International Consultant | MISP readiness assessment consultancy

Purpose of consultancy:

UNFPA’s new Strategic Plan and ASRO’s new Regional Programmes, both starting in 2026, emphasize emergency preparedness as critical to achieving progress on the transformative results and enhancing resilience. As summarized in the 2020 MISP readiness assessment guidelines, “sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs are not put on pause during emergencies—and often increase due to disruptions to health systems, displacement and breakdowns in societal protection and social structures. Pregnancies, complications, risk of STI and HIV transmission and the wish to access contraceptives do not stop when an emergency strikes. In addition, the risks of unsafe abortions, unsafe deliveries and sexual- and gender-based violence can worsen during times of crisis and exacerbate the existing vulnerability of women, girls, marginalized and underserved groups. To mitigate these risks, access to quality SRH care in emergencies is essential.
To assess a country’s readiness to provide these services, the MISP readiness assessment (MRA) tool was developed. This tool allows a team of experts in a country to evaluate the country’s capacity to implement the MISP at the outset of a crisis. During the previous regional programme in 2023-2025, UNFPA ASRO supported thirteen country offices (COs) to undertake the MRA. The results of the assessments were presented in country-level reports and a regional report has been consolidated. Regional activities responding to recommendations to enhance SRH preparedness have been integrated into the regional office work plan for 2026.
UNFPA ASRO intends to recruit an international expert to support the two country offices undertaking the assessments in 2026 (Sudan and Syria), and to engage with and advise the 13 COs that undertook the 2023 and 2024 assessments to review their assessments and to identify priority actions to advance preparedness efforts in their countries in 2026. While the MRA is a multi-hazard a