Consultant - Fiscal Space Analysis

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1. Background Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) are central to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG 3 (Good health and well-being) and SDG 5 (Gender equality). Despite this recognition, the public financing of SRHR services remains chronically inadequate in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Essential SRHR services are heavily dependent on external financing, and household out-of-pocket payments constitute a large and inequitable share of SRHR expenditure. Expanding fiscal space, defined as the availability of budgetary room that allows governments to provide resources for a desired purpose without compromising the sustainability of their financial position, is critical to reversing this underinvestment. International frameworks provide strong normative grounding for this effort. The Addis Ababa Action Agenda (2015) calls for countries to increase domestic resource mobilization for health. The Maputo Protocol and the Maputo Plan of Action commit African states to allocate sufficient resources for SRHR. The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action and the SDG agenda (targets 3.7 and 3.8) further reinforce the imperative of universal access to SRHR services within the UHC framework. Despite these commitments, the evidence based on how governments can realistically and sustainably increase public financing for SRHR remains thin. Rigorous fiscal space analyses that quantify concrete, country-specific options for raising additional resources for SRHR, are needed to support evidence-based advocacy and health financing dialogue. This consultancy responds to that gap. The consultant will produce country-level fiscal space analysis for SRHR that identifies, quantifies, and ranks actionable financing options. The resulting evidence will be used to drive advocacy for increased public investment in SRHR and strengthen the inclusion of SRHR in national health financing strategies. This 11-month consultancy runs concurrently across both major initiatives: Planned timelines The expected start and end date of the contract will be confirmed upon contracting. The estimated duration of the consultancy is 3 months. A detailed workplan with countries to be included and milestones will be finalized with the technical manager responsible during the inception phase. Work to be performed Under the supervision of the technical officer responsible, the consultant will undertake the following tasks: • Review existing national health financing strategies, health sector budgets, public expenditure reviews, national health accounts, and SRHR-related policy documents. Map current public financing flows for SRHR, including allocations by level of government (central and subnational), and identify key data sources and gaps.
• Quantify the level of current domestic public expenditure on SRHR and estimate the financing gap relative to the cost of the SRHR benefit package.
• Identify concrete, feasible, and country-specific options to increase domestic public financing for SRHR. Options can include, where applicable: behavioral taxes (tobacco, alcohol, sugar-sweetened beverages) with earmarked allocations; levies on extractive industries; efficiency gains from rationalizing existing health expenditure; and reallocation of health budget resources towards SRHR. Each option must be quantified in terms of its estimated additional resource generation potential and assessed for political, administrative, and economic feasibility.
• Develop financing scenarios for SRHR that combine different fiscal space options and present projected resource trajectories at short-term, medium-term, and long-term horizons. Scenarios should include a baseline (continuation of current trends), a reform scenario (implementation of selected fiscal space options), and an accelerated scenario (full mobilization of identified options).
• Facilitate consultations with relevant national stakeholders, including the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Health, civil society organizations working on SRHR, and key partners. Consultations will be used to validate data, assess the political feasibility of identified options, and build national ownership of the analysis.
• Facilitate a national validation workshop to present preliminary findings, review key assumptions, and integrate stakeholder feedback into the final analysis.
• Prepare a comprehensive country fiscal space analysis report for SRHR and a concise policy brief for policymakers. Develop a slide deck for stakeholder disseminate

2. Deliverables

The consultant will be expected to deliver the following:

• Inception report outlining the understanding of the assignment, preliminary mapping of data sources and gaps, proposed methodology and analytical framework, detailed workplan with milestones, and list of stakeholders to be consulted.
• Fiscal space data matrix compiling all quantitative data collected with documentation of sources, assumptions, and data limitations.
• Facilitation of a national stakeholder validation workshop to present and validate preliminary results, including a workshop report summarizing key discussions, feedback received, and adjustments made to the analysis.
• Country fiscal space analysis report for SRHR, presenting the full methodology, situational analysis findings, quantification of fiscal space options, financing scenarios, feasibility assessment, and policy recommendations, and dissemination slide deck.
• Policy brief summarizing key findings and actionable recommendations for policymakers.

3. Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Identify the educational qualifications and expertise needed for the terms of reference outlined above.

Educational Qualifications

1. Required qualifications

Essential : Advanced university degree (master's) in health economics, economics, public finance, public health, health policy, or a closely related field.

Desirable: PhD in health economics, economics, public finance, public health, health policy, or a closely related field.

2. Experience

Essential
• Minimum 7 years of professional experience in health financing, health economics, or public finance in low- and middle-income country (LMIC) settings.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience conducting fiscal space analyses for health.
• Proven track record in quantitative analysis of public health expenditure, including the use of national health accounts, public expenditure tracking, and budget analysis.

Desirable:
• Experience identifying and quantifying domestic resource mobilization options for health, including behavioural taxes with earmarked allocations, efficiency analyses, and budget reprioritization.
• Experience facilitating multi-stakeholder consultations and technical workshops in complex, multi-actor environments involving government, civil society, and international organizations.
• Strong report writing skills, including the ability to translate complex quantitative findings into accessible, policy-relevant evidence products.

Skills/Knowledge
• Advanced quantitative analytical skills, including proficiency in Excel-based financial modelling and, ideally, statistical software (Stata, R, or equivalent).
• Strong communication skills with the ability to present complex technical material to diverse audiences, including non-specialist policymakers.
• Familiarity with health financing tools and databases (WHO Global Health Expenditure Database, World Bank Databank, etc).
• Excellent analytical and writing skills, including the capacity to synthesize evidence from multiple sources into coherent, policy-relevant narratives.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

Languages and level required

• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Desirable – working knowledge of French and/or Portuguese.
• Proficiency in the national language(s) of the country of assignment is an asset.

4. Technical Supervision

The consultant will work under the overall supervision of the HFG Team lead, and under the guidance of the assigned technical leads.

5. Location

Off-site (Home based)

6. Travel

The consultant is not expected to travel

7. Remuneration

Band B (USD 8,500 per month) for three (3) months

8. Additional Information:

• This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.
• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• A written test may be used as a form of screening.
• If your candidature is retained for interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/ . Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
• For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int .
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• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.
• WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.
• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.
• Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority. The execution of the work under a consultant contract does not create an employer/employee relationship between WHO and the Consultant.
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