Individual Consultant: VALIDATION OF 30 YEARS OF QUANTITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS, POLICY REVIEW, AND QUALITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF FAMILY PLANNING INEQUITY IN EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA REGION

 

Hiring Office:

FP/Supplies Unit, UNFPA ESARO

Purpose of contract:

• Validation: To conduct a technical review and validation of the findings of the 30-year secondary data analysis to ensure they reflect current institutional and field realities.
• Qualitative: Conduct qualitative studies (desk review of laws, policies and social norms; in-depth interviews; etc) to understand the barriers and facilitators of family planning use (eg: socioeconomic, demographic, policy, and political, etc).
• Triangulation: Capture specific narratives regarding barriers and facilitators to triangulate with the quantitative evidence.
• Attribution: Assess the impact of UNFPA investments in Family Planning programs in the region, including investments in enhancing service quality and community engagement. 

Scope of work:

 

(Description of services, activities, or outputs)

The Scope of this work is rooted in rigorous validation logic, updating available recent information, adding more layers of information, incorporating reports, conducting qualitative data collection and analysis, based on agreed concept notes, validation tools, and  DHS protocols to ensure high-fidelity reporting. The consultant will adapt a draft tool typically used for validation and gathering of additional information. The scope includes all countries in the Eastern and Southern Africa region. 

• Strategy & Evidence: Conduct all validation and in-depth interviews to evaluate national FP action plans for quantitative targets concerning sub-groups (Youth, Unmarried, Rural).
• Quality & Task-Shifting: Assess SOW alignment with WHO guidelines and the efficacy of Community Health Worker (CHW) models in reaching the Last Mile.
• Equity & Discrimination: Measure provider bias against unmarried women and adolescents through structured qualitative tools.
• Validation Methodology:
  • Independent analysis: Develop and use the latest available data (Reference year 2025); check if all are used in the analysis or discussions.
  • Narrative Validation: Cross-reference stories of program, policy, and country context, and reorganize in an implementation context. 

Duration and working schedule:

Three Months (50 days LOE) with a starting date of May 15, 2026. 

• Inception Report: Ten days after signing the contract   (Includes methodology, analytical framework, milestones, and data access plan). - 31 May, 2026.
• Draft Updated Report and: This includes track change of updated report, with additional references, datasets and also a presentation)   - 15 July, 2026
• Final Report Package: This includes the final report, PPTs, completed validation tool, all references, datasets, final presentation, and the publication plan- 15 August, 2026. 

Place where services are to be delivered:

The selected consultant will be required to provide weekly updates via email to monitor adherence to tight production schedules. Virtual meetings will be held when necessary.

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy etc.):

All deliverables (including reports, completed tools, PPTs, policy documents, and datasets) will be presented electronically according to the specific delivery dates outlined above.

The selected consultant will be expected to deliver all work electronically by 15 August, 2026.

Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:

The selected consultant will be required to provide regular updates via email to monitor adherence to tight production schedules. The consultant must demonstrate the following:

• Proven expertise in the analysis of FP/demographic principles and policy dialogues. 
• Demonstrated experience in maternal, newborn, or reproductive health programmes, preferably focusing on family planning.
• Experience conducting policy and investment analyses grounded in the fiscal realities of Low- and Middle-Income Countries.
• Demonstrated experience working in LMICs, preferably in sub-Saharan Africa or the ESA region 
• Proven capacity to manage multi-country analytical work and coordinate with stakeholders.
• Ability to deliver high-quality analytical reports and policy outputs within agreed timelines.
• Previous collaboration with UNFPA, UN agencies, or development partners.

Supervisory arrangements: 

The selected consultant will work under the supervision of the hiring manager, Population Dynamics Adviser, and the Regional Family Planning Specialist.

Expected travel:

No travel is expected. All activities are virtual (data collection, consultation, desk review, validations, etc).

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:

The ideal profile is a Master's in population studies, statistics, or with a public health/medical background and quantitative skills, with strong exposure in interpreting demographic trends and social determinants, who can translate complex modelling into family planning and supply chain programmatic shifts.

• Education: Master’s (10 years of experience) or PhD (7 years of experience) in Demography, Public Health, or Sociology.
• Technical Literacy: Proven analytical capacity to interpret and validate complex demographic models, specifically the proximate determinants of fertility and regression outputs.
• Sector Knowledge: Deep understanding of the ESAR context.
• Methodological Skill: Experience in using pictorial aids, visual illustrations, and structured validation narratives to minimize recall bias.
• Analytical Writing: Ability to translate disaggregated data into stories and recommendations for regional policy dialogue.

Detailed Deliverables:

• Coordinate with the country's focal point and a completed validation tool for each country.
• Additional data sources with an analysis of similar KPI.
• Revised report in track change and cleaned final version. 
• A comprehensive desk review of national laws, policies, strategic plans, investment cases, and key cultural/social norms affecting FP access and equity across the ESAR. Regional Compendium of Laws, Policies, and Key Social Norms related to family planning access, structured to highlight barriers and enablers in alignment with the quantitative findings.
• Conduct a virtual presentation of the final compendium and findings to key stakeholders and partners to support the formal publication plan.
• Dissemination strategy and plan detailing target audiences (e.g., policymakers, civil society, media) and proposed formats (e.g., policy brief, web story, media talking points) for the regional compendium and the qualitative assessment report.
• Submission: Electronic submission of the validated and completed Qualitative Assessment Questionnaire and a comprehensive qualitative narrative report.

Inputs/services to be provided by UNFPA or implementing partner (e.g support services, office space, equipment), if applicable:

UNFPA will provide electronic copies of the reports, all relevant background documents to help inform the proofreading processes, as well as guidance for clarification purposes.

• 20% upon submission and clearance of the Inception Report.
• 60% upon submission of the Draft Analytical Report and completed datasets.
• 20% upon submission and approval of the Final Report Package.

Other relevant information or special conditions, if any:

Remote assignment

   

• Exemplifying integrity, 
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system, 
• Embracing cultural diversity, 
• Embracing change

 

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements. 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts. 

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.