Consultancy Zimbabwe: Costing and Cost-Benefit Analyses of ASRHR Interventions

Background

Zimbabwe has a young population with a third being between the ages of 10-24 years. These young people face a myriad of challenges related to their development. These include unemployment, gender based violence, child marriage, HIV infection and other negative reproductive health outcomes. The National Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health (ASRH) Strategy (2010-2015) provides for age appropriate interventions centered on behaviour change communication, life skills and livelihoods, youth-friendly service delivery, policy and advocacy, and coordination. Implementation of the National ASRH strategy is coordinated by a multi-sectoral coordination forum which is co- chaired by the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) Reproductive Health Unit and AIDS and TB Unit. The Zimbabwe Youth Council and the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council are the co-secretaries.

Purpose

In relation to national ASRH interventions, there is a lack of systematic and comparative analysis and documentation of programme effectiveness. Information on the reach, coverage and relative effectiveness of these interventions remains limited. Therefore, in line with the National ASRH Strategy (2010-2015), a consultant will review ASRH interventions implemented over the past five years in Zimbabwe in order to foster evidence-based programming. Linked in with the programmatic review, there is need for an economic analysis of ASRHR interventions to be carried out in order to promote effective use of resources based on Value for Money approaches.

Objectives

Working closely with the consultant who carries out the programmatic evaluation of ASRHR interventions, the consultant is expected to review and document the comparative cost of interventions, and (dependent on data availability) conduct cost-effectiveness and actual or potential cost-benefit analyses of promising ASRH interventions with the aim of recommending Value for Money approaches in ASRH investments.

Qualifications and experience

The consultant or consulting team must possess the following professional qualifications, skills and experience:

a) An experienced Health Economist with public health experience, preferably in the field of SRH with proven research background.

b) Previous experience in assessing value for money/cost-effectiveness/cost-benefit in Public Health Interventions is necessary, samples of work must be submitted with the proposal

c) Strong appreciation of Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights and HIV programming (including community interventions);

d) Excellent evidence-based report writing skills;

e) Excellent communication skills with experience of close collaboration in an international research team;

f) Experience working in Zimbabwe and/or other countries in East and Southern Africa is an added advantage

The Terms of Reference for the consultancy may be requested from murove@unfpa.org .

Terms of Reference for the national review of ASRHR interventions have been published simultaneously with this advert and are available from the same contact in UNFPA. Applications can be submitted by a team for both studies, clearly indicating a team leader, or for either of the studies separately.