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Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

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For every child, Health

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, advocacy, and operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

The first HIV case in Tajikistan was registered in 1991. The same year, the Republican AIDS center was established within Ministry of Health of RT with its branches at all oblast centers. Currently Antiretroviral medications (ARVs) are provided for People Living with HIV in 38 AIDS control centers (republican, oblast, city and district), as well as in the infectious disease department for People Living with HIV, in the city infectious diseases treatment hospital in Dushanbe.

According to Republican AIDS center, currently in Tajikistan, an estimated number of people living with HIV is 15,213 people. The actual number of people living with HIV as of the end of March 2025 is 12,677; 11,481 are on treatment in different levels of healthcare facilities. As of the end of March 2025, 1,016 children below 18 are living with HIV; 1,004 (98,8 per cent) are on ARV treatment with 916 cases of efficient outcomes. The share of mother-to-child transmission of HIV among all new HIV cases in 2024 was 3.7%.
From 2008 the country started testing of pregnant women for HIV in 18 pilot districts through antenatal care service. In 2010 the testing for pregnant women was expanded across the country along with the provision of support in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Early Infant Diagnosis was introduced in 2014 and a year later the country started the provision of a full package of PMTCT services through antenatal care service.

The government of Tajikistan has prioritized the PMTCT of HIV by providing approximately 230,000 HIV tests among pregnant women each year. There is a Government of Tajikistan policy in place for mandatory testing of pregnant women for HIV at first ANC visit and a second test during 28 and 30 weeks of gestation. Despite the existence of this policy, availability of Rapid test kits is not always assured, and it is not certain that pregnant women are routinely offered HIV testing as part of the ANC services: budget for HIV testing is held at the provincial level and some provinces don’t have enough financial resources to provide HIV testing for all pregnant women during the prenatal care period. According to the 2023 Demographic Health Survey (DHS) sixty percent of women who gave birth in the 2 years preceding the survey had an HIV test during antenatal care (ANC) and received the test results. Seventy percent of women were tested for HIV during either ANC or labor and received the results. Still gaps have been noted in the quality of HIV testing and counselling services provided for pregnant and particularly those who live in remote.

Tajikistan reported a congenital syphilis case rate of 2.9 per 100,000 live births in 2017 (eight cases), and zero cases in 2018 and 2019. However, only about 79.7% of pregnant women were tested for syphilis during antenatal care in those years, which is below the World Health Organization (WHO) target of 95% testing coverage for elimination of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of syphilis (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10283482/). Congenital syphilis cases have been reported sporadically, and routine data reporting on testing coverage remains incomplete.

Focused programs on immunization over decades led to Tajikistan consistently displaying excellent self-reported coverage for hepatitis B childhood immunization, including hepatitis B birth-dose (99% in 2023) and third dose (96% in 2023). However, increasing vaccine hesitancy in the aftermath of COVID-19 pandemic risk sustaining the gains. HBsAg sero-prevalence in children under 5 years in Tajikistan was 0.18% (latest available data (Ibid)). Official data indicates only 6.3% of people living with HBV infection have been diagnosed, and only 14.9% of those diagnosed have been treated. Actions to simplify service delivery, address out-of-pocket payments to increase diagnosis, treatment and care coverage are much needed (Country data for the Global hepatitis reporting 2023).

In 2017 up to now, UNICEF is assisting the MoHSP to strengthen the national response to eliminate mother to child HIV, by setting out the responsibilities of various institutions involved in horizontal cooperation (MoHSP, Reproductive Health centres, PHC services, Maternity Houses and AIDS centres), making the HIV testing algorithm more cost-effective, introducing SOPs for PHCs to procure HIV test kits, revising monitoring indicators, and approving a new clinical protocol with lifelong treatment (LLT) for all pregnant women living with HIV as well as investing in capacities of health managers to facilitate treatment of HIV positive mothers to mitigate vertical transmission. UNICEF is one of the major partners of the MoHSP in immunization.

How can you make a difference? 

Duration: 60 working days between May 2025 - September 2025
Supervisor: Health Specialist, UNICEF Tajikistan

In the framework of the technical assistance of UNICEF to governmental partners, UNICEF Health and Nutrition section committed to supporting the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Tajikistan in the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, HBV and syphilis.

Globally, significant progress has been made in the elimination of mother-to-child transmission (eMTCT) of HIV, with a dramatic decline in new HIV infections among children. Since the introduction of the Global Plan towards the Elimination of New HIV Infections among Children in 2011, increased access to prevention services and antiretroviral therapy (ART) for pregnant women has been pivotal. Since the start of prevention of mother-to-child transmission programmes, 1.9 million deaths and 4 million HIV infections have been averted among pregnant women and children. Despite these advancements, challenges remain, and progress has not been fast enough to meet the 2025 targets set by UNAIDS1.

The purpose of this consultancy is to provide technical support to an International Consultant in conducting a comprehensive assessment of the current program aimed at preventing mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV, HBV, and syphilis in Tajikistan. The assessment will identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement to enhance the program's effectiveness and ensure alignment with international best practices.

