International Consultant To Conduct A Regional Analysis On Adolescent Pregnancy And HIV In West And Central Africa

Job Description

Job Description

Background: West and Central Africa faces a dual crisis of adolescent pregnancy and HIV that threatens the health, rights, and future of millions of young people. The region carries the heaviest burden of adolescent pregnancy globally, with one in three girls becoming a mother before the age of 20. Simultaneously, the HIV epidemic remains a critical concern: 5.2 million people are living with HIV in the region, and young women aged 15-24 represent 19% of new HIV infections, compared to just 6% among young men, revealing a stark gender and age disparity. While new HIV infections in West and Central Africa have fallen by 55% since 2010, this remains far short of the 85% decline needed to meet the 2025 targets. These challenges are compounded by structural barriers, including stigma, gender inequality, and insufficient investment in prevention for key populations.

Adolescent pregnancy and HIV are not parallel epidemics but deeply interconnected vulnerabilities. Girls who become pregnant are disproportionately out of school, married before 18, and lack decision-making power over their own bodies, conditions that also drive HIV risk. The fragmentation of health services means that a pregnant adolescent accessing antenatal care is rarely screened for HIV, while an adolescent living with HIV receives little to no support for her sexual and reproductive health and rights.

The purpose of this consultancy is to generate a definitive, actionable, and youth-informed regional evidence base on adolescent pregnancy and HIV in West and Central Africa that directly guides strategic policy, programmatic investment, and advocacy under the UNFPA WCA Regional Roadmap for the Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality (2025-2029).

The consultant will deliver:

• A comprehensive technical report synthesising quantitative and qualitative data on drivers, consequences, and evidence-based solutions for adolescent pregnancy and HIV in the region.
• A co-created Advocacy and Messaging Toolkit, comprising policy briefs, a programmatic guidance note, and a youth-led messaging guide, developed in partnership with youth networks from pilot countries.
• A documented Evidence Uptake Pathway outlining how findings and tools will inform the Regional Roadmap, country programme cycles, and national advocacy efforts.
• The consultants role covers the full cycle of research, analysis, and tool development, culminating in a regional launch and the delivery of a documented uptake pathway. The subsequent use of these tools to design and implement specific programmes at the country level will be led by UNFPA Country Offices and their implementing partners, with support from the regional office, as requested.
  
  
  

Scope of work:

The consultant will be responsible for leading the following activities across four interconnected phases:

Phase 1: Inception, Methodology, and Partnership Setup (Weeks 1-4)

• Conduct a comprehensive desk review of existing data sources, including Demographic and Health Surveys, AIDS Indicator Surveys, Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys, UNFPA and UNAIDS estimates, national survey data, regional strategies including the Maternal Mortality Reduction Roadmap, and country reports on adolescent health programmes.
• Develop a detailed inception report outlining the mixed-methods research protocol, including the methodology for quantitative data analysis, the criteria for selecting four to six high-burden pilot countries that represent the region’s ecological and cultural diversity, and a participatory framework for meaningful youth engagement throughout the research process.
  
  
  

Phase 2: Data Analysis, Synthesis, and Intervention Mapping (Weeks 5-12)

• Lead the quantitative analysis of household survey and health data to identify key drivers, inequities, and trends in adolescent pregnancy and HIV across the selected countries, employing appropriate statistical techniques to model associations between outcomes and socio-economic, educational, and geographic variables.
• Conduct a systematic mapping of existing interventions in the region and evaluate them against transparent criteria for effectiveness, scalability, cost, and contextual appropriateness.
• Draft the core analytical chapters of the technical report, focusing on drivers, consequences, and a rigorously assessed inventory of “what works” in the West and Central African context, including preliminary modelling of the investment case, quantifying the economic costs of inaction and the potential returns on investment from scaling proven interventions.
• Work with youth networks through virtual design labs to validate preliminary findings, ensuring that quantitative patterns are interpreted through the lived experience of adolescents themselves.
  
