Consultancy, Finalization, Dissemination and Operational Planning of the National HIV/AIDS Programming Framework – Botswana Consultancy

UNICEF seeks to engage a consultant to support the National AIDS and Health Promotion Agency (NAHPA) with the validation, dissemination and operationalization of key strategic documents for adolescents and young people in Botswana

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Background and Justification

The latest country HIV estimates, and projections indicate that Botswana has the third highest level of HIV prevalence in the world. According to the national HIV estimates of 2018, the HIV prevalence among adults 15-49 years was 22.8 percent with women having a higher prevalence than men (27.4% vs. 18.4%), with an estimated 380,000 persons of all ages living with HIV. The HIV prevalence among young people aged 15-24 was 8.4 percent in 2017 with females having a higher prevalence (11.2%) than males (5.6%). A total of 35,000 people of this age group were living with HIV of whom 66 percent (23,000) were females. There were an estimated 13,800 new HIV infections in 2017, with 4,600 of them occurring amongst adolescents and young people aged 15-24 years, this accounted for 3 in every 10 new infection that occurred during that year.

Adolescents and young people make the largest cohort of Botswana’s population and highly vulnerable population to HIV acquisition. A large percent of them lack access to information, skills and services that they need to protect themselves from HIV, violence and unintended pregnancies. While there is increased awareness of HIV in general, comprehensive knowledge of HIV remains low, condom use among sexually active young people is declining, while rates of forced sex and teenage pregnancy are ominously high. Age disparity and transactional sex, peer pressure, stigma and discrimination, harmful social and gender norms, gender inequality and unequal power dynamics are some contributors to the constrained progress in reducing new HIV infections amongst adolescents and young people. Furthermore, adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) continue to be disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic with early sexual debut, forced marriage and gender-based violence further increasing AGYW vulnerability to acquiring HIV.

However, there are gaps in providing centred interventions and tailored approaches to adequately reach and address specific needs of these vulnerable groups. Furthermore, whilst guidelines and standard packages of interventions, specifically for behavioural and structural interventions are available, they are not yet fully operational for various reasons. In addition, legal and policy barriers, as well as stigma and discrimination make access to and uptake of, HIV prevention and treatment, care and support services a challenge. Targeted high impact interventions focused on the health, wellbeing and quality of life of adolescents and young people are still limited within the national HIV response and concerted efforts by all stakeholders are urgently needed to accelerate and scale up the implementation of an effective HIV response.

The Government of Botswana is committed to ending AIDS by 2030 and to ensuring a bright future for its young population. To achieve this commitment, the third National Multi-sectoral HIV and AIDS Response Strategic Framework (NSF III) aligned to national priorities (NDP11 and Vision 2036) and regional and global agendas) was developed in 2018. NSF III outlines priority interventions, spells out specific programmes and strategies to fast track the response for Botswana to achieve epidemic control by 2023, with a strategic shift from a national approach to priority geographic locations and populations based on evidence. Â Â NSF III has identified adolescents and young people, including girls and young women as specific sub-populations that require targeted, well defined, age-appropriate and gender-sensitive high impact interventions that can be implemented at scale.

With support from the UN and partners, other key strategic documents to guide an effective and coordinated response for adolescents and young, that are aligned to the NSF III have been developed but are yet to be validated and disseminated for operationalization. These include the National Programming Framework for Adolescents and Young People in Botswana 2018 – 2022, the national Social and Behaviour Change Communication Strategy and the National Package of HIV services. Combined, these documents aim to guide, provide direction and support the implementation of an effective and standardized HIV response for adolescents and young people.

It is against this broad background that UNICEF seeks a consultant to support the National AIDS and Health Promotion Agency (NAHPA) with the validation, dissemination and operationalization of key strategic documents for adolescents and young people.

Scope of Work

As the country awaits to launch the NSF III, final steps in consolidating and re-aligning national strategic documents for AYP to ensure a coordinated and effective response are required. These final steps entail validating information within the AYP strategic documents and reports to the NSF III; developing advocacy packages, policy briefs and sensitization materials to be used at national and sub-national level dissemination meetings; development of toolkits for operational planning by the 10 priority districts and progress tracking tools.

