I. Background & Context
In spite of the policy and legal frameworks in place against the exclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PWD) from SRH/FP service delivery in Ghana, PWD continue to experience physical, structural and socio-cultural barriers in their quest to access SRH/FP services. A review of a number of policy documents in Ghana by Kwadwo, Anafi and Sekyere (2014) suggests that negative perceptions about disability and lack of societal understanding of the concerns of PWD appear to be the overriding factors that explain the neglect of PWD in SRH policies and service delivery in the country. There are also anecdotal reports that indicate a general perception that PWD should not be engaged in sexual activities and, therefore, do not need SRH/FP services. This perception has also fueled negative attitudes of some healthcare workers towards PWD when they seek SRH/FP services. Beside these socio-cultural barriers, structural barriers that impede the movement of PWD especially the physically and visually impaired constitute another major impediment in their desire to access SRH/FP services from recognized health facilities.
II. As part of the interventions to increase access to quality integrated SRH/FP for persons with disabilities, UNFPA in partnership with the Ghana Health Services organized a stakeholder workshop to extensively discuss the issues and make recommendations to feed into a standard operating practices. To move the process forward, UNFPA is recruiting a consultant to train 150 health service providers across three zones, i.e. Northern, middle and southern zones in the Country to sensitize them on the PWD issues and recommendations that emanated from the workshop.
III. Objective: To improve access to sexual reproductive health and family planning services for Persons with Disabilities.
IV. Scope of work:
The two days training of service providers is expected to bring together key family planning service providers particularly those at the service delivery points, including national and regional family planning resource persons.
UNFPA will provide support to Ghana Health Service (GHS) to organize the workshop in the month of September/October. 2 days of training per zone.
The training resource persons are expected to achieve the following outcomes:
Training Deliverables
1. Sensitize participants on relevant portions of the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities;
2. Sensitize participants on relevant portions of the Ghana Disability Act.
3. Discuss any other relevant health and disability related tool to strengthen health provision for the person with disability (PWD). (Guide workshop participants throughout the discussions to ensure that SRH/FP issues are critically discussed, based on recommendations for standard operating practices for PWD.
4. Guide and facilitate group discussions during the training
5. Submit a written workshop/Training report to UNFPA, within a week after end of training.
Duration of the task
The duration of the consultancy period shall be for a period of 12 days.
Qualifications for the Consultancy
1. Academic Qualifications:
MB ChB with at least 5 years work experience in the medical field including some public health work; or a Masters’ degree in Public Health with 5 years minimum work experience in a related field.
2. Expertise in issues confronting the disabled and their sexual reproductive health and rights;
3. Good knowledge of the Ghana Disability Act
4. Good knowledge of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities;
5. Similar training experience for people on issues relating with dealing with PWD;
6. Experience in leading training sessions and good group facilitation skills
7. Some experience in advocacy for improved health care delivery for PWD;
8. Excellent writing and spoken skills in English
9. Good knowledge of the health sector
10. Experience in development of manuals, training materials will be an added advantage;
11. Good human relations skills and ability to work with diverse groups with different backgrounds.
12. Good listener and open to ideas from audience
TIMELINES OF WORK
|
Task |
Estimated Duration in days (cumulative) |
Indicative Date |
|
Facilitation of training |
7 days |
|
|
Writing and Submission of Workshop report |
2 days |
|
|
Travel to Central/Ashanti and Northern regions – Cape Coast, Kumasi and Tamale |
3 days |
|
Remuneration
Upon the satisfactory delivery of the indicated outputs to be verified by GHS and UNFPA, the resource persons will be paid the agreed amount in one lump sum.
Supervision
The resource persons will be jointly supervised by UNFPA and Ghana Health Service.
Closing Date: 25th September 2017
