National Consultant Prevention and response to sexual exploitation abuse and harassment (PRSEAH)

-Purpose of consultancy

WHO seeks a qualified consultant with expert knowledge of gender-based violence (GBV) and Protection form Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, as well as demonstrated professional experience in humanitarian response and preparedness, to implement activities to strengthen MHPSS and PSEA programming in the WHO response to the refugee crisis in Slovakia.

Background

On February 24, 2022, relations between the Russian Federation and Ukraine escalated to armed conflict.
Ukraine was declared an L3 emergency within days of the beginning of the conflict. In the beginning, the situation was still unclear, and the movements of refugees were unpredictable. WHO declared the response to all of Ukraine response operations (Ukraine crisis and related response to refugee crisis in Belarus, Czech Republic, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, and Slovakia) as a grade 3 event. This classification is currently under review but is likely to stand.
In Slovakia, there are efforts underway to support the government and the arriving refugees. Slovakia has one bluedot facility (run by UNHCR, and UNICEF) and had just over 98,000 applications for temporary protection status as of October 2022. As of early May, UNHCR had deployed over 30 personnel to support.

As leading agency in the refugee response, UNHCR also chairs the national PSEA network, with support from UNICEF and relevant line ministries.
WHO is represented in the PSEA network, the interagency coordination forum, and chairs the health working group. As an agency with a historical link in the country, WHO is well-positioned to contribute to the IA response on PRSEAH.
There are specific risks of SEA to the refugee population in Slovakia, one being related to the fact that 86% are women and children (as of April 30th, 2022the demographics were 49% women, 14% men, 18% boys and 19% girls), and many are those with disabilities, who are at a much higher risk of GBV including through SEA. Within this highly complex and fluid context, with rapidly evolving needs, there are also needs identified related to health, and specialized MHPSS services. The humanitarian community, led by UNHCR as head of the refugee response mechanism are coordinating an international and complimentary response to the efforts of the government to the crisis.

WHO has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) of the communities it serves and for sexual harassment (SH) of its personnel. The WHO’s Health Emergency Programme is expanding its strategy to embed PSEA in the emergency response operations both in acute and protracted settings. WHO is prioritizing PSEA activities in conflict affected and vulnerable countries where the risk of SEAH may be persistently high due to the context and prolonged presence of multiple partners, in the context of vulnerable communities.
SEA is a form of gender-based violence and therefore, ensuring coordinated coverage of related health services in humanitarian settings is a critical aspect of and contribution to WHOs response to th Management Response Plan to Prevent and Respond to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (2021). Therefore, strengthening services for all including SEA survivors is the implementation of the first pillar of the PRSEAH management response plan- focused on survivor-centered approach.

This call for a consultant is to strengthen PRSEAH, and related health, and MHPSS activities in the context of the Ukraine refugee response ongoing in Slovakia. The consultant will work with the WHO Country Office in Slovakia. WHO Slovakia, is in the process of scaling up operations, including mobilizing emergency financing to facilitate an effective, broad and timely humanitarian response across all affected areas, including surrounding affected countries.

Deliverables

Under the overall supervision of the WHO representative, the Consultant will support WHO and the Slovak authorities to strengthen specialized health services, integrate a survivor/victim-centered approach based on the 1st pillar of the global MRP, and identify entry points for strengthening MHPSS and PRSEAH. The Consultant will work in close collaboration relevant technical advisors in HQ and EURO and be closely supported by the RHE based in Krakow.

Output 1: Strengthen capacities of the health services to respond to SEA in context of WHO’s humanitarian response:

Activity 1.1: Support training of WHO partners, and proactively identify areas of need to support resource mobilization for programming in the response, through participation in interagency forums, and in adapting IASC training materials to the Slovak context.

Activity 1.2: Strengthen and support multi-sectoral coordination processes and referral linkages to ensure timely access to health and other sector services for GBV survivors through participation in interagency forums and sector working groups.

Activity 1.3: Provide inputs on activities and budgets related to GBV response in HRPs, proposals, and other donor funding requests for the humanitarian response in Slovakia.

Output 2: Collaborate with the Ministry of Health to strengthen broader health systems response to SEA:

Activity 2.1: Raise awareness of different partners including MOH about the health impacts of SEA, and support in strengthening awareness on public health consequences of SEA.

Activity 2.2: Support the full alignment of standards on SEA referrals and reporting mechanisms, and in integration with MHPSS and other relevant sectors of health.

Activity 2.3: Submit progress report on activities and propose follow up actions monthly.

Output 3: Support the implementation of interagency activities related to PSEAH in the current WHO emergency response operations through participation and contributing to interagency activities:

Activity 3.1: Train and orient all health partners on PRSEAH.

Activity 3.2: Engage proactively in all interagency efforts on PRSEAH to assure a streamlined approach in response, and prevention.

Activity 3.2: Work with the WCO staff, and personnel to assure they are all appropriately oriented on PRSEAH.

Qualifications

Education Qualifications

First university degree in one of the following fields: public health, women's or gender and development studies, social sciences, psychology, or public health.

Experience

Essential

• At least 1 year of work experience in violence against women/gender-based violence response/ prevention, and experience in training health organizations and health providers.

• At least 1 year of experience in supporting survivors of SEA, in MHPSS, health, or social services - related settings

Desirable

• Work experience and engagement with interagency coordination structures and fora.

• Previous experience of working in emergency situation.

Skills and Knowledge

• Demonstrated capacity to work in challenging circumstances, administer projects and build partnerships involving technical and political elements.

• Demonstrated ability to work in multicultural settings and excellent inter-personal skills.

Languages

Essential

English: Excellent knowledge

Slovak: Excellent knowledge

Desirable:

Russian or Ukrainian: Working knowledge

Location

WHO country office, Bratislava, Slovakia. Work modality will be in person in the country office.

Travel

Travel is expected to various areas of Slovakia.

Remuneration and Contract duration

NO-A salary in accordance with international UN guidelines on renumeration. Expected duration of contract is 11 months.

Additional Information

• This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.

• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

• A written test may be used as a form of screening.

• If your candidature is retained for interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.

• For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int.

• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.

• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.

• WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.

• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.

• Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority. The execution of the work under a consultant contract does not create an employer/employee relationship between WHO and the Consultant.

• WHO shall have no responsibility whatsoever for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the Consultant. The Consultant shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the Consultant in in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.