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If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines fordeveloping countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

Consultancy Title: Gender Equality in Immunization Consultants

Duty Station: Programme Group, Health – Immunization

Duration: 1 November 2025 – 30 September 2026

Home/ Office Based: remote

 

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/ Assignment:

Globally, millions of children are still being left behind when it comes to routine vaccinations, with significant gaps and disparities in immunization coverage. Disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic, climate-related disasters, socioeconomic challenges, and emergencies have contributed to setbacks in vaccination efforts. Between 2019 and 2022, an estimated 67 million children missed routine vaccinations, either partially or entirely. In addition, while some regions have made strides in reducing the burden of cervical cancer through the HPV vaccine, a significant number of girls in low- and middle-income countries remain unprotected.

Efforts to close the vaccination gap are ongoing, but significant obstacles persist. These challenges not only highlight gaps in healthcare systems but also emphasize the growing inequities based on gender. Women and girls often face additional barriers to accessing vital health services for them and their children.

Gender dynamics influence not only access to services but also the quality of care, the responsiveness of healthcare providers, and the capacity of health systems to deliver equitable and integrated immunization services. A nuanced understanding of how gender shapes health-seeking behaviors, decision-making, and community dynamics is crucial to tailoring interventions that are both relevant and effective. Strengthening health systems through gender-responsive approaches ensures that interventions meet the specific needs of all individuals, improving overall health outcomes and increasing vaccination rates. It also further calls for the full and equal participation of women in decision-making at all levels of healthcare.

As a founding member of GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, and in alignment with both the Immunization Agenda 2030 and the UNICEF Gender Action Plan (2026–2029), UNICEF is intensifying its efforts to integrate gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls throughout its immunization and health programming.

To support this initiative, UNICEF is establishing a dedicated team of consultants to strengthen capacity, provide specialized and sustained expertise, and offer help-desk support to UNICEF country offices and partners.

The selected consultants will be tasked with delivering targeted, context-specific support for gender in immunization country  programming, monitoring, and advocacy. They will also contribute to building collective knowledge by systematically capturing experiences and best practices from gender-focused immunization and health initiatives undertaken by UNICEF and its partners

Scope of Work:

Activities and tasks expected to be carried out by the consultants include:

• Provide direct support to country Gender-barriers analysis and translate findings into targeted programming design and partnerships.
• Design, review and/ support facilitation of in-country or regional capacity initiatives on gender integration into immunization and on female health workforce.
• Design and deliver dedicated session on Gender-integration within Regional Immunization Working Groups and relevant sub-working groups and coordinate relevant follow-up with members.
• Review and provide technical input into national policies (including National Immunization Strategies, EPI Policy)
• Knowledge management support.
• Support funding resources mobilization.

There will be specific streams of work related to specific region/ language and to global initiatives. These include:

• (Stream 1): Strengthen implementation monitoring including finalization of the first global measurement framework for gender in immunization and gender integration in digital immunization platforms.
• (Stream 2): Institutionalization of gender integration in national curriculum and leadership initiatives for Immunization and Health personnel with a focus on women leadership.
• (Stream 3): Foster equitable partnership with Women-led Organizations and Girls’ networks through immunization programming.
• (Stream 4): Financing and gender integration in Governments funding/ cash grant applications.
• (Stream 5): Provide accelerated support to francophone Africa and Haiti on Gender in Immunization.

 The team of consultants will work under the direct supervision of UNICEF Senior Health Adviser (Gender in Immunization) and in close coordination with members of the newly established Centre of Excellence for Child Survival and UNICEF Global Gender Team. The consultants will work with UNICEF colleagues at country level, mainly with Health/Immunization, Gender, or Social Behavioral Change specialists. The consultants might also engage with external partners from other International Organizations, Government counterparts, and Civil Society Organizations.

Most of the work shall be carried out remotely, however it is expected that the consultants will travel at least twice a year to provide face-to-face technical support and/or facilitate workshops and events 

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

Work Assignment Overview/Deliverables and Outputs/Delivery deadline

1.  Gender-barrier analysis and related country gender action plan for programming

- 

5 country gender-barriers analyses validated by Government counterparts and CSOs partners with clear recommendations integrated in national immunization planning, with a focus:

on Spanish and lusophone countries (consultant 1),

on anglophone Africa (consultant 2),

in Asia and Middle East (consultant 4), on francophone Africa (consultant 5).

30 Apr 2026 

- Targeted programming’ design to overcome major gender barriers is written and endorsed by relevant sections and partners in 5 countries among:

Spanish-speaking/ lusophone countries (consultant 1),

5 countries in anglophone Africa (consultant 2),

5 countries in Asia and Middle East (consultant 4),

5 countries in francophone Africa (consultant 5)

3 Jul 2026

2.  Capacity strengthening including for female health workforce

- 

2 curriculum/ modules adapted for specific audience in agreement with Government including through facilitation of 2 design/validation workshops for:

2 Spanish/ lusophone countries (consultant 1),

for 2 anglophone Africa countries (consultant 2),

for 2 countries in Asia/Middle East (consultant 4),

for 2 francophone Africa countries (consultant 5).

