Consultancy to develop a national packages of SRHR services aligned to the global package of SRHR services for men and boys.

Purpose

While progress has been made to push SRH, HIV, and GBV indicators downwards, Botswana continues to face high new HIV infections, particularly among adolescent girls; high gender-based violence perpetuated by deep-rooted negative social norms and harmful practices, reinforcing inequalities, patriarchal attitudes, and gender stereotypes that promote negative masculinity and normalize GBV. Persistent negative SRHR indicators continue to be recorded. In the 2018 National Relationships study, 37% of women reported experiencing GBV at least once in their lifetime including intimate partner and non-partner violence; 30% of men reported having perpetrated GBV in their lifetime; and women of reproductive age were more likely to experience intimate partner violence than older women with 15% of women experiencing GBV during pregnancy; 45% of men believe in any rape case, there is need to ask whether the victim was promiscuous; 34% affirmed that in some rape cases, women want it to happen; and 41% believe if a woman does not fight back, it is not rape;; 17% of women of reproductive age have an unmet need for family planning evidenced through differential fertility rate by rural/urban divide and education level attainment.
In line with global, regional, and national policy frameworks, Botswana is committed to leaving no one behind in health and scaling up the provision of client-centered, integrated healthcare services. Under the leadership of the Ministry of Health, the government successfully is scaling up the delivery of integrated services across the country following the implementation of the 2gether4SRHR programme. The programme focused on; a) Creating an enabling legal and policy
environment that empowers all people to exercise their SRH rights and access quality integrated SRHR, HIV and SGBV services; b) Scaling up the provision of client-centred, quality assured, integrated, and sustainable SRHR, HIV and SGBV services which meets the needs of all people; c) Empowering all people to exercise their SRH rights, adopt protective and promotive behaviours, and access quality integrated services.
While the programme was a success, among others, ensuring access to integrated SRH, HIV and SGBV services, However, facilitating men and boys to fully access integrated SRH and HIV services tailored to their needs remains limited. Low utilization and adherence to prevention services are often due to poorer health-seeking behaviours among men and boys. Unlike females, men and boys were less likely to obtain ART or be virally suppressed (95.88.87).
Rationale
Delivering quality tailor-made interventions that are responsive to the unique needs of men and boys including facilitating their active participation in challenging negative social and gender norms is critical for the attainment of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Male involvement in SRH is prioritized in several national documents such as the RMNACH+N strategy, and national strategy for male involvement in SRHR/HIV/GBV (2007-2012) among others.
The strategy defined a package of services for this cohort. This was followed by the 2010 Essential Health Service Package (ESHP) which further defined service packages for children, adolescents, women, and broadly everyone in Botswana, albeit with no specific service packages tailored for men and boys. With both guiding documents overdue for revision and requiring to be aligned with national, regional and global strategic direction on SRHR, defining a national package of SRHR services aligned with the global package of SRHR services for men and boys is therefore urgent.
Providing clear guidance to health care providers to deliver quality integrated gender-sensitive SRH clinical services for men and boys using tailored approaches is crucial to lead to better health outcomes, contribute to ending GBV, and ultimately promote gender equality by encouraging positive masculinity.
It is against this background that UNFPA and UNAIDS will support the Ministry of Health to develop national packages of SRHR services for men and boys that are aligned to the global package of SRHR services for men and boys.

Scope of work:

Inception report detailing out understanding of assignment , methodological approach, and a work plan that clearly outlines key steps and timelines for completion of deliverables.
Draft national package of SRHR service for men and boys that are fully aligned with the global package of SRHR services for men and boys in MS Word and power point slides.
The final national package of SRHR service for men and boys and powerpoint covering summary of the revised service package following feedback from the Technical Working Group, and key stakeholders supporting this exercise.
Facilitate one validation workshop for the SRHR service packages for men and boys.

Duration and working schedule:

The consultancy will run for 25 days, spread through a period of 3 months, effective September 26, 2024, to allow for review of drafts by technical working group and senior officials in the participating ministries as well as to facilitate payments within an active contract. (see the TORs for more information)

Deliverable(s):

Inception report detailing out understanding of assignment , methodological approach, and a work plan that clearly outlines key steps and timelines for completion of deliverables.
Meeting report following completion of the SRHR of men and boys workshop.
Draft national package of SRHR service for men and boys that are fully aligned with the global package of SRHR services for men and boys in MS Word and power point slides.
Facilitate one validation meeting for the SRHR service packages for men and boys.
The final national package of SRHR service for men and boys and powerpoint covering summary of the revised service package.

Academic qualifications
The candidate will have a minimum qualification of a Master’s Degree or equivalent, in a Public Health, Sexual and Reproductive Health, Medicine/ Obstetrics/Gynecology, Midwifery or related field.

Experience and competencies

A minimum of 10 years’ working experience, at least five of which should have been in the SRH field.
At least 2 years’ experience developing curriculum, training materials or teaching guides and delivering training to health service providers.
Demonstrated knowledge and practical experience in SRHR, HIV, GBV and sound technical experience in sexual and reproductive health programming, particularly around is required.
Significant knowledge and understanding of issues relating to programming for men and boys, service provision and quality of care.
Experience in working with government officials, donors, youth and civil society and able to interact with a variety of stakeholders at different levels.
Demonstrated ability to manage converging priorities and complete tasks efficiently, whilst delivering high-quality products under tight deadlines.
Good technical writing including proof reading skills and verbal communication in English.

Interested candidates should submit a technical and financial proposal, together with expression of interest to undertake this consultancy to recruitment.bw@unfpa.org by the 27 September 2024.