Work Assignment

The main purpose of the assignment is to provide technical assistance to international expert and the national task force group in collecting the evidence, conducting the assessment of barriers for pregnant women to access the PMTCT services (HIV, HBV, syphilis).

The assignment includes:

• Under leadership of international consultant support the assessment of the effectiveness of current interventions aimed at preventing MTCT of HIV, HBV and syphilis, including the provision of treatment for the three diseases to pregnant women and newborns.
•Support assessment of the integration of MTCT services within the primary healthcare system and identify barriers to access and utilization.
•Support data collection and analysis of information on HIV, HBV and syphilis testing, treatment coverage, and outcomes for pregnant women and children to determine program impact.
•Support international consultant in identification of gaps and challenges in the current program and propose evidence-based recommendations for improvement.
• Facilitate engagement of stakeholders including healthcare providers, policymakers, and community organizations to gather insights and ensure a comprehensive assessment.

Under the overall oversight of the Chief of Section and direct supervision of Health Specialist, the consultant will work closely with international consultant and national task force group, Republican HIV center, Republican Reproductive Health center, MoHSPP’s Maternal and Child Health department. The consultant will be the main technical liaison between UNICEF, MoHSPP and other development and local partners for HIV, HBV and Syphilis related area of work.

Objectives

The consultancy aims to support assessment of the current MTCT program, focusing on the effectiveness of interventions, service delivery, and the overall impact on reducing new HIV, HBV and congenital syphilis infections among children. The findings will inform strategic recommendations to enhance program implementation and achieve the goal of eliminating MTCT of HIV in Tajikistan.
•To provide technical support to international expert in collecting of the indicators from National HMIS for the last five years, technical reports and data related to PMTCT (HIV, HBV, syphilis).
•To coordinate the pre-validation process and technical discussions of the national expert’s team in the area of HIV, HBV and syphilis.

Description of the assignment:

The local consultant will be required to work closely with the international consultant, MoH and UNICEF Health specialist and Chief Health and Nutrition Section. To support an international expert in conducting the national pre-validation assessment on eMTCT of HIV, HBV and syphilis, the following data will be needed:

a) Data from surveillance systems for desk review to assess the reliability of the generated/ existing data (public/ private sectors) to evaluate achievement of the elimination targets, and to ascertain that the impact and coverage targets are achieved.

b) All previous programme evaluation and assessment, including review and validation of the current recording and reporting system for PMTCT activities, key gaps in surveillance, monitoring and evaluation of PMTCT of HIV, HBV and syphilis service delivery system. Selective cross-checking must be made with the national data.

c) Data and information for laboratory assessment including Quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) on HIV/HBV/syphilis diagnosis in Tajikistan to verifies the existence of an adequate laboratory network to provide the services needed to achieve and maintain a programme for EMTCT, and to ensure that the results generated by the laboratory network are accurate and reliable.

d) Information on health rights, gender equality and community engagement, including the laws for human rights protection (women and children, adolescents/ young people, marginalized/ key populations) and sexual and reproductive rights. This will also include international human rights and gender equality instruments - conventions, treaties, protocols that Tajikistan has signed and/or ratified to date.

The detailed deliverables and concrete timeline are at the following link  TOR_national consultancy_eMTCT.docx

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

• Education: Advanced degree in medicine, public health, preferably with specialization in Infectious diseases or another relevant field. Specialization in HIV is an advantage.
• Work experience: A minimum of five years of professional work experience in the area of infectious diseases with focus on HIV, hepatitis, syphilis.
• Experience in strategic planning and formulation of the strategies in the health sector, specifically in relation to HIV and PMTCT is an advantage
• Experience in management of the processes (review, assessment, planning) within PMTCT area (please indicate Certificate or title of the document or report).
• Experience in elaboration of recommendations to improve the situation in HIV area, in PMTCT area is an advantage at least as a part of the team of experts (please indicate relevant document)
• Previous working experiences with Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Population of RT, or any private sector entities and familiarity with the health system would be preferred.
• Previous working experience with UN/International organizations working in health sphere would be an added advantage.
• Practical experience on having undertaken similar assignments.
• Strong analytical and conceptual thinking. Excellent writing skills, including the experience in preparation of reports, analytical references. Excellent communication and presentation skills with stakeholders and the ability to work under pressure and commitment to work to a tight timeframe. Experience in the facilitation of the National level round tables.
• Language knowledge: Excellent working knowledge and communication in the Tajik and Russian languages and working knowledge of English is required.

Qualified candidates are requested to submit:

• CV and cover letter.
• Technical proposal describing approach/methodology to achieve the tasks of the TOR, workplan with concrete timeframes
• Financial proposal in TJS-all inclusive, indicting fee per day and cost of the travel: approximately 2 trips to some of region for 6 days are planned and DSA - 6 days (Annex 3 to be completed). Annex 3 at the link 
• Contact of three references.
• At least 2 papers / concept notes previously developed by the candidate or when candidate provided substantial inputs to the documents.
• Applications without technical and financial proposals will not be considered.

Applications must be received in the system by 20 May 2025 on UNICEF website.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.