  
  

Phase 3: Co-Creation of the Advocacy and Messaging Toolkit (Weeks 13-18)

• Facilitate virtual co-creation workshops with youth networks from the pilot countries to develop the Advocacy and Messaging Toolkit, translating technical findings into practical, accessible tools for different audiences.
• Produce the toolkit comprising three core products:
• Policy briefs with accompanying data visualisations providing condensed, impactful summaries for high-level policymakers, translated into English and French;
• A programmatic guidance note offering a practical “how-to” guide for UNFPA Country Offices and implementing partners on designing and scaling effective interventions;
• A youth-led messaging guide, a creative and visually engaging document co-designed with young people, containing tested, culturally resonant messages, preferred channels, and trusted messengers for peer-to-peer and community-level campaigns on pregnancy and HIV prevention.
  
  
  

Phase 4: Finalisation, Launch, and Uptake Pathway (Weeks 19-24)

• Integrate all feedback from UNFPA technical teams to finalise the comprehensive technical report, the set of policy briefs, and the full Advocacy and Messaging Toolkit.
• Prepare for and support the execution of a high-impact virtual regional launch event to disseminate findings and tools to audiences across all twenty-three countries, working with the UNFPA communications team on messaging and participant engagement.
• Develop and document an Evidence Uptake Pathway, a clear, practical plan specifying how the findings and tools will be used to update the Regional Roadmap on Maternal Mortality, inform new country programme cycles, and support national advocacy efforts with ministries of finance and planning.
• Conduct a final handover briefing to UNFPA regional and country teams, including the delivery of all editable source files for all products.
  
  
  

Place where services are to be delivered: Home-based

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:

• Education
  
  
  

Advanced university degree (Master’s or PhD preferred) in Public Health, Demography, Epidemiology, Sociology, Economics, or a related field.

• Work Experience and Skills
• At least ten years of progressively responsible experience in public health research, demographic analysis, or programme design in sexual and reproductive health and rights, with a specific focus on adolescents and youth.
• Proven expertise in analysing large-scale household surveys, including Demographic and Health Surveys, AIDS Indicator Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys, and health data, including HIV bio-behavioural surveys.
• Demonstrated experience in developing investment cases, costed action plans, or economic analyses for health programmes.
• Substantial experience in participatory research and co-creation methodologies with young people and marginalised groups, including displaced populations, out-of-school youth, and adolescents with disabilities.
• Strong understanding of the political, social, cultural, and linguistic landscape of West and Central Africa, including experience working in Francophone and Lusophone contexts.
• Excellent writing and synthesis skills, with demonstrated ability to translate complex epidemiological and economic data into clear, compelling narratives for diverse audiences, including policymakers, donors, programme implementers, and youth advocates.
• Proven ability to manage complex, multi-country assignments, coordinate across multiple stakeholders, and deliver high-quality outputs under tight deadlines.
• Demonstrated commitment to UNFPA’s mandate and the principles of human rights, gender equality, cultural sensitivity, and leaving no one behind.
• Strong ethical standards regarding data confidentiality, safeguarding, and the protection of research participants, particularly minors.
• Demonstrated experience in designing and evaluating programmes focused on Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) and adolescent life skills development.
• Languages
• Fluency in French and English, both verbal and written, is essential.
• Working knowledge of Portuguese is a strong advantage.
• Core Values and Competencies
• Commitment to UNFPA’s mandate, including human rights, gender equality, and leaving no one behind.
• Cultural sensitivity and ability to work respectfully with diverse communities.
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness, particularly regarding safeguarding and PSEA.
• Builds and maintains strong partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Thinks and acts strategically, with a focus on practical, scalable solutions.
• Manages ambiguity and complexity with flexibility and creativity.
• Drives to achieve results for impact, balancing quality and timeliness.
  
  
  

Application instructions: Please submit your CV and a cover letter highlighting how your skills and expertise align with the specific goals and requirements outlined for the role, by April 22, 2026 to: wcarohr@unfpa.org ; Subject: [Consultancy - Adolescent Pregnancy and HIV Finalized]

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