Inclusive Health Care Officer

Job Title: Inclusive Health Care Officer

Organization: United Nations Volunteers (UNV)

Host entity: UNICEF Guinea-Bissau

Assignment country: Guinea-Bissau

Expected start date: 09/10/2023

Sustainable Development Goal: 3. Good health and well-being

Volunteer category: National UN Volunteer Specialist

Type: Onsite

Duration: 12 months (with possibility of extension)

Number of assignments: 1

Duty stations: Bissau

Details

Mission and objectives

Update UNICEF works in the world’s toughest places to reach the most disadvantaged children and adolescents – and to protect the rights of every child, everywhere. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we do whatever it takes to help children survive, thrive and fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines, we support child health and nutrition, safe water and sanitation, quality education and skill building, HIV prevention and treatment for mothers and babies, and the protection of children and adolescents from violence and exploitation. Before, during and after humanitarian emergencies, UNICEF is on the ground, bringing lifesaving help and hope to children and families. Non-political and impartial, we are never neutral when it comes to defending children’s rights and safeguarding their lives and futures. And we never give up.

Context

UNICEF Guinea-Bissau is implementing a joint Peace Building Fund (PBF) project with WHO and NGO Interpeace – “Strengthening social cohesion through promoting inclusive and effective public health sector governance, management, and administration”, aiming to contribute to the strengthening of social cohesion by promoting inclusive and effective public health sector governance through activities that include participatory action research, participatory policy making, capacity building, dialogue between social groups and institutions, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement. Additionally, the project aims to create spaces for joint action on the resolution of grievances and social tension in the health sector and will equally aim to mobilize political will to support such action. At the institutional level, the project will strengthen capacity of relevant government stakeholders to deepen their understanding of the demands of citizens’ and health care workers (HCW), through a participatory approach. Strengthening capacity of established health structures such as the health committees in the Parliament and the Ministry of Public Health to support actions of the health workforce and particularly to advocate for the promotion of health rights and health security will go a long way towards reaching a consensus on varying views. Participatory development of key health policies, procedures and establishment of regulatory frameworks would institute a culture of ownership of actions and results. Additionally, a participatory approach towards the proposed action would foster collaboration and dialogue among relevant stakeholders and hence facilitate the resolution of existing grievances and conflicts, and thus strengthen confidence in the governance of the health sector. Under this PBF project, UNICEF will ensure that capacities of the health workforce, specifically social service workforce and psychologists will be strengthened, to enable them to better provide specific health services to meet the needs of citizens including prevention of gender-based violence (GBV) and provision of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS). UNICEF, in collaboration with WHO, will contribute to further strengthen the capacities of CSOs’ and associations to monitor the provision of healthcare services against the existing policies and the decision-making processes and practices in the health sector at the local level. This would create more awareness among users of their health rights, and equally strengthen solidarity between HCW and citizens. Along with these interventions, UNICEF will assist implementing partners to put in place and test an innovative tool to facilitate the collection of feedback from beneficiary communities on UN-led interventions in the health sector as part of the AAP Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) framework. In this context, the Guinea-Bissau Country Office is looking for a national UN Volunteer to provide temporary support in the overall management of UNICEF contribution to the PBF project “Strengthening social cohesion through promoting inclusive and effective public health sector governance, management, and administration”, with a specific focus in the areas of strengthen capacity of health care works to provide inclusive health care services, GBV referral and case management, including at community level and implementing and testing AAP in the health and protection sectors.

