Social and Behavior Change Consultant (International)

Objective of the Consultancy: The objective of this consultancy is to revise the Afghanistan's National Hygiene Promotion Strategy, incorporating best practices, innovative approaches, and a focus on sustainability. The consultant will work closely with UNICEF, the Ministry of Public Health, Hygiene Promotion Technical Working Group, and other key partners to ensure that the revised strategy aligns with national priorities and international standards.

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Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

Background:

Afghanistan has made significant progress on water, hygiene, and sanitation during past decades, however, there is still a long way to go and still faces significant challenges in promoting hygiene practices, particularly in rural and underserved communities.

According to UNICEF MICS survey 2022-2023, over 50% of the schools do not have access to water, more than 35% of schools do not have sanitation facilities, more than 32% of the health facilities do not have access to water, more than 60% of the health facilities do not have access to sanitation facilities and still 20 % of the population defecating in the open area.

The disease burden related to poor sanitation and poor hygiene practices weighs heavily on the Afghan population and mostly impact newborns and young children under the age of five.

UNICEF and WHO estimate that 25% per cent of newborns and 43 per cent of children under-five years of age (1-59 months) die from diseases linked to poor hygiene and poor sanitation. It is estimated that up to one-third of malnutrition can be prevented through better sanitation and hygiene.

Safe drinking water and good hand-hygiene practices, safe sanitation is fundamental to a healthy society where the fecal-oral pathways are effectively blocked protecting the population and especially children from direct and in-direct contact with human waste.

To envisage increasing the demand and adoption of hygiene and sanitation practices among people as well as to contribute to building a road map for improved health and well-being, Ministry of Public Health developed National Hygiene Promotion Strategy (2017 – 2020) in consultation with relevant departments of line ministries, donors, and development partners. However, in 2024, UNICEF and MoPH has recognized the need to support the revision of the existing Afghanistan's National Hygiene Promotion Strategy with the expectation to improve the overall hygiene situation in the country. The revised strategy will be developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health who will play the ownership role, and other relevant stakeholders.

Scope of Work:

The expected outcome of this consultancy is to create a comprehensive, evidence-based, and sustainable strategy that aligns with both national priorities and international standards. The revised strategy should incorporate best practices, innovative approaches, and address key hygiene challenges. By collaborating with UNICEF, the Ministry of Public Health, and other stakeholders, the consultant aims to enhance hygiene promotion efforts and contribute to improved public health outcomes in Afghanistan.

1. Review the existing National Hygiene Promotion Strategy, key relevant strategic and technical documents from MoPH and partners; and supportive relevant documents such as UNICEF MICS survey 2023, WASH Qualitative Study 2023, AWD KAP survey 2021, Nutrition and Health qualitative studies done by UNICEF in 2023, SBC integrated strategy, WASH programmatic data, SBC data to triangulate the existed information and data and understand the current situation of hygiene in Afghanistan context, drafted Sanitation Strategy for Afghanistan by involved ministries, challenges, and opportunities. Review the relevant legal frameworks to understand the policy guidelines and guiding principles to be considered in the hygiene promotion strategy.

2. The consultant/s will work closely with the members of the WASH Cluster and National Hygiene Promotion Taskforce which will meet periodically and report to during the consultancy as well. An initial meeting of the Taskforce will be held after the Consultants’ presence to discuss the approach and expected outcomes/ deliverables of the consultancy and to agree on the way forward.

3. Conduct a comprehensive desk review and analysis of existing practices and innovative approaches in hygiene promotion, drawing on Afghanistan context.

4. Conduct field visits to gather field level information from the community, schools, health facilities and madrasas, consultation with field level involved staff and structures such as SBC extenders, WASH extenders, WASH TPM, community involved structures CBHC (CHW, CHS, FHAGs, CDC), religious based structure TAVOON, youths and female-based structures Grandmother groups.

5.  Consultation with key stakeholders and discussions, including MoPH including Health promotion department and ANPHI institute, MoE, MRRD, WASH cluster partners and other involved partners to gather input and feedback on the existing strategy and potential revisions.

6. Revise National Hygiene Promotion Strategy that incorporates evidence-based interventions, addresses gaps in the current strategy, and emphasizes sustainability and community ownership.

7. Identify priority areas for investment and intervention, considering the financial and technical support available from UNICEF.

8. Present the revised strategy to UNICEF and hygiene promotion technical working group and relevant stakeholders for feedback and validation, incorporating their input as appropriate.

9. Finalize the revised National Hygiene Promotion Strategy based on feedback received and submit the final document to UNICEF and the Ministry of Public Health.

Work Assignments Overview

Deliverables/Outputs

Delivery Deadline

Desk review of the hygiene sector documentation and inception report

1. Inception report

10 Working Days

Evidence generation and data

1. Field Visit Report
2. Key informant interview
3. Focus Group Discussions
4. Draft Strategic Framework & guidelines to support the Strategy.
5. Stakeholders Consultation Report

40 Working Days

Revision of national hygiene promotion strategy

1. Initial/ revised drafts of the National hygiene promotion strategy (including goals, targets, priorities, strategies, resources, key activities for the period 2024-2028 clearly indication among other key issues supporting action for strategy implementation, key steps for implementation and key of key actors, monitoring and evaluation framework including operational guidelines for measuring behaviour change)
2. Financing, Investment & Budgeting Plan
3. PowerPoint presentation of salient features of Strategic Framework, Guidelines package, Strategy & sector Plan
4. Present the draft strategy to TWG and stakeholders.
5. Submit final draft of the National hygiene promotion strategy.
6. Submit Finalized National hygiene promotion strategy.

35 Working Days

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Social Behavioral Science, Public Health, Anthropology, Psychology, and other relevant technical fields. 
• At least 8 years of professional experience and advanced degree in the field of Social Behavior Sciences, particularly Sanitation & Hygiene Promotion in the developing countries, WASH, Public Health, or related field.
• Demonstrated experience in developing national-level hygiene promotion strategies in low-resource settings.
• Experience in working with governments and UN agencies providing support on equity-based SBC and WASH interventions.
• Familiarity with best practices in behavior change communication, community mobilization, AAP, and hygiene promotion interventions.
• Review of prior work product will be requested during the selection process.
• Knowledge of the context in Afghanistan desirable.
• Excellent command of English and solid report writing skill.
• Strong interpersonal, communication and organizational skill.
• Fluency in English; knowledge of Dari or Pashto is desirable for national consultants.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

 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:  

Interested consultants are required to apply online, indicating availability and all-inclusive lump sum fee to undertake the terms of reference.

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.