International Senior Consultancy – Review of the African Union’s “Addis Declaration on Immunization”, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (For non-Ethiopian Nationals only) 120 days

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,

In February 2016, Ministers of Health and other high-level Representatives at the Ministerial Conference on Immunization in Africa drafted and signed the Addis Declaration on Immunization (ADI). Thereafter, Civil Society Organizations, religious leaders from faith-based organizations and parliamentarians committed to supporting the African Union’s member states in implementing the ADI. On 31st January 2017, the 28th African Union Heads of State Summit officially endorsed the ten commitments of the ADI to pave the way for its accelerated implementation. The ADI roadmap of implementation was set to provide Member States with a framework to achieve the ten commitments.  Implementation of the ten commitments will ensure that everyone in Africa, no matter who they are or where they live, can access the vaccines so they can survive and thrive. Since then, African governments and communities have stepped up efforts to embrace immunization as a cornerstone of social and human capital development, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union Agenda 2023. 

As the world prepares to mark the 50^th anniversary since the establishment of Expanded Program for Immunization (EPI), the African Union Commission’s Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, in collaboration with the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO), the United Children Funds (UNICEF) and GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, wish to evaluate and track the progress on the ten commitments of the Addis Declaration for Immunization and update the AU  5th Specialized Technical Committee (STC) on health, population and drugs control.

How can you make a difference? 

To review the Addis Declaration on Immunization’s implementation and inform enhancing of immunization programs in African Union Member States, fostering collaboration, identifying challenges, and proposing strategic interventions to achieve the goals outlined in the declaration.

The consultant will be expected to deliver the following outputs:

1. Inception report that outlines the methodology for the review, work plan, and timelines for the consultancy, including a detailed stakeholder engagement plan and data collation instruments.
2. Desk review report summarizing the key findings and recommendations from the systematic literature and policy review.
3. Consultation report that summarizes the key findings and recommendations from the stakeholder consultations.
4. Draft the report for validation by the AU Commission-DHSS, UNICEF, and other stakeholders.
5. Final report on in-depth review of the ADI that incorporates feedback and inputs from UNICEF and other stakeholders.
6. PPT presentation and Executive Summary for a briefing of the Specialized Technical Committees (STC) meeting of the African Union
7. Effective support to the convening of ADI-related meetings in Q2 2024

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks/Milestone: Prepare workplan and inception report. Review past reports, develop data collation tools, and collaborate with AUC, UNICEF, WHO, Gavi AUC and Africa CDC to finalize tools. 

Deliverables/Outputs: Inception report with detailed workplan with timeline approved by UNICEF and the ADI review Tea. Finalized data collation tools and contact list of interviewees. 

Delivery deadline:  25^th March 2024 (6 days)

Tasks/Milestone: Conduct interview and focus group discussions as may be scheduled.

Deliverables/Outputs:  Data collation and analysis initiated.

Delivery deadline:  15^th April 2024 (15 days)

Tasks/Milestone: Report writing for the review with recommendations.

Deliverables/Outputs:  Final report on the in-depth review submitted.

Delivery deadline: 26th April 2024 (9 days)

Tasks/Milestone: Preparation for the STC meeting, including draft presentation on the report.

Deliverables/Outputs: Meeting planning supported and draft presentation submitted.

Deliverable deadline: 2nd May 2024 (4 days)

Tasks/Milestone: Facilitate ADI-related meeting. 

Deliverables/Outputs: UNICEF AU Liaison office supported in the convening of ADI-related meeting.

Deliverable deadline: 5th July 2024 (46 days)

Tasks/Milestone: Consolidate feedback from the STC meeting and submit final report.

Deliverables/Outputs: Final report including inputs from the Ministerial STC meeting submitted.

Tasks/Milestone: 31st August 2024 (40 days)

Notice for consultancy advertisement:

Please note that applications submitted without a fee rate will not be considered.

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

• Master’s degree in epidemiology and public health, medical science or equivalent.
• Minimum of 8 [Eight] years working in child health, including immunization, in low- or middle-income settings.
• Proven expertise in health programming, policy development, and/or research, with a focus on Africa.
• Excellent analytical, written and oral communication skills in English, with ability to prepare and present concise and clear reports and presentations. Experience in facilitating consultations and engaging with diverse stakeholders, including government officials, civil society representatives, and humanitarian and development actors.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with ability to work independently and deliver high-quality outputs on time.
• Familiarity with the African Union and its structures and processes is an asset.
• Ability and willingness to travel within Africa, as needed.
• 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. 

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s core values:

• Care
• Respect
• Integrity
• Trust
• Accountability
• Sustainability

To view our competency framework, please visit here. 

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

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. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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. 

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.