SMART SENS Survey Consultant

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is offering a Consultancy vacancy within the Protection Unit in our Representation Office in Lusaka.

The Consultancy will be within UNHCR Representation Office in Lusaka, Zambia in the Protection Unit. This exciting Consultancy vacancy is a unique opportunity to gain experience in not-for-profit branding as well as experience working within the UN system.

UNHCR is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. Every year, millions of men, women and children are forced to flee their homes to escape conflict and persecution. We are in over 125 countries, using our expertise to protect and care for millions.

Title: SMART SENS Survey Consultant Duty Station: Lusaka, Zambia Duration: Two months and five days Contract Type: Consultancy

Closing date: 26 July 2021 Start date: 01 September 2021

Organisational context

The nutrition situation in the three settlements (Mayukwayukwa, Meheba and Mantapala is precarious as evidenced by the previous nutrition survey1 global acute malnutrition (GAM) estimates in the past 4 years of 6.2% and 5.7% in Mayukwayukwa and Meheba respectively.

This prevalence (5%-9%) of global acute malnutrition classifies “POOR” level nutrition situation as per WHO classification.

According to UNHCR Nutrition approach, following up on the nutrition status of refugees, especially children under five, and women in reproductive age bracket, is a fundamental activity. UNHCR recommends annual nutrition surveys to timely address acute malnutrition and subsequently reduce morbidity and mortality in a population. The information provided by the survey plays an important role in planning and advocacy with various actors including donors and other operating partners.

In all the settlement, majority of refugees are on Cash Based Intervention (CBI) which is subject to inflation and with the current depreciation of National currency to a US dollar, meeting the daily needs has become a nightmare. The situation is compounded by the effects of Covid-19 pandemic which has indeed shaken the economic ventures and increased the vulnerability of most persons of concern.

It is, therefore, essential to conduct SENS in the three settlements this year 2021 to address the underlying causes of acute and chronic malnutrition and contribute to the reduction of child and maternal mortality and morbidity, all the while contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), World Health Assembly resolutions and Global Nutrition Targets for 2025. Nutrition and Food security situation for refugees is unwarranted. Operationally, severe acute malnutrition (SAM) programme coverage is still low standing at 43 per cent compared to 70 per cent national target, and the cure rate still at 65 per cent compared to the 75 per cent national target. National estimated SAM prevalence is 1.5 per cent, with an estimated SAM burden of 133,902. Estimated SAM cases are 60,783 and 131,962 expected MAM cases. Children with SAM are nine times more likely to die than well-nourished children.

SENS-2021 is envisaged across Zambia's three refugee settlements, to ascertain nutrition situation and better inform programming unfortunately these assessments have not been conducted owing largely to time constraints, taking into account the COVID-19 prevention measures for the survey team as well as the survey population at large.

The position

The Consultant will lead and oversee the UNHCR SENS process from planning to training, implementation of data collection, data quality checks, data analysis and report writing.

S/he will produce updated Anthropometry, Health, Anaemia, IYCF, Food Security, WASH and mosquito net coverage indicators on the settlements.

S/he will be under the direct supervision of the Senior Public Health Officer in Geneva and the Overall supervision of the Deputy Representative in Lusaka, Zambia, where the position will be based.

Duties and responsibilities

The consultant will be expected to produce the below results according to the set objectives:

Primary Objectives

1. To determine the demographic profile of the population.

2. To determine the age dependency ratio

3. To measure the prevalence of acute malnutrition in children aged 6-59 months.

4. To measure the prevalence of stunting in children aged 6-59 months.

5. To determine the coverage of measles vaccination among children aged 9-59 months

   (or context-specific target group e.g. 9-23 months).

6. To determine the coverage of vitamin A supplementation in the last 6 months among

   children aged 6-59 months.

7. To determine the two-week period prevalence of diarrhoea among children aged 6-59

   months.

8. To measure the prevalence of anaemia in children aged 6-59 months and in women of

   reproductive age between 15-49 years (non-pregnant).

9. To investigate IYCF practices among children aged 0-23 months.

10. To determine the population’s overall ability to meet their food needs with assistance.

11. To determine the extent to which negative coping strategies are used by households.

12. To assess household food consumption (quantity and quality).

13. To determine the ownership of mosquito nets (all types and LLINs) in households.

14.To determine the utilisation of mosquito nets (all types and LLINs) by the total population, children 0-59 months and pregnant women.
15. To determine the population’s access to, and use of, water, sanitation and hygiene facilities.
16. To determine the population’s access to soap.

17. Include other additional objectives negotiated for the survey

18. To establish recommendations on actions to be taken to address the situation in the three identified refugee settlements in Zambia

    Secondary objectives

1. To determine the enrolment into the targeted supplementary (TSFP) and therapeutic (OTP/SC) nutrition programmes for children aged 6-59 months.

2. To determine the coverage of the blanket supplementary feeding programme for children aged 6-23/6-35/6-59 months (if applicable).

3. To determine the coverage of deworming (soil-transmitted helminth control) with mebendazole and/or albendazole in the last six months among young children (include context specific target age group, 12-59m) (if applicable).

4. To determine the coverage of the blanket supplementary feeding programme (BSFP) for pregnant women and lactating women with an infant less than 6 months aged 15- 49 years (if applicable).

5. To determine enrolment into Antenatal Care clinic and coverage of iron-folic acid supplementation in pregnant women.

6. To determine the proportion of households in each of the food assistance targeting categories (if applicable).

7. To determine the population’s access to and use of cooking fuel (if applicable).

8. To determine the household coverage of indoor residual spraying in the past 6

   months/12 months (if applicable).

Optional objectives

1. To determine the use of oral rehydration salt (ORS) and/or zinc during diarrhoea episodes in children aged 6-59 months.

2. To determine the prevalence of MUAC malnutrition in women of reproductive age 15- 49 years (include if all, pregnant and/or lactating women with an infant less than 6 months are measured).

Note: In addition to the above-mentioned objectives, the SENS consultant is advised to include the UNHCR nutrition and health team in Zambia actively in all the process of SENS and train/build their capacity.