SEA/SH, GBV Action Plans Consultant

State of Palestine

Ministry of Health

Projects Management Unit (PMU)

Health System Efficiency and Resiliency Project (HSERP)

Request for Expressions of Interest

(Consulting Services)

Name of Project: Health System Efficiency and Resilience Project (HSERP)

Assignment Title: Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) / Sexual Harassment (SH), and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Action Plan

Reference No.: MOH-WB/HSERP-CS2

The Ministry of Health has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of Health System Efficiency and Resilience Project (HSERP), and intends to apply part of the proceeds towards the cost of hiring a consultant to create a comprehensive Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) / Sexual Harassment (SH), and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Action Plan for the project. The consultant will be in charge of the following duties:

• Examine all pertinent project documentation.
• Conduct a thorough risk assessment to identify potential SEA/SH, GBV concerns, and project vulnerabilities. This assessment will include community consultations with women and girls, including women’s organizations, in order to understand potential risks and the best ways to make project benefits accessible to women. 
• Conduct/compile a mapping of existing GBV services in project areas with a package of basic minimum services, including overlap with other Bank projects and a basic assessment of quality. The assessment must pay special attention to health care providers since high quality, confidential and integrated healthcare service is a critical component of a multi-sector response to GBV. Map if and which healthcare providers provide quality health care that ensures implementation of the Minimum Initial Services Package for reproductive health (including post rape treatment supplies and other relevant clinical supplies).
• Evaluate the capacity and readiness of project employees and stakeholders to prevent, respond to, and report SEA/SH, GBV occurrences.
• Create a comprehensive SEA/SH, GBV Action Plan with preventive measures, reporting methods, response protocols, and clear lines of accountability. (see ‘deliverables’ section for detail).
• Create capacity-building workshops and training sessions for all project-related personnel and stakeholders (such as relevant ministries, community actors, policy makers, complaints and monitoring unit and any other relevant stakeholders identified by MoH) to ensure that they understand and effectively implement the Action Plan. This includes an initial training of PIU staff on GBV/SEA/SH risks and mitigation measures.,
• Develop or adapt Behavioral Standards such as Codes of Conduct (CoC) for project staff based on best practice and develop a plan for rolling out the Behavioral Standards.
• Support development/adaptation and implementation of a gender-sensitive Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) based on best practices, with multiple channels that are accessible to women and girls, anonymized reporting, and response protocol specific to SEA/SH complaints related to the project.  The GRM must use a “survivor-centered” approach to ensure that SEA/SH cases receive medical, psychosocial and legal assistance in accordance with needs, subject to the consent of the victim, while respecting their right to confidentiality and security (this will include regular monitoring to verify the proper functioning of the GRM, appropriate reporting channels, and quality of services in the referral pathway).  This also includes ensuring compliance with the guiding principles regarding confidentiality and security in the ethical collection, storage, and sharing of data related to GBV complaints. 
• Develop ToRs for a GBV specialized agency to be recruited by the PIU (if applicable) to provide targeted support on risk mitigation activities, such as community consultations, GBV assessments, GBV services mapping and establishing referral pathways, facilitating trainings for PIU and project-related staff, etc. 
• Community awareness raising activities that include potential SEA risks related to the project as well as risk mitigation measures in place:  behavioral standards for staff, the GRM and the ways in which the community members can safely report concerns. 
• Coordination and collaboration with other actors, including Informing and involving government structures at the level of intervention zones on GBV risk mitigation activities and measures carried out within the framework of the project. 
• As needed, provide technical help and direction to aid in the implementation of the Action Plan.
• Make recommendations for continued monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of the Action Plan.

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) can be can be obtained at the address given below.

The consultancy is expected to take place during February 2024 - March 2024 and will require 30 working days.

The Ministry of Health now invites eligible individual consultants to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services.

جميع الحقوق محفوظة لموقع جوبس.

The consultant should have the following credentials and expertise:

1. Demonstrated expertise establishing SEA/SH, GBV Action Plans.
2. Thorough understanding of World Bank Environmental and Social Framework regulations, processes, and best practices, especially in the context of international development projects supported by institutions such as the World Bank.
3. A thorough awareness of gender issues and the incorporation of gender mainstreaming into project design and implementation.
4. Prior experience performing risk assessments and developing capacity-building programs.
5. Outstanding communication and presenting abilities.
6. Proven ability to collaborate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including government officials, project personnel, and community representatives.
7. Minimum of 8 years relevant professional work experience at national and international levels in development or humanitarian field, with a focus on violence against women prevention and response, including sexual exploitation and abuse. 
8. Operational experience at country/regional level in the implementation of programming related to violence against women and children or sexual exploitation and abuse. 
9. Experience in providing high-level strategic and operational advice and technical support to donors, multilateral, community organizations and policy makers on existing evidence of what works to prevent and mitigate violence. 
10. Experience in delivering gender-sensitization and/or GBV training to a wide range of audiences including in challenging environments. 
11. Proven experience designing and managing reporting or response systems for GBV, child protection, education, or related topic areas, including experience in methods of collecting and analyzing data on GBV. 
12. Excellent knowledge of the guiding and ethical principles that govern work with survivors of GBV and good practices in the implementation of activities to prevent and fight against GBV. 
13. Good knowledge of the Palestinian context, including national legislation in the area of ​​GBV;
14. Excellent English written and oral communication skills, including writing, presentation/facilitation, and editorial skills. 
15. Commitment to a survivor-centered approach.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” July 2016, revised November 2017 and August 2018 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.   

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours.