UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, a chance in life!

The East, Adamaoua, North and Far North regions of Cameroon are among the most vulnerable regions of the country. The prevalence of stunting is very high there and is respectively 32.8%, 34.6%, 40.2% and 36.4% (SMART 2021). This high prevalence of chronic malnutrition among children under five is partly due to inappropriate infant and young child feeding practices, seasonal food insecurity, and poor hygiene and sanitation conditions. .

Indeed, data from the SMART 2021 survey indicate that infant and young child feeding practices in these 4 regions are not optimal: The rates of early breastfeeding after delivery are respectively 35.1% ( East), 17.5% (Adamaoua), 36.1% (North) and 46.6% (Far North). Exclusive breastfeeding rates during the first six months of life are 46.2% (East), 53.8% (Adamaoua), 39.5% (North) and 50% (Far North). Access to minimum food diversity for children aged 6 to 23 months is 31.3% (East), 45.2% (Adamaoua), 33.9% (North) and 46.4% (Far North ).

Improving complementary feeding practices is essential to help permanently bend the curve of stunting in young children. But, to achieve this, it is important to conduct an appropriate study to clearly identify the elements that structure the barriers, including the behavior of families in connection with the complementary feeding of young children. These elements should make it possible to develop a strategy that will address the knowledge gaps and behavioral barriers that are barriers to appropriate complementary feeding in children aged 6-23 months.

How can you make a difference?

Make elements available to develop an operational strategy to support good complementary feeding practices in children aged 6-23 months and contribute to improving the nutritional status of children under five in the regions of East, Adamaoua, North and Far North.

Scope of work:

This consultation aims to:

1. Collect information on the knowledge, attitudes, norms, beliefs and practices of mothers/caregivers and other key stakeholders on complementary feeding in children 6-23 months.
2. Identify the main obstacles/constraints to the triptych ”Good food, good diet, good practices” to quality complementary food, in particular those which hinder good food diversity.
3. Explore with mothers/caregivers and other key stakeholders the acceptability and feasibility of proposals to improve the dietary diversity of children 6-23 months.
4. Identify the main sources of information on children’s food/nutrition.

Activities and Tasks are:

1)-Documentary review
2)-Development of the budgeted protocol and the
timetable 3)-Development of data collection tools and pretest in Yaounde
4)-Development of interviewer training modules
5)-Training of interviewers, finalization of tools and reprography
6)- Data collection
7)-Data processing and drafting of the first draft report
8)-Finalization of the report

The deliverables are: 

1. Study protocol:  15 days after the start of the consultation; 20%
2. Package of different tools and training modules for investigators:  10 days; 10%
3. Training report and collection tools finalized and Data collection report:  30 days; 40%
4. Preliminary data and Final report:  25 days; 30%

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

• PHD in Nutrition, Public Health, Sociology, Food Anthropology
• General professional experience of at least 5 years in the collection, processing and reporting of qualitative surveys.
• Have proven expertise of at least two years in the management of community projects.
• Good knowledge of quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis techniques.
• Have a great ability in group communication and teamwork.
• Have a perfect command of spoken and written French and average spoken and written English.
• Demonstrate good report writing skills.
• Be able to work under pressure with constraint to produce quality results in very short deadlines.
• Be able to work in difficult contexts, particularly in terms of security

How to apply:

Interested candidates are requested to apply and upload the following documents:

1. Cover letter/application
2. CV or P11
3. Financial offer at a daily rate in XAF. Financial proposal which will include: your daily/monthly rate (in XAF) to undertake the terms of reference
4. Indicate your availability

Please submit the Technical and Financial Proposal SEPARATELY.

Applications submitted without a fee/rate will not be considered.

General Terms and Conditions of the Contract:

• Under the consultancy agreements, payment is deliverable-based as defined in the Terms of Reference.
• All remuneration must be within the contract agreement.
• No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both UNICEF and the consultant/contractor.
• Consultants will not have supervisory responsibilities or authority on the UNICEF budget.
• Consultants will be required to sign the Health statement for consultants/Individual contractors prior to taking up the assignment, and to document that they have appropriate health insurance, including Medical Evacuation.
• Mention is it as per the General Terms and Conditions of the Contract.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values ​​of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

To view our competency framework, please visit  here .

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF offers  reasonable accommodation  for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions, or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need a reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterward in your assignment.

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. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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.

Remarks: 

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

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.

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, program 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 .