The International Organization for Migration (IOM), United Nations Migration Agency, is a dynamic and growing inter-governmental organization, with 175 Member States. IOM is committed to the principle that “humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society”. Established in 1951 and now active in over 440 field locations worldwide, IOM works with partners, government, and civil society to promote international cooperation to address operational challenges of migration and mobility, assist in the search for practical solutions to migration problems, and to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants in need, including refugees and internally displaced people. IOM addresses the migratory phenomenon from an integral and holistic perspective, including links to development, in order to maximize its benefits and minimize its negative effects. 

Migration Health programme: IOM’s Migration Health programme in the East, Horn and Southern African region address the health needs of individual migrants as well as the public health needs of transit and host communities by assisting governmental and non-governmental partners in the development and implementation of relevant policies and programmes.

IOM’s health response to humanitarian and public health emergencies aims to save lives, reduce morbidity and alleviate suffering, while upholding humanitarian principles and protecting dignity. Programming encompasses the various stages and typologies of emergencies, throughout all phases of the mobility continuum.

With migration and human mobility at the core of the organization’s mandate, MHD’s approach to responding to health crises and preparing for future health threats is particularly anchored upon human mobility, notably through the Health, Border and Mobility Management (HBMM) framework. Understanding human mobility dynamics through Population Mobility Mapping (PMM), a core activity of HBMM, is essential for the development of public health interventions to prevent, detect and respond to international health threats, and support the implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005).  

Located in Nairobi IOM Regional Office for East, Horn and Southern Africa, under the general and overall supervision of the Deputy Regional Director (DRD) for operations and in the direct supervision of the Regional Thematic Specialist (Migration Health) – MHD RTS, the incumbent will support the Country Offices (COs) across the Region in implementation of migration health programming. 

Supporting coordination of RO Nairobi IOM’s health programming in emergencies 

1. Support the Regional Technical Specialist – Migration Health on all technical activities related to implementing and supporting regional emergency health preparedness and response programming.

2. Assist the team with enhancing technical aspects related to emergency health programming through application of evidence-based public health concepts. 

3. Assist with program-support related elements, including the review and drafting of project proposals, country crisis response plans, and reports to support country offices. This also includes support to the team’s knowledge management efforts such as Sharepoint and other Communities of Practice and webinars. 

4. Assist the Regional Technical Specialist – Migration Health with initiatives and regional technical policy guidance initiatives, and provide support to IOM’s overall health response to crisis affected populations, with a focus on preparedness, in close coordination with other technical areas such as MHPSS, Displacement Tracking Matrix, health implications of population mobility in emergencies, WASH, maternal and reproductive health, gender based violence, and so forth. 

5. Attend meetings and report back to the team (written notes and oral presentation) related to emergency health programming, including those of other UN agencies, academic institutions and donors involved in health response in crisis events. 

6. Assist with compiling and support the team with developing guidance notes and reference pool of effective practices and lessons learned from previous emergencies in relation to both preparedness and response.  

7. Assist with overall knowledge management of emergency health programming through support ot the upkeep of targeted SharePoint, as well as Health, Border and Mobility Management tools, guidance and publications; and provide support on initiatives to improve IOM’s health information management system, PRIMA/SRF indicators; support the drafting and review of case studies and data for institutional annual reports.  

8. Support the team with the implementation and roll-out of initiatives relating to the capacity building of staff through trainings, webinars or field visits.   

9. Perform such other duties as maybe assigned

1. Outputs have been completed to a standard as agreed prior to the end of the consultancy.