UNICEF Pacific Consultancy: Dietary intake assessment in Isabel, Western, and Guadalcanal Provinces, Solomon Islands, 75 working days over 5 months

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For every child, the right to strength.  

UNICEF Pacific works across 14 Pacific Island countries and territories, home to 2.3 million people, including 1.2 million children—spread across 660 islands and atolls. Five of these countries, including Solomon Islands, are classified as Fragile States. While all have ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child, only a third are up to date with reporting obligations. Explore the different areas of our work here: UNICEF Pacific Islands.

Solomon Islands is grappling with the triple burden of malnutrition which are undernutrition (chronic and acute); micronutrient deficiencies (such as anaemia) and overnutrition (overweight and obesity). Undernutrition and iron deficiency anaemia are high among under 5 children with 32 per cent of them stunted; 8 per cent wasted, and 39 per cent anaemic. Overweight and obesity affect a significant portion of children (23 per cent) and adults (57 per cent) compounded by unhealthy dietary habits such as consumption of insufficient fruits (33 per cent) and vegetables (21 percent) and high daily intake of carbonated soft drinks among school-aged children (45 per cent).

Children spend a significant portion of their day at schools, and healthy meals and snacks are therefore essential not only for their overall health and wellbeing but also for improved learning outcomes – including school enrolment, attendance, and overall school performance. There is evidence across the globe on the positive impact of meal provision in schools on education outcomes. In Solomon Islands, there is a wide diversity of locally produced nutritious foods such as sweet potato, cassava, yam, taro, banana, pumpkin, green leafy vegetables, and a wide range of high value nutritious food crops including slippery cabbage, tomato, pineapple, peanut, ngali-nut, watermelon, and others. These foods hold significant potential to support the provision of low-cost, nutritious school meals.

With funding support from the Government of Japan, UNICEF, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD), the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (NAL), and Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS), has launched a three-year school meal project in 9 schools in Western and Isabel Provinces. In addition, support from Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) enables UNICEF to assist additional schools in Guadalcanal Province to strengthen foster healthy food school environments that are adaptive and responsive to climate change.

To ensure that locally available foods in Western, Isabel and Guadalcanal provinces are effectively utilized in school meal provision, a comprehensive dietary intake assessment in schools is required. In addition, a mapping of the locally available foods and recipes that incorporate these foods is also needed. The dietary intakes data will be used to establish nutrient intake gaps in the current school meals. When combined with data on local foods mapping and low-cost recipes of locally available foods, this information will support the development of healthy, climate-resilient school meal model plans and menus which address existing nutrient deficiencies using climate resilient locally sourced nutritious foods.

Therefore, UNICEF in collaboration with the MEHRD, MAL, and MHMS is seeking a consultant to conduct comprehensive dietary intake assessments in 9 schools in Western and Isabel provinces and 7-9 schools in Guadalcanal province. The consultant will closely work with the provincial government teams from the above three ministries and coordinate with other consultants and partners working to strengthen school nutrition. This work will directly contribute to (and will benefit from) a related consultancy on development of teaching aids for curriculum review for nutrition.

How can you make a difference? 

The objective of this consultancy is to conduct a comprehensive dietary intake assessment, in schools and their surrounding communities in Isabel, Western, and Guadalcanal provinces, with emphasis on selected schools which are part of the school meal provision and climate resilience projects. The findings of the assessment are expected to contribute to revising and updating the following:

• School Nutrition Guidelines including: 1) Meal plans for the school kitchen 2) Recipes for healthy snacks for use by food vendors in the schools
• Nutrition Social Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) materials for use in schools
• Resource kit for teachers for teaching nutrition-related content

The assignment includes:

1. Quantified dietary intake assessment

a) Mapping of locally available food (Local food basket)

