Position: RE-ADVERTISEMENT: Programme Analyst, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (2 Positions)
Closing Date: 27 June 2022 (5.00 pm Nepal Time)
Duration: One year (renewable)*
Contract Type: Fixed-Term
Duty Station: Janakpur/ Dhangadhi

*No expectancy of renewal in accordance with UN Staff Regulation 4.5

Organizational Setting

The Position:
 UNFPA works to ensure sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) remain at the very centre of development. The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action (PoA) draws a clear connection between reproductive health, human rights and sustainable development. When sexual and reproductive health needs are not met, individuals are deprived of the right to make crucial choices about their own bodies and futures, with a cascading impact on their families’ welfare and future generations. And because women bear children, and also usually bear the responsibility for nurturing them, sexual and reproductive health and rights issues cannot be separated from gender equality. Cumulatively, the denial of these rights exacerbates poverty and gender inequality.

Job Purpose:
The Constitution of Nepal 2015 and the Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Rights Act 2018 protects the sexual and reproductive health rights and choices of women and girls. However, Nepal has one of the highest ratio of maternal deaths in the region (239 per 100,000 live births), an indication of the country’s weak health system. The COVID-19 pandemic has strained the health system further with health resources and capacities diverted from SRH services to address the pandemic. Overall, women and girls from marginalized groups continue to suffer disproportionately from unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortion, maternal deaths and disability, sexually transmitted infections and gender based violence.

UNFPA has had a close working relationship with the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) for the last four decades and has contributed to establishing a progressive policy and legislative environment for SRHR; provided technical support to put in place SRH protocols and guidelines; invested in developing health systems including human resources and supply chain management for SRH; and provided SRH commodities to the Government of Nepal.

Main Tasks & Responsibilities
You would be responsible for:

A. Policy Dialogue and Technical Support

• Facilitates UNFPA’s engagement in high-level dialogue with government, civil society, academic institutions and other partners and participates in various health sector technical advisory/working groups and in interagency task teams to position SRHR at provisional and local level
• Promotes awareness of the critical role of the ICPD PoA in the achievement of the SDGs, in particular Goals 3 & 5, in relevant meetings, conferences and other fora
• Keeps abreast of any policy and programme developments in the province that may affect SRHR outcomes and advises senior management on the potential impacts to UNFPA’s ability to advance its commitments
• Identifies policy gaps in the fulfilment of reproductive rights and translates knowledge gained from programming into policy recommendations, with a focus on sustainability
• Ensures application of good practices and learnings in the field of SRHR and drives new thinking and areas of innovation in SRHR programming among relevant counterparts and partners and UNFPA personnel
• Provides strategic direction and technical support for advancing SRHR goals at provincial and local level, including in legislation, policies, strategies, technical guidelines, operational plans, manuals, clinical protocols, guidelines and training packages including health sector response to GBV
• Contributes to the design of the UNFPA supported country programme and projects related to SRHR, ensuring that selected interventions position UNFPA as a thought leader in the area of SRHR and incorporate approaches grounded in gender equality and social inclusion
• Establishes and strengthens civil society alliances to influence the policy agenda and promote accountability mechanisms for the realization of reproductive rights
• Anticipates, plans and supports life-saving SRHR humanitarian response interventions, ensuring adequate attention given to the needs of women and girls during emergencies in collaboration with the UNFPA humanitarian team and other partners
• Contributes to state-of-the-art research findings and learnings and ensures key findings are fully integrated within UNFPA-supported policies and programmes; and promotes an integrated approach linked to other relevant thematic areas of work
• Guides rights-based, gender-centric and inclusive policy and programme interventions under SRHR to reach those communities and vulnerable groups that are furthest behind

