Contract type: Consultancy
Level: Consultancy
Location: United Republic of Tanzania
Categories: Health, HIV/AIDS, Planning, Programme Management
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Tanzania is a home to 1.7 million of people living with HIV with 77,000 new HIV infections in the year 2019 (UNAIDS 2019). The HIV prevalence was 4.8% among young people and adults aged 15-49 in the same year.
Awareness of HIV status is a critical component of HIV epidemic control. In 2019, the percentage of people living with HIV who knew their status was 83% against the global target of 90% by 2020 and the national target of 95% by 2022. Being aware of HIV-positive status is the first step to access the HIV care and treatment services however, evidence shows greater variation of voluntary HIV testing among men and women.
Adolescents aged 15-19 have particularly low testing levels, despite high levels of unprotected sexual activities among them. It was estimated that 79% of adolescent men and 61.4% of adolescent women had never tested for HIV. Not only male adolescents but also men from other age groups are not actively participating in HIV testing. Only 59.2% of men aged 15 years and older have reported having tested for HIV and received results compared to 70.8% of their female peers.
Iringa is among regions in the country with the highest rate of HIV prevalence (11.3% second after Njombe 11.4%) for adults aged 15 and above. The region has the highest burden of HIV associated with several socio-economic factors including high economic activities that includes frequent traders’ migration and mobile workers. This situation fuel casual unprotected sexual activities due to separation from families or permanent sexual partners. Some of economic sectors that are heavily associated with migration among laborer who are timber, mining and agriculture including tea plantations with less or no workplace HIV interventions. The sectors also attract youth, adolescents, and young women from poor households to work informally as food vendors whereas in most cases they end up engaging into transactional sex in order to earn more income which in turn increases their vulnerability to contracting HIV new infection. Access to services is also exacerbating the situation. In some places a nearest health facility is at between 10 to 40 kilometers away coupled with less programme on HIV prevention care and support.
In responding to the situation, Within the framework of the UNAIDS – Unified Budgetary Result Framework (UBRAF) 2020-2021, the National Multsectoral Strategic Framework IV (NMSF) for HIV and AIDS 2018-2023 and the UNDAP II 2016-2022, the UN Joint Team on HIV is supporting the implementation of HIV testing services with focus to closing the testing gaps among men and adolescent men in Tanzania. UNICEF in collaboration with ILO Tanzania supported the implementation of a project on promoting the HIV testing and referral targeting young people and vulnerable adolescent boys and girls in remote hot spots of Iringa region since September 2020. It is a 12 month project to end in December 2021. The project is being implemented by Iringa Development of Youth, Disabled and Children Care (IDYDC) and Tanzania Union of Industrial and Commercial Workers (TUICO) in five potential hotspot administrative wards of Ikweha, Ihanu, Ikongosi, Ifwagi and Mninga engaging also companies thus Mufindi Paper Mill Company and Sao Hill Foresty Association (SAFIA).
UNICEF is supporting Mufindi district council to demonstrate the HIV testing program using peer educators and reaching vulnerable adolescent boys and girls in the remote settings. This includes building capacity of health care workers on youth friendly services, support HIV testing services linkages between community and health facilities, support creation of peer education group and supporting raising awareness and education on HIV and AIDS for workers in the lumbering industry and HIV testing among vulnerable adolescent boys and girls. UNICEF is leading the documentation of best practices for possible scale up these interventions. Other activities include supporting national stakeholder consultative meeting for advocacy with regional and national authorities including private sector testing model.
ILO is leading the efforts to engage private sector actors at both local, district and national level to support reaching more adult men who have higher risk of HIV infection to access HIV testing services in remote informal workplaces settings. While men are the key target group given the low risk HIV testing uptake and high-risk behaviors, programme efforts also promotes stronger male engagement in prevention efforts, gender equality and prevention of violence and harassment of women. Additional activities involve holding joint monitoring visits with senior government officials and other key stakeholders on HIV testing with high risk young people and adult men. ILO is also supporting the development of Workplace HIV policies that sets for conducive environment so support HIV prevention activities including HIV testing services among workers in the informal workplace settings through the association and workers unions.
Documentation of implementation experience including best practices, lesson learned and providing recommendations about HIV testing and referral programme among adult men, adolescents and young people in remote hotspot areas is important in informing better HIV testing programming and implementation in the project area and outside.
Overall objectives of the consultancy:
The overall objective of this consultancy is to assess and document the outcomes of HIV testing and referral services for to adult men, young people and vulnerable adolescent boys and girls in remote hotspots of Iringa region. Documented practices will be disseminated to support tailored HIV testing services in policy and practices among vulnerable adolescents boys and girls including men at remote work place settings. development of better tailored HIV services to these population groups
Specific objectives of the consultancy:
- To assess and document objectively the strategies used and outcomes achieved in delivering HIV testing services for adult men, young people and vulnerable adolescents in remote hotspots of Iringa region.
