Terms of Reference
UNICEF Cholera Toolkit Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
- Background
Diarrheal diseases (DDs) are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality globally, and outbreaks of diarrheal diseases, including cholera, are frequently catastrophic. Recent outbreaks in Zimbabwe and Haiti have occurred countrywide for periods of over one year, causing hundreds of thousands of cases and thousands of deaths. Cholera outbreaks reflect often the fragility of the health and WASH systems, as well as the poor sanitary conditions of communities, and are good examples/consequence of the impact of inequality among populations.
Given its presence from global to country level, UNICEF is strategically positioned to contribute on the prevention and response to cholera and DD outbreaks. Its multiple sector approach (Health, WASH, Nutrition, Education, Protection and other sectors) offers to UNICEF the possibility of having an integrated approach towards preparedness, capacity building and response in a cholera or DD outbreak event. Especially from the WASH sector, the Cluster Lead Agency (CLA) role places UNICEF in a position where it is expected to support and guide coordinated responses in the WASH sector, including building the capacity required.
UNICEF currently provides technical support and guidance, surge capacity, training, supplies and logistical support to cholera outbreaks worldwide. There is a wealth of experience and knowledge among HQ, RO and various CO, as well as guidance and tools developed for country level outbreaks; however, a resource package has not being developed to summarize such knowledge and make it widely available for CO, as well as to implementing partners. These existing guidelines and tools can be consolidated for preparedness and easy use during an outbreak as well as for preparedness activities.
Ideally a Toolkit could provide UNICEF offices (and operational partners) with one source of information for control of DD outbreaks including prevention (or risk reduction), preparedness, response and recovery – including interconnection with regular/development programmes.
As Health and WASH are the most active sectors on a cholera response, it is intended that this toolkit will cover both technical areas with individual Health and WASH components that will be framed together for the use of UNICEF COs. Each component will include specific technical related guidelines and resources for its respective sector, therefore specific Health and WASH consultants are expected to work on each of them. In addition to WASH and Health, the packages will include specific contents linked to Education, Nutrition, Communication For Development (C4D) and other relevant sections. Both components will be complementary and harmonized in terms of structure and approach.
- Objective
The objective of this consultancy is to develop the WASH component of UNICEF Cholera Toolkit through the compilation and adaptation of existent guidelines and ready-to-use/easy-to-adapt tools for Cholera response on WASH related issues. In addition to the Toolkit, materials for a one-hour webinar presentation of the final results are expected.
The main audience are UNICEF CO Programme Staff (WASH, Health and others), for its use on emergency coordination, preparedness and response planning and implementation, as well as when working with implementing partners.
- Duty Station
The consultant can be based in any location having good internet access.
He/she will be expected to make two visits to UNICEF NY-HQ offices – each one of 5 days - and a round of field visits – for a maximum of 10 days – as part of the review process (dates and locations pending to be defined and confirmed).
All travel costs will be covered by UNICEF HQ as per UNICEF’s rules and regulations.
- Methodology
Close coordination and interaction are expected between the consultants working on the WASH and Health components of the UNICEF Cholera Toolkit. This will include harmonization of both components of approaches and messages, as well as language, terminology, structure, cross reference and development of common sections. The above includes common deadlines for the submission of products as well as for visits to NY-HQ offices and field as part of the review process.
The UNICEF Toolkit for Cholera response – WASH package, should include the following components : - Guidance documents (basic and comprehensive) - Templates, formats, checklists and other relevant ready-to-use tools - Complementary resources and examples - The final structure shall be agreed upon between Health and WASH (including the team of consultants working on these).
