WHO is seeking experts to serve as members of its Technical Advisory Group on Risk Communication and Community Engagement in the WHO European Region. This “Call for experts” provides information about the advisory group in question, the expert
profiles being sought, the process to express interest and the process of selection. The deadline for applications has been extended to encourage more candidates from the countries of eastern Europe and central Asia to apply.
Background
The WHO European Region stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific and comprises 53 countries – for a full list of these see: https://www.euro.who.int/en/countries. The “Action plan to improve public health preparedness and response in the
WHO European Region 2018–2023” commits WHO/Europe to continuously update and evaluate the risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) support it offers Member States to ensure targeted interventions for emergency preparedness and
response.
RCCE as defined by WHO covers a wide range of activities. These range from building health authorities’ capacity to speak to journalists to working with local-level civil society organizations on community empowerment projects. Our understanding
of what constitutes best practice and how to measure impact across all these diverse activities is informed by both experience on the ground and input from academics and experts working in a range of different disciplines.
The Technical Advisory Group ("the TAG") will advise the WHO/Europe unit on: 1) the current “state of the art” in RCCE related research, analysis and innovation in best practice; and 2) how this might be applied to the design, implementation
and evaluation of RCCE strategies, plans, guidance, projects, tools, campaigns and capacity-building initiatives in the specific context of the European Region.
Functions of the TAG on RCCE in the WHO European Region
In its capacity as an advisory body to WHO, the TAG on RCCE in the WHO European Region shall have the following functions:
- Provide independent advice on and review of the scientific, technical, best practice and strategic aspects of RCCE actions, campaigns, guidance, tools, support services and programmes being developed or implemented by WHO in the European Region;
- Provide independent advice on appropriate methods and technical strategies for evaluating WHO RCCE interventions, campaigns, policies, tools, services and programmes in the European Region;
- Recommend priorities for RCCE-related research, provision of support services/tools or other interventions to WHO/Europe;
- Advise WHO/Europe on the current “state of the art” in RCCE-related research, analysis and innovation in best practice, and recommend how this might be applied by WHO in the context of the European Region to RCCE interventions, campaigns, policies and programmes.
Operations of the TAG on RCCE in the WHO European Region
In most circumstances, the TAG on RCCE in the WHO European Region will hold 1-hour online meetings every 4–6 weeks to review evidence and advise on RCCE interventions being developed by WHO/Europe and its subregional hubs. When WHO is responding
to an acute emergency online meetings may be held more frequently than this.
At least once every year the TAG will hold a face-to-face meeting to discuss its annual work plan and priority medium-to-long term work. This meeting may be held at the WHO Regional Office for Europe in Copenhagen, Denmark, at its Centre for Preparedness
for Humanitarian and Health Emergencies in Istanbul, Türkiye, or at other locations in the WHO European Region.
The working language of the group will be English.
Who can express interest?
The TAG on RCCE in the WHO European Region will be multidisciplinary, with members who have a range of technical knowledge, skills and experience relevant to RCCE. Approximately 15 members may be selected.
WHO welcomes expressions of interest from:
- academics, researchers, consultants and practitioners working in the 53 countries of Europe and central Asia that comprise the WHO European Region who have expertise and a track record of research (especially applied and/or rapid research), innovation and/or operational and field experience, in some or all of the following areas:
- risk communication and crisis communication, especially as applied to health emergencies;
- community engagement and empowerment in the context of health emergency preparedness and response;
- measuring and analysing societal trust in government, and health authorities in particular, including identifying the key factors that can build, maintain or erode such trust;
- detection, monitoring and analysis of misinformation and rumours, including how to manage and if needed respond to such misinformation and rumours;
- social science research, analysis and advice relevant to RCCE; this may include, but is not limited to: anthropology, risk communication, community engagement, history, political science, public opinion research, public relations, psychology, political science, social psychology and sociology;
- measurement and evaluation of communication and/or community engagement interventions, particularly in the context of the response to acute health emergencies;
- public health system development and capacity-building, particularly in the context of health emergency response and/or RCCE;
- applied research to guide or evaluate RCCE during health emergencies, including especially the design and piloting of innovative techniques for rapid research/data gathering;
- translating research results, data and other kinds of social science evidence into information for public health action by decision-makers; experience of doing this in the context of emergency response will be particularly relevant.