- To identify and document good practices and lesson learned
- To assess if the approaches used are scalable for HIV testing services for migratory and mobile workers of adult men and vulnerable adolescents.
Methodology:
The consultant is expected to work under the technical guidance of UNICEF Children and HIV sections HIV/AIDS Specialist. He/she will work with National AIDS Control Programme (NACP), regional and district government authorities as well as implementing partners for technical guidance on HIV testing particularly among adult men and adolescents. The overall process of this consultancy will employ an in-depth consultative approach and involve stakeholders at national, regional, and subnational levels.
Stakeholders’ involvement and strong collaboration with Iringa RS, Mufindi DC, NACP and TACAIDS will be needed.
The consultant will provide technical expertise to UNICEF, MOHCDGEC and PORALG on supporting development of better tailored HIV services to these population groups for migratory and mobile workers targeting adult men and vulnerable adolescents. This may include a variety of areas such as policy and strategic review, guidance, advocacy, training, and other aspects of HIV testing among mobile workers in remote hotspots.
Specific tasks, Methods and Expected Deliverables:
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Objective/ key task |
Method |
Deliverables |
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Summary of Expected Outputs:
- A presentation of Inception report detailing the overall consultancy framework including the Programme implementation evaluation tools, approaches, and implementation schedule.
- A field visit report summarizing the implementation approaches of the HIV testing modeling project. The report should include the following. The general overview of the project implementation approach & A highlight of key enablers and bottlenecks affecting the Programme implementation.
- A presentation of first and second draft of key findings from the field indicating the best practices and lesson learned. The second draft should incorporate all the inputs from the ministry and other key stakeholders.
- Submission of final draft of a paper detailing the best practices,
lesson learned and strategic recommendation for possible scale up of HIV
testing programmes targeting mobile workers in remote hotspots.
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Duration of the consultancy.
This consultancy covers a period of 30 days spread within 2-months with different timeline in report submission and payment.
Payment schedule
| Phase | Deliverables | Payment |
| Preparatory (3 days) | Inception report detailing the overall consultancy framework including the programme implementation assessment tools, approach, report outline, and justifiable timeline | 20% |
| Phase 1 (18 days) | Analysis of existing documents (policy and guidelines), review and
analysis of HIV testing data (including comparative analysis before and
during the project)
A field visit report summarizing the implementation approaches of the HIV testing modeling project. The report should include the following.
|
40% |
| Phase 2 (3 days) | A presentation of first and second draft of key findings from the field indicating the best practices and lesson learned. The second draft should incorporate all the inputs from the ministry and other key stakeholders | 20% |
| Phase 3 (6 days) | Submission of approved final draft of a paper detailing the best practices, lesson learned and strategic recommendations for adaptation of better tailored HIV testing programmes targeting vulnerable mobile workers in remote hotspots. | 20% |
| TOTAL | 100 |
Payment of each phase will only be made after submission of the required approved (by HIV Specialist, the supervisor) final reports for each objective
Communication and reporting:
The consultant will report to UNICEF HIV Specialist however he/she will be working closely with implementing partners and LGAs involved in this consultancy.
Language Requirements:
Fluency in both English and Swahili (verbal and written).
Contractual obligation:
No member of the consultancy team may commit UNICEF or undertake any tasks or travel related to the consultancy before a contract has been duly signed between themselves and UNICEF. The consultant must abide by the terms and conditions of the contract signed with UNICEF. The consultant shall uphold professional standards of practice including observing human rights of children, adolescents and women.
Consultant will be required to sign the Health statement for consultants/Individual contractor prior to taking up the assignment, and to document that they have appropriate health insurance, including Medical Evacuation.
Selection process:
Interested individual and consultancy firms should submit their technical and financial proposals. The technical evaluation will account for 75% and the financial will be 25%. Sum of technical and financial application will be 100%.
Assessment/ selection process and method:
Interested consultant will be assessed based on a technical and financial proposal. The financial proposal should include all related cost including travel cost with breakdown for each component of the proposed work deliverables based on an estimate of time taken which needs to be stated. The budget narrative must explain the assumptions behind all cost estimates.
The proposals will go through a technical and financial evaluation to determine their merits for this assignment. The technical proposal will have a weight of 75%, while the financial proposal will have a weight of 25%.
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).
The UNICEF competencies required for this post are, Builds and maintains partnerships, Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness, Drive to achieve results for impact, Innovates and embraces change, Manage ambiguity and complexity, thinks and acts strategically and Works collaboratively with others.
Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.
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 be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.
The deadline for submitting the application is 21 October 2021.
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