9 May 2014

Request for Expressions of Interest: Short term WHO consultancy

Short term consultancy to develop guidance and training materials on addressing health in environmental impact assessments - with a specific application on mining projects
World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland 

WHO is implementing a project to develop global guidance on ensuring adequate coverage of health issues as part of environmental impact assessment s (EIA) undertaken on mining projects.

Provisions related to the coverage of human health issues are included within environmental assessment regulations in many countries. In practice, however, coverage of health within EIA is often limited and predominantly only addresses physical environmental considerations (e.g. air, water soil and pollution/emissions related issues). Other factors that influence health, for example related to the social and human environment, are not often included or are considered separately as part of other types of assessments. The resulting picture of health that emerges can therefore be incomplete.

The overall aim of the WHO initiative is to enhance coverage of health in environmental impact assessment, in particular through the development of WHO guidance materials on health in EIA and through the development of training materials for environmental assessment regulators and their health sector counterparts.

WHO seeks an independent consultant(s) to support the above.

The Scope of Work for this consultancy consists of the following tasks:

1. Conduct a literature review of existing materials (including training materials) on health in environmental impact assessment. The primary focus will be on project level application of health in EIA and on the analysis of the extent to which health issues (and health determinants) are covered in current EIA practice. Key enabling factors and barriers influencing coverage of health in EIA should also be considered. To the extent possible, this literature review should take stock of publications available in multiple languages and reflective of experiences/practices in different regions around the world.

2. Develop three (3) guidance notes on health in EIA. These guidance notes should be formulated on the basis of the findings of the above literature review, and on the expertise and experience of the consultant. One of the guidance notes should be oriented towards environmental and health impact assessment regulators - i.e. those responsible for quality control of impact assessments undertaken; one should be orientated towards impact assessment practitioners; and one should be orientated towards project proponents - or entities that would normally commission an impact assessment study.
3. Develop training materials on health in EIA, based on the above guidance notes and on the findings of the literature review. These training materials should take the form of a 3 day course for environmental and health impact assessment regulatory authorities and should address issues related to the quality of coverage of health issues (i.e. what adequate health impact assessments should look like), as well as process related considerations (i.e. how and at what points in the EIA process health issues should be considered). Guidance on evaluation of core competencies of impact assessment practitioners should also be included. 
4. Delivery of the training materials/course in a low to middle income country host to large scale mining activities. Case examples used as pilot training should be based on actual examples from the pilot country. (A national consultant will be engaged to assist with the adaptation of both the guidance notes and training materials, including oversight of translation activities).

5. Updating of the training materials based on feedback from the course participants. 
6. Development of a case study based on the pilot - i.e. documenting lessons learned and
insights from the country experience.

Expected deliverables include: 
  • Report detailing results of the initial literature review.
  • Guidance notes on health in EIA: one for regulators, one for practitioners, and one for project proponents.
  • Training materials on health in EIA, which should include presentations, participant materials, training/instructor materials, and case examples for use in practical exercises.
  • Case study of the experience and lessons learned from the pilot. 
The World Health Organization Headquarters Offices in Geneva now invites eligible individuals firms/to indicate their interest in undertaking this work. Interested parties must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the above tasks: curriculum vitae, description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, examples of relevant reports or publications, etc. The consultant(s) will be selected through a competitive process in accordance with WHO's operating policies and procedures on procurement of services.

The expected start date of this consultancy is 01 June 2014 (or as soon as reasonably possible after that). The training activities are expected to be piloted in Q3 of 2014.

The consultancy will largely be home-based, apart from travel required to deliver the pilot training course.

The consultant will be remunerated at a daily rate that is commensurate with his/her experience and based on the UN common salary scale.

Qualifications and Experiences required: 
  • Advanced university degree in public health or a related field. 
  • At least 7 (seven) years of international experience working on public health and 
  • development issues; 
  • Demonstrated experience with the conduct of HIAs and/or integrated EIAs on mining 
  • projects; 
  • Experienced trainer and facilitator with demonstrated experience in designing and 
  • delivering training courses for audience not specialized in public health; 
  • Excellent analytical, written and verbal communication skills in English are required; 
  • Excellent interpersonal skills 
Expressions of interest must be received no later than 16:00 o'clock on Monday 19 May 2014. 
Please include copies of your CV as well as a description of the kinds of issues you would 
consider as part of this work (i.e. what framing you would take to address health in EIA). The 
expressions of interest are to be delivered electronically to Ms Sophie Schmitt at the following 
email address: schmitts@who.int.

[Via Michaela Pfeiffer, WHO]