• Undertake a thorough mapping of locally available food (local food basket) in the selected areas Western, Isabel, and Guadalcanal provinces. Establish the foods consumed in relation to cultural diversity, indigenous dietary patterns; the variations in food availability, and also foods acquired through purchase vis a vis those directly by school gardens.
• Document the foods commonly consumed across different seasons, locations in each province, and sources (purchase or direct farm produce).
• Document pricing/costing of all the mapped foods

b) Data collection for quantified dietary assessment

• Undertake required preparations to enable data collection of quantified dietary intake assessment of school learners within the schools (in the study) and immediate surrounding communities. This should include:

o Collecting quantified 24-hour recall data in the selected schools and provide all the daily quality assurance required for the data collection including body size measurements o Collect data on the food prices for all the list of foods reported in the survey

o Mapping of proportion of meals supplied by school gardens

• Organize and clean all collected data into formats fitting for analyses and modelling, and also ensure that the data is entered into relevant data entry software

c) Provide ad-hoc support towards data analyses

• Liaise with the data analysis team (recruited separately by UNICEF) and provide ad hoc support as required, including clarifying questions related to data, to facilitate the analysis and modelling of the collected quantified dietary intake data and the development of food-based recommendations for optimal dietary intakes in the schools.
• Support engagement with stakeholders to obtain feedback and validate the study findings with the schools and relevant stakeholders.

2.  Local recipe modifications

• In coordination with relevant local stakeholders, collect data on common food preparations methods, and compile a comprehensive list of local recipes based on locally produced foods.
• Collect data on common dietary practices/habits, food culture norms in the pilot schools and their surrounding communities
• Review the nutritional value of recipes in consideration of the results which will come from the analysis of the dietary intakes data and modeling; recommend recipes for further modeling for optimal dietary intakes
• Pre-test and draft modified recipes and meals plans, incorporating stakeholder feedback into revisions
• Further adapt modified recipes for large population food preparation
• Finalize a proposed set of one week’s full-day meal and snack plans, incorporating

3. Mapping of socio-cultural barriers and enablers to consumption of local nutritious foods among learners

• Undertake a mapping of socio-cultural barriers and enablers which would hinder or facilitate learners in the schools from consuming nutritious/healthy locally available foods
• Investigate any other influencers on food-related preferences, and food cultural norms for the school-aged learners to understand what is being sold in shops/canteens near schools
• Identify social media or any other influencers in the lives of students influencing their dietary patterns.

4. Contribution to developing school-based nutrition IEC materials and guidelines, including content on nutrition for curriculum and extracurricular revisions

• Contribute to reviewing existing school-based IEC materials and nutrition-related guidelines
• Based on the data from the assessment, support the development of nutrition content appropriate for integration into school curricular and extracurricular guidelines
• In liaison with stakeholders, contribute to developing relevant content for potential school nutrition guidelines, in line with findings emerging from the assessments

Please refer to the ToR ( SOL.Dietary Intake Assessment Consultant – ToR.pdf) for further information on the deliverables and the timelines. 

GUIDANCE FOR APPLICANTS:  

Please submit a separate financial offer along with your application and technical proposal. The financial proposal should be a lump sum amount for all the deliverables in the Terms of Reference above and should show a breakdown for the following:

• Daily fees– based on the deliverables in the Terms of Reference
• Travel (economy air ticket where applicable to take up assignment as required, as well as any in country travel within Solomon Islands – minimum 2 trips per each to the following three provinces (Isabelle, Western, Guadalcanal) for data collection are expected).
• Living allowance for international consultant that will need to relocate to Solomon Islands, for the duration of in-country assignment
• Miscellaneous- to cover visa, health insurance (including medical evacuation for international consultants), communications, and other costs.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Minimum requirements:

Education:

• A Master’s degree in Nutrition, Food Science, Dietetics, Public Health, or other relevant disciplines required. PhD will be an added advantage.

 Work Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in nutrition related work
• Experience in conceptualizing, designing and implementing dietary intake assessments and linear programming-based analyses for developing food-based recommendations.
• Work experience serving in a developing country is required. Work experience in the Pacific Islands region is an asset.
• Experience working in UNICEF or a UN system agency is an asset.

Skills:

• Able to work effectively with people internal and external parties
• Communicates clearly and concisely
• Excellent analytical and conceptual skills
• Demonstrated ability to produce high-quality analytical reports
• Proficiency in various analytical applications for Nutrition, OptiFood, or any Linear Programming software.
• Proven ability to work independently under difficult conditions

Language Requirements:

• Proficiency in written and spoken English is required, and knowledge of a local language would be an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others v

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility jobs-near-me.org UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

Remarks:  

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable male and female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

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Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

This position is open to national and international consultants. All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

The exercise will start as soon as possible, and immediate availability will be an added advantage.

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