Gender Equality in Immunization Consultants, PG/ Health- Immunization, NYHQ, remote. Req#584849

About UNICEF

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines fordeveloping countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

Consultancy Title: Gender Equality in Immunization Consultants

Duty Station: Programme Group, Health – Immunization

Duration: 1 November 2025 – 30 September 2026

Home/ Office Based: remote

 

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/ Assignment:

Globally, millions of children are still being left behind when it comes to routine vaccinations, with significant gaps and disparities in immunization coverage. Disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic, climate-related disasters, socioeconomic challenges, and emergencies have contributed to setbacks in vaccination efforts. Between 2019 and 2022, an estimated 67 million children missed routine vaccinations, either partially or entirely. In addition, while some regions have made strides in reducing the burden of cervical cancer through the HPV vaccine, a significant number of girls in low- and middle-income countries remain unprotected.

Efforts to close the vaccination gap are ongoing, but significant obstacles persist. These challenges not only highlight gaps in healthcare systems but also emphasize the growing inequities based on gender. Women and girls often face additional barriers to accessing vital health services for them and their children.

Gender dynamics influence not only access to services but also the quality of care, the responsiveness of healthcare providers, and the capacity of health systems to deliver equitable and integrated immunization services. A nuanced understanding of how gender shapes health-seeking behaviors, decision-making, and community dynamics is crucial to tailoring interventions that are both relevant and effective. Strengthening health systems through gender-responsive approaches ensures that interventions meet the specific needs of all individuals, improving overall health outcomes and increasing vaccination rates. It also further calls for the full and equal participation of women in decision-making at all levels of healthcare.

As a founding member of GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, and in alignment with both the Immunization Agenda 2030 and the UNICEF Gender Action Plan (2026–2029), UNICEF is intensifying its efforts to integrate gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls throughout its immunization and health programming.

To support this initiative, UNICEF is establishing a dedicated team of consultants to strengthen capacity, provide specialized and sustained expertise, and offer help-desk support to UNICEF country offices and partners.

The selected consultants will be tasked with delivering targeted, context-specific support for gender in immunization country  programming, monitoring, and advocacy. They will also contribute to building collective knowledge by systematically capturing experiences and best practices from gender-focused immunization and health initiatives undertaken by UNICEF and its partners

Scope of Work:

Activities and tasks expected to be carried out by the consultants include:

• Provide direct support to country Gender-barriers analysis and translate findings into targeted programming design and partnerships.
• Design, review and/ support facilitation of in-country or regional capacity initiatives on gender integration into immunization and on female health workforce.
• Design and deliver dedicated session on Gender-integration within Regional Immunization Working Groups and relevant sub-working groups and coordinate relevant follow-up with members.
• Review and provide technical input into national policies (including National Immunization Strategies, EPI Policy)
• Knowledge management support.
• Support funding resources mobilization.

There will be specific streams of work related to specific region/ language and to global initiatives. These include:

• (Stream 1): Strengthen implementation monitoring including finalization of the first global measurement fra