Consultant - IYCF Barriers Analysis at Save the Children Nigeria

Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children in need, with programs in over 120 countries, including the United States. We aim to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children, and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives by improving their health, education and economic opportunities. In times of acute crisis, we mobilize rapid assistance to help children recover from the effects of war, conflict and natural disasters. Each year, we and our partners reach millions of children in communities around the world.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Consultant - IYCF Barriers Analysis

Location: Borno

Background
The conflict In Borno, Nigeria, has resulted in alarming rates of malnutrition with high global acute malnutrition (GAM) and Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) rates, many of which exceed WHO emergency threshold levels of 15% and 2% respectively. 3.5 million women and children will need nutrition services in 2018. The majority of these (2.7 million) live in host communities, while the remaining 440,000 are internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 340,000 are returnees. In Borno state, as in overall Northern Nigeria, IYCF practice was extremely poor prior to the conflict, and the challenges to exclusive breastfeeding and healthy IYCF-E practices faced due to displacement and strain from the conflict are significantly contributing to malnutrition in children under two years. According to the 2017 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding for children 0-5 months in Northeast Nigeria was 21.3%, which is below the national average of 23.7%. The minimum dietary diversity was 23.8% in Northeast as compared to 35.6% of the national average. The situation has not improved over time due to insecurity and displacement of populations thus destructing their livelihood.

Evidence shows that IYCF practices are a key component of child survival and development and a key determinant of children’s nutritional status. Breastfeeding as a preventive measure may have the single largest impact on reducing child mortality, while complementary feeding has been shown to contribute to reducing stunting.[1]

Save the Children has been implementing IYCF programs in Nigeria since 2012 and in Borno since 2014 including through one-on-one counselling, mothers to mothers’ support groups, and other community events. In addition, promotion of optimal IYCF practices was integrated into health facility-based PHC services. Primary beneficiaries included caregivers of children under 2 years of age, Pregnant and Lactating Women and adolescent girls.

Different approaches and strategies have been tested and lessons have been learned and continue being learned. Although progress on IYCF indicators has been observed and monitored, it may be insufficient to achieve sustainable behaviour changes. It is therefore essential to properly analyse barriers to the adoption of identified good practices (such as early initiation of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding for children 0-5months and adequate complementary foods for children 6-24months).

Save the children is thus seeking a consultant to conduct a barrier analysis in Borno state, North Eastern Nigeria. Both qualitative and quantitative methods will be used to identify factors hindering the target population from adopting specific behaviours as well as identifying the enablers to the behaviours. The purpose of the analysis is to identify the existing IYCF practices, identify behaviour determinants and suggest recommendations for interventions focused on IYCF behaviour change.

Scope of the consultancy
The specific purpose of this consultancy is to analyse key barriers to behavioural change among target groups’ practices associated with infant and young child feeding so that behaviour change communication messages and strategies can be tailored to optimize effectiveness, which will strengthen proposed community support activities (e.g. mother and father support groups).

The analysis should establish detailed information, identifying target groups’ current behaviours as well as barriers to behaviour change related to the key determinants of IYCF practices and inform evidence-based behaviour change programming. The analysis will focus on four key behaviours as below:

• Mothers put the new-born to the breast within one hour of delivery
• Mothers give only breastmilk to their children from birth till 6 months of age (Exclusive breastfeeding).
•  Mothers/caregivers of children 6-23 months feed at least 3 cooked foods that contain staple foods
• Mothers of children 6-23 months who feed on solid, semi-solid and soft foods for at least 4 out of 7 food groups a day

Objectives and Specific Tasks to be undertaken by the Consultant

• The objective of this assignment is to carry out barrier analysis for four behaviours related to IYCF in Borno state, North East Nigeria (MMC, Jere, Konduga, and Mafa LGAs)

The following are the major tasks consultant is expected to undertake

• Develop a questionnaire for doers and non-doers surveys (for both quantitative and qualitative data collection) in consultation with SCI technical team
• Design methodologies for selection of villages/communities for the doer and non-doers. 45 doers and 45 non-doers for each behaviour. Each behaviour will have different respondents to ensure that the same people do not respond to different behaviours
• Facilitate 2-day practical training of interviewers on the data collection tool – the questionnaire.
• Translate and Pre-test the questionnaire.
• Collect and Analyse data from barrier analysis in the purview of doers and non-doers survey
• Present a barrier analysis report with recommendation Outputs.

The consultant(s) will produce the following key outputs

• Finalize questionnaires and methods for both quantitative and qualitative data collection from doers and non-doers survey. This will include the sampling framework, analysis procedures and tool
• Field data collection from doers and non-doers according to statistically representative sample as outlined in the BA guidebook (45 doers and 45 non-doers)
• Data analysis as per the Design Behaviour Communication (DBC) framework
• Draft research report submission addressing the study design/ Documentation of the key assessment findings, including a very brief summary report for each Barrier Analysis undertaken
• Final report
• Recommendations including a set of field-tested and tailored messages related to key studied behaviours.

Timeline

• The study is expected to take 27 consultancy days. See below the tentative schedule of activities.

Tasks Duration & location

• Desk review of project documents and reports
• 4 days (can be started from home prior to departure):
  • Develop a questionnaire for doers and non-doers surveys (for both quantitative and qualitative data collection) in consultation with SCI technical team
  • Design methodologies for data collection from representative sample sizes for doer and non-doers
  • Facilitate 2-day practical training of interviewers on data collection using the BA questionnaire
• 2 days, Borno:
  • Translation of questionnaires and pretesting of translated questionnaires – done with the interviewers.
• 2 days, Borno:
  • Data collection and coding – 3 days for each behaviour
• 12 days, Borno:
  • Data analysis and write up of draft BA report and submission
• 4 days:
  • Final report submission
• 3 days, could be home based

Essential and Desirable Experience/Qualifications

• Advanced university degree in nutrition, social science, Anthropology or other related fields.
• 5-7 years’ experience in conducting Barrier Analysis Studies and other Doer/Non-Doer studies inclusive of use of Designing for Behaviour Change (DBC) Framework
• A reputable consultant with documented experience in conducting studies relating to IYCF, gender, associated barriers analysis and Management capability to conduct formative research.
• The consultant must have a strong background in quantitative and qualitative data analysis
• Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office including MS Excel Barrier Analysis Tabulation Sheet
• Excellent reporting and presentation skills and Proven ability to work independently
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to effectively work in a multi-cultural environment
• Experience working in/knowledge of the Northern Nigeria context and local language skills.

Application Requirement:

• A technical proposal detailing the response to the TOR (scope of work and the methodology to be used)
• Initial work plan based on the methodology
• A financial proposal detailing the daily rate
• CV and most recent and relevant references to the task.

Application Closing Date
19th July, 2018.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online