Background
The humanitarian situation in the ESA (East and Southern Africa) region is complex and characterized by multi-hazard cyclical and protracted crises. A combination of conflict, climate change-related phenomena, and socioeconomic and political instability has had a daunting effect on populations in many countries. There are acute humanitarian challenges to which the UN and other humanitarian actors must respond to. These include a sizable internal displacement; food insecurity; a refugee crisis; and gender-based violence that has been exacerbated by conflict. Equally, these crises threaten the gains made in development initiatives that have cost communities, governments, and partners significant resources. Cyclical and protracted crises have put additional strain on capacities and resources across the region and, because of the fluid situation on the ground, have changed the priorities of governments and partners. This has significantly affected progress toward the SDGs, both for those impacted by the humanitarian crises and those who are not.
Currently there are political instability; drought cyclones and heavy rainfalls (affecting countries in the ESA region and other have become host of protracted refugee camps and or Internally Displaced Persons. Sudden-onset emergencies related to climate change can be expected anytime in virtually all the countries of eastern and southern Africa, particularly those at the coastal line and those which are semi-arid.
Women and girls are the most affected during the humanitarian emergencies, these are characterised by the increased risk of excessive maternal mortality and morbidity, transmission of HIV, GBV and harmful practices, and difficult access to ARV for those living with HIV, contraception and family planning services as well as general disruption of health and other social and protection services due to weak resiliency and widespread dysfunctionalities. There is often a breakdown of social cohesion, absence of or limited household income; shortages of food and non-food items such as hygiene kits and condoms; significant disruption in HIV prevention and treatment programmes and overall absence of livelihood opportunities and even absence of access to education.
In humanitarian emergencies, speeding up supply chains and improving agility thereof saves lives. Having shorter transport distances and only necessary and streamlined administrative steps to release supplies is critical and cost-saving. Prepositioning sexual and reproductive health supplies, incl. for HIV prevention and treatment, in areas vulnerable to natural disasters speeds up emergency assistance; it also builds resilience in regular supply chains, boosts reputation and confidence in agencies by communities and donors. Similarly, pre-positioning is an effective strategy to respond to humanitarian needs in case of conflicts and public health emergencies.
There are ongoing regional inter-agency collaborative efforts to coordinate, collaborate and rationalise humanitarian stockpiles in the region including setting up regional warehousing facilities for pre-positioning of essential and lifesaving supplies. This consultancy aims to map out the work that is already done and underway, and build upon it to identify ways for more collective action around pre-positioning and stockpiling among partners.
2gether 4 SRHR is a regional program that is implemented jointly by UNFPA, WHO, UNAIDS and UNICEF. The programme applies a regional approach to support regional economic communities and countries, working in partnership with civil society, professional associations, and academic and research institutions, to ensure that all people in the ESA region are empowered and supported to exercise their SRHR, and to access quality, people-centred integrated SRHR, HIV and GBV services.
To address delays that are observed in delivery of supplies during emergencies in the ESA region, the 2gether for SRHR program is envisioned to establish a regional pre-positioning facility of essential and lifesaving SRH and HIV commodities and supplies.
It is in that regard that the 2gether 4 SRHR joint program is seeking services of a consultant to undertake the mapping of stakeholders involved in supply chain of commodities in ESA region, and develop a detailed roadmap towards establishment of a regional pre-positioning and stockpiling facility of essential and lifesaving reproductive health commodities and supplies.
Rationale of having a regional pre-positioning scheme of SRH and HIV commodities and supplies in ESA region
Given the predictability of emergencies in the ESA region, there is a need to enhance preparedness, early and anticipatory actions to further improve timeliness, agility, effectiveness and efficiency of humanitarian response in the region. This requires close collaboration among humanitarian, development and peace actors to enhance the nexus approach.
The goal of the Regional Prepositioning SRH and HIV Supplies Scheme is to ensure that essential and lifesaving supplies are timely delivered to populations in need during emergencies in every site including hard to reach areas of the region. This would require strong commitment and close collaboration among stakeholders who operate in the supply chain arena and beyond at all levels including policy makers, suppliers, supply chain institutions, communities, coordinators, among others.
