Mission and objectives

UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. Our mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s goal is to achieve universal access to sexual and reproductive health, realize reproductive rights, and reduce maternal mortality to accelerate progress on the ICPD agenda, to improve the lives of adolescents and youth, and women, enabled by population dynamics, human rights, and gender equality. In 2018, UNFPA launched efforts to achieve three transformative results, ambitions that promise to change the world for every man, woman and young person: 1.) Ending unmet need for family planning 2.) Ending preventable maternal death 3.) Ending gender-based violence and harmful practises UNFPA recognizes that innovation is a key accelerator to achieve these results. UNFPA will harness innovation to meet tomorrow’s challenges and boost its impact, especially in addressing furthest behind populations, and leverage opportunities, social capital, funding and technology by (a) strengthening the corporate innovation architecture and capabilities, (b) scaling up innovations that have proven to be effective and impactful, (c) forming new partnerships and connecting with relevant innovation ecosystems, (d) strengthening and leveraging financing for innovation, and (e) expanding communities and culture for innovation.

Context

UNFPA’s strategic plan (2026-2029) focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress toward realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. In line with UNFPA’s global Financing the ICPD Strategy, the new strategic plan has a specific output that focuses on leveraging sustainable financing and investments.In line with the new strategic plan, the Arab States Regional Office (ASRO) has set financing as a strategic priority for its next regional programme. Building off work that commenced in 2024, and in recognition of the need to continue to enhance social health protection by enhancing public financing capacities in the region, this ‘Sustainable Health Financing and Economics Specialist’ will support this work in 2026. The financing work will be implemented alongside continued efforts and activities to strengthen the policy and enabling environment in the Arab Region. The purpose of this assignment is to provide technical assistance on analyzing financing needs among countries of the region and follow up with partnering institutions or technical experts to guide a wider effort to accelerate their efforts on financing the ICPD agenda. The UNV Expert works in an integrated manner with the technical and programme staff in the Regional office (RO), Country offices (COs), and reports directly to the SRH Regional Adviser.

Task Description

Under the direct supervision of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Adviser, the UN Volunteer Expert will undertake the following tasks: - Support the implementation of UNFPA’s ASRO Regional Programme Output 3 on leveraging sustainable financing and investments. - Support UNFPA’s technical leadership and assistance on health financing, universal health coverage and systems within the Arab States region to improve national policy frameworks and equitable and efficient service delivery in areas relevant to UNFPA's mandate with a particular focus on SRH. - Support the provision of approaches to the engagement with International Financial Institutions (IFIs), including the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and the private sector, to identify, mobilize, and leverage financing opportunities for advancing SRHR and the ICPD Programme of Action. - Provide technical analysis and inputs for evidence-based advice, in the areas of health economics and health financing analysis, to UNFPA Country Offices and to ensure that UNFPA supported Country Programmes contribute to strengthening health systems in the region, particularly in Middle Income Countries. - Support the development and monitoring of regional partnerships in health economics and financing, including for South-South technical support to countries and for the implementation of the Arab States Regional Programme. - Support the development, data analysis, synthesis of trends, and implementation of tools for tracking public investments to ensure accountability and adequacy and effectiveness of public spending. - Support the collaboration with UN agencies and multilateral partners, academia, research and training institutions, think tanks, centers of excellence and professional societies in the region on the financing mandate. - Carry out any other duties as required.

Competencies and values

• Accountability • Adaptability and flexibility • Creativity • Judgement and decision-making • Planning and organising • Professionalism • Self-management

Living conditions and remarks

Cairo, Egypt is a family duty station with a wide range of services (health, education and leisure) and good living conditions. It has long been a center of the region’s political and cultural life, with high levels of tourism. Like other similar cities, Cairo offers good quality of life in terms of access to shopping centers, banks, medical services, educational facilities, cultural events, etc. The Arab Republic of Egypt has a unique geographical position in Northeast Africa, at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, on the Mediterranean and Red Sea, and its connection to Sub Saharan Africa through the Nile Valley. You can check full entitlements at the duty station at https://app.unv.org/calculator. The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos The International UN Expert Volunteer receives the following package: • Volunteer Living Allowance (USD 3,522.23/Month) • Entry Lump-Sum = USD 4000 (one-time payment) • Exit Lump-Sum upon completion of contract. • Medical and life Insurance premium/Cigna (100%) and dependents policy. • Access to UNV E-Campus for training and learning including access to LinkedIn learning. Further entitlements and information available at: https://www.unv.org/volunteer-your-country-conditions-service