Vacancy Announcement Details

PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES
UNICEF#s Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (LACRO) will conduct a real-time assessment (RTA) of UNICEF#s role in rolling out COVID-19 vaccine in LAC, including how this has been, or is able to, contribute to the overall immunization programme, PHC and health systems strengthening. In particular, the assessment aims to show how COVID-19 vaccine roll out has contributed to strengthening routine immunization services. As part of the continuous-learning assessment approaches, this RTA shall commence in Q4 of 2021, while vaccine roll out is still ongoing. It was deliberately termed #assessment# (not an evaluation) and designed to be a reasonably light process that regions could adapt to suit their
own needs.

The purpose of the RTA is to inform a forward-looking reflection on the implementation of the national and regional office response to COVID-19 vaccine introduction. It will include an assessment of both the Regional Office#s and COs# comparative advantage in the roll out of COVID-19 vaccination, and how this has been leveraged to strengthen routine immunization services and primary health care in LAC, particularly for the most vulnerable populations. Also, the RTA will assess the effectiveness, coherence and equity of the LACRO and CO support to the roll out of COVID-19 vaccinations. The RTA aims to assess the quality of the roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccination in the region, while also providing early insights on the outcomes achieved. Findings will be consolidated across countries and at the regional level, with a view to identify trends and generate cross-country learning and timely actions to strengthen the ongoing response. With improved response implementation as its main purpose, the real-time assessment will contribute to annual reporting as well as the 2021 Humanitarian Action for Children appeal (HAC) on the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT-A.

The findings from the assessment will contribute to the ongoing support to the roll out of COVID-19 vaccinations. In addition, it will provide medium- and longer-term recommendations to strategically position UNICEF in routine immunization and the health sector. As the assessment is forward looking, its evidence-based findings and recommendations will inform UNICEF#s LACRO and COs crisis response 2021 and 2022 strategic and operational priorities, and strengthen its partnerships with governments and other both in fast-changing contexts as well as towards the establishment of a more sustainable response to the Covid=19 vaccine roll out.

Full details are available on the UNGM website. Deadline 3rd December