Objective of the consultancy
The objectives of this assignment are to do a stakeholder mapping and roadmap for the establishment of a regional humanitarian SRH and HIV supplies pre-positioning scheme to address the needs of women and girls during the rapid onset of humanitarian crises in the ESA region. A prepositioning supplies scheme will improve humanitarian operation efficiency and agility across the region and contribute to prevent excess morbidity and mortality. Moreover, the mapping of stakeholders and their engagements in pre-positioning so far along with the roadmap for establishing the pre-positioning facility for SRH and HIV supplies will inform the work of the 2gether 4SRHR regional joint program in subsequent years.
The Humanitarian Consultant with the support of 2gether 4 SRHR technical taskforce will undertake a range of activities scheduled for completion by 15th December 2023. In particular, the duties of the consultant include:
Scope of work:
1. Mapping:
Conduct a desk review of existing stakeholders in the ESA region
Review the status of existing prepositioning schemes in the ESA region (owned by 2gether4 SRHR partners agencies and other sister UN agencies) and identify good practices, challenges and lessons learnt
Conduct key informant interviews with key partners (including but not limited to: UN humanitarian expert agencies, UNFPA Supply Chain management Unit, Country Offices located in complex humanitarian crisis in the region, CSO, PEPFAR, Global Fund, to get their perspectives
2. Roadmap:
Regional and country level legal, policy and strategic setting: Are there any barriers? How can these be addressed?
Supply chain: What opportunities exist in supply chain capacity at agency level that can be leveraged for a joint scheme
Steps of establishing a hub (incl. establishing supply chains, partnerships, needs for funds/costing)
Procedures for running hub (e.g. partnerships, who uses supplies etc, necessary funds, management of supply chains, establish LTAs for scale up, monitoring mechanisms, disposal of waste etc)
What responses hub should cover (e.g. small-scale response, immediate needs in larger disasters etc)
3: Present on findings and draft documents, receive and incorporate feedback
Expected deliverables, amount of days:
Inception report detailing the plan and methodology to undertake the assignment (20%) (5 days)
Draft report (as word and PPT documents) describing the status of progress of prepositioning initiative being planned for the ESA region, including best practices and lessons learnt from other regions (30%) (10 days)
Mapping of partners relevant for the pre-positioning of SRH and HIV supplies and commodities for the ESA region (20%) (5 days)
Road map for acceleration of the project of establishment of a regional pre-positioning facility for Reproductive Health in East and South African region including key recommendations/next steps (management arrangement, sustainability, financing among others) (30%) (10 days)
Duration and working schedule: 30 working days (01 November- 15 December 2023)
Place where services are to be delivered:The consultant will work remotely with possible travels to various places to meet key stakeholders (eg. Nairobi, Johannesburg etc)
Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g., electronic, hard copy etc.):
15 December 2023
Electronic
Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline: Consultant will be required to provide bi-weekly/weekly updates to the 2gether 4 SRHR humanitarian Technical Working Group.
Supervisory arrangements: The Humanitarian Consultant will work under the overall guidance of the 2gether 4 SRHR partners agency leads for this activity (UNFPA and UNAIDS)
Expected travel: The consultant may be required to travel occasionally to select countries, as needed to complete the assignment.
Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:
Master’s degree in Humanitarian studies, Public health, Supply chain, Pharmacy, Social sciences or related field
At least 10 years of progressively responsible professional work of which a minimum of 5 years of management of supply chain of medical supplies and commodities and coordination experience at the international level
Experience in working for bilateral and multilateral organizations/donors operating in humanitarian settings and familiarity with the ESA region
Good organizational skills and the ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously and within tight timeframes
Fluency in English required, excellent oral and written communication skills, working knowledge of French is an added value
Having conducted similar assignment within UN would be an added advantage
Inputs / services to be provided by 2gether4 SRHR partner agencies or implementing partner (e.g. support services, office space, equipment), if applicable:
2gether 4 SRHR will provide support to facilitate consultation process and meeting with stakeholders as required.
Other relevant information or special conditions, if any:
UNFPA does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, processing, training) or other fee, or request information on applicants’ bank accounts.
UNFPA will only respond to those applicants in whom the Regional Office has further interest.
