Empanelment of Consultants

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EMPANELMENT OF CONSULTANTS/CSOS FOR TRAINING IN MAKING IDU/FIDU PROGRAMMING

GENDER SENSITIVE AND FEMALE FRIENDLY

Background

UNDP-funded project for capacity-building CSOs implementing programs for female

IDUs and/or female partners of male IDUs to develop a gender sensitive and

female friendly approach within IDU programs across Asia

The International HIV/AIDS Alliance Regional Technical Support Hubs in India and

Cambodia have successfully secured funding from the United Nations Development

Programme (UNDP) for a one-year project aimed at reducing HIV and drug use

through the provision of treatment, care and support to women who use drugs, and

their families.

The grant will be used to develop the capacity of civil society organizations

(CSOs) and Governments in Asia to develop more gender sensitive approaches to

IDU programs, by focusing on programs that target women who use drugs and female

partners of men who use drugs.

Research shows that in most parts of Asia, women who use drugs are often

rejected by their families and as a result resort to sex work to finance their

drug addiction, increasing their vulnerability to infection.

While precise statistics on women drug users at a pan-Asia level are hard to

come by, country-wise data suggests the situation is indeed concerning. The

Indian National AIDS Control Programme estimates that there are 24,000 – 26,800

persons who use drugs in Manipur, of which it is estimated that around 7 percent

are women (approximately 1,600 – 1,900[1] women). In China, in the provinces of

Yunnnan and Guangxi, women who use drugs constitute 16 – 25 percent of all drug

users in HIV/AIDS treatment (World Bank 2000, Health Department Guangxi 2000,

Yunnan Provincial Health Bureau 2001).

The project will start with a community needs analysis in India, Cambodia and

Bangladesh to identify gaps in current HIV IDU programming and advocacy, as well

as sexual and reproductive health services for women and men who use drugs. This

will help assess the requirements for technical support in these countries and

elsewhere within the region.

Following the research, the project will go on to identify at least 15 civil

society organizations (CSOs) and networks in these three countries to receive

technical support from technical support providers who will receive training on

gender-sensitive and female-friendly IDU programming. The project will also

target government agencies, particularly National AIDS program officials, SACS

(State AIDS Control Societies) and officials from the Ministries of Social

Justice and Empowerment.

The pool of individual technical support providers selected from these 15 CSOs

for capacity-building will receive training and undertake learning exchange

visits to Alliance linking organisations HASAB in Bangladesh and SASO in India.

Both of these organisations have considerable experience of working with women

who use drugs.

Following the training, the technical support providers will be funded to

deliver 120 days of technical support in the region. This support can be

commissioned, via the Alliance Regional Technical Support Hubs in India and

Cambodia, by governments, UN agencies, regional technical support structures and

civil society organisations delivering IDU programs throughout the Asia region.

Lessons learnt from the program will be synthesised into a good practice report

which will be disseminated across the region, and virtual ‘communities of

practices’ will be established in order to connect stakeholders involved in

delivering IDU programs across the region to share knowledge and learning.

Towards identifying the 15 CSOs and their consultants to receive training, the

International HIV/AIDS Alliance in India solicits applications from consultants

representing Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) working on IDU issues that are

interested in building their capacity and that satisfy the criteria given below:

Nationality or geographical location

Can belong to any country in the South Asia region with a valid passport

Work experience

• Minimum 7 years of work experience in development sector agency especially

drug-related programmes and also extensive field experience in working on health

projects

• Background in providing technical support and consultations in the past

Other desired skills

Fluency in written and verbal English is essential

Fluency in other regional languages would be an advantage.

Proficiency in computers

Current employment status

Freelance or employed with an organisation that may allow consultancy days and

frequent travel and association with the India HIV/AIDS Alliance Technical

Support Hub during the programme period and after completion of the tenure

The role requires a strong commitment to HIV and a strong interest in and

understanding the relevant issues

Alliance India operates rigorous recruitment and selection procedures and checks

that reflect our commitment to the protection of children from abuse. The Child

Protection Policy will be made available to the short-listed candidates for

mandatory endorsement prior to commencement of work.

Candidates are requested to mail detailed up-to-date CVs along with a brief

background on the work their organizations are engaged in to:

India HIV/AIDS Alliance

Second Floor, Kushal House, 39 Nehru Place, New Delhi 110 019

Tel: (011) 4163 3081

Email: recruit@...

Website: www.aidsalliance.org

Closing date for receipt of complete applications: 15th October, 2009

Please write ‘UNDP FIDU’ in the subject line of your email.

Women candidates are especially encouraged to apply

Please note that we will not be able to notify all applicants. Only short-listed

candidates will be notified within one week of the closing date.

Pankaj Anand

e-mail: <anandpankaj@...>