Background and context
During the G8 summit of 2010, the French Government pledged € 500 million to accelerate progress in reducing child mortality and improving maternal health through the creation of the Fonds Francais Muskoka (FFM). The activities and programmes of the FFM are carried out through four of France’s multilateral partners – UNICEF, WHO, UNFPA and UNWOMEN – with a focus on 8 countries in sub-Saharan Africa (Benin, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Senegal Togo). UNICEF’s West and Central Africa Regional Office (WCARO) is responsible for leading and coordinating inter-agency reporting activities in support of the FFM. In 2018 reporting requirements include a global consolidated report covering the 7 years of implementation of the FFM both at regional as at country level.

Justification
Since 2013 annual reporting within the framework of Muskoka is coordinated by UNICEF WCARO and implemented by a research institution “Le Centre Muraz”. With its multi-disciplinary research capacity, “Le Centre Muraz” has been responsible for collecting and analysing data from country and regional offices and consolidating them into one regional report. As of 2017 the Muskoka budget has been reduced by almost 50%, which has made it necessary for the inter-agency technical committee to adopt a more cost effective strategy to support the reporting exercise.

Therefore, to ensure quality and timely reporting, UNICEF WCARO seeks to recruit an international reporting consultant to analyse existing annual reports, collect missing data, identify best practices, consult with inter-agency country and regional teams on programmatic and strategic priorities to be highlighted in the report and to develop the global consolidated report as well as its strategic summary. This report will contain Muskoka’s legacy and will be presented to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and to other (potential) key technical and financial partners by end of May 2018.

Purpose and Objective
The reporting consultant will be responsible for providing both a global consolidated report on progress and achievements accomplished through the French Muskoka Fund and a strategic summary of this report. This will be done in close collaboration with the inter-agency secretariat hosted by UNICEF and in support to the participating UN agencies (WHO, UN Women, UNFPA and UNICEF), both at regional as at country level.

Methodology and Technical Approach
The reporting consultant will work in three phases:

A preparatory phase will allow to analyze the reports submitted to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs since the beginning of the FFM, to collect missing data, to identify best practices to highlight in the report and to propose, country and thematic sheets to include in the report.
A second phase, will allow to discuss and validate proposed content for the report with the inter-agency country teams and the members of the regional technical committee
A final phase will allow to develop the global report and its strategic summary
5. Activities, tasks, outputs and deliverables

The consultant will be responsible for providing the following key deliverables:

Deliverable 1: 8 Country sheets on main Muskoka achievements, challenges and opportunities
Deliverable 2: A global technical and financial inter-agency report on the French Muskoka fund (2011 – 2017) (75 pages)
Deliverable 3: A strategic summary of this global report (15 pages)
Management, organization and timeframe
This contract is for 50 working days over a period of three months.

The consultant will work under the supervision of the health programme specialist (partnership and resource mobilisation) of UNICEF WCARO and in close collaboration with the inter-agency technical committee of the FFM.

Deliverable#1: 8 Country sheets on main Muskoka achievements, challenges and opportunities
Deadline: 7 Avril 2018

Deliverable#2: A global technical and financial report on the French Muskoka fund (2011-2017)
Deadline: first draft 1 May 2018; final version 15 May 2018

Deliverable#3: A strategic summary of the global report
Deadline: 31 May 2018

6. Qualifications of Successful Candidate

Specific competencies, qualifications and experience required of the contracted consultant:

Master in Public Health or a related field;
At least fifteen years’ experience in public health issues in developing countries;
Experience in analyzing and reporting, especially in the public health sector;
Strong analytical skills and ability to clearly analyze, synthesize, present findings and prepare well-written reports;
In depth Knowledge of the field of Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) in West and Central Africa, and more specifically in the francophone countries of the region;
Understanding of institutional mandates of UNICEF, UNFPA, WHO and UN Women is required;
Prior experience of working in the West Africa region is required;
Knowledge of the French development cooperation and its main actors (AFD, Expertise France, etc.) and contributions (5% initiative, GFTAM, etc.) in the WCA region would be a strong asset
7. Conditions of work

Home-based work, with occasional visits to the UNICEF Regional Office in Dakar, as needed. Consultant should have his/her own equipment, including laptop or telecommunication equipment. If other travels should be needed, they will be organized by UNICEF WCARO and based on UNICEF travel regulations.

8. UNICEF recourse in case of unsatisfactory performance

Payment will only be made for work satisfactorily completed and accepted by UNICEF

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.