Task description

Under the direct supervision of the Child Protection Manager and in close collaboration with the Community Health Specialist and the SBC Officer, the national UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks: 1) Strengthen capacity of HCWs (including community health workers and social workers) to provide impartial and inclusive health care services, including Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS). • Support the development and implementation of a case management and referral mechanism to address violence against children and women, including Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and community-based MHPSS within the health sector, aligned with the ongoing national case management mechanism in phase of development. • Support the development and testing of working tools for HCW to provide MHPSS to children and women at risk and survivors of GBV within the public health sector, including community health workers. • Assist the capacity development of the health sector’s social service workforce on GBV and MHPSS (trainings and improving of working conditions). • Support the management and dissemination activities of a call center (toll free number) as a complaint feedback mechanism to facilitate the collection of feedback from beneficiary communities on UN-led interventions in the health sector as part of the UNICEF Guinea-Bissau AAP (Accountability to Affected Populations) framework. Support the implementation of youth-led peer-to-peer information sharing sessions on the rights of women, children and communities to protection and care, as part of the “participation, information and communication” pillars of AAP. 2) Strengthen civil society organizations (CSOs) and other relevant institutions capacities and mechanism to monitor decision-making and the provision of health services at the level of local authorities and health centers, advocate for effective healthcare provision, and improve accountability of healthcare governance and service provision at the local and regional levels. • Support the capacity development of stakeholders and CSOs on human rights and advocacy to promote their participation in monitoring health provision at the regional and local levels: assist the development and testing of training tools for local CSOs (target regions) be better informed and equipped enabling them to monitor health service provision in the health centers and regional hospitals and to advocate with local authorities for better local health provision. • Support the organization of periodical dialogues at the regional level (target regions) between the communities and healthcare workers which will contribute to the creation of spaces where citizens and CSO representatives can express their opinions. 3) Engage with WHO and Interpeace colleagues and Implementing Partners (IPs) of the project at central and decentralized level. 4) Attend regular planning working meetings with key implementing partners. 5) Gather data and information on the project and report monthly (especially interventions at decentralized level). 6) Document skills transfer and volunteers’ mobilization efforts for the UNICEF and UNV websites and promote volunteerism among adolescents and youth for GBV, MHPSS, community health and AAP, through effective community-based multisectoral interventions.

Eligibility criteria

Age

27 - 80

Nationality

Candidate must be a national or legal resident of the country of assignment.

Requirements

Required experience

3 years of experience in Public Health, Psychology, Social Service, Sociology, Development studies, or other Social Science or field of study related to the programme scope. b) At least 3 years of professional work experience at the national and/or international level in public health, community health and child protection (violence against children-VAC- and Gender based violence – GBV- case management). c) Technical knowledge on health and child protection information management system (including reporting) is an asset. d) Experience working with communities, adolescents, and youth to prevent violence/GBV and promote health. e) Experience in working with civil society organizations or NGOs operating at community level is an asset, as is experience working in the UN or other international development organization. f) Good oral and written communication skills; Good technical report writing skills. g) Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development. h) Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel. i) Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment. j) Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines. k) Have affinity with or interest in health governance and GBV/MHPSS issues, volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN System. Languages:: Working Knowledge of French and/or English is required, Mandatory fluency in Portuguese and Crioulo as an asset.

Area(s) of expertise

Community development, Health, Development programmes

Driving license

-

Languages

Portuguese, Level: Fluent, Required Crioulo, Level: Fluent, Desirable English, Level: Working knowledge, Required French, Level: Working knowledge, Required

Required education level

Bachelor degree or equivalent in Specialized training in GBV, MHPSS and community health.

Competencies and values

Core values: For every Child, you demonstrate... • Care • Respect • Integrity • Trust • Accountability • Sustainability Core competencies: • Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness • Works Collaboratively with others • Builds and Maintains Partnerships • Innovates and Embraces Change • Thinks and Acts Strategically • Drive to achieve impactful results • Manages ambiguity and complexity

Other information

Living conditions and remarks

The national UN Volunteer will be based in Bissau, the capital of Guinea Bissau with frequent travel to the different regions and districts of the country to visit PBF project interventions, including at community level.

Inclusivity statement

United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

Reasonable accommodation

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for UN Volunteers with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the recruitment process and afterwards in your assignment.

Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements

In addition to duty station-specific vaccine requirements, appointments are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the appointment. It does not apply to UN Volunteers who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their contracts.

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