PAHO Consultant - Intercultural Health

OBJECTIVE OF THE OFFICE/DEPARTMENT

This is a requisition for employment at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO)

Contractual Agreement:

Non-Staff - International PAHO Consultant

Job Posting:

August 13, 2026

Closing Date:

August 26, 2026, 11:59 PM Eastern Time

Primary Location:

Off Site

Organization:

DHE Social and Environmental Determinants for Health Equity

Schedule:

Full time

PURPOSE OF CONSULTANCY

In the framework of universal health and leaving no one behind, the Member States of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) have prioritized actions to improve access to comprehensive, appropriate, timely, and high-quality health services without discrimination. As stated in the report of the High-level Commission “Universal Health in the 21st Century: 40 Years of Alma-Ata”, there is a need to develop people- and community-centered primary-health-care-based models that include interculturalism and ethnicity. Likewise, in recognition of the health inequities that certain ethnic groups— including Indigenous Peoples, people of African descent, and Roma people— face, the Member States unanimously adopted the Policy on Ethnicity and Health in 2017 (CSP29/7, Rev.1), stressing the need to act on social determinants and include cultural differences to improve people’s quality of life. Thus, to cooperate with Member States in its operationalization, PAHO launched the Strategy and Plan of Action on Ethnicity and Health 2019-2025 as guidance. The five priority strategic lines of action of the Policy on Ethnicity and Health are 1) the production of evidence; 2) the promotion of policy action; 3) social participation and strategic partnerships; 4) recognition of ancestral knowledge and traditional and complementary medicine; and 5) capacity development at all levels.
The purpose of this consultancy is to provide technical support to countries in incorporating an intercultural approach to health, with a focus on priority topics for Indigenous and Afro-descendant populations, as well as other groups living in situations of vulnerability. This includes contributing to the development of technical documents and strategies to guide Member States in implementing an intercultural approach to health priority topics. The consultant will also provide support in the preparation of strategic reports on advances in the Region, including recommendations from the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), as well as alignment with global processes such as the WHO Global Plan of Action for the Health of Indigenous Peoples.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES:

PAHO addresses the health needs of diverse groups living in situations of vulnerability, taking into account their contexts and perspectives. In this regard, Indigenous Peoples and Afro-descendants have prioritized certain health topics that align with the lines of action in the policy on ethnicity and health, as well as with multiple indicators of the Strategy and Plan of Action on ethnicity and health 2019-2025. PAHO has also addressed the recommendations of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues related to Indigenous Peoples and continues to work with its Country Offices to report on them.

The purpose of this consultancy is to provide technical support for the development of strategic documents that promote respect for the worldviews of Indigenous Peoples and afro-descendants while addressing their health priorities, and to collect information on existing practices that promote an intercultural approach to health.

Objectives

• To provide technical cooperation and training to countries to incorporate an intercultural approach to health with a focus on priority areas, including immunization, sexual and reproductive health among Indigenous and afro-descendant populations.
• To contribute to the collection of information from the Region on advances in the health of Indigenous and Afro-descendant people, in line with the recommendations of relevant Rapporteurships and Working Groups, as well as the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
• To contribute to the implementation of the main recommendations of the final report of the Strategy and Plan of Action on Ethnicity and Health 2019-2025, with a focus on impact indicators.
• To consolidate relevant information from human rights mechanisms for the preparation and adaptation of knowledge dialogues in selected countries, with a focus on priority areas.

Deliverables

• Adaptation and validation of the knowledge dialogues methodology in selected countries, with a focus on sexual and reproductive health and early pregnancy, using a human rights-based approach.
• Report with relevant advances on Indigenous and Afro-descendant health that will respond to recommendations from relevant Rapporteurships and Working Groups, with a focus on maternal-neonatal health (as well as the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent).
• Technical document with inputs validated with Indigenous and Afro-descendant leaders from selected countries to update the manual for facilitators of knowledge dialogues with a focus on case studies on early pregnancy and girls’ rights.
• Report with inputs from Country Offices on the implementation of the recommendations of the final report of the Strategy and Plan of Action on Ethnicity and Health 2019-2025, with a focus on maternal and neonatal health.

Band B:

$258 daily rate

Remuneration:

USD $22,000

Duration:

November 2026 – March 2027

Consultant profile

Education:

• Essential: A university or master’s degree in public health, social sciences, or a related health field from a recognized university.
• Desirable: Certificate in mediation processes or conflict resolution. Solid knowledge of human rights frameworks related to Indigenous Peoples and other ethnic groups.

Languages:

Very good knowledge of English or Spanish with working knowledge of the other language. Knowledge of French and/or Portuguese would be an asset. 

Years of relevant experience:

Essential:

• Minimum of 7 years of relevant experience working with groups in situations of vulnerability and/or in the field of interculturality
• Strong interpersonal skills to be able to coordinate with multiple offices, partners, and counterparts.
• Strong communication skills, including writing, presenting, researching, etc., and using relevant IT applications
• Demonstrated capacity to share knowledge and experience, identifying and disseminating good practices and working effectively in teams
• Strong knowledge of international and regional legal frameworks to address individual and collective rights of Indigenous Peoples, people of African descent and members of other ethnic groups
• Excellent written skills

Desirable:

• Past work experience with PAHO/WHO in a relevant field is an advantage
• Past work experience in the Latin America Region in relevant fields is an advantage
• Experience working with Indigenous and/or Afro-descendant communities
• Knowledge of PAHO’s mandate on ethnicity and health, as well as on the knowledge dialogues methodology proposed by PAHO

Primary Location:

Off-site (Home-based)

Area of expertise:

Intercultural health, ethnicity, individual and collective rights

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.
• Successful candidates will be placed on the roster and subsequently may be selected for consultancy assignments falling in this area of work or for similar requirements/tasks/deliverables.  Inclusion in the Roster does not guarantee selection for a consultant contract.  There is no commitment on either side.
• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• All applicants are required to complete an on-line profile to be considered for this consultancy. For assessment of your application, please ensure that your profile in the PAHO Career page is updated; all experience records are entered with elaboration on tasks performed at the time.  Kindly note that CV/PHFs inserted via LinkedIn are no accessible.
• A written test may be used as a form of screening.
• If your candidature is retained for interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. PAHO/WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. PAHO will also use the databases of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation http://www.chea.org/search/default.asp and College Navigator, found on the website of the National Centre for Educational Statistics, https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator to support the validation process. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to PAHO