ABOUT MdM MYANMAR
Médecins du Monde (MdM) is an international humanitarian organization whose mission is to provide medical care for the most vulnerable populations, the world over, including France. It seeks to stimulate voluntary commitment from doctors, other health care providers, and from those whose expertise in other fields is needed for its activities, to enlist all competent support required for the achievement of its projects, and to seek at all times to encourage close working relationships with populations in its care.
MdM has been operating in Myanmar since 1994. Its main programme delivers comprehensive Harm Reduction and HIV/AIDS prevention and care, focusing on key populations – People who Use Drugs (in Kachin State), and Female Sex Workers and LGBTQI+ (in Yangon).
In Kachin, MdM’s programs are implemented in 2 main sites (Moegaung and Hopin/Mohnyin). Activities include health education in outreach, needles and syringe exchange programme, methadone substitution programme, counselling and HIV testing, and medical care for People living with HIV (STI, opportunistic infections, Tuberculosis and ARV).
In Yangon, MdM is implementing harm reduction (sex work) and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) programs for sex workers, LGBTQI+, and people living with HIV, with broad community partnership approaches. Current and future strategy focuses on supporting local civil society and health system in scaling up and provision of health services.
CONTEXT
MdM has been implementing a harm reduction program in Yangon since 2000 focusing on sex workers (cis-women, LGBTQI+). In line with MdM’s strategy to work in partnership with and strengthen local stakeholders, MdM transferred its HIV prevention’s activities by the end of 2021 to local organisations and by the end of 2023, the patients in need of ART were transferred to national hospitals. Since 2018, Myanmar is part of the MdM/AFD Multi-Year Partnership Agreement and is recipient until December 2024. Pursuing the goal of contributing to reduce inequalities in access to healthcare and rights for sex workers, including LGBTQI+, through a harm reduction approach, a new needs assessment was essential to further guide the Yangon program. This exercise led to list the existing stakeholders and to identify the service gaps. To improve the access to services and ensure that comprehensive and quality healthcare services are available to all, MdM would like to conduct an assessment on the topic of minors selling sex (details of the objectives below).
This assessment is in line with the concern of MdM at global level to clarify the positioning of the organisation regarding the topic and to guarantee that the most adapted services are provided to minors.
1.OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSESSMENT
General objective:
To understand the existing framework (legal, social, organizational, child protection) related to minors selling sex in Yangon and to identify differentiated service-delivery to ensure access to a comprehensive set of services to minors.
Specific objectives:
- Analyze the current legal and social framework and practices related to minors selling sex in Myanmar.
- Assess the specific health needs of minors selling sex, especially in accessing to sexual and reproductive health and rights and specific exposure to violences.
- Based on the service providers mapping completed by MdM, assess the availability and accessibility of the existing public and private organisations that may provide services to children, especially those that could be solicited by minors selling sex.
- Identify the gaps and the challenges faced by the existing system and propose recommendations of interventions, to ensure that minors who are selling sex have aneffective access to health, social and economic services.
METHODOLOGY PREFERENCES
A. LITERATURE REVIEW
- Existing legal frameworks and public policies in Myanmar
- National reports, data
- National guidelines
- International guidelines and regulations and their impact on Myanmar laws
- Documentations / productions partner organizations and networks
- Report on the effectiveness of the policies, the practices
B. STAKEHOLDERS MAPPING AND ANALYSIS
- Existing service providers addressing health, social, economic services for minors selling sex specialized on non-specialized on sex work including public providers, local organisations (local NGOs, self-help groups…) or international organisations (UNICEF for example)
C. CONSULTATIONS
- Questionnaires / interviews / focus groups with individuals
- Questionnaires / interviews / focus groups with any other relevant person/ organization working on, with minors selling sex.
EXPECTED DELIEVERABLES
At the end of the consultancy, the Consultant shall submit a comprehensive analytical report (15 pages) in English on the legal and policy frames related to minors selling sex, on the complete analysis of the existing services available minors selling sex, the existing services for minors protection, and recommendations for the implementation of adapted services.
In addition to the final report and related annexes, the consultant must also submit the following deliverables:
- An interim progress report of the consultancy that will be presented by the Consultant to MdM during 2 review meetings for adaptation of the consultancy;
- Analysis of legal and policy frames with the compiled legal texts, reports, and other relevant documents;
- Minutes/notes of key informant interviews and focused group discussions;
During the whole assessment, the consultant will work closely with the Yangon Sex Work Program Coordinator.
INDICATIVE AGENDA
The consultant will propose a timeline for the assessment that will be discussed with the sex work project team. The timeline will include an introduction meeting and 2 review meetings and a final presentation in English of the assessment.
BUDGET APPROVAL
The Consultant shall submit a detailed cost breakdowns budget proposal based on the given budget, along with indicated timelines in working days, for the consultancy. The budget mayinclude the consultancy fee (either in daily rates or as lumpsum amount in Myanmar Kyats), transportation costs of the Consultant in Yangon, and fees related to document printing, stationaries, translation/transcription, and other incidental costs etc. related to the consultancy.
MdM will cover the costs (venue, food/per-diem, and transportation costs of the participants) for organizing FGDs and the consultant workshop.
2. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCES
Educational background:
- Law, public policy, public health, social sciences, gender studies, medico-legal background.
Professional experience:
- 5+ year experience in working in programs in private or public sector related to sex work, gender issues, child and youth services or public health policies.
- Proven record of similar consultancies or legal framework assessment.
- Experience in sex work will be considered as a strong asset.
How to apply
3. APPLICATION PROCESS:
If interested, please submit your completed consultancy application (CV and Consultancy Proposal including budget) quoting “Minors Selling Sex Consultancy” as the subject matter to email hr.myanmar@medecinsdumonde.net By 5 PM (Myanmar Time) on 16th October 2024.
Médecins du Monde reserves the right to fill the vacancy before the closing date for applications.
MdM stands up for the integration of people living with disabilities and fights against discrimination.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Our objective is to create an inclusive workforce that is reflective of the populations we support; we strongly encourage applications from those who are marginalized and considered as vulnerable groups.
