over six months: from 1st March 2017 to 31st September 2017.
Advanced university degree in Social/behavioral sciences (Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, community-based development) or in a related field with emphasis on participatory communication, communication planning, social mobilization, and participatory research, training and impact evaluation of communication interventions.
To view our competency framework, please click here.
Pleaseattach a one page summary of your approach to the tasks together withsamples of previous work done on development of communication strategy and updated P11 Form. Also confirmyour ability, availability and daily fee/rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference.All travel costs related to this assignment will be borne by UNICEF. Applications submitted without fee rate will not be considered.
How to apply:
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization. To apply, click on the following link http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/?job=503144