Scope of Work: Since 2007, Ipas has worked to decrease death and injury from unsafe abortion in Pakistan through socially and culturally sensitive interventions, such as training health-care providers and working closely with government and nongovernmental organizations to improve the quality and availability of postabortion care in public and private health facilities. Ipas Pakistan is working in communities to provide women and their families with the knowledge and social support they need to access safe abortion, postabortion care and contraceptive services.

Barriers to safe abortion access exist under normal circumstances which have now exacerbated with COVID-19 pandemic. Ipas is developing a digital platform for improving women and girls’ access to correct information around use of safe abortion technologies and abortion self-care can help overcome these barriers and enhance self-efficacy and women empowerment.

Purpose of this time bound consultancy is to hire a Consultant/Researcher for gender equality analysis who will conduct literature review of all Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) data available on the database related post abortion care and contraception. He/ She will also conduct key informant interviews and address the following objectives,

Objectives

To identify perceptions of “gender”, “gender norms” and “gender specific behaviors” in the Pakistan context, and how the identified gender norms affect behaviors related to sexual and reproductive health and rights. To explain the link between gender and SRHR specifically abortion, post abortion care, and contraception in the Pakistan context. To understand the gender specific expectations and norms influencing abortion care seeking behaviors related to decision making, self-efficacy, access to information, social support, seeking care, associated stigma, myths, and misconceptions, across the socio-ecological model To elucidate factors that contribute and hinder gender equality in rural Pakistan with a focus on SRHR, and to consider how this information will influence programming approaches. To determine the existing evidence regarding contribution of digital health platform and other relevant digital interventions in supporting abortion, post abortion care and contraception covering challenges and proposed solutions

SOW for Systematic Review and Key Informant Interviews

Ipas Pakistan requires the consultant to conduct systematic search and review covering the available literature, reports, published articles, and accessible secondary data sources on the subject matter. This is systematic review to develop an exhaustive summary of current literature relevant to above mentioned objectives. It will also include a ‘critical review’ with a comprehensive search process. The outcome is a report on key gendered barriers in access to correct information and provision of services with regards to uterine evacuation (UE) and post abortion care (PAC) and contraception, with the consolidated list of resources. The report will also contribute to responding to some of these broad questions (mentioned below) on digital health platform initiatives to address the identified gaps. This method may or may not include quality assessment of data sources and may not necessarily rely on quantitative/meta-analysis.

Key Questions

Who is the target (both direct and indirect) of digital health platform for abortion care? Who will benefit? Who will lose? Which problem this project is going to address, and what is the proposed solution? Does digital health platform project challenge the existing gender division of labor, tasks, responsibilities, and opportunities, elaborate the reasons with examples What specific ways have been proposed for encouraging and enabling women to participate in the digital health platform, despite the harmful gender norms mentioned above? If possible, please include specific examples. What is the long-term impact of digital health platform regarding women's increased ability to take charge of their own lives, especially on abortion, post abortion care and contraception?

Geography/ Research Area: Pakistan

Key words: Gender, norms, behaviors, barriers, sexual and reproductive health (SRHR), women, girls, men, boys, decision making, health care, control, autonomy, social, cultural, political, legal, economic

Qualification And Experience

• Master in gender studies, social sciences or public health policy preferably with medical background
• At least 2-3 publication in impact factor journal related to gender analysis preferably among first three authors
• At least 3-5 years working experience in development sector
• Research based experience in sexual and reproductive health, and/or gender will be an added advantage.

Consultancy Period: 10 January 2021 – 28 February 2021

Ipas is strongly committed to providing a work environment that is free from all forms of harassment, discrimination, and inequity. We recruit, employ, train, promote, and compensate our personnel without regard to race, age, sex, religion, national origin, color, creed, ancestry, citizenship, caste, ethnicity, regional identity, tribal identity, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, gender identity, transgender status, sexual orientation, or any other personal characteristic protected by law or outlined by Ipas policy. Ipas acknowledges that these personal characteristics may differ in different contexts.