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Ref.
2024/EEDVDGEPDPDG/11660

Job offer type
Experts

Type of contract
Service contract

Activity sectors
Health determinants ; Environment and health ; Health policy ; Health systems

Sub-theme
Gender ; Maternal and newborn health ; Sexual and reproductive health ; Health systems governance ; Health workforce ; Health services delivery ; Public health services ; Primary health care

Deadline date
2024/08/19 12:52

Duration of the assignment
Short term

Contract
Freelancer

Duration
20 jours

Mission description

This service is part of the preparatory study for the project to rebuild the Melsisi health centre and provide support for its reopening. For component 1 "Diagnosis of the healthcare system", the expected deliverables are described below:

 

  1. Deliverable 1: Methodological proposal, detailing the working approach, tools, planned methodology and detailed work schedule.
  2. Deliverable 2: A diagnostic report analysing the following issues in particular: 
  • Analysis of existing texts and mechanisms in Vanuatu on gender issues;
  • Analysis of the cross-cutting issues between gender and health in Vanuatu, and on Pentecost Island in particular. This work will be based on a gender-specific analysis of health indicators, as well as the representation of women and men in the sector's professions. A qualitative analysis will also be carried out. This should include an analysis of women's vulnerabilities, as well as an insight into the representations of the sector, which can lead to inequality;
  • Analysis of how gender is taken into account within the health centre, and a comparative analysis of any other successful experiences in the country; 
  • Identification and analysis of possible gender-related barriers to access to healthcare, particularly on the islands of Pentecost and Melsisi;
  • Analysis of the extent to which gender issues are taken into account by healthcare professionals, and of the degree of awareness of these issues within the framework of training for healthcare professions;

 

     3. Deliverable 3: An objective, planned and costed gender action plan, which will include, as a minimum:

  •  Integrating gender issues into the architecture of the infrastructure ;
  •  Better integration of gender into the governance and life of the establishment (managerial aspect);
  •  Gender-sensitive treatment of the population;
  •  Ways of enhancing the training of professionals so as to change the way these issues are perceived and taken into account;

Project or context description

In April 2020, the passage of Cyclone Harold over the northern islands of Vanuatu destroyed half of the school buildings and medical infrastructure, including the buildings of the Melsisi health centre, located on the island of Pentecost, exacerbating the vulnerability of communities in remote areas. During the French President's visit to Vanuatu in July 2023, a commitment was made to rebuild the improved Melsisi health centre. 

The Melsisi health centre, on the island of Pentecost, is run by a Catholic mission which has an operating agreement with the Ministry of Health. The estimated population of the Melsisi health area is less than 10,000. The health centre is under the administrative and technical supervision of the Penama Provincial Health Department, which in principle provides and pays for the staff, comprising a prescribing nurse, a midwife, two nurses, a community health worker and a driver. It is planned to rebuild an "improved" health centre, which will require the presence of a doctor, although the mobilisation and training of health human resources in Melsisi will be one of the key challenges of the project.

In this context, the project aims to improve access to quality healthcare in Vanuatu, through :

1.       Rebuilding the Melsisi health centre;
2.       Support for its opening and commissioning;
3.       Support, where necessary, to strengthen nursing training.

The project will also try to take account of gender issues specific to the sector and will incorporate climate challenges by improving the resilience of the infrastructure built. One of the challenges of the study's initial diagnosis will also be to analyse access to healthcare for the people of Melsisi.

The aim of this service is therefore to carry out the preparatory study for the project to rebuild the Melsisi health centre, and to provide support for its reopening. In this context, Expertise France is seeking to mobilise French and regional public and/or private and/or Vanuatu-based expertise (preferably already based in Vanuatu or in the Pacific region) to respond to the areas of intervention of this study (see below):

i.            Diagnostic areas :

  •  Area 1: Diagnosis and improvement of knowledge of the health system :
  •  Area 2: Study of climatic vulnerabilities and formulation of proposals for action to manage the project's risks;
  •  Area 3: Study of gender vulnerabilities and proposal for a gender action plan.

ii.            Formulation priorities :

  •  Area 4: feasibility of rehabilitating the health centre while ensuring its climatic resilience ;
  •  Area 5: development of a support programme for the opening;
  •  Area 6 (optional): Support for the training of health human resources

The proposed technical assistance will have to take into account the requests made by the Vanuatu counterparts during the initial discussions to be held in the summer of 2024, as well as any strategic documents that may be shared.

Required profile

  •  Master's degree or doctorate in social sciences (sociology, gender, demography, psychology, ethnology, anthropology) and solid academic background in gender studies;
  •  Knowledge of stakeholder analysis tools and/or experience: stakeholder games and issues, social organisation of communities
  •  Proven knowledge of gender equality issues in health;
  •  Proven experience in conducting qualitative and quantitative field surveys and baseline studies of development projects incorporating gender and gender equality issues;
  •  Solid technical skills in research, particularly in gender mainstreaming in public health policies and in the training of human resources in health;
  •  Completion of gender studies with publications or mission reports on gender issues;
  •  Excellent interpersonal, facilitation and communication skills;
  •  Fluency in Bichelamar would be an asset;
  •  Knowledge of developing and emerging geographies and the Pacific in particular;

Experience or relays in Vanuatu or the neighbouring region are strongly recommended.

Additional information

The experts' application must include :

  •  CV of the team of experts, including references ;
  •  Profile of the applicant organisation;
  •  A signed and scanned technical proposal presenting the understanding of these terms of reference, a description of the envisaged methodology, a risk analysis, a description of the division of labour between the experts, a provisional timetable and a budget.
  • A technical proposal and a financial proposal must be submitted by the deadline by email to the following address: nicolas.andrade@expertisefrance.fr 

Selection criteria for applications

The selection process for candidates will be based on the following criteria :

  • Candidate’s training/skills/experience
  • Candidate’s skills linked with the expert mission
  • Candidate’s experiences linked with the expert mission
  • Candidate's knowledges related to local context (country or region intervention)
  • Candidate’s understanding of cooperation project stakes
  • Candidate’s understanding of the mission’s role in the cooperation project

Deadline for application : 2024/08/19 12:52

Expertise France is the public agency for designing and implementing international technical cooperation projects. The agency operates around four key priorities :

  • democratic, economic, and financial governance ;
  • peace, stability, and security ;
  • climate, agriculture, and sustainable development ;
  • health and human development ;

In these areas, Expertise France conducts capacity-building initiatives and manages project implementation, leveraging technical expertise and acting as a project coordinator. This involves combining public sector expertise with private sector skills to drive impactful results. 

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