International Consultant

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR AN INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANT

Developing a technically and politically feasible strategy to reduce the risk of zoonosis diseases related to the hunting, trafficking, wildlife farming and consumption of wildlife in Viet Nam, and preparing an Implementation Project Document detailing how to reduce the risk of pandemics by employing preventative One Health approaches using systems methodologies

Project: Nature for Health Viet Nam Scoping Phase 1

I. BACKGROUND

Nature for Health (N4H) is a global initiative, working nationally to reduce health risks through environmental determinants. Initial work will focus on strengthening the environmental and preventive aspects of One Health (OH). N4H aims to contribute an improved understanding of the links between the health of people, animals, and ecosystems, to mainstream them into public health approaches and to support decision makers and relevant actors to make use of relevant evidence to help prevent future pandemics and enhance planetary health.

N4H was initiated by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) with a contribution of €50 million. BMUV is one of eight N4H Partners including the Convention on Biological Diversity, United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Environment Programme, World Health Organization, World Organisation for Animal Health, International Union for the Conservation of Nature, and EcoHealth Alliance, who bring extensive multisectoral and diverse One Health practical experiences. N4H is hosted by the UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTFO) and the Secretariat is based at UNEP in Nairobi, Kenya.

In its first eight years, N4H will work in three overlapping phases in 18 low- and middle-income countries or regions. For its first phase of work, N4H employed an open call to government agencies for Expressions of Interest. Selection criteria centered on the risk of zoonotic disease spillover, political commitment to collaboration and OH, and potential as an N4H partner. In Phase I, N4H will work in Ecuador, Ghana, Mongolia, Rwanda, Viet Nam and Zambia, and operational work will start in 2023.

The operational work in each country will be structured in two stages.

• The scoping stage is designed as a systemic inquiry and will conclude when a co-developed Implementation Project Document (IPD) is produced that details the activity plan and budget. The scoping stage is a limited exercise of about 3 months (possibly up to 6 months) and completed by the end of 2024.
• The implementation stage is expected to last 2-3 years and be based on country interests and priorities, as agreed in the scoping stage, which support the N4H overall outcome areas:

1. Assess: enhancing evidence on links between biodiversity, climate change, and health for better decision-making
2. Build: supporting governments to develop effective policies, structures, and frameworks for preventative OH
3. Enable: building capacity, knowledge management, and advocacy to implement such policies and frameworks
4. Sustain: establishing sustainable partnerships and governance

The tropical Asia region where Viet Nam is located is regarded as one of the five global "hot spots" for emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) in humans and animals. Since 2003, Viet Nam has endured considerable human and economic impacts from zoonotic EIDs, including SARS and Avian Influenza, as well as agricultural losses from livestock diseases estimated to exceed one billion USD. The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which leads to severe acute respiratory syndrome in humans, is a prime example since 2019. Human movement, intricate value chains, and trade in livestock, wildlife, and their products all contribute to the heightened risk of zoonotic transmission and spread of disease.

Building on and expanding earlier efforts, the One Health Partnership (OHP) was inaugurated in March 2016. With the endorsement of the government, the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development, Health, and Natural Resources and Environment, and 28 international and domestic partners collaborated to develop and sign the OHP Framework for combating zoonotic epidemics from animals to humans for the period 2021-2025. The overarching goal of the OHP is to enhance Viet Nam’s capacity to address zoonotic infectious disease threats at the human-animal-ecosystem interface (including livestock, wildlife, and other species). It consolidates national and international governmental and non-governmental OH stakeholders under the leadership of the government.

Numerous agencies and organizations have participated in implementing the OHP Framework for 2021-2025, including entities such as GIZ, FAO, IUCN, TRAFFIC, WWF, and SVW, to examine the relationship between wildlife-related activities like hunting, trading, rearing, rescuing, and releasing wild animals and human health and environmental aspects. These efforts can be construed as the initial steps in implementing the N4H approach in Viet Nam. The establishment of the Network of Wildlife Rescue Centers in Viet Nam initiated by SVW in 2022 and Guidelines for the prevention, detection, response, and remediation of disease risks in and around protected and conservation areas developed by IUCN and EcoHealth Alliance are instances of progressing towards the N4H approach. These materials are available in Vietnamese and English and will be used during project implementation for capacity building and raising awareness for partners and public about N4H.

