1. BACKGROUND
Médecins du Monde France (MdM-F) is an independent organisation of active militants providing care, bearing witness and supporting social change, both in France and internationally. For the past 40 years, we have been committed to working with the most vulnerable individuals and their communities to break down the barriers preventing them from having access to healthcare.
Brief presentation of the project
Médecins du Monde (MdM) has been working in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (oPt) since 1995 and has become one of the major actors in Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) and Emergency Preparedness and Response in the oPt.
MdM has decided to redefine its strategy in the oPt to be careful not to have a mono-sectorial position. SRH has been a priority area for MdM since 2010. Between 2010 and 2013 a general framework for intervention on SRH was established at Headquarters level. During this period the number and type of projects has developed, and the recommendations set out in the position paper have been progressively integrated.
MdM is committed to promoting respect for the right to health and universal access to SRH services by strengthening the continuum of care from the community to referral services and throughout the lives of users of these services.
These commitments are realized through two types of complementary intervention:
- provision of holistic, accessible, high-quality care;
- advocacy to promote the right to access appropriate health services.
In 2014, MdM implemented a program on SRHR which provided Family Planning to the community of Al Bureij in Gaza strip with local partner, Cultural Free Thought Association (CFTA). The intervention was successful but highlighted the widespread problem of unwanted pregnancies. An assessment conducted in 2018 by MdM, concluded that Gender-based Violence (GBV) related to unwanted pregnancy continues to be a significant health need in the West Bank (WB) and identified similar factors between GBV and unwanted pregnancies in Gaza.
Implementation of GBV services is integrated in MdM’s MHPSS programs through partnership with local organizations and the Ministry of Health (MoH).
MdM conducts training on Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP), among MoH staff and local partners’ staff where GBV and disability are integrated in the training curriculum. In West Bank, MdM works with the MoH in strengthening the capacity of MoH staff in detecting GBV cases, providing MHPSS and referral of GBV cases using the national referral system. Through MH emergency response activities, MdM staff are also equipped to detect GBV cases seen during MHPSS interventions and provide necessary referrals to GBV actors in the WB. In Gaza, MdM implements GBV component through the partnership with implementing partners, such as CFTA and Awda Health and Community Association (AWDA) while the MoH serves as the operational partner. MdM works with partners in building the capacity of their staff in the detection, provision of services and referral. An MdM exploratory mission conducted in 2016 looked at the population health needs for SRH in West Bank. From the exploratory mission, Gender Based Violence (GBV) prevention, response, and management, together with management of unwanted pregnancies (UWP), were identified as main gaps. These gaps informed the areas focused upon in the MdM SRH assessment conducted in West Bank in 2018. Furthermore, the deep assessment identified and surveyed suitable partners for MdM to facilitate a strategy for SRH in Palestine for the next 3 years. Currently, there are no ongoing SRH projects implemented in the oPt.
Following the MdM SRHR exploratory mission in 2016 and SRH assessment in WB in 2018, the aim of this consultancy is to conduct new SRHR assessment in the oPt that will guide the mission in designing new programmes and to identify new potential partners that MdM can work with in implementing SRHR activities.
2. DEFINITION OF THE CONSULTING MISSION
Objective
The objectives of the assessment are:
- Update of SRHR context analysis in the oPt: factors influencing the situation, “stakeholders” and networks mapping and analysis, opportunities, constraints, and essential conditions identified. The 2018 SRHR assessment conducted in WB is an important reference point for the update.
- Conduct gender analysis, identifying the different needs, capacities, vulnerabilities and coping strategies of women, men, boys, and girls to be able to better meet those needs – especially SRHR needs and needs in terms of protection.
- Identification, prioritization and analysis of the main health and social health problems/needs related to sexual and reproductive health- GBV: quality of the SRH services access in the oPt with a specific focus on family planning, GBV, breast cancer, adolescent SRH, and menopause.
- Identification of new partners in Gaza and WB to implement potential SRH projects.
- Proposition of an intervention strategy, including strategical, operational, and technical recommendations and logical framework for both long-term and emergency projects, ensuring integration of cross-cutting MHPSS topic in the intervention.
3. PROFILE SOUGHT
The consultant/firm is expected to demonstrate that it has a track record of not less than three (3) years of experience executing similar assessment in similar set-up with diverse geographic and group compositions. The consultant/firm should also list the scale of similar projects worked on in the past.
The consultant/firm is expected to display:
- High sensitivity to conflict-affected settings and diversity issues;
- Good interpersonal, administrative and management skills;
- All Bidders are required to meet the following minimum requirements in order to qualify to consider their proposal:
- Previous experience in similar assessments
- Capability of the assessment team: Team member(s) shall have health background, with strong experience conducting assessment in SRH/GBV, along with relevant experience in MHPSS and strong knowledge on theory of change
- Attachment of all supportive documents with the technical proposal is required
- Knowledge of the project area and knowledge of the local language(s) will be considered a plus
4. INDICATIVE TIMETABLE
Publication of the call of interest: 14/04/23
Deadline for an expression of interest: 25/04/23 at12 noon (Paris time/CET)
Deadline for filing a complete proposal: 05/05/23
Preferred mission launch date: 01/06/23
Preferred date for the “field” phase of the consulting process: 19 to 29/06/23
Preferred final report delivery date: 15/07/23
This timetable is for information only and subject to modification.
5. DETAILED APPLICATION METHODS
Documents to be submitted
Service providers wishing to express their interest are invited to submit a technical proposal including the following:
1. Up-to-date curriculum vitae (CV) of a maximum of 3 pages for each member of the proposed team and stating as applicable the consulting firm to which each team member belongs.
2. A letter of interest of a maximum of three (3) pages, indicating: experience of comparable missions, at least two (2) credentials concerning the performance of comparable contracts, dates of availability for the consulting process, etc.
The expression of interest will be considered complete if it includes the following 2 elements. It must be sent via email to: < recruitment.palestine@medecinsdumonde.net > with the subject line “SRH Assessment Palestine 2023”. Expressions of interest submitted in any other manner will not be taken into consideration.
Thedeadline for submitting an expression of interest is 25/04/23 at12 noon (Paris time/CET).
A maximum of six (6) candidates will be shortlisted and invited to submit a complete technical and budget proposal in response to the terms of reference to be provided to them.
INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS
All information obtained in the context of this expression of interest is the subject of IT processing aimed at creating and archiving a professional file for each application received and for the purpose of any potential audit of our internal procedures. The data collected is sent to Health and Advocacy Direction at MdM-Fr HQ. In accordance with the French and EU legislation in force, you have the right to access and amend any information relating to you and you can exercise this right by emailing < dsp@medecinsdumonde.net > or writing to Médecins du Monde France, Direction Santé Plaidoyer, 84 Avenue du Président Wilson, 93210 La Plaine-Saint-Denis. You may also object to the processing of your data on legitimate grounds.
In order to be authorised to apply, bidders must be able to establish, at the discretion of MdM, that they meet the legal, technical and financial conditions applicable and that they have the necessary capacity and sufficient resources to carry out the mission.
How to apply
Expressions of interest must be sent via email to: < recruitment.palestine@medecinsdumonde.net > with the subject line “SRH Assessment Palestine 2023”.
