Purpose of consultancy:
Through several meetings between the AU Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development and UNFPA Senior Leadership, the Commissioner has called for human resource support through the secondment of officers to help fill the significant human resource gap at AUC. This is important to help move UNFPA’s agenda forward on several fronts. It is also noted that having seconded staff at AUC helps the organization with much-needed access and real-time intelligence that is often helpful in delivering on UNFPA’s mandate.
This consultancy responds to this need for technical support to the AU Commission’s Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs, and Social Development (formerly the Department of Social Affairs).
Under the direct supervision of the Senior Policy Officer in the Social Welfare and Vulnerable Groups Division, the consultant will work directly with the Social Welfare Division, including relevant divisions and focal persons, to provide particular support on social development, harmful practices, and where necessary relevant health and humanitarian issues between AU and UNFPA on advancing an inclusive shared agenda.
The consultant would be based in the Health, Humanitarian Affairs, and Social Development (HHS) Department of the African Union Commission, operating specifically from the Division of Social Welfare under the Office of the Commissioner.
During the term of this consultancy, incumbent will be expected to perform the following activities:
1. Health (the AADPD+10 / ICPD Agenda: Support coordination of member states and RECs' participation in the Global ICPD30 conference in New York. Follow up with member states, UNECA, UNFPA, and CSO to ensure that AUC and other partners release key messages on the AADPD10/ICDP30 in a timely manner
2. Humanitarian affairs, particularly on climate change, humanitarian crises, and cross-border issues. Also, in support of the AUC humanitarian leadership role in implementing the African Humanitarian Agency (AfHA)
3. Social Development agenda including Gender, GBV, and Harmful Practices elimination - particularly female genital mutilation (FGM) and child marriage (CM), as well as youth, positive masculinity, and efforts deployed by the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) as advised by the Head of Social Welfare and Vulnerable Groups
A. Eliminating Harmful Practices:
Building on past achievements and activities supported by The UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation, as well as the UNFPA- UNICEF Global Programme to End Child Marriage, the consultant’s primary task is to support the implementation of the harmful practices strategic areas including but not limited to operationalizing the harmful practices accountability framework of the AU by:
a. Organizing consultative meetings to guide accountability framework implementation:
Conduct online meetings with representatives from selected Member States to gather inputs
for implementing the accountability framework before the Specialized Technical Committee
(STC).
b. Developing and finalizing AU’s Accountability Framework implementation operational plan,
including country-specific roll-out plans in selected member states:
Informed by the consultative meetings' guidance and UNFPA technical team, develop and finalize AU’s operational plan to implement the accountability framework, including M&E, to monitor the progress of the accountability framework. AUC will conduct meetings with the respective government bodies of selected member states, in collaboration with relevant AU Organs, to discuss the roll out of accountability framework within their respective member states, including reporting mechanisms.
c. Engaging Key AU Human Rights Organs:
Support the Harmful Practices Accountability Framework implementation process and facilitate the involvement of the key AU human rights organs, including ACERWC, ACHPR, the African Court on Human and People’s Rights, the Pan-African Parliament, and others. Organize 2-3 virtual meetings on implementing the HP Accountability Framework comprising representatives from key AU human rights organs, government agencies, civil society organizations, and affected communities scheduled in July, September, and October to discuss progress, share resources, and address implementation challenges in a collaborative manner, discuss case studies/promising practices and resource mobilization and funding opportunity
d. Capacity building and strengthening Gender-Transformative Approaches within AU strategy
and action plans for FGM
Promote the understanding and use of gender-transformative approaches with key AU stakeholders as an enabler to ending FGM and child marriage through policy advocacy actions and capacity-building webinars. Review AU strategy and action plan on FGM, share findings (gaps, strengths, and opportunities), and conduct consultative meetings to develop a plan to strengthen the GTA approach within FGM-related plans and strategies.
e. Technical support review and update of AU strategy, action plan and M&E framework on
FGM and CM
f. The consultant will perform other duties to support the harmful practices programmes.
Deliverables:
A synthesis of the meeting summaries from the six states to guide the development of roll-out plans of accountability framework (see b) Timeline: 6 weeks Final operational plan including M&E and Member States specific roll out plans of accountability framework including reporting mechanisms. Timeline: 2 weeks Meeting Reports and Report on process and lessons learnt in roll-out of accountability framework in selected countries. Timeline: 6 weeks. At least one webinar/virtual meeting on GTA and HRBA with key AU stakeholders and A report on review findings on GTA in AU strategy and action plan related to FGM and recommendations findings. Timeline: 6 weeks. Updated FGM and CM action plan including M&E Timeline: 12 weeks Before initiating tasks, the consultant is expected to develop and share a detailed Gantt Chart of the tasks for the 11 months with the Head of Social Welfare and Vulnerable Groups and the UNFPA Representation Office to the African Union (AU) and the UN Economic Commission (UNECA) for review and approval. A report of activities and deliverables will be sent to the UNFPA Representation Office to the African Union (AU), copying UNFPA Regional and UNFPA HQ relevant teams on a monthly basis. Virtual or in-person meetings will be organized on a two-monthly basis to discuss progress and any challenges faced. Duration and working schedule: Full time 11 Month.Expected Travel: N/A
Required Expertise and Qualification
Education:
Post-graduate university degree in gender, public health, or other related social science field.
Knowledge and Experience:
Minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience in programmes
focusing on health, humanitarian, social development, and harmful practices is an asset;
Strong experience in programme and/or technical assistance with the UN System and the
AUC;
Experience in coordination and organizing advocacy initiatives at different
levels;
Strong interpersonal, communications and negotiation skills.
Languages:
● English and knowledge of another UN language is an asset
How to Apply:
Please send your CV and a short cover letter to Menbere Legesse
Email - mlegesse@unfpa.org and CC agduk@unfpa.org See all current vacancies