Call for consultants: Facilitation of ECOM’s Regional Platform for Policy Reform (RPPR) on HIV among MSM and trans people in Central East Europe and Central Asia
The Eurasian Coalition for Male Health (ECOM) is looking for consultant(s) to establish and facilitate ECOM’s newly introduced multi-sectoral regional mechanism – the Regional Platform for Policy Reform (RPPR) on HIV among MSM and trans people in Central East Europe and Central Asia, – for facilitating policy reform through removing legal and financial barriers and promotion of innovative, low threshold and community based interventions. This work will be carried out within the framework of the regional Program “Right to Health” supported by the Global Fund which aims at increasing the access to HIV services for MSM and trans people in the five target countries: Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, and Macedonia.
Background
Eurasian Coalition on Male Health is an international non-governmental association, located in Tallinn, Estonia. We are a membership-based association, open for non-profits and individuals, acting in the field of sexual health, including HIV issues, for gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, and trans people in the region of Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia (CEECA).
In January 2017, ECOM has launched a Regional Program “Right to Health” which has three main objectives:
- To contribute to increasing MSM and trans community participation in decision-making in national HIV responses.
- To contribute to building the capacity of MSM and trans organizations by strengthening organizational structures, technical competence and fundraising capacity.
- To strengthen enabling environments for HIV services for MSM and trans people, through fighting stigma and discrimination, promoting and protecting human rights, and removing legal and policy barriers.
The Regional Program started operations in a sad reality: EECA remains the only region in the world with the increasing HIV epidemic. New trends from the countries of the region suggest that male to male transmission becomes a new driver of the epidemic. Many states in the region choose to add to this situation by introducing discriminating legislation and through exclusion and stigmatization of their own people. Others are in search of evidence based and innovative approaches that already prove working.
The Right to Health Program has been launched to bridge these and other gaps.
During the first year of the project, number of baseline studies were conducted and recommendations produced. The five target countries have developed the national advocacy plans to follow in 2018 and 2019. On regional level, ECOM is in charge of developing a regional advocacy framework strategy for MSM and trans* community engagement to improve HIV research and evaluations, program planning, service delivery, and financing and launch a regional campaign for promoting necessary policy changes in the region.
In order to achieve this, ECOM has decided to open the process of involvement of various stakeholders at national and regional levels and establish the Regional Platform for Policy Reform (RPPR). ECOM would like RPPR to serve as a regional forum to push for effective response to HIV among MSM and trans people at regional and national levels, and for exchange of best practices between sectors and countries. This objective can be accomplished through a Joint Engagement Strategy and Action Plan (JESAP) for necessary policy reform in the region.
Thus, ECOM is looking for a facilitator for establishing and facilitating the RPPR.
RPPR Objectives and tasks
- Analyze findings of baseline and other studies conducted within frames or outside the Right to Health regional program;
- Reflect on the recommendations provided in the study reports and develop action points for policy reform agenda;
- Develop a Joint Engagement Strategy and Action Plan (JESAP);
- Promote JESAP agenda at regional and national levels;
- Oversee implementation of JESAP;
- Contribute to the development of a regional media campaign;
- Participate in electronic communication and face to face meetings;
- When necessary, develop position statements.
Scope of work for the consultant
- Establish the RPPR
1.1 Propose, and agree with ECOM on, the composition of RPPR
1.2 Draft, and agree with ECOM on, rules of communication and detailed ToR for RPPR
1.3 On behalf of ECOM, reach out to and invite proposed members to RPPR
1.4 Agree with the RPPR members on the rules of communication and tentative work schedule of RPPR
- Prepare the RPPR working agenda
2.1 Conduct a desk research to review studies conducted within and outside of framework of the Right to Health regional program
2.2 Present data to the RPPR members and facilitate reflection on study recommendations;
2.3 Facilitate the development of JESAP by RPPR
- Facilitate work of RPPR
3.1 Facilitate day-to-day communication of the RPPR members;
3.2 Develop, in coordination with ECOM’s Advocacy Coordinator, and agree with RPPR members, agenda for electronic and/or face-to-face discussion meetings;
3.3 Record work, decisions of RPPR, and follow up on them in coordination with ECOM’s Advocacy Coordinator;
3.4 Facilitate the promotion of issues set on RPPR agenda and in JESAP on regional and national levels.
Timeframe
Call announced: 27.12.17
Call closed: 21.01.18
Commencement of the work: 01.02.18
The schedule of the consultant’s work should be flexible and not exceed 15 working days during the period from 01.02.2018 to 31.05.2018.
Expected results and performance evaluation
- List of proposed participants is composed and agreed with ECOM; confirmation is received from proposed participants of RPPR;
- Detailed work plan of the facilitator is agreed with ECOM;
- The rules of communication in RPPR are agreed on and implemented by the RPPR members;
- The desk research is conducted, recommendations summarized and presented to the RPPR members;
- Discussion is facilitated to reflect the results of the baseline studies/desk research recommendations;
- Elaboration of the Joint Engagement Strategy and Action Plan (JESAP) process is facilitated and strategy and action plan are adopted by the RPPR;
- Promotion of the JESAP agenda in relevant regional and international fora;
- Provision of the progress reports for conducted activities against planned indicators.
Main contact person for this task in ECOM will be Paata Sabelashvili, Advocacy Coordinator. He will also be in charge of evaluating and accepting works of the consultant(s).
Remuneration and compensation
A service contract will be signed between the consultant and ECOM, according to which ECOM will not be liable for the payment of any taxes by the consultant. The consultant performs all the necessary tax and other type of payments by the law of the country of residence of the consultant.
The amount of remuneration is the subject of negotiations between the applicant and ECOM prior to signing contract. The work schedule of the consultant should be flexible and not exceed 15 working days for the first phase of this work (01.02.18-30.05.18).
Requirements
Essential
- Experience in working with state, non-state actors (including community organizations) and development partners in the EECA region or outside it, as a staff of the organization or a consultant.
- Experience in providing technical support to NGOs during the last 3 years.
- Experience of facilitation of multi-sectoral instruments on HIV.
- Good analytical skills in the field of policy and advocacy.
- Experience in compiling advocacy strategies and plans.
- Proven research skills.
- Good knowledge of English and Russian.
Additional
- Higher education in social sciences.
- Work experience in NGOs/public sector working in the field of HIV and/or sexual health.
- Knowledge of the national languages of the countries in which the regional program is implemented.
Application process
Applications are accepted only from physical persons (individually). Interested parties must submit their application via e-mail, specifying in the subject “Consultancy for RPPR facilitation”. The application should be sent to: contact@ecom.ngo/old
The deadline for applications is January 21, 2018, 23:59 Eastern European time.
The application must contain:
- A cover letter that includes summary of the background clearly showcasing the consultant’s experience/expertise required.
- A short offer (no more than 2 pages) describing the proposed methodology, the schedule of the consultant(s) works, the number of days and the daily rate of the consultant(s).
ECOM does not return received files.
Only candidates who meet the requirements presented in this announcement will be notified of the results of selection of their offers.
In case of questions on this announcement, please contact Paata Sabelashvili, ECOM’s Advocacy Coordinator, at: paata@ecom.ngo