PAHO Consultant - Intercultural health with a focus on maternal health

OBJECTIVE OF THE OFFICE/DEPARTMENT

This is a requisition for employment at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO)

Contractual Agreement:

Non-Staff - International PAHO Consultant

Job Posting:

February 6, 2026

Closing Date:

February 18, 2026, 11:59 PM Eastern Time

Primary Location:

Off Site

Organization:

DHE Social and Environmental Determinants for Health Equity

Schedule:

Full time

PURPOSE OF CONSULTANCY

The Pan American Health Organization addresses the health needs of the diverse groups living in situation of vulnerability, considering their contexts and views. In this regard, Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendants, Roma people, and members of other ethnic groups in the region of the Americas face challenges that affect their health and well-being. For this reason, the Pan American Health Organization has worked with its Member States to address and ensure a coherent and culturally adequate approach to health that takes into consideration the diverse contexts in the region.
As a follow-up to the approval of the first policy on Ethnicity and health in 2017, a Strategy and plan of action on Ethnicity and health (2019-2025) was approved. The Strategy and Plan of Action include 3 impact indicators and 17 progress indicators. In 2023, a progress report was presented to Member States. The report showed the need to strengthen intercultural health services and promote the effective participation of the diverse groups from the region. One impact indicator addresses maternal mortality among Indigenous and Afro descendant women.
Many health indicators are worse for Indigenous Peoples, People of African descent, and other ethnic groups. Among them, the reduction of maternal and infant mortality rates is still a priority for the region of the Americas.
Currently, various initiatives are being promoted by PAHO to provide technical cooperation to countries and respond to the needs of different communities. Among others, the tool that promotes culturally safe childbirth has been developed with different groups, based on consensus on good maternal practices, as well as criteria related to the quality of care in the provision of maternal health services. Its main purpose is to identify whether an intercultural approach is being integrated within the services regarding pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care for women belonging to different ethnic groups. Its application targets three different groups: health service providers, women from different ethnic groups, and external observers to evaluate their perceptions of care and the integration of the intercultural approach. The instrument, previously developed with indigenous women, is planned to be adapted to the needs of other women, such as women of African descent.
The purpose of this consultancy is to provide technical support to incorporate the intercultural approach to health, with a focus on maternal and perinatal health, addressing the health needs of the different groups in situations of vulnerability and ensuring their participation in any process that affects their health and wellbeing.

Objectives
1. To provide technical cooperation and training to countries to incorporate an intercultural approach within the health services for women and neonates in different prioritized countries.
2. To participate in capacity-building activities (virtual and in-person) related to the implementation of the knowledge dialogues and culturally safe childbirth tool with a focus on maternal and perinatal health for Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities.
3. To contribute to the analysis of the main results compiled from Member States in the implementation of the Strategy and Plan of Action on Ethnicity and Health 2019-2025, with a focus on impact indicators.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES:

DELIVERABLES:

A consolidated report summarizing the final, updated, and validated content of the Ethnicity and Health virtual course, including key thematic areas, learning objectives, and validation outcomes, in preparation for its official launch in 2026. Development of culturally appropriate training materials for health personnel and Indigenous and Afro-descendant traditional birth attendants and women, based on the components of the culturally safe childbirth tool and the results of knowledge dialogue processes conducted in selected territories. A report documenting the adaptation of the culturally safe childbirth tool to national contexts and summarizing the design, implementation, and results of virtual and in-person training and capacity-building activities on maternal and neonatal health with an intercultural approach in selected countries. Design and development of a rapid assessment tool to evalua