The following steps are required to be followed by the consultant to complete the tasks assigned.
a. Based on his/her own experience and knowledge, and the proposal attached to these ToR, the consultant will elaborate a revised structure to be presented and agreed between the WASH and Health sections and the consultancy team.
b. Research, compilation and review of reference materials from UNICEF, WHO, CDC, MSF, Epicenter and other humanitarian and research partners, such as guidelines, country level documents and tools, to be used as basis of the UNICEF Cholera Toolkit and can be included as examples for reference. For country level materials, consultant will liaise with selected UNICEF RO and CO in order to collect them, as well as to receive inputs for the drafts prepared during the consultancy. Initial contact with RO and CO, as well as with other partners will be provided by UNICEF –HQ WASH Section if necessary.
c. In consultation with relevant UNICEF’s and external technical experts and field practitioners, adapt existing tools for UNICEF’s use, as well as in its work with partners.
d. In topic areas where no guidance is currently available, collaborate with UNICEF and other partners to develop practical information to include.
e. After the first 2 months, the consultant will present a first draft on the main document, as well as the complementary tools, guidelines and examples. This draft will be reviewed by UNICEF HQ Health and WASH sections, with inputs from UNICEF RO and CO, as well as relevant partners. As part of the review process, field visits will be arranged (pending to confirm dates and locations) to test relevance and usefulness for UNICEF CO Staff and partners.
f. Together with the draft document the consultant will develop the necessary tools/methodology to collect and compile comments and inputs from the field and partners.
g. The consultant will present a final draft of the Toolkit (including materials for webinar presentation) for final revision of UNICEF HQ and discussion with selected UNICEF RO/CO and partners. This will
h. Based on the feedback received, the consultant will present a reviewed version of the products, for the final approval of UNICEF HQ WASH Section. Approved versions will be submitted for professional editing and layout . Consultants might be required for comment and inputs during translation and layout processes.
i. As a final stage, the consultant will run two webinars for UNICEF CO and partners to train field staff on the use of the toolkit and its content. A report on the comments and suggestions raised during the webinars is expected.
- Activities and Outputs
Outputs/deliverables Estimated Duration (person-days) Deadline Revised structure 5 February 20th, 2012 First draft for revision (including visit to HQ for first compilation of existent materials as well as meet UNICEF WASH and Health teams) 15 March 20th, 2012 Review process (including field testing with UNICEF CO and review from UNICEF HQ/RO and partners) 15 April 30th,2012 Final draft for discussion (including webinar materials) 15 May 30th, 2012 Final version – for approval It includes main document (max. 40 pages, excluding formats, examples and tools) in editable files and digital version of complementary guidelines tools and examples, organized for the Toolkit. 10 June 30th, 2012 Materials for webinar session It includes facilitators guides and audiovisual materials for 30 – 45 min presentation, including reference materials) 4 June 30th, 2012 Sessions conducted – Summary report on feedback received from participants 2 July 31st, 2012 TOTAL person days & amount payable 66***
*** Equivalent to 3 working-months distributed along 6 calendar-months
- Travel
Date Destination Purpose Length (days) February/March 2012 (exact dates to be confirmed) NYHQ Collect materials and research through interaction with WASH and non-WASH colleagues 5 April 2012 (to be confirmed) TBC Review and testing at field level with selected UNICEF CO and partners Max. 10 May/June 2012 (to be confirmed) NYHQ Presentation of draft version to PD-WASH and discussion with colleagues (this may be possible via video conferencing facilities) 5
- Duration:
The consultancy will take place between February 1st and July 31st, 2012.
- Key skills and experience required:
The consultant should have the following skills and qualifications:- • Higher degree (PhD or Masters) in a field related to water, sanitation and/or public health. Additional background on communication is an asset. • Minimum 10 years’ experience related to water/sanitation/health programmes in developing countries. • Extensive experience on country-level cholera response from the WASH sector. Involvement in at least 3 different experiences of cholera response in different countries. • Computer literate, particularly in software related to the development of the toolkit (Microsoft Office, Webex, others) • Excellent communication and writing skills • Prior experience within UNICEF, preferably at country or regional level is desirable.
Qualified candidates are requested to submit a cover letter with subject line: UNICEF Cholera Toolkit - WASH, CV and P 11 form (which can be downloaded from our website at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_53129.html to pdconsultants@unicef.org by January 20th, 2012. Please indicate your ability, availability and daily/monthly rate to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a daily/monthly rate will not be considered
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