Consultancy: Researcher with Public Health experience

The Arab Foundation for Freedoms and Equality is a regional organization dedicated to encourage and support sexual health, sexuality, gender and bodily rights movements in the Middle East and North Africa through capacity building, knowledge production, protection and advocacy. Established in 2009, AFE has been a driver of LGBTIQ+ rights in the MENA region supporting national organizations and local, regional and global advocacy to improve the quality of life of marginalized communities in the MENA region.

The M-Coalition (MCO) is the only regional network devoted to promote and support LGBTIQ health in the Middle East and North Africa Region (MENA) and is the health department for AFE MENA. MCO was founded in 2014 and works through advocacy, information exchange, knowledge production, networking, and capacity building. The M-Coalition strives to involve members of the LGBTQ community and people living with HIV and other Key Populations at all levels of its strategy, policy development and implementation, and internal governing processes.

Project Description

Key populations in the region continue to engage in high rates of unprotected sexual relations and are becoming infected with STIs at a high rate. The STIs response in the Middle East and North Africa does not yet respond properly to the key affected populations and those at risk. While many organizations have recorded efficiency and increase in screening efforts, the populations mostly at risk still face much stigma and discrimination and low prevalence of testing and decreased access to treatment and services.

MCoalition under the SHAG Consortium fund is working on conducting research to act as a baseline report on STIs affecting the lives of KPs in 3 countries in MENA. The baseline will explore various variables including behavior, diagnosis, shame/ fear, stigma and discrimination, PrEP use, seropositivity, knowledge and access to information, treatment, needs, access to services, and experiences. The research will be implemented by our national partners through conducting qualitative interviews with different parties including KPs, doctors and centers.

Job Description

A consultant will be hired for a period of 6 months to lead on the STIs baseline research in MENA with the support of the M-coalition team. The consultant will be required to elaborate the concept note, conduct a desk review, write a protocol, develop the research methodology, identify the data collection questions and methods, communicate with partners, organizations and doctors, train data collectors online, follow up on the data collection and transcription, compile the data, write the report, review and edit it after the reception of feedback and recommendations from partners and MCoalition team. The baseline study should cover different aspects including accessibility to STIs testing and treatment, the needs of KPs, risky behaviors etc. 

Qualifications / special skills or knowledge required of the consultant

Competencies

• Planning, coordination and organization: Ability to identify priority activities and assignments, allocation of appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work.
• Communication: Excellent written and spoken communication skills in English, Arabic, and preferably French too.
• Creativity and critical thinking: Ability to think out of the box and provide solutions to existing or emerging problems. 
• Ability to work in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment.
• Ability to work independently, under pressure to ensure work is achieved to a high standard and in a timely manner.

Qualifications

• Degree in public health/social work/psychology/medicine and at least 5 years of experience working in research (HIV and other STIs)
• Experience working with Key populations, LGBTQI+ and awareness.
• Previous experience in conducting research, evaluations, report writing, analysis of data, statistics, service delivery, sexual and reproductive health.

Duration of contract

6 months contract, Starting date: As soon as possible.

Please send your updated CV and a letter answering Why you would want this position?

Email to: [email protected]