B. Advocacy and Resource Mobilization

• Develops and maintains collaborative relationships with relevant provincial and local government counterparts and other key partners and asserts UNFPA’s comparative substantive role and contributions in advancing SRHR and facilitating coordination and collaboration among the key partners, in development and humanitarian contexts
• Examines and interprets the political, social and economic environment and implications for UNFPA’s work in SRHR and advocates for increases in provincial and local government budgetary allocations and expenditures for SRH and assists in identifying entry points to leverage financial resources
• Advocates for the integration of UNFPA-support evidenced-based good practices within provincial and local systems and processes, and engages in strategic partnerships to accelerate the sustainability of SRHR interventions
• Provides technical support to generate information and evidence for policy advocacy and to influence Government, non-governmental counterparts, and other partners to accelerate the achievement of SRHR goals at national, provincial and local level
• Contributes to the advocacy and resource mobilization strategy of UNFPA Nepal by exploring funding opportunities, including from the public and private sectors; maintains partnerships at technical level with donors and key stakeholders; and supports the preparation of relevant documentation, i.e. project proposals that are innovative and demonstrate potential for high impact, best practices and lessons learnt, and communication materials
• Supports the production of high quality communication materials for SRHR advocacy and for promoting visibility of UNFPA’s work and achievements, including preparing technical briefs, reports, and talking points/statements, as needed

 C. Programme Management and Coordination

• Manages the SRHR programme and projects in the assigned province including the development of work plans with implementing partners; maintains oversight on programme delivery; and provides quality assurance.
• Undertakes regular monitoring visits; assesses the effectiveness of SRHR interventions; identifies areas for further improvements; and makes an effort to address the barriers and bottlenecks with the partners, while building capacities for sustainability.
• Undertakes results-based monitoring and reporting under the SRHR programme including timely submission of progress and other reports, as required.
• Contributes to the documentation of lessons learned and best practices related to UNFPA’s work in SRHR; participates in communities of practices in the area of SRHR; and shares new approaches with UNFPA and the implementing partners for optimal results.
• Strengthens partnerships and collaboration with the Government, civil society actors and other development partners through supporting effective coordination mechanisms in development and humanitarian contexts.
• Perform any other duties as requested by the supervisor and the management team in UNFPA.

Qualifications and Experience

Education: 

• Advanced Degree in Public Health, Health Economics, Medicine/Health Sciences, or other related discipline.

Knowledge and Experience:

• At least two years or more of clinical experience as a public health professional, preferably in a low resource setting.
• Practical experience in emergency health sector, maternal health issues and service delivery.
• Knowledge and understanding of UN/UNFPA humanitarian/development programming and operations, and about UN common programming principles including a human-rights based approach, gender equality and capacity development.
• Proven ability to engage in high-level policy dialogue and advocacy.
• Ability to express clearly and concisely ideas and concepts in written and oral forms.
• Practical experience in design, management, monitoring and review of SRHR programmes/projects.
• Experience in policy advocacy, documentation, development of national SRHR strategies, protocols and training packages.
• Demonstrated experience in coordination and liaison with government counterparts, NGOs, UN agencies, private sector, development partners and CBOs.
• Good understanding of the Nepal Government’s health related policies, laws, policy making processes and the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with the relevant Government partners and other stakeholders.
• Experience using office software packages and web-based management systems.
• Ability to work independently and demonstrated experience in working successfully as a member of multidisciplinary team.

• Proficiency in English and Nepali is required. Working knowledge of another UN language or local language is an asset.  

Required Competencies
Values:

• Exemplifying integrity
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system
• Embracing diversity in all its forms
• Embracing change

Core Competencies:

• Achieving Results
• Being Accountable
• Developing and Applying Professional Expertise/Business Acumen
• Thinking analytically and Strategically
• Working in Teams/Managing Ourselves and our Relationships
• Communicating for Impact

Functional Competencies:

• Advocacy/ Advancing a policy-oriented agenda;
• Leveraging the resources of provincial and local governments and partners/building strategic alliances and partnerships;
• Delivering results-based programmes;
• Internal and external communication and advocacy for results mobilization.

Managerial Competencies:

• Providing strategic focus;
• Engaging internal/external partners and stakeholders;
• Leading, developing and empowering people, creating a culture of performance;
• Making decisions and exercising judgment