International consultant -Violence Against Children in EMRO region-VIP/VAC

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Qualifications

1.       Purpose of the Consultancy

The purpose of this international consultancy is to assist the Violence, Injuries and Disabilities programme (VIP) in EMRO in addressing violence against children in health including following-up on the implementation of the outcomes of the First Ministerial Conference on Violence Against Children in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR).

Background

Violence Against Children (VAC) is a pervasive global public health and human rights issue. According to the Global status report on preventing violence against children 2020, the EMR has the third highest child homicide rate globally. Beyond injuries and deaths, VAC causes devastating health, educational, social and economic consequences for children, their families and societies. Such violence is further exacerbated by the prevailing humanitarian crisis and emergencies existing in the EMR, creating unique challenges.

WHO has been forthcoming in working closely with partners to address violence against children in all settings and contexts from a public health perspective. The Global action plan on Strengthening the health system’s response to violence, especially against women and girls and against children, endorsed by Member States in 2016, and consequent WHA resolution 67.15 provides the political mandate to strengthen the role of health within a multisectoral action to address this menace. This was followed by another landmark resolution on Ending violence against children (74.17) in 2021 further reinforcing previous commitments. This needs to be aligned within an overall child health perspectives. The Regional implementation framework for newborn, child and adolescent health 2019–2023 also highlights injuries and violence as key areas. 

The First Ministerial Conference on Violence Against Children, held in November 2024, brought together global and regional leaders to affirm high-level commitments to end all forms of such. Several countries in the EMR made concrete pledges to accelerate national action in this area. These included legislative reforms, improved data systems, investment in prevention programs, and multi-sectoral coordination mechanisms. Other EMR countries are also implementing and championing health programs to prevent and respond to violence against children, in line with the outcome document of the conference. WHO is committed to technically supporting all related efforts in all contexts.

Building on the momentum of the Global Conference, , a follow-up on ongoing and planned efforts to address violence against children is essential to assess progress, identify challenges, and support the effective evidence-based implementation across the Region.

2.       Planned timelines (subject to confirmation)

The planned duration of the consultancy is of four months

Start date:  15/08/2025                                                       

End date: 15/12/2025                                                       

3.       Work to be performed

The following outputs, to be performed in full consultation with WHO.

Output 1: Support selected EMR countries in operationalizing and monitoring Ministerial pledges on VAC and advancing national VAC programming

Deliverable 1.1: Mapping of health system response to VAC in the EMR

1. • Undertake a mapping exercise of related efforts in EMR countries that made pledges or countries that are actively strengthening health sector response to VAC.  
   • Draft a situational analysis based on the findings of the mapping for WHO review and feedback.

      

     Deliverable 1.2: Design a tool to track progress in addressing VAC at country level

     1. • Design and apply a practical tool/template to track progress on pledges and/or VAC programming in health and support country engagement to translate the political commitments into concrete actions.

          Deliverable 1.3: Develop country specific sheets

          1. • Draft country-specific sheets reflecting actions taken with a focus on the health sector since the Ministerial Conference based on national plans, with identification of technical support needed from WHO.

               Output 2: Document progress, bottlenecks, and lessons learned through a structured follow-up and consultation process

               Deliverable 2.1: Structured follow-up and stakeholder consultation

               1. • Conduct meetings with countries with concerned counterparts to identify challenges and bottlenecks as well as mitigating actions to capture pledge/programme implementation status and systemic challenges.

                    Deliverable 2.3: Summary report on VAC action across EMR countries

                    1. • Synthesis of progress and barriers relating to addressing VAC in health, within an overall multisectoral response, in different contexts across the Region.

                         Output 3: Support regional analysis and research efforts to implement EMR country pledges/programmes to address VAC

                         Deliverable 3.1: Conduct research to support VAC pledge implementation and programming  

                         📚 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯! 🌍🤝 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗨𝗡𝗛𝗖𝗥, 𝗪𝗙𝗣, 𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗘𝗙, 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗦𝗦, 𝗨𝗡𝗙𝗣𝗔, 𝗜𝗢𝗠 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀! 🌐

                         ⚠️ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐰: 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐍𝐎𝐖!

                         1. • Draft a VAC health policy desk review
                            • Support other relevant VAC health-related analysis and research as needed

                              Output 4: Facilitate policy analysis and country level dialogue based on the results of the global RMNCAH policy survey with a focus of child and adolescent health including VAC

                              Deliverable 4.1: Perform regional analysis and synthesise a regional brief on child and adolescent health component [including VAC} of RMNCAH policy survey

                              o   Draft the regional brief

                              o   Support policy dialogue exercise with high burden countries

                              4.       Technical Supervision

                              The selected Consultant will work on the supervision of:

                              Responsible Officer:

                              Dr Hala Sakr Ali, TO/VIP/HPD

                              Email:

                              sakrha@who.int

                              Manager:

                              Dr Asmus Hammerich, A/HPD

                              Email:

                              hammericha@who.int

                               

                               

                              5.       Specific requirements

                              - Qualifications required:        

                              Masters degree in medicine, public health or epidemiology.

                               

                              - Experience required:

                              Essential:

                              ·         5 to 10  years of relevant experience in public health, which include experience in data collection/analysis (such as surveys, datasets) for action.

                              ·         Experience in violence against children and child and adolescent health.

                              ·         International experience is mandatory for international consultant.

                              ·         Desirable: Previous experience working with WHO or the UN

                               

                              Skills / Technical skills and knowledge:

                              ·