Short Term Consultant: Strengthening Civil Society Engagement in Guyana

Country: Guyana

City: Georgetown, Guyana

Duration: 3 May – 28 May 2021

Job Description: The detail job description/terms of reference are attached below.

Background

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of engaging community-based (CBO) and civil society organizations (CSO) early and meaningfully to prepare communities for emergencies. Civil society engagement is pivotal to maximizing the effectiveness of preparedness, readiness, and response strategies. However, while CSOs are always on the frontline of response to emergencies, their involvement remains ad-hoc in all countries.

The aim is an inclusive engagement of CSOs in decision-making, planning, monitoring and accountability processes related to emergency management, mapping should let us know who our partners are in the response phase so we can start building their capacities and competencies so that they can become fully capable partners, supporting governments in preparedness and response.

Availability of a CSO database will allow the mapping to be a continuous process, monitoring the dynamics of the CSOs’ progress in terms of partnerships building, networking activities, resources mobilized, training received, as well as identifying and strengthening thematic areas of work as relevant to ensuring equitable access to services and inclusive governance.  

Objective

The objective of CSOs’ mapping for readiness is to obtain data on the variety of partners at all levels – from community to global with the purpose of facilitating alignment of partner efforts and enabling meaningful CSOs engagement for strengthening community readiness and resilience to emergencies. 

Scope

To develop a more systematic way of engagement, there is a need to map the profiles and capacities of CSOs involved in emergency response. Mappings can be key in understanding CSOs in their relationships to other clusters of actors, such as state actors, private-sector organizations, other agencies, and donors.

The mapping exercise targets to collect information from the CSOs identified in all focus countries by the WHO regional and country offices. Four main dimensions should be covered in the mapping: CSO capacity, level of engagement, governance, and impact (success cases).

The Assignment

• Collect data from key actors to map who the relevant actors are, how they interact with local and national authorities, other CSOs, UN and other international agencies, and other donors.
• Create a database of CSO.
• Identify key areas to support CSO engagement/action in policy-making processes, planning, monitoring and accountability.
• Use mapping as a catalyst to promote new partnerships and alliances and
• Consult regularly with the PAHO/WHO Guyana Country Office Project Manager

The following steps are proposed to cover the scope:

1. Desk review – A rapid review to identify CSOs in the country that are or can be engaged in emergency response, particularly in the context of COVID-19, based on priority themes identified (refugees, mental health, gender-based violence, HIV&AIDS, youth advocacy and other health related areas).
2. Data collection – Using the indicators already identified, an online survey has been prepared for completion by CSOs. Responses will feed into a database that will be used to identify opportunities and barriers for engagement and gaps in capacities to be addressed as well as map vulnerabilities in communities.
3. Targeting focal points – Mapping should not be a purely actor-based approach but consider connections and power relations across institutions. Discussions with focal points should go deeper than the survey can to help understand CSOs in their relations to these other actors. Consulting with subject matter experts within the networks, other UN agencies, and CSO focal points are an important method for collecting more nuanced information.

The consultant will work as an integrant of the PAHO/WHO, Guyana Country Office, COVID-19 Team, as well as actively work with identified CSOs and other necessary stakeholders during the consultancy period.

Assignment Duration

The duration of the assignment is 20 working days. The assignment will commence on 3 May 2021 and will conclude on 28 May 2021with the submission of the final report to PAHO/WHO Office Guyana for review and approval by the Project Manager. 

Deliverables

1. Proposed workplan for the consultancy work
2. Draft database of CSOs mapped.
3. Final report on the mapping of CSOs including key areas for collaboration and service delivery.

Qualifications required:

• Bachelor’s degree in (required fields, maximum of 3) or related fields from a recognized university
• Post graduate degree at a Master level in (required fields, maximum of 3).

Experience required:

• 5 years of national working experience in public health, humanitarian support or related field.
• Experiences in service mapping and preparing technical documents in English
• Experiences working with Civil Society Organizations and United Nations organizations is desirable.

Competencies/ Technical skills and knowledge:

• Demonstrated in writing technical documents and in English
• Knowledge of CSOs and service mapping in Guyana is preferable.
• Capacity to work with various stakeholders and produce results in given timeframe is desirable
• Ability to plan and prioritize challenging workloads.
• Good teamwork
• Fostering integration and teamwork
• Communicating in a credible and effective way
• Producing results
• Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond

Languages:  Excellent communication in English and inter-personal skills.

Qualified candidates should send their applications along with a detailed Curriculum Vitae (PDF) to: guyemail@paho.org 

This is a Consultancy open for National Candidates only.  

Only shortlisted applicants will be acknowledged.