Call for Consultant- Disability Preparedness Assessment
My Age Zimbabwe through support from Coalition to build Momentum, Power, Activism, Strategy and Solidarity Africa is seeking a consultant to carry out an assessment on Disability preparedness of Health Facilities in responding to COVID-19, SRHR, HIV and AIDS focusing on Adolescent Girls and Young Women.
Deadline: 05 June 2020
Location:Zimbabwe
Application Deadline:05 June 2020
Background
My Age Zimbabwe Trust is a youth led and youth-serving organisation that champions youth leadership, participation, gender equality and the health and rights of adolescents and young people. My Age harnesses evidence and unite diverse voices to spark commitment from Duty Bearers to youth related issues. Anchored in meaningful youth engagement and sexual and reproductive health, we advocate for the rights of young people across every aspect of their lives.
The call for an expert to carry out this assessment is motivated by the continuous challenges that persons with disability face in particular Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) in accessing quality health services. According to a report developed by the United Nations in 2017, people with disabilities have been excluded and neglected in all of the sectors responding to SRHR, HIV and AIDS. HIV prevalence data among people with disabilities are scarce. Data from sub-Saharan Africa suggest an increased risk of HIV infection of 1.48 times in men with disabilities and 2.21 times in women with disabilities compared with men without disabilities. In Zimbabwe, the lack of availability of data collected through Government structures that can show the level of burden HIV has with regards to persons with disability is an indicator of the lack of prioritisation of this population group. The data available is more qualitative than quantitative which poses a challenge when deciding on the investment needed to respond adequately to the challenges being faced by persons with disability. Access to HIV prevention, care, treatment and support and sexual and reproductive health and rights services is equally important, and in some cases even more important, for people with disabilities compared with their peers without disabilities but programs and interventions continue to miss this key group.
According to a research carried out in Zimbabwe by Banks et. al (2017) the lack of adequate resources was cited universally as a primary barrier to the provision of services. Recognizing the importance of mainstreaming disability into their programmes, the study finds that staff feared that they did not have the time and resources to make the necessary adaptations. For example, the lack of alternative forms of communication (e.g. Braille, sign language, pictorial forms) was listed as a major challenge to the delivery of important information and the participation of individuals with sensory or intellectual impairments. These barriers to accessing timely, quality HIV, Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights and now COVID 19 prevention, treatment, care and support information and services may cause irregular access to COVID 19, SRHR, HIV and AIDS services or inadequate treatment for opportunistic infections in those living with HIV, all of which can lead to or exacerbate disability.
Overall Objective
To conduct an assessment for service provision on COVID-19, SRHR, HIV and AIDS for AGYW with disability in health institutions in Zimbabwe making reference to the gold standard as informed by the World Health Organizations guidelines and develop a position paper outlining best practices, gaps, challenges and recommendations.
Intended Use of the findings
- The findings will be used by stakeholders including My Age Zimbabwe to inform priority advocacy areas to strengthen service delivery for Adolescent Girls and Young Women with Disability.
Consultant Profile
- A Bachelor’s/Master’s degree in Public Health / Social Science
- At least 5 years’ experience working with young people living with disabilities in the area of their health, rights and wellbeing.
- Excellent communication, analysis, writing and presentation skills.
- Knowledge and awareness of Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights, HIV and AIDS and COVID-19,
- Has a progressive stance on sexual and reproductive health and rights, specifically adolescent girls and young women with disability’s sexual reproductive health and rights and diversity;
- Is youth-friendly and has non-discriminatory attitudes towards working with young people and people living with disabilities
How to apply
Applicants should submit:
- Not more than 1 page long Expression of Interest (EOI),
- At most 3 page Concept note outlining the methodology to be used factoring in lockdown legislation.
- Curriculum Vitae to:
info@myage-zim.orgCC: joseph@myage-zim.organd tawanda@myage-zim.org with “M.A.Z DISABILITY PREPARDNESS ASSESSMENT CONSULTANCY” as the subject title.
This TOR can be downloaded HERE
Application Deadline: 05 JUNE 2020
Please note only shortlisted candidates will be contacted – Thank you for your interest.