Applications from experts working in eastern Europe and central Asia are particularly welcomed.
Submitting your expression of interest
To register your interest in being considered for the appointment to this TAG, please submit the following documents by 23:59 CET on Thursday 8 December 2022 to bduncan@who.int using the subject line “Expression of interest for the Technical Advisory
Group on RCCE in WHO European Region”:
Required:
- A cover letter, indicating your motivation to apply. Please note that, if selected, membership will be in a personal capacity, therefore do not use the letterhead or other identification of your employer.
- Your curriculum vitae.
- A signed and completed “Declaration of interests for WHO experts” form, available at https://www.who.int/about/ethics/declarations-of-interest
Optional (you may submit either or both if you wish):
- A list of your publications. This can include contributions to grey literature, such as national or international guidance or evaluations, as well as peer-reviewed publications.
- A short overview of your operational and field experience in designing and implementing RCCE interventions in response to health emergencies and/or in helping health authorities reinforce their RCCE capacity.
After submission, your expression of interest will be reviewed by WHO. Due to an expected high volume of interest, only selected individuals will be informed.
Important information about the selection processes and conditions of appointment
Members of WHO advisory groups (AGs) must be free of any real, potential or apparent conflicts of interest. To this end, applicants are required to complete the “Declaration of interests for WHO experts” form; and the selection as a member
of an AG is, among other things, dependent on WHO determining that there are no conflicts of interest or that any identified conflicts could be appropriately managed (in addition to WHO’s evaluation of an applicant’s experience, expertise
and motivation and other criteria).
All AG members will serve in their individual expert capacity and shall not represent any governments; any commercial industries or entities; any research, academic or civil society organizations; or any other bodies, entities, institutions or organizations.
They are expected to fully comply with the “Code of ethics and professional conduct” (https://www.who.int/about/ethics/declarations-of-interest). AG members will be expected to sign and return a completed confidentiality undertaking prior
to the beginning of the first meeting.
At any point during the selection process, telephone interviews may be scheduled between an applicant and the WHO Secretariat to enable WHO to ask questions relating to the applicant’s experience and expertise and/or to assess whether the applicant
meets the criteria for membership in the relevant AG.
The selection of members of the AGs will be made by WHO in its sole discretion, taking into account the following (non-exclusive) criteria: relevant technical expertise; experience in international and country policy work; communication skills;
and ability to work constructively with people from different cultural backgrounds and orientations. The selection of AG members will also take account of the need for diverse perspectives from different regions, especially from low- and middle-income
countries, and for gender balance.
If selected by WHO, proposed members will be sent an invitation letter and a Memorandum of Agreement. Appointment as a member of an AG will be subject to the proposed member returning to WHO the countersigned copies of these two documents.
WHO reserves the right to accept or reject any expression of interest, to annul the open call process and reject all expressions of interest at any time without incurring any liability to the affected applicant or applicants and without any obligation
to inform the affected applicant or applicants of the grounds for WHO’s action. WHO may also decide, at any time, not to proceed with the establishment of the AG, disband an existing AG or modify the work of the AG.
WHO shall not in any way be obliged to reveal, or discuss with any applicant, how an expression of interest was assessed, or to provide any other information relating to the evaluation/selection process or to state the reasons for not choosing a member.
WHO may publish the names and a short biography of the selected individuals on the WHO website.
AG members will not be remunerated for their services in relation to the AG or otherwise. Travel and accommodation expenses of AG members to participate in AG meetings will be covered by WHO in accordance with its applicable policies, rules and procedures.
The appointment will be limited in time as indicated in the letter of appointment.
If you have any questions about this “Call for experts”, please write to bduncan@who.int well before the applicable deadline.