30 Aug 2026

- 1 policy paper on in-country opportunities for sustained and integrated gender capacities (consultant 3)

31 Aug 2026 

3.  Inter-agency and multi-country coordination

- 6 sessions designed and delivered for Regional Immunization Working Groups, EPI Managers regional meeting and other regional platforms or Community of Practice:

in LAC region (consultant 1),

in Eastern and Southern Africa (consultant 2),

in Asia and Middle East (consultant 4),

in West and Central Africa (consultant 5)

20 January 2026

5 March 2026

20 April 2026

5 June 2026

31 August 2026

20 September 2026

4.  Policy development

- 5 NIS or related strategies are finalized with solid reference to Gender:

in LAC (consultant 1),

in Eastern and Southern Africa (consultant 2),

in Asia and Middle East (consultant 4),

in Western and Central Africa (consultant 5)

30 Sept 2026

5.  Knowledge management

- 3 sessions delivered for the global Gender and Immunization Community of Practice paired with 3 social media products developed to illustrate positive impact on gender integration within Immunization:

on measurement and digital engagement (consultant 1),

on integration in national curriculum and women leadership (consultant 2),

on equitable partnership with WLOs (consultant 3),

on gender-responsive financing (consultant 4) and specific partnership with African organizations (consultant 5)

30 Sept 2026

6.  Resources mobilizations

- 2 funding proposals finalized:

for LAC (consultant 1),

for anglophone Africa (consultant 2),

for Asia/ middle east (consultant 4),

for western and central Africa consultant 5)

30 Apr 2026

- Inputs provided to 20 countries’ health programming funding proposals:

on and digital engagement (consultant 1),

on integration in national curriculum and women leadership (consultant 2),

on equitable partnership with WLOs (consultant 3),

on gender-responsive financing (consultant 4) and

on specific partnership with African organizations (consultant 5)

30 Aug 2026

7.  (Stream 1) Implementation monitoring and Digitalization

- (Consultant 1) Global measurement framework on gender in Immunization is finalized and adopted by at least 10 countries

GAVI 6.0 Digital priority is informed by Gender considerations

30 Sept 2026

8.  (Stream 2) National Curriculum and women leadership

- (Consultant 2) 10 countries have updated their national curriculum to reflect gender dimension of immunization and health system strengthening

30 Sept 2026

-  Regional women in health/immunization leadership workshop conducted

15 Mar 2026

9.  (Stream 3) Equitable partnership with Women Organizations and Girls network

-  (Consultant 3) At least 20 lead feminist organizations/ movements in health are connected and call to action published and informed in country action and advocacy

15 Mar 2026

-  Specific guidance on allocation of direct funding for women-led organizations/ girls’ network is developed to inform cash grant implementation, based on consultation with governments, partners and CSOs at least in 20 countries.

30 Jun 2026

10.  (Stream 4) Gender integration in Government cash grant applications

-  (Consultant 4) At least 10 GAVI 6.0 Grant Applications integrate one dimension addressing gender dynamics in immunization through facilitation of Gender Solutions Lab

30 Jun 2026

11.  (Stream 5) Francophone Africa + Haiti

-  (Consultant 5) Initiatives on workforce capacity, partnership, implementation monitoring and grant application are informed by countries from francophone Africa and Haiti and made accessible to French-speaking audience

30 Sept 2026

Qualifications

Education: Advance University degree in  Gender, Political Science, Global Health, Public health, Health policy and management

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required *: 

• At least 8 years of proven experience in integrating gender-responsive considerations into health programmes, preferably in the context of immunization and/or community health.
• Demonstrated skills in facilitating learning initiatives and/or chairing multi-sectoral / inter-agency discussions.
• Demonstrated skills in writing and documenting strategies, short guidance, and funding concept notes.
• Excellent oral and written English required
• Previous experience working in development settings with an international organization and/or civil society organizations
• (For Stream 3, previous experience in fostering direct partnership with Women-led organizations/ movements or in founding- participating to an organization promoting gender equality and women and girls’ rights)
• (For Stream 5, fluent in oral and written French is required)
• Knowledge of Spanish, Portuguese and/or Arabic is an asset

Requirements:

Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and

- Upload copy of academic credentials

- Financial proposal that will include/ reflect :

• • the costs per each deliverable and the total lump-sum for the whole assignment (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference.
  • travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
  • Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
  • Indicate your availability

- Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.

- At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.

- Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.  

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

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at: Here

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

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. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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. 

Remarks:  

Individuals engaged under a consultancy 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. Consultants 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.