National Consultant - Mercury and Health Project - (2400447)

8 February 2024
Call for consultation

Contractual Arrangement: External consultant

Contract Duration (Years, Months, Days): 17 Months

Job Posting: Feb 8, 2024, 12:31:04 PM

Closing Date: Feb 23, 2024, 4:29:00 AM

Primary Location: Sri Lanka-Colombo

Organization: SE_SRL WR Office, Sri Lanka

Schedule: Full-time  

MPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that the deadline for receipt of applications indicated above reflects your personal device's system settings. 

Area of expertise:

National Consultant - Mercury and Health Project

Purpose of consultancy:

The consultant is required to provide technical support to develop and implement a national plan to strengthen surveillance of mercury in skin-lightening products and other commercial products in Sri Lanka. The project is expected to help country move towards elimination of mercury containing skin-lightening products and other commercial products from the market, in compliance to the provisions of Minamata Convention on Mercury and the relevant laws and regulations of Sri Lanka.

Background:

The Global Environmental Facility (GEF) has provided fund to Sri Lanka on a project on elimination of mercury-containing skin-lightening products. The project is under the UNEP Global Mercury Partnership and is jointly being implemented by the Ministry of Health Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Environment Sri Lanka in close collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI). 

The project aims to reduce the risk of exposure to mercury-added skin lightening products and in the longer term also in other commercial products. The consultant is expected to work with the Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Health, Government of Sri Lanka, the National Minamata Covention Steering committee, and other national stakeholders and global project partners in Sri Lanka.

To implement the project, the consultant, in close consultation with the relevant stakeholders, is expected to develop and implement a national plan to phase out mercury-added skin-lightening products and other commercial products from the market. The consultant is also expected to hold national consultations, develop national knowledge-base on mercury in skin-lightening products and other commercial products, conduct capacity building programs, and develop communication materials to achieve the objectives of the project.

Scope of work

Provide technical advice and support to prioritize project implementation, including

  1. Support the national steering committee in developing recommendations to improve regulations; provide guidance on developing compliance and enforcement strategies for legislation in place.
  2. Provide technical support and advice to Ministries of Health and the Ministry of Environment for national level advocacy campaigns.
  3. Facilitate implementation of country-level activities e.g. for awareness-raising and advocacy.
  4. Support as necessary other ministries engaged in the project in carrying out tailored national activities.
  5. Assist with the monitoring and reporting on development of compliance and enforcement strategies for legislation in place to ban mercury in skin lightening products.

Monitor implementation of the project at the national level

  1. Prepare quarterly narrative and financial reports as per project requirements.
  2. Participate in monthly project planning and progress meetings, held virtually each month, undertaking assigned follow-up tasks as appropriate.
  3. Prepare a comprehensive report of country-level activities for the quarterly and final narrative reports.
  4. Maintain regular communication with project personnel including the WHO-Sri Lanka relevant officers, WHO-SEARO Regional Advisor, UN project executing partners at regional level and the project team at WHO about activities at country level.

Develop tailored health-related communications materials on mercury in skin lightening product including:

  1. Adapting advocacy and information materials prepared under the project to the regional or national context, including in appropriate languages, and targeted to relevant national audiences, such as policymakers, consumers, health practitioners and tailored to the products found in the national marketplace.
  2. Maintain regular communication with local authorities, national stakeholders and WHO country and regional advisors, UN project executing partners at regional level and the project team about activities at country level.
  3. Organize and provide logistical support for project meetings and training workshops and online coordination meetings etc. through the duration of the project.

Link to apply: