UNCDF: Technical Assistance Job 2019
Technical assistance to strengthen Assessment of HIV risk prevention and mitigation
Location : Kampala with travels, UGANDA
Application Deadline : 23-Aug-19 (Midnight New York, USA)
Time left : 14d 18h 0m
Additional Category : HIV, Health and Development
Type of Contract : Individual Contract
Post Level : National Consultant
Languages Required : English
Starting Date : 01-Sep-2019 (date when the selected candidate is expected to start)
Duration of Initial Contract : September 1, 2019 to August 31, 2020
Expected Duration of Assignment : September 1, 2019 to August 31, 2020
Background
United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) supports the Government of Uganda to create a functional planning and financial system for sustainable and inclusive local development. It operates within the larger UN Country Team, to support the government in the implementation of the Second National Development Plan and realize its vision of becoming a middle-income country by 2020, while achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
UNCDF’s project portfolio for Uganda includes a road rehabilitation facility that offer conditional grants for rehabilitation of district and community access roads in selected districts. The road projects improve access to local and regional markets, and social services while at the same time create employment opportunities for the locals resulting in improvement of rural livelihoods.
In Uganda, it is a requirement for road projects to conduct an environmental and social impact assessment to identify the negative and positive impacts on the environment and the social sphere as a result of the road works. The environmental and social impact assessment results inform the development of a management plan to address and/or mitigate identified risks. Projects are required to include the assessment and management of HIV and AIDS in the environmental and social impact assessments and the management plans developed thereafter.
Problem statement:
Road projects and other infrastructure projects implemented in Uganda include HIV and AIDS in both the environmental and social impact assessments and the management plans. However, the scope and depth of assessment of HIV and AIDS are limited during the assessment phase. At worst, HIV is not included at all. This subsequently leads to services that do not adequately manage and mitigate the risks and existing burden of HIV. Most environmental and social impact assessments are conducted by environmental impact assessment professionals and sociologists, and in discussions with them, they have expressed the need to have better expertise so that the planned activities can better address social factors, including gender-based violence and HIV.
It is known that the road rehabilitation projects, like other infrastructure projects increase the risk of HIV for both the workers and the surrounding communities. The risk of HIV remains even after the completion of the said projects. The incomes earned by workers besides increasing their ability to purchase sex, attract commercial sex workers to the communities in which the works are taking place. In addition, good roads open up communities to increased economic activity and increases interaction with the outside world. The increased interaction with outsiders may bring health risks including HIV.
It is against this background that technical assistance is required to strengthen the assessment and management of HIV and AIDS in road rehabilitation projects supported by UNCDF.
Goal:
The goal of this work is to contribute to the reduction of risk of HIV in infrastructure projects.
Duties and Responsibilities
Objectives:
- To document current practices in assessment and management of HIV risk in typical road rehabilitation projects including those implemented by UNCDF;
- To Identify gaps in assessment and management of HIV risk in typical road rehabilitation projects including those implemented by UNCDF.
Activities of the consultant:
To achieve the above objectives, the consultant will carry out the following specific activities:
- Develop an inception report clearly outlining the methods to be used and a workplan for the assignment;
- Review the roads manual (section on HIV/AIDs management) and identify any gaps and suggest ways of addressing the gaps;
- Develop tools to collect data on current practices on assessment of risk and management of HIV in road rehabilitation projects; and analyze the data collected;
- Document the various sources/mechanisms of financing road infrastructure at the district and community level and ascertain the allocation to HIV and AIDS interventions;
- Document the practices in form of a report based on findings; and disseminate the report;
- Design tools for use in assessment of HIV risk during the preparatory/commencement phase of the rehabilitation works for roads.;
- Conduct a situation analysis in the target geographical area to determine the population dynamics and potential risks to HIV as a result of the proposed road constructions;
- Design a costed intervention package to address the risk of and manage HIV during implementation and after completion of the road rehabilitation projects – to be presented to the national Technical Working Group (TWG) on HIV financing through infrastructure projects for validation and approval;
- Develop TOR for the service provider(s) to implement an intervention package to address the risk of and manage HIV during implementation and after completion of the road rehabilitation projects;
- Monitor the service provider(s) during the implementation of an intervention package to address the risk of and manage HIV during implementation and after completion of the road rehabilitation projects;
- Pretest the tools developed in 6 and interventions developed in 7;
- Develop training materials for the contractors, the Consultant, districts teams, the Ministry of Works and Transport and UNCDF staff in the use of products from activities 6 and 7;
- Produce a training report for activity 11.
Competencies
- Strong analytical and report-writing skills;
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills;
- Demonstrates commitment to the UN’s mission, vision and values;
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.