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. Join our dedicated and diverse staff in their work to improve the well-being of children everywhere.
We are recruiting to fill the position below:
Job Title: Fiscal Space Analysis Consultant
Locations: Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Zamfara & Yobe, JI, Nigeria
Job Type: Temporary
Introduction
Terms of Reference to conduct Fiscal Space Analysis for Nutrition in 5 states (Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Zamfara and Yobe):
- Every year in Nigeria one million children die before reaching their 5th birthday. This translates into the deaths of 2,740 children every day. Over a third of these deaths are linked to malnutrition. Statistics like this make Nigeria, along with six other countries, responsible for 50% of the global deaths of under-fives due to malnutrition. These death rates make it impossible for Nigeria, and Africa, to achieve Millennium Development Goal 4 by the target date of 2015.
- Working to Improve Nutrition in Northern Nigeria (WINNN) is funded by UK’s Department for International Development and implemented by UNICEF, Action Against Hunger (ACF) and Save the Children International (SCI), in partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria and the State Governments of Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Yobe and Zamfara. The overall objective of the project is to reduce mortality through decreasing the incidence and prevalence of under nutrition in Nigeria with focus on Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Yobe and Zamfara States.
- WINNN programme aims to build the capacity of the state and LGAs to implement nutrition interventions as routine services through existing PHC structures and to use evidence-based advocacy to improve political commitment to, and government funding for nutrition interventions.
- WINNN’s goal is to improve nutritional status of children under five in Northern Nigeria with an expected outcome of nutrition interventions been delivered through routine health services, funded by the Government of Nigeria.
Justification
- The total cost required to operationalize the strategic plan for five years is estimated at 1.95 billion USD and the average annual cost is 391 million USD (Federal Ministry of Health, 2014). Although, the government of Nigeria has made commitments to increase funding for nutrition interventions; these commitments are often not followed through.
- Lack of resources and dwindling oil prices has impacted negatively on the release of funds for public project such as nutrition. Recent analysis by WINNN showed that budget release for nutrition was less than 5%.Thus it has become apparent that government will need to look at innovative financing mechanism for nutrition.
- In continuation to the costing done for nutrition, WINN will be conducting a fiscal space analysis for nutrition in target states. Although nutrition is a multidimensional phenomenon, earmarked funds across all sectors to scale up nutrition interventions are rare. Furthermore, support for budgetary commitment to sectoral nutrition activities are not considered priority in public expenditure. Inadequacy in political funding and resources has hindered the establishment of the necessary structures needed to scale up cost-effective nutrition interventions.
- Fiscal space as defined in the literature is said to exist when a government has budgetary room to increase spending, and can do so without impairing fiscal solvency, i.e. the government’s present and future ability to cover its recurrent expenditures and service its debt.
- In line with the general definition of fiscal space, fiscal space specifically for Nutrition refers to the ability of governments to increase spending for the sector without jeopardizing the government’s long term solvency or crowding out expenditure in other sectors needed to achieve other development objectives.
The purpose of this analysis will be to:
- Gain a good understanding of innovative financing mechanism required to enhance planning, improve resource allocation and mobilization for nutrition
Scope of Analysis
- The proposed analysis will look at options around
- Conducive macroeconomic conditions such as economic growth and increases in overall government revenue that, in turn, might lead to increases in government spending for health
- Re-prioritization of nutrition within the government budget;
- Increase in nutrition sector-specific resources, e.g., through earmarked taxation;
- Nutrition sector-specific grants
- An increase in the efficiency of existing government outlays.
Deliverables
- Detailed fiscal space analysis report for each of five WINN states
- Action-plans developed by each state for the implementation of recommendations from the analysis
- A monitoring and evaluation framework to track progress
Qualifications
- At least 10 years of experience in Public health and health economics
- A degree in Public Health Nutrition will be added advantage
- Demonstrated evidence of similar work done for DFID,EU,USAID or other multinational agencies, INGOs, programmes or organizations
Timeframe and duration of the assignment:
- Interested consultant should submit detailed methodology showing timeline for proposed activity
Application Closing Date
22nd July, 2016.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online
Note: This is an on-going process and applications will be reviewed on receipt with selection made once an acceptable candidate is identified.