Understanding of OH as well as N4H differs considerably between partners due to their divergent priorities and perspectives. Therefore, it is imperative to conduct a scoping study to identify national priorities for mitigating the risks of zoonotic diseases from wildlife-related activities in Viet Nam and develop a project outlining how N4H will reduce the risk of pandemics by employing preventative OH approaches using systems methodologies in Viet Nam.

II. OBJECTIVE OF THE SCOPING PHASE

The objective of the scoping stage is to conduct a systemic inquiry that concludes with a IPD detailing how N4H will reduce the risk of pandemics by employing preventative OH approaches using systems methodologies.

This scoping stage will also outline politically feasible strategy to reduce the risk of zoonosis diseases related to the hunting, trafficking, wildlife farming and consumption of wildlife.

III. EXPECTED RESULTS

1. Implementation Project Document

The key result is an N4H Implementation Project Document, which details the plan on how to move forward. A template is included in the N4H Phase I Scoping Guide (to be provided). The key elements include:

• Structured according to N4H Theory of Change
• Includes: project description (objectives, planned activities); stakeholder analysis (building on scoping stage report); logical framework; workplan; budget; safeguards; and learning and results (see table)
• Approved by the N4H Steering Committee

2. Scoping report

An additional requirement is to finalise a short scoping phase report (approximately 5 pages, 2500 words) based on a draft report produced by 02 National Consultants. This report outlines the country’s One Health context and the process that was followed during the scoping stage, with details of the stakeholder engagement, identified activities and lessons learned. A template is available upon request but includes three qualitative questions in addition to specific indicators:

• How did you ensure a systemic approach?
• What challenges did you encounter?
• What lessons did you learn?

IV. SCOPE OF WORK

The consultant will work closely with the IUCN Viet Nam Biodiversity Coordinator, two national consultants, and other IUCN N4H team members to carry out the work using the N4H Scoping Guidelines.

1.    Tasks

a.    Familiarize themselves with the N4H approach, including but not limited to Preventative One Health & Systemic Practice: A Practical Guide to the Scoping Stage, N4H Theory of Change, N4H Operations Manual, and N4H Phase I Scoping Guide.

b.    Review the situation analysis report from national consultants and other related documents to acquire current and background information on

• Conservation, rescue, hunting, trafficking, and consumption of wildlife in Viet Nam.
• Zoonotic diseases and their links to wildlife hunting, trafficking, farming, and consumption in Viet Nam.
• The participation of various stakeholders to the matter.

c.     Facilitate two consultation workshops in May and June 2024, with government and non-government stakeholders and OH and N4H partner organizations to collect technical information and inputs on feasible and necessary interventions.

d.    Prepare the IPD in close collaboration with the two national consultants and the results from consultation workshop. The draft IPD will be circulated to all stakeholders before the final consultation workshop in June 2024. The consultant will finalize the IPD based on workshop feedback.

e.    Collaborate with national consultants to finalize a short scoping phase report, which outlines Viet Nam’s OH context and the process that was followed during the scoping stage, with details of the stakeholder engagement, identified activities and lessons learned. A report template will be provided, but includes three qualitative questions in addition to specific indicators:

• How did you ensure a systemic approach?
• What challenges did you encounter?
• What lessons did you learn?

2.    Deliverables

The consultant will produce the following deliverables:

• The final scoping phase report approved by IUCN and N4H Secretariat.
• IPD approved by IUCN and N4H Secretariat.

3.    Duration and timeline

The consultancy will be completed over about three months from early April to 30 June 2024.

4.    Travel and meetings.

The consultant will work with the IUCN Viet Nam Biodiversity Coordinator to arrange travel and organise meetings with stakeholders.

5.    Qualifications and expertise

The consultant should possess the following qualifications and expertise:

• Background with public health, wildlife conservation, rescue and release, policy development, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience developing strategies related to zoonotic diseases and wildlife management.
• Familiarity with the political and cultural context of Viet Nam.
• Familiarity with the approach of One Health
• Strong analytical, research, and communication skills.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.
• Track record of developing major proposals.

6.    Reporting

The consultant will report to Jake Brunner, Head, Lower Mekong Sub-region, and Nguyen Manh Hiep, IUCN Viet Nam Biodiversity Coordinator.

7.    Application submission

Interested individuals are invited to submit their application, including a CV and 4-page proposal outlining their approach to the assignment, by 13 April 2024 to Nguyen Manh Hiep at [email protected].

8.    Evaluation criteria

Consultants will be evaluated based on their qualifications, relevant experience, proposed methodology, and budget.