International Consultant | Consultancy on Assessing the Inclusion of Contraceptives within the National Essential Medicine List (NEMLs)

Purpose of consultancy:

The National Essential Medicines List (NEML) constitutes a strategic document for pharmaceutical governance and health system resilience. It serves as a reflection of national health priorities and functions as a primary mechanism for public procurement and a critical benchmark for the realization of the right to health. The exclusion of modern contraceptives from NEMLs remains a significant structural barrier to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and achieving UNFPA’s transformative results in addressing the unmet need for family planning. In many parts of the Arab region, access to family planning and reproductive health (RH) commodities remains fragmented due to policy gaps. Without formal inclusion in the NEML, these life-saving commodities are frequently omitted from national procurement budgets, insurance schemes, and primary healthcare supply chains.

There is a clear need for strong and consolidated regional evidence to support Country Offices in ensuring reproductive health commodities are reflected in national programs and priorities. To establish a robust regional evidence base, the UNFPA Arab States Regional Office (ASRO), through its flagship UNFPA Supplies Partnership Trust Fund1, intends to analyze the integration of modern contraceptives within National Essential Medicines Lists (NEMLs) across the Arab Region2 and implement strategic, evidence-driven advocacy to institutionalize their inclusion. In the context where contraceptives are fully integrated in the NEML, the consultancy will also review its linkage to the balance of method mix and the prioritization of contraceptives within the national supply plan.

The primary objective of this consultancy is to establish a robust regional evidence base and execute strategic, evidence-driven advocacy aimed at institutionalizing the inclusion of modern contraceptive commodities within National Essential Medicines Lists (NEMLs) throughout the Arab Region. By systematically addressing regulatory barriers and ensuring the integration of these life-saving commodities into national pharmaceutical governance frameworks, the consultancy directly supports the regional priority of securing rights-based, sustainable access to family planning and recognizes essential contraceptives as a fundamental, strategic component of national health systems and Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

You will report to the Regional SCM specialist.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The UNFPA Strategic Plan for 2026-2029 articulates the organization’s response to a complex global environment, providing a roadmap for resilience and renewal. It is designed to accelerate the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This mandate is pursued through a focus on four interconnected outcomes: ending the unmet need for family planning; ending preventable maternal deaths; ending gender-based violence and harmful practices; and adapting to demographic change through evidence and rights-based policies.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff who embody these international norms and standards and will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates who transform, inspire, and deliver high-impact sustained results, ensuring effective external relations, communications, partnership-building and resource mobilization in a rapidly changing development and funding landscape. We need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them, and who commit to delivering excellence in programme results

Scope of work:

The scope of work will encompass undertaking an assessment of available information and evidence on the National Essential Medicine List of all UNFPA Arab States countries (14 program countries and 6 GCC countries), to generate evidence, followed by targeted, evidence-based advocacy in up to three priority countries (including fragile and conflict-affected settings). To this effect, the consultant will follow a structured methodology to deliver high-level technical evidence and strategic advocacy support. The activities and deliverables are outlined below:

• Develop an inception report outlining the assessment methodology, including the design and finalization of the inclusion criteria (matrix) for cross-country comparability on Contraceptive Inclusion in the NEML.
• Undertake regional mapping and data collection by conducting an exhaustive desk review and populating the assessment matrix for all 20 countries in the Arab Region. This includes benchmarking national lists against the most recent WHO Model List of Essential Medicines to track specific methods, dosage forms, and classifications.
• For countries where desk review does not yield the required information, undertake key informant interviews (KIIs)
• Produce a comprehensive regional situational analysis report identifying inclusion gaps, alignment with international standards, and systemic policy/regulatory barriers. Based on this evidence, establish objective criteria to prioritize up to three countries3 `) for advocacy support. The selection should be defined by a set of prioritization criteria such as:(i) gaps between NEML inclusion and actual availability, (ii) size of unmet need for family planning, (iii) fragility and health system transition status, and (iv) potential for policy reform impact.
• Draft a publication-ready "Regional Technical Advocacy Brief" and a comprehensive contraceptive inclusion plan. This brief must utilize global and country-level data to demonstrate the public health and financial imperative (Return on Investment) for NEML inclusion, e.g., in Egypt’s Family Planning Investment Case.
• Serve as a technical expert to facilitate and provide technical inputs for a High-Level Inter-Agency Coordination Meeting (involving WHO, UNFPA, UNICEF, and other relevant entities) to unify messaging. Additionally, facilitate a hybrid technical exchange for national NEML officials to build technical consensus on inclusion requirements.
• Develop tailored policy briefs and recommendations for 3–5 selected priority countries to support UNFPA country teams' advocacy efforts. This includes providing the necessary technical evidence for Country Offices to advocate directly with Ministries of Health (MOH) for formal NEML integration.

You would be responsible for:

The consultancy is expected to achieve the following specific programmatic outputs:

• Deliverable 1: Inception Report, including the finalized methodology and assessment matrix for cross-country benchmarking, and preliminary literature review.
• Deliverable 2 : Completed Desk Review report, and regional Dataset validated by each MOH and/or national focal points for all 20 countries, benchmarking national lists against WHO standards.
• Deliverable 3: Comprehensive Regional Situational Analysis report and the Country Prioritization Note (identifying 3-5 target countries).
• Deliverable 4: Regional Advocacy package (comprising the Regional Technical Advocacy Brief, the comprehensive contraceptive inclusion plan, and tailored country-specific policy briefs for each prioritized country).
• Deliverable 5: Evidence of technical facilitation for inter-agency meetings and the hybrid technical exchange, and documentation of joint lobby support provided to Country Offices for MOH engagement.

Qualifications and Experience:

Education: Advanced University Degree (Master’s or PhD) in Public Health, Pharmacy, Health Economics, or a related field.

Knowledge and Experience:

• 7 years of professional experience in health systems research, particularly SRH and family planning.
• Extensive knowledge of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), relevant health indices, and essential medicines policy, including National Essential Medicines Lists (NEMLs) and pharmaceutical procurement.
• Familiarity with the political, social, and cultural context of Arab countries and experience working in fragile or conflict-affected settings.
• Demonstrated experience in generating complex analytical reports, policy summaries, and multi-country assessments for UN agencies.
• Proven expertise in developing high-level communication, advocacy, and training materials tailored for policymakers.
• Previous experience in delivering similar regional assignments and familiarity with UNFPA’s mandate and the ICPD Programme of Action.

Languages:

• Fluency in written and spoken English is mandatory.
• Knowledge of Arabic and French is considered a significant additional asset.

Required Competencies:

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity,
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
• Embracing cultural diversity,
• Embracing change

Core Competencies:

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,

Functional Competencies:

• Strong leadership, sense of initiative, and the capacity to work remotely and independently.
• Exceptional analytical, report-writing, and oral presentation skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement abilities, with a demonstrated commitment and passion for serving the SRHR needs of all population groups.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.