Activities And Tasks

The activities will take place between July and November 2019. The process will involve the following three phases:

Desk review and development of advocacy briefs: The scope of work involves the review and validation of the current versions of the AYP documents [1] in alignment to NSF III and development of advocacy/policy briefs.

National And Sub-National Dissemination

• Dissemination packages and operational planning toolkits: The incumbent will develop dissemination packages and toolkits for operational planning and M&E. These will be used for dissemination, operational planning and progress tracking till the end of the AYP implementation period.
• National dissemination: The consultant will support preparations and facilitate national validation and dissemination of the AYP documents.
• Field Dissemination:10 districts have been identified as high priority districts for the HIV response based on the following factors: High, medium and low programme performance; geographical factors with reference to urban, rural areas; hard to reach areas; and remote areas. The incumbent will support dissemination and operational planning in these priority districts.
• Operational Planning: The incumbent will support districts in developing operational plans aligned to the AYP Framework, Standard Packages and SBCC strategy. This will include identification of key indicators and setting of district specific targets for standardizes progress tracking.

Report writing and hand over of final documents and operational plans: complete set of the comprehensive report, operational planning toolkits, district operational plans and policy briefs will be handed over to MOH.

Payment Schedule

Deliverables

Duration

(Estimated # of days or months)

Timeline/Deadline

Schedule of payment

Inception Report including: Desk review of AYP documents and development of policy briefs.

10 days

July/August 2019

20%

Dissemination packages and operational planning tool kits developed;

7 days

August/September 2019

40%

Dissemination and operational planning workshops held and dissemination report submitted

15 days

October/November 2019

20%

Report and Handing over

3 days

November 2019

20%

[1] AYP Framework, SBCC Strategy, All In reports, AYP Standard Packages

Administrative issues and Conditions

• The consultant will use own equipment to produce deliverables. Office space will be provided at UNICEF as available or as required.
• The consultant is expected to travel (max 15 days) and work in-country and remotely based on an agreed upon schedule. Timing for visits and planning will be jointly agreed with UNICEF Botswana Country Office, NAHPA and the relevant District Authorities. The consultant is required to indicate an all-inclusive fee for this assignment, considering travel to Botswana and in-country travel as applicable. Airfares and in-country living expenses based on existing UN rates, will therefore be part of the all-inclusive fee. Skype calls with country partners to be scheduled based on need.
• As per UNICEF DFAM policy, payment is made against approved deliverables. No advanced payment is allowed unless exceptions against bank guarantees, subject to a maximum of 30 percent of the total contract value, in cases where advance purchases, for example for supplies or travel maybe necessary.
• The candidate selected will be governed by and subject to UNICEF’s General Terms and Conditions for individual contracts.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• • A minimum of a Masters Degree in Public Health, Social Sciences or a relevant field is required.
  • At least 8 years experience in field of Sexual Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS in the region, including with adolescents and young people. Knowledge of HIV prevention, care and treatment programmes in Botswana is an added advantage.
  • Proven experience in supporting government and civil society with development of strategies, plans, guidelines, toolkits and reports.
  • Experience in engaging and consulting with national and sub-national authorities in development of strategic documents.
  • Demonstrated ability to analyze and interpret data, as well as proven experience in developing monitoring and evaluation plans.
  • Demonstrated evidence of having undertaken similar assignments in the past.
  • Proven record in delivering timely, quality results.
  • Excellent written and spoken English required, as well as analytic, facilitation and presentation skills.

How To Apply

Qualified candidates are requested to complete an application including profile to the respective advertisement online. Please submit your technical proposal indicating your ability, availability and an all inclusive financial proposal to complete the terms of reference above. Rates must include all expenses related to the assignment (e.g. consultancy fee, field trips(where applicable), living allowance(where applicable).

Applications submitted without a fee/rate will not be considered.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

View our competency framework at

Click to access UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

Remarks

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.