C4D Section, UNICEF West and Central Africa Regional Office
Terms of Reference
Five months consultancy to support COs in WCAR in the field of M&E for C4D
Polio/Immunization
BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
Polio eradication is a corporate priority for UNICEF, and with the organizational re-focus
on equity, it is part of the strategic results areas. Moreover, the GPEI fixed 2012 as the
year of polio eradication, which implies intensification of quality vaccination activities.
Despite consistent efforts undertaken, in 2010 - 658 cases of polio were recorded in the
Africa Region, out of which 94% occurred in Western and Central Africa. Outbreaks
were registered mostly in the second half of the year. In 2011, despite a continuous
effort to stop, contain and prevent transmission, 22 out of the 24 countries of the WCA
region are involved in polio response and up to the end of June a total of 166 cases
were recorded in 9 countries. There is an urgent need to further strengthen our efforts if
the region is to meet the GPEI 2012 deadline.
Communication and social mobilization are an essential enabling component to
supplementary immunization activities, and play a critical role in ensuring that
community leaders and child caregivers continue to allow their children to be immunized
with OPV. Within the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, UNICEF is leading the efforts to
coordinate intensive social mobilization and communication activities, tailoring them to
reach the target population with a focus on under-served and mobile populations. In
this context, and given the increased expectations for communication results from
donors and partners, there is a need to enhance the organization’s technical capacities
and skills both at internal and national counterparts’ levels with a special focus on
reinforcing quality planning and M&E, data analysis and documentation both in the field
of communication for polio eradication and for routine immunization.
Campaign data has been crucial to identifying high risk groups and guiding operational
innovations to improve the GPEI’s ability to reach all children. Over the past years as
communication support to the polio eradication effort has evolved, this data has become
increasingly important to guide national and local level social interventions as well. The data
collected through campaign monitoring is relevant for communication planning and for
monitoring programme impact. The C4D section of the WCAR UNICEF Office seeks to recruit a
highly qualified professional for a five-months period to assist/support the concerned COs to
further strengthen evidence based measurable equity oriented communication interventions to
accelerate expected results in the field of communication for polio eradication and immunization.
The consultant will be responsible for assisting identified Country Offices in the analysis
of campaign data, as well as other social and behavioral data, where available, and will
strengthen the CO capacity to use these data to develop evidence based measurable
behavior and social change communication strategies in support of polio campaigns
and Routine Immunization. He /She will support the country offices and national partner
in identifying trends and patterns in the data to reveal aspects of immunization acceptance,
operational performance and public sentiment around polio eradication and routine
immunization. He/she will develop, manage and improve existing systems for entering,
cleaning and storing quantitative and qualitative social data at regional level. Support will
primarily be given to re-infected countries – Democratic Republic of Congo and Chad.
WORK ASSIGNMENT
Under the direct supervision of the Regional C4D Specialist Polio/EPI and in close
collaboration with the Chiefs of C4D and Immunization EPI Specialists and M&E
Specialists the consultant will work to strengthen areas related to data collection, analysis and
presentation for polio eradication and, where available, routine immunization. Emphasis will be
on social data analysis including from campaign monitoring and other social research, where
available.
1. Analyze data and generate maps and graphs on missed children for national and high risk
areas, for all WCAR countries undertaking SIAs in 2011.Estimated working time: 1 month
2. Identify trends and patterns in the data to reveal aspects of immunization acceptance,
operational performance and public sentiment around polio eradication and routine
immunization for all countries undertaking campaigns in 2011. Estimated working time: 2
weeks
3. Present and provide regular feedback to UNICEF CO and WHO EPI teams to inform
communication planning and evaluation. Estimated working time: 2 weeks.
4. Link with and develop capacity of UNICEF and WHO staff in social mapping, social data
collection and interpretation and to ensure mechanisms are in place to regularly capture and
input data related to communication support for polio and routine immunization. Estimated
working time: 2 months
5. Develop, manage and improve existing systems for entering, cleaning and storing
quantitative and qualitative social mobilization/RI data and qualitative social data. Estimated
working time: 1 month
DELIVERABLES:
1. Regular collection, analysis of campaign data - immediately following SIAs
2. Development of charts and maps for reports, presentations and planning - within 3
weeks after the campaigns are conducted
3. Training and capacity development for staff in at least 2 countries (DRC and Chad) –
TBC
4. Development of system for data collection and analysis at RO level
5. Monthly report with progress against milestones – end of every month
6. Final report measuring the impact of social mobilization on social variables (attitude,
knowledge, perceived norms) and vaccine acceptance (immunization trends)
PERIOD:
The consultation will take place over a period of 5 months, from 11th July to 10th
December 2011.
LEVEL:
This consultancy will be an L3 level.
DUTY STATION:
Dakar (10%); Home based (20%); field missions to the West and Central Africa
countries (70 %).
EDUCATION
Advanced university degree in social sciences or related technical field, with an
emphasis on statistics – data collection and analysis.
WORK EXPERIENCE:
Five years progressively responsible work experience in data collection and analysis,
data base development, including two years in developing countries, with practical
experience in M&E processes applied to C4D. Knowledge and experience in training in
the field of “adult Learning” is an asset.
LANGUAGES:
Fluency in at least one UN language (French or English) required. Fluency in the
second language would constitute a major asset.
COMPETENCIES:
 Background in data management or statistics
 Good presentation skills
 Proven track in organizing and implementing training in M&E
 Good communication skills (ability to explain data analysis to non-M&E people)
 Knowledge of GIS Software, e.g. Health Mapper, and other statistical software
 Ability to work closely with a team, in difficult circumstances
 Willingness to travel to remote regions of WCAR
 Knowledge
of West and Central Africa social, political and economic
environment