UNICEF Consultancy Social Science Research Expert Jobs in South Sudan

UNICEF Consultancy Social Science Research Expert Jobs in South Sudan

Job no: 528162

Work type: Consultancy

Location: South Sudan

Categories: Consultancy

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Terms of Reference

Title Social Science Research Expert – Ebola Viral Disease

Type of Contract Consultant

Supervision Chief, Communication for Development/C4D Ebola Coordinator
Level Mid- Level

Location South Sudan – Juba, with a frequent travel to UNICEF field offices with at risk/affected counties

Duration Six (6) months

Start Date Immediate

Background/Rationale for the Assignment

Following the continuously Ebola outbreak in DRC and the significant risk of cross-border spread to neighboring countries, WHO prioritized 9 countries for Ebola preparedness and response in line with their proximity to the outbreak epicenter and health system capacity to cope with EVD. South Sudan, along with Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi, is categorized as the priority one.

The continuous risk of EVD spread from DR Congo has emphasized due to the fact that South Sudan has reported three indigenous outbreaks in the past. The outbreaks occurred in 1976, 1979, and 2005 and all the outbreaks occurred in the Western Equatoria state hub.

The first two outbreaks occurred in Nzara and Maridi while the third outbreak occurred in Yambio alongside with a measles outbreak. These trends therefore suggest that even without the risk of EVD spread from the current outbreak in DR Congo, South Sudan harbors the reservoirs for EVD since the Greater Equatoria region shares the same ecological features with endemic locations in DR Congo.

As part of the prepared response, UNICEF is working in close coordination with Ministry of Health, WHO and other partners and actively engaged in the EVD preparedness contingency planning that aims to ensure alignment of preparedness and to be continued for readiness actions in the coming months.

UNICEF's C4D role as lead agency for risk communication includes:

i) coordination;

ii) capacity reinforcement and guidance;

iii) facilitation of assessments;

iv) production, pre-positioning and broadcast of mass media messages to raise public awareness and overcome resistance;

v) outreach to and training of opinion leaders, military personnel, journalists, community-based workers and other field-level partners; and

vi) door-to-door campaigning and interpersonal communication to deliver focused messages to households and service providers.

In addition, UNICEF through the established Risk Communication Task Force at the national level will continue to provide support to the Ministry of Health at national and state level to ensure effective coordination.

Due to the key role UNICEF plays in coordinating Ebola Preparedness Response on Risk Communication, Social Mobilization and Community Engagement across the country with more focus on high risk states, UNICEF (C4D) is seeking to deploy a Social Science Research Expert/Anthropologist with solid expertise in data collection and analysis of prevailing socio-cultural practices.

Purpose & Expected Results

Under the guidance of the Communication for Development (C4D) Chief, and in close coordination with the UNICEF C4D Ebola Coordinator working on Risk Communication, Social Mobilization and Community Engagement, the Social Science Research Expert/Anthropologist is responsible for generating new community intelligence, reanalyze and use existing socio-anthropological and communication data, and make real time recommendations to the Ebola

Response Team to address challenges faced around community engagement and acceptance of response teams. The ultimate aim is to provide in-depth and routine social science analysis based on the prevailing socio-political context, growing insecurity and sporadic violence, and fine tune the on-going community engagement strategy and contribute towards preventing the EVD outbreak. Specific purpose of this consultancy is to:

I. Support the planning and implementation of concrete and evidence-driven risk communication and community engagement
Through socio-anthropological and communication data collection, analysis and establishment of working baselines for community knowledge, risk perception and levels of trust, UNICEF will support the National EVD preparedness and control efforts and will define and implement concrete

and evidence-driven risk communication and community engagement activities that will build, maintain and/or restore community ‘trust’ and ‘confidence’ in relation to the health risk management authorities and outbreak control measures put in place by health authorities in South Sudan.

II. Address and respond to rumours in ‘near-real-time’ through community participation, towards establishing and maintaining a high-level of public trust vis-à-vis the authorities.

A basic framework for systematic data analysis, distilling of key influencing factors, identifying areas/populations missing from EVD messaging, and a ‘near-real-time’ response mechanism will be established.

Data will be gathered on a weekly basis through community feedback and rumour tracking by over 500 frontline mobilisers during their routine community engagement work and these outputs, findings, and recommendations from the ongoing analysis and response mechanism, will in turn, feed in ‘near-real-time’ into localized and targeted design of interventions, training, messaging, and implementation approaches.

III. Improve EVD knowledge, acceptance and compliance with the recommended prevention and control measures, among all communities, including those in opposition-controlled areas
Consultant will develop and produce guidance, SOPs, tools, job-aids, and a ‘bundled’ training package for training front-line mobilizers, radio station staff, and EVD hotline functionaries to systematically collect/solicit data on circulating and emerging rumours, opinions, misperceptions, and misinformation and will Conduct a series of training workshops at State levels for the orientation and rapid training of UNICEF/Partners’ mobilizers, radio station staff, EVD hotline staff (at national level) in tracking rumours/misinformation and taking immediate responsive actions.

Qualifications and Competencies

Advanced university degree in behavioural and/or social sciences (cultural or medical anthropology, sociology, behavioural science, etc.)

Understanding of current developments in the field of Risk Communication, Social Mobilization and Community Engagement as used in Disease Outbreak Response, including how strategic communication is used to address behaviours and social science dimensions towards stopping the outbreak is needed.

At least 8 years of applied research experience, including experience in developing country context, preferably in Africa.

At least 2-year experience of work in public health emergency contexts.

Knowledge of and experience in research that takes into account social, political and economic environment of East, West and Central Africa;

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Arabic or local languages is an asset.

Deliverables (SMART)

Deadline

Monthly analysis of the source of the misperceptions related to the EVD prevention and response and its drivers and facilitate the higher engagement of community health workers and other stakeholders into the improvement of care seeking practices in 3 states of Greater Equatoria (monthly social science brief to be submitted) January – June 2020

Conceptualize recommendations through a monthly brief to facilitate the integration of sociocultural and behavioral issues into the risk communication, social mobilization and community engagement activities targeting religious and traditional groups, political leaders, youth, women and civil society January – June 2020

Establish three state EVD behavioural baselines on levels of community knowledge, risk perception, levels of trust and confidence in relation to the (health) authorities, and priority issues of community concern, through review and synthesis of finding from the ongoing KAP survey, FGDs, and data from the rumour tracking system in place. January – June 2020

Develop and produce guidance, SOPs, tools, job-aids, and a ‘bundled’ training package for training front-line mobilizers, radio station staff, and EVD hotline functionaries to systematically collect/solicit data on circulating and emerging rumours, opinions, misperceptions, and misinformation. February 2020


Conduct TOT workshop for 14 Master Trainers to cascade the ‘bundled’ training at sub-national level on social research March 2020
Conduct three state level training for the orientation and rapid training of UNICEF/Partners’ mobilizers, radio station staff, EVD hotline staff (at national level) in tracking rumours/misinformation and taking immediate responsive actions. Jan, Feb, March 2020

Establish a technical group in all three GE states and develop a methodology to rapidly analyse and characterize the incoming field data, in terms of emerging thematic categories and potential for negative impact on community ‘trust’ and ‘confidence’ in the (health) authorities and recommend appropriate and strategic response actions.

For more information and to Apply see;

UNICEF Consultancy Social Science Research Expert Jobs in South Sudan