UNFPA-SRH Coordinator-P4-Nairobi, Kenya (for Sudan)

Position Title:  SRH Coordinator
Receiving Agency:  UNFPA
P Level:  P4
Location:  Nairobi, Kenya (with anticipated relocation to Port Sudan, as security and visa allows)
Duration:  3 months (with possible extension)
Language:  English is required. Fluency in Arabic is desirable. 
 Fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces has continued for over two months, with ongoing violence in Khartoum, Kordofan, Darfur and Blue Nile. Since April, more than 2.8 million people have been forced into displacement, including 2.2 million internally displaced - according to UN estimates. Most of the internally displaced people are in River Nile (16.4%), Northern (15.8%), White Nile (11.4%) and West Darfur (11.1%).

The revised 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for Sudan estimates that 2.64 million women and girls of reproductive age are in need of humanitarian assistance, among whom an estimated 262,880 are pregnant, and over 90,000 are expecting to give birth over the next three months. Before the conflict, around 3.1 million women and girls and other vulnerable people were already facing the risk of life-threatening violence in Sudan, according to UN estimates in the initial 2023 Sudan HRP. Since the conflict broke out, that number has increased by 1 million, meaning 4.2 million people (including refugees inside Sudan) are at risk of gender-based violence (GBV) as violence continues, inter-communal tensions mount and protection services and support systems are increasingly breaking down. 3 WHO, Sudan: Health Cluster Sitrep #1, May 2023. 2 UNFPA, WHO, Women and girls hit hard by attacks on health in Sudan, UN agencies warn, June 2023 1 OCHA, Sudan Humanitarian Update, July 2023 Sudan Emergency - Situation Report No.4 - 03 July 2023 Cases of GBV continue to be reported across the country, with incidents of sexual violence, including rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation and physical violence, being reported by women and girls who have fled the conflict in Khartoum and other areas, as well as those on the move 4 . Adolescent girls are also facing an increased risk of child marriage as some families are allegedly resorting to it, in an attempt to “shield” them from further risks of sexual violence, assault or exploitation. 5 In areas with active fighting, such as Darfur, high competition over water, food and basic needs combined with resource shortages puts women-headed households, unaccompanied children, and young and adolescent girls also at risk of sexual exploitation and abuse. Long periods trapped within their homes due to heavy shooting has also increased incidents of domestic violence. As a result of the on-going conflict in Sudan, UNFPA has had to temporarily halt operations in the following areas: Khartoum, Darfur, South Kordufan and North Kordufan. 

Access to essential lifesaving SRH services remains challenging given ongoing active fighting and further conflict escalation in several states. The increasing trend of internal displacement places additional demand on health care services in IDP-hosting states, such as Northern, El Gazira, West Darfur, White Nile, River Nile, Sennar and Red Sea. There is a critical risk of a nationwide stock-out of life-saving SRH medicines and supplies at state level mainly due to the inability to replenish life-saving SRH medicines and supplies that have been consumed since the outbreak of the conflict. Accessing the National Central Medical Supplies warehouses in Khartoum state, where medicines for the entire country are kept, remains challenging. The warehouses are storing medicines for the treatment of obstetric hemorrhage and pregnancy induced hypertension - the leading causes for maternal death in Sudan. Other lifesaving SRH medicines, including oxytocin and misoprostol which are used for the prevention and treatment of obstetric hemorrhage, are no longer in stock in the state warehouses of El Gazira, White Nile, Blue Nile, Sennar, Northern State and River Nile.
Kenya remains one of the more stable countries in the region and the UN Security Management System is well established in Nairobi.  However, sporadic incidents of crime and civil unrest do occur and UN staff members are at times impacted by these incidents.  

Crime:
Criminality is common, and UN personnel have been victims of opportunistic criminal activity.  Street robberies, bag snatching, residential break-ins, burglaries, and robberies, often with the threat of violence continue to be reported.  While UN personnel are not targeted due to their employment with the UN, opportunistic criminal incidents have impacted UN personnel in Nairobi. 

Civil Unrest:
Nairobi does experience sporadic incidents of civil unrest, primarily organized by community members to draw attention to a particular common interest.  However, the UN is not targeted by these incidents.



MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Role Description:   Under the overall supervision of the UNFPA Representative and direct day-to-day supervision by the UNFPA Sudan Humanitarian Emergency Coordinator, the Field SRH Coordinator will be part of the UNFPA Humanitarian Response Team. The Field SRH Coordinator will work closely with the SRH Programme Officer and will serve as the Focal Point for SRH coordination, and - jointly with the SRH Team and  field teams - will support the implementation, monitoring and reporting on SRH activities, including HIV and medical aspects of GBV, in the affected and most at need locations. 

The coordinator will work closely with the Health Cluster, UNFPA field teams and SRH partners, State Ministries of Health as relevant and applicable, implementing partners as well as sister UN agencies (WHO, UNICEF, UNHCR, IOM, WFP) to ensure improved coordination and delivery of RH services including HIV and GBV to the conflict affected populations. The coordinator is expected to interact positively with government officials, UN agencies and other organizations.
The coordinator will support implementation of the MISP as well as monitor and report on progress; with strategies to include advocacy for RH services, ensuring quality of care for services offered through facilitation for capacity building, provision of emergency RH supplies, and monitoring of RH activities.
The coordinator may be called upon to identify and facilitate operational partnerships, propose medical supplies needs, equipment, and accessories periodically, and coordinate the provision of such supplies to the partners. The coordinator will advise accordingly on the integration of comprehensive health (RH/HIV/GBV) services into primary health care, as the situation stabilizes.

Under the technical direction of the Humanitarian Emergency Coordinator, and in collaboration with the UNFPA national SRH team leader and the GBV coordinator at field level and at CO level, the coordinator will:

• Provide leadership at the national and state levels in RH coordination ensuring implementation of the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) for SRH in crisis, and provide support in programming for improved response;
• Represent UNFPA at national level health cluster meetings and provide updates on SRH advocating for SRH updates as a standing-item of the Health Cluster agenda
• Lead the SRH coordination at inter-agency level with focus on (1) SRH partners mapping; (2) update on EmONC network; (3) map needs of SRH partners for IARH kits and their ability to work / utilize IARH kits within the most affected states (conflict affected and / or hosting IDPs) in need for support
• Support the functionality of / liaise with the state-level UNFPA led SRH working groups and as they feed into the national level health cluster.
• Coordinate with the GBV-AOR (UNFPA led) for SRH / GBV integration especially with regard to clinical management of rape (CMR)/ IPV interventions.
• Coordinate with the Humanitarian Logistician and the CO operations team for the shipment and dispatchment in-country of SRH related supplies. 
• Facilitate improved service delivery and information at various inter-agency fora, and improve the visibility of UNFPA in humanitarian work;
• Provide overall guidance and technical advice to the UNFPA CO to design and implement SRH emergency related interventions
• Support SRH needs assessments / ensure inclusion of SRH concerns into needs assessments as feasible. identify gaps and suggest solutions for improved RH service delivery for reaching conflict affected populations;
• Facilitate the coordination of all SRH stakeholders within Sudan and supporting work from outside; including implementing partners, at the field level as needed through an effective coordination mechanism. This may include the establishment and coordination of a stand-alone SRH working group, or advocacy with the health cluster to have SRH as a standing-item on the health cluster agenda.
• Facilitate capacity building (formal/ informal with supportive supervision) to Health services providers including TOT and trainee’s training on needs and gaps areas taking into account physical and virtual / remote training options;
• In the current context of the crisis with limited international presence and many national staff working remotely, engage with the health cluster and with partners to develop capacities of local IP and advise on new ways of working.
• Assist the CO in proposal writing for resource mobilization for SRH / GBV integrated interventions;
• Perform any other duties assigned by the Supervisor.

• An advanced University degree in medical sciences or public health, or equivalent qualifications;
• At least seven years working experience in the field of reproductive health, preferably in the UN system or INGO;
• Experience in coordination and implementation of Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) for Reproductive Health and Clinical Management of Rape (CMR) / IPV a plus;
• Humanitarian experience and international experience including at inter-agency level and in a complex humanitarian crisis are desirable;
• Fluency in oral and written English; working knowledge of Arabic a plus. 

CANADEM and its partners have a no-tolerance policy for inaction to prevent, respond to and follow up on alleged cases of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse , and Harassment (SEAH). For this reason, we adhere to all policies, procedures and training of the United Nations on The Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (PSEAH). CANADEM mandates all deployees successfully complete the PSEA online course . This e-learning course is composed of a set of lessons designed to raise awareness about SEAH, become familiar with a range of measures to combat SEAH, understand the impact on victims and the consequences for UN Personnel who commit Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment.