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CONSULTANT - ASSESSMENT OF MATERNAL DEATH AUDIT SYSTEMS IN AFRICA

Globally, about 358,000 women die each year due to pregnancy and child birth related causes; 99 percent of these deaths occur in developing countries, of which 53 percent of them occur in Africa South of the Sahara. For every death, at least another 20 women suffer illness or injuries related to childbirth or pregnancy. In Africa, South of Sahara, one in 31 women has the risk of dying during pregnancy and child birth over a life time, compared with about one in 4000 women in the developed world. Eighty per cent of those deaths could be prevented by simple, often low-cost treatments, and quality obstetrics care (WHO 2010, Trends in Maternal Mortality: 1990 to 2008. Estimates developed by WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA and the World Bank. Geneva, WHO).

UN Women supports national efforts to improve quality of reproductive health services in order to mainstream gender and address the high maternal mortality rates in Africa. It also works towards the development and adoption of policy tools that ensure decision making in regional and sub-regional policy processes. To this end, it aims to forge strategic partnerships with key partners such as the AUC in supporting the implementation of innovative approaches to addressing the issues of maternal mortality.

The African Union recognizes fully the status of women’s and maternal health in Africa and that improved health is central to social and human development which is critical for equitable and sustainable economic growth and development. The AU also believes that sustained economic growth, peace, and stability would not be realized without addressing persistent gender inequalities, social exclusion, and poor health outcomes.

The institutionalization of maternal morbidity and mortality audit systems was identified to reinforce the evidence base for decision making aimed at averting future occurrence. It is therefore desirable that such audit systems are properly institutionalized and integrated within the health system. In furtherance of the foregoing, the AUC is now initiating the process of assessing the operations/implementation of such systems on the continent.

In this regard, UN Women in collaboration with the AUC Department of Social Affairs is seeking the services of a Consultant(s) to conduct an assessment of the implementation of morbidity and mortality systems by Member States.

Duties and Responsibilities

The expert will undertake the following:

Review documents and undertake assessment of health systems of selected member states and develop a report highlighting the following:
  • The operations of health information management systems as it relates to MNCH;
  • Existence of morbidity and mortality audit processes including analysis of gender inequality and SGBV as factors in maternal morbidity and mortality
  • The functionality and extent of integration of the audit processes into the overall health system;
  • Identify and document good practices especially those mitigating violence against women and reducing the negative impacts of socio-cultural practices on women’s health
  • Assess gaps in implementation and recommend remedial action to strengthen the system; and engender its functioning
  • Assess and recommend accountability and M&E systems for in-Member States for MNCH
  • Recommend how the national level system should feed into the regional level review and M & E process as per Assembly/AU/Decl.1(XI) of July 2010
EXPECTED OUTCOME OF THE CONSULTANCY

A comprehensive report on the assessment of maternal morbidity and mortality audit systems in Africa to be produced

Expected Outputs and Deliverables
  • Inception report that will demonstrate a the methodology;
  • Adapt and develop an appropriate data collection tool;
  • A set of good practices
  • Produce comprehensive report on the assessment of maternal morbidity and mortality audit systems in Africa
DURATION OF THE CONSULTANCY AND WORKING ARRANGEMENTS

The duration of the Consultancy shall be for 3 months. The Consultant will work from his/her duty station. E-mail communication will constitute a vital part of the work and will be considered as official communication. Transmission of document and draft to the UN Women as well as progress report will be done via E-mail and Skype. However the Consultant will be required to undertake one mission to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to meet with UN Women and the Department of Social Affairs, AU Commission in, to present and explain the final draft of the report and attachments, and receive final inputs (if any). The Consultant(s) will be supervised by the UN Women Representative to AU and UNECA and will work in close collaboration with the Head of Division-Health, Population and Nutrition at the AUC-DSA.

Competencies

Core values
  • Demonstrates integrity and fairness by modeling UN values and ethical standards;
  • Demonstrates professional competence and is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Core competencies
  • Client orientation: Ability to establish and maintain productive partnerships with national partners and pro-activeness in identifying of beneficiaries and partners’ needs, and matching them to appropriate solutions.
  • Self management: Plans and produces quality results to meet established goals;
  • Conceptualizes and analyzes problems to identify key issues and underlying problems;
  • Demonstrates substantive and technical knowledge to meet requirements of the post with excellence;
  • Executes all tasks systematically and efficiently;
  • Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
  • Responds positively to critical feedback and differing points of view.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:
  • Senior Professional in Epidemiology, Public Health, Communication for Development or Development Studies with a minimum of a Master’s degree;
  • Wide knowledge about the Maputo Plan of Action on Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights, the MDGs, the ICPD/PoAs, the Africa Health Strategy and related instruments;
Experience:
  • Broad experience in the implementation of sexual and reproductive health and rights issues, including Maternal and Child Health initiatives/programmes in Africa, preferably at regional level.
  • Demonstrated experience in working on gender equality and SGBV issues including data collection/analysis (or partnership with an appropriate gender expert)
  • Strong experience in health system analysis and strengthening;
  • Experience in Monitoring and Evaluation, Strategic Planning/Programme Development;
  • Demonstrable experience in the publication of materials of similar nature.
  • At least ten years of work experience in the relevant fields mentioned above.
Language and Skills:
  • Fluency in English and/or French.
  • Proven writing skills, editing, and computer literacy.

Note:

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.


All applications must include (as an attachment) the completed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from
http://www.unwomen.org/about-us/employment


Kindly note that the system will only allow one attachment. Applications without the completed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment.