EXTENSION OF DEADLINE TO 7 DECEMBER 2023
The World Health Organization (WHO) is seeking experts to serve as members of the Civil Society Task Force on Tuberculosis (CSTF-TB). This “Call for experts” provides information about the advisory group, the expert profiles being sought, the process to express interest, and the process of selection.
Please note a new application deadline of 7 December 2023, 12:00 AM (midnight) CET.
Background
The WHO CSTF-TB provides a platform for discussion and exchange with WHO, on leveraging engagement with civil society and affected communities at all levels to accelerate progress towards ending TB in line with WHO End TB Strategy.
Functions of the WHO CSTF-TB
- Bringing the voices and priorities of communities and civil society from the grassroots to the national, regional and global levels, including in the development of WHO norms and standards;
- Advising on advancing the implementation of the WHO End TB Strategy and related guidance and policies and contribute to the attainment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on promotion of the WHO Guidance on engagement of communities and civil society to end tuberculosis, fostering multisectoral action, and translating the political declaration of the 2023 UN High-Level Meeting on TB into action;
- Advising on strengthening collaboration between civil society and communities affected by TB and WHO, national tuberculosis programmes (NTPs) and stakeholders in efforts to end TB;
- Providing direction on initiatives to build the capacity of communities and civil society to enhance networking, facilitate sharing of information, knowledge, good practices and innovation, and promote dialogue and consultation on the implementation of WHO’s TB policies and norms through meaningful community engagement;
- Advising WHO on advocacy initiatives to increase domestic and donor funding for the TB response at all levels;
- Providing critical evaluation of community and civil society engagement to end TB at the various level (national, regional and global).
Operations of the WHO CSTF-TB
Members of the WHO CSTF-TB shall be appointed to serve for a period of 2 years (2024-2025) and shall be eligible for reappointment. Members may not serve more than two consecutive terms.
The WHO CSTF-TB shall normally meet in-person at least once each year. However, WHO may convene additional meetings. Virtual CSTF-TB meetings (via video or teleconference) shall be held at least every two months. The working language of the CTSF-TB will be English.
Who can express interest?
The WHO CSTF-TB is multidisciplinary, with members who have a range of technical knowledge, skills and experience relevant to the engagement of communities and civil society to end TB. Up to 20 members may be selected.
Following experience will be considered as asset:
- Global/regional advocacy to end TB;
- Experience in CSOs or CBOs from a TB high burden country ;
- Experience in capacity building/ technical assistance for CSOs and communities affected by TB;
- TB, MDR or XDR TB survivor;
- Conducting research on social science involving communities affected by TB.
Submitting your expression of interest
To register your interest in being considered for the WHO CSTF-TB, please submit the following documents to TBcommunity@who.int using the subject line “Expression of interest for the WHO CSTF-TB:
- A cover letter, indicating your motivation to apply and how you satisfy the selection criteria. 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; and
- A signed and completed Declaration of Interests (DOI) form for WHO Experts, available at https://www.who.int/about/ethics/declarations-of-interest.
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 WHO Declaration of Interests for WHO Experts, and the selection as a member of a AG is, amongst other things, dependent on WHO determining that there is no conflict 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 Conduct for WHO Experts (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 copy 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 TAG 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 internet.
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 TBcommunity@who.int well before the applicable deadline.