Consultancy: Anthropological study to support Ebola Preparedness at UNICEF

Job Number: 527375

Work Type : Consultancy

KENYA COUNTRY OFFICE TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTORS/ CONSULTANTS 

Title	Anthropological Study to support Ebola Preparedness
Purpose	To recruit a social scientist (medical or social anthropologist) for Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) preparedness and conduct a response study in Kenya
Location	Nairobi with travel to a sample of high-risk counties
Duration	3 Months (90 working Days)
Start Date	15th October 2019
Reporting to	Manager, Communication for Development

BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION

Kenya remains vulnerable to natural and man-made disasters, which pose serious public health threats to the population. Over the years, the country has experienced several disease outbreaks such as Cholera, Kalaazar, Measles, Malaria and Hepatitis B.

On 1 August 2018, the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared a new outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in North Kivu Province. Later, with Uganda experiencing a large refugee influx from the Democratic Republic of Congo the Ebola threat became a reality for Uganda as well.

Due to high perceived threat of Ebola to Kenya and the highly mobile populations between Uganda and Kenya, the Ministry of Health in Kenya, WHO, UNICEF and other development partners are working to implement preparedness plans in Kenya. The Ministry of Health has placed 8 counties in Kenya as high risk due to its proximity to Uganda as well as in consideration of other risk factors.

Communication for Development (C4D) cross sectoral support to the Health Sector is often at the forefront of UNICEF emergency response. This is where knowledge, attitudes, practices and social norms play key role in adoption of life-saving and protective behaviours. The current high alert state  warrants developing robust capacity from UNICEF, governments, development partners and communities to prepare and respond to emergencies such as Ebola and potential/probable disease outbreaks in the country.

UNICEF would like to engage the services of a Social Scientist (medical or social anthropologist) to join the Social Mobilisation teams working on EVD preparedness in the high-risk counties in Kenya. The aim is to strengthen community engagement and empowerment activities for Ebola virus disease outbreak response in Kenya. 

The social scientist (medical or social anthropologist) will work under the overall administrative supervision of the C4D Manager and under the technical guidance of the MoH DDSR and Health Promotion Division along with the Advocacy, Communication, Social Mobilisation (ACSM) Committee of the DDSR.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this 3 months’ consultancy is to:

• Support Ebola preparedness planning processes with information on community dynamics and cultural factors that may impact health seeking and preventive behaviors related to Ebola.
• Advise on how to address possible areas of cultural resistance to information and practices related to Ebola prevention.
• Advise on how to leverage community/cultural assets in support of risk communication for Ebola prevention.
• Inform the implementation of risk communication and social mobilization activities to ensure that they are culturally appropriate and acceptable to local communities at risk of Ebola.

In a addition the consultant is expected to conduct a study in 8 tier 1 risk counties whose specific objectives are:

1. To describe community perceptions and behaviours that are related to or can impact the EVD preparedness and response, specifically using applied anthropological research that contextualizes perceptions, livelihoods, health-seeking, funeral and burial practices in high-risk districts in Kenya.
2. To understand the relationship between community members and local, county and national stakeholders to identify leverage points for strengthening community rapport and trust in stakeholders for better EVD preparedness in Kenya.
3. To document the policy and enabling environment of EVD preparedness in Kenya.
4. To facilitate the integration of sociocultural and other contextual issues in risk communication, social mobilization, and community engagement activities under the umbrella of EVD preparedness in Kenya.

SCOPE OF WORK

The anthropologist / social scientist shall perform the following duties:

1. Conduct field investigation using applied anthropological research methods to better understand community perceptions and behaviours that are related to or can impact on the Ebola response, including but not limited to livelihoods, health seeking behaviours, and funeral and burial practices.
2. Conduct focus group discussions, observations, one-on-one interviews with key stakeholders, including community influencers, frontline health responders, alternative medicine providers including herbalists and others as seen appropriate.
3. Map key community influencers for EVD prevention and control
4. Develop an engagement strategy for community level SBCC including social norms
5. Facilitate the integration of sociocultural and other contextual issues within the risk communication, social mobilization and community engagement activities being implemented among religious and traditional groups, political leaders; youths, women and civil society groups among others to strengthen rapport and trust.
6. Support the Risk Communication and Social Mobilization component of the Ebola preparedness and response plan and participate in relevant coordination meetings as needed.
7. Any other tasks as may be requested by the supervisors

METHODOLOGY

Should employ cross-sectional anthropological research methods in order to describe the social and cultural context to inform EVD preparedness in high-risk districts in Kenya.  The study should rely on rapid ethnography - the use of focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and participant observation - to answer the above-mentioned research questions.

