Purpose of consultancy:
Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a country with a high total fertility rate and a resultant growing working-age population. About 60 percent of the PNG population is below 25 years old. It has a high maternal mortality ratio of 171 per 100,000 live births, among the highest in the world. It has a low contraceptive prevalence rate of 24.1 per cent, a high unmet need for family planning at 30 per cent, low coverage of skilled birth attendance and a high HIV epidemic prevalence at 0.8 per cent. The adolescent birth rate is high at 13 per cent, 22 per cent of 19 years old women have at least one child and six percent have two or more children (PNG National Demographic and Health Survey, 2016-2018).
Given the youth bulge in PNG and the importance of sexual and reproductive health and sexuality education and prevention of gender-based violence (GBV), UNFPA has supported various initiatives to address these. For instance, as part of its programme to help end GBV in PNG, UNFPA works with the National Department of Education, National Department of Health, the PNG Family Health Association (FHA), the ChildFund and Family Planning New South Wales in rolling out Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) in PNG.
CSE is a curriculum that covers healthy and respectful relationships, rights and values, sexual and reproductive health, pregnancy, and parenting. It is a curriculum-based process of teaching and learning about the cognitive, emotional, physical and social aspects of sexuality. It aims to equip children and young people with knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that will empower them to realize their health, well-being. and dignity; develop respectful social and sexual relationships; consider how their choices affect their own well-being and that of others; and understand and ensure the protection of their rights throughout their lives.
The goal is for CSE to reach both in-and out-of-school youth, contributing to reduced incidence of adolescent pregnancy, STIs, HIV and AIDS as well as to remove the stigma associated with sexuality education. These programmes are being funded through the Spotlight Initiative to End Violence Against Women and Girls and by UNFPA using its core resources.
UNFPA continues to find innovative, creative and sustainable approaches to improve SRH and sexuality education and GBV prevention in PNG. To complement its existing initiatives, UNFPA will hire the services of an International Consultant who will work with the National Department of Education, the Department of Community Development and Religion, CSOs working in these areas and a Provincial Health Authority (which will be selected based on a criteria) to develop and pilot-test an in-school and out of school curriculum on SRH and sexuality education and GBV prevention for broader youth and community leadership, knowledge building and engagement, mainly focused on young girls and young boys in PNG.
Scope of work:
With the overall guidance of the Country Representative and Deputy Representative and in close collaboration with the SRHR, Gender-based Violence and Mental Health and Psycho-Social Support Specialists, the Comprehensive Sexuality Education focal Point and the Young Ambassador for SRHR, the Consultant will:
Activities will include:
In terms of specific deliverables, the Consultant will:
Provide capacity building sessions for the NDOE, Department of Health, Department of Community Development and a Provincial Health Authority in PNG (selected based on a set criteria) for knowledge transfer.
Duration and working schedule:
Estimated starting date: 1 November 2022
Estimated ending date: 31 October 2023
The total duration of the contract will be for 180 working days, during the period commencing from 1 November 2022 to 31 October 2023.
This vacancy is archived.