Purpose of consultancy:

To support UNFPA Timor-Leste to strengthen the capacity of Health Sector to respond to gender-based violence especially in providing a survivor-centred services, case management and referral through implementation of in-service training package and its follow-up modules for health care providers, follow-up after training as well as technical support to ensure operability of safe spaces and provision of survivor-centered services at health facilities.

Background

Gender-based violence (GBV) remains one of the most pervasive human rights and public health issues in the young nation of Timor-Leste. The 2016 Timor-Leste Demographic Health Survey said that one third (33%) of women aged 15-49 in Timor-Leste have experienced physical violence since age 15. Violence is equally a public health concern and barrier to the country’s sustainable development. Addressing GBV is fundamental to achieve all of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. In light of health worker’s critical role in GBV prevention and response, GBV is a major but preventable public health problem.
Reducing and responding to GBV takes concerted and coordinated effort from a range of sectors including social services, the judiciary and police. The health sector therefore needs to play an important role within a multi-sectoral framework.
The health care system is the only institution that interacts with almost every woman at some point in her life and women exposed to violence visit health services more frequently than non-abused women. Health service providers, especially those serving in accident and emergency wards and in women’s health settings such as reproductive and sexual health, maternal child health and prenatal settings, have a critical role to play in detecting, referring and caring for women living with violence. Interventions by health providers can potentially mitigate both the short and long-term health effects of GBV against women and their families.
UNFPA have been working closely with the Ministry of Health and the National Institute for Public Health, by providing technical support in strengthening the capacity of the health system to ensure that survivors receive the essential health services in a systematic and sustainable manner, in line with national and international guidelines.
The institutional health system in Timor-Leste is now geared towards addressing the issue of GBV as many health care providers and managers have been trained with developed in-service training package for care providers to respond to GBV, including IPV, safe spaces are established within prioritized health facilities as required to ensure privacy and confidentiality and developed GBV HMIS indicators and reporting format has been integrated within the TLHIS-2 of Ministry of Health. Moving forward, UNFPA will continue supporting Ministry of Health and National Institute for Public Health of Timor-Leste to further strengthen the capacity of health sector’s response to GBV in Timor-Leste.

Scope of work:(Description of services, activities, or outputs)

The national consultant, under the overall guidance of UNFPA gender team (Programme Analyst for Gender), through ZONTA International and KOICA-funded project, will provide technical support UNFPA to providetechnical support to Ministry of Health and National Institute for Public Health of Timor-Leste to further strengthen the capacity of health sector in delivering survivor-centered services at health facilities and established safe spaces. The detailed deliverables are as follows:
1. Support implementation of in-service training package for Health Care Providers to respond to GBV, including IPV and its follow-up modules (supportive supervision and mentoring) as well as follow-up after training.
2. Technical support to Ministry of Health to ensure the operationalization of safe spaces and services provided at safe spaces are survivor-centered in line with national and global guideline (WHO).
3. Support update the referral pathways information in collaboration with MSSI.
4. Technical support to MOH to ensure that health facilities (Community Health Centers & Health Posts) prioritize and implement GBV services.
5. Technical support to UNTL and other private universities in implementing pre-service curriculum for GBV.
6. Report of technical support provided in reviewing national guideline for health care providers to respond to GBV, including IPV.
7. Support Ministry of Health to review and update the national guideline for Health Care Providers to respond to GBV, including IPV.
8. Support the implementation of GBViE SOP, guideline and training.
9. Technical support to implement the integrated services of SRH and GBV.
10. Support National Institute for Public Health of Timor-Leste to implement MFE training and finalizing document form in collaboration with MOH and Justice system.
11. Support conduct joint trainings of multi-sectoral GBV response teams in project sites on survivor centered case management and referral.

Duration and working schedule:11 months upon signing of contract.

Place where services are to be delivered: UNFPA Timor-Leste CO, General Directorates and National Directorate of MCH of MoH, and Municipal Health Services.

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy etc.):

Key Deliverables:
1. Report of implementation of in-service training package for Health Care Providers to respond to GBV, including IPV and its follow-up modules (supportive supervision and mentoring) as          well as follow-up after training.
2. Monitoring report of the operationalization of safe spaces and services provided at safe spaces are survivor-centered, including gaps identified in quality of services and set up action plans to      address gaps identified.
3. Updated the referral pathways information in collaboration with MSSI.
4. Report of the technical support provided to health facilities (Community Health Centers & Health Posts) prioritize and deliver GBV services (improved infrastructure and service readiness        of health facilities).
5. Report of technical support provide to UNTL and other tertiary education in strengthening the implementation of GBV pre-service curriculum.
6. Report of the the implementation of GBViE SOP, guideline and training.

7. Report of technical support provided in implementing the integrated services of SRH and GBV.
8. Report of Medical forensic examination training, finalization of harmonized history and documentation form for survivors of GBV, and its utilization at health facilities.
9. Report of joint trainings of multi-sectoral GBV response teams in project sites on survivor centered case management and referral.

Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:

• Weekly meeting with relevant programme staff and Ministry of Health as required.
• Regular consultation with UNFPA, Ministry of Health, National Institute for Public Health of Timor-Leste (INSPTL) and share of information and documents.

Supervisory arrangements: The consultant will be under direct supervision of the programme analyst for gender, with strategic guidance from Assistant Representative.

Expected travel: Frequent travel to municipalities is expected. The consultant will spend at least two weeks traveling to municipalities to monitor and provide technical support to the operationalization of safe spaces, quality of services provided at health facilities and support implementation of action plans developed to address gaps identified for improved services as well as conduct rollout training, and follow-up for the health care providers and managers to ensure the provision of quality of essential health service at health facilities.

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:

        Minimum educational qualifications and working experience:

• Master’s Degree in Public Health, Gender and Women studies, Development Studies, Social Science or related areas with minimum 2 years of relevant working experiences or Bachelor’s Degree in the above-mentioned area with minimum 4 years of relevant working experiences.
• Previous experience of developing technical guidelines in health sector’s response to GBV including IPV.
• Excellent track record in supporting INGOS and/or governments in integrating GBV prevention and response in health sector.
• Knowledge on national guideline for health care providers to respond to GBV, including IPV.
• Excellent written communication and presentation skills.
• Technical knowledge of health system in Timor-Leste will be an asset.
• Experience working with/in the UN system is an asset.
• Experience working with health managers and health care providers working at health facility level.Skills and competencies:
• Fluency in written and spoken Tetum and minimum working level of English would be required.
• Excellent reporting writing skills with analytic writing skills would be an added advantage.
• Proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint would be an asset.
• Time management skills with punctuality would be an asset.
• Knowledge of UNFPA core values is an asset.

Interested candidates may submit application documents (only cover letter and P11) to the following email address: timor-leste.office@unfpa.org.

Closing date: 24 May 2024, at: 17:00 Timor Leste Time.