SAMPLE FRAMEWORK

The consultant should advice on a multivariant sample framework based on the priority 1 – high risk counties identified in the National Plan.

Expected deliverables:

1. Submit an inception report and detailed work-plan.
2. Meet regularly with relevant members of the Risk Communication & Social Mobilization sub-committee, National Task Force members and IPs.
3. Provision of timely inputs to the ongoing community engagement and empowerment activities through facilitation of regular meetings of the stakeholders;
4. Synthesised report(s) which are based on field investigations and highlight the key issues regarding social, cultural and behavioural factors associated with the EVD outbreak.
5. Recommendations which address challenges in engaging with affected communities
6. Final report with challenges, gaps and recommendations.

All materials and data produced would belong to UNICEF and the Ministry of Health, and as such, cannot be used otherwise without written consent.

KEY DELIVERABLES AND SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS

BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE

Education Qualifications

Essential

An advanced university degree in Medical/Social Anthropology, from an accredited and recognized institution.

Desirable

• Advanced University degree or substantial training in Medical/Cultural/ Social Anthropology
• Specialized training in participatory approaches; participatory research
• Specialized training in emergency/disaster/outbreak response
• Training in impact evaluation of community engagement/social mobilization interventions.

Experience

Essential

• At least seven years’ relevant experience at international level in conducting social science research for public health interventions; or health promotion; or community engagement; or social mobilization programmes.
• At least 2 years of experience in emergency settings, specifically disease outbreaks
• Experience in operational research in social sciences for public health and emergency response

Desirable

• Experience in disease outbreak response.
• Prior working experience with UN
• Prior experience in African settings

Language Skills

Excellent knowledge of English

Other Skills (e.g. IT)

• Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and Excel).
• Familiarity with the use survey tools, analysis tools and web-based platforms for coordination

Functional Knowledge and Skills

• Strong strategic planning and organizational skills: ability to design, generate, analyze and appropriately apply findings using social science methods, approaches including qualitative research to planning and project design; the ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary and multicultural environment with tact and diplomacy; an ability to meet tight deadlines; an ability to efficiently and effectively co-ordinate activities and tasks to meet specific objectives.
• Knowledge and understanding of public health approaches related to: social sciences, community engagement; social mobilization; an understanding of emergency response; ability to co-ordinate multidisciplinary and technical inputs into designing social science interventions, strategies and plans.
• Excellent coordination and planning skills: the ability to draw strategic conclusions of scattered information and build from situational analysis into practical solutions in the field, ability to map and identify resources required for activities from broader partnerships. 
• Excellent communication: the ability to clearly present ideas and concepts both orally and written.
• Excellent interpersonal skills: the ability to build relationships and work with stakeholders and partners.

GENERAL CONDITIONS: PROCEDURES AND LOGISTICS

• The consultant will utilise UNICEF office space and equipment as and when required, e.g. desk, chair, internet access, telephone. The consultant will provide his/her own laptop.
• The consultancy will not commence unless a contract is signed by both UNICEF and consultant.
• The consultant will not have supervisory responsibility within UNICEF, nor responsibilities on UNICEF budget and other resources
• The consultancy will include DSA for any field travel and consultant will have to arrange for his/her own field travel unless UNICEF Staff join the said mission, then the consultant may join the official mission vehicle and transport will not be reimbursed in this case. access to UNICEF transport for field travel
• Under the consultancy agreements, a month is defined as 21 working days, and fees are prorated accordingly.  Consultants are not paid for weekends or public holidays
• Consultants are not entitled to payment of overtime.  All remuneration must be within the contract agreement
• Consultants 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, if applicable
• The Form 'Designation, change or revocation of beneficiary' has to be completed by the consultant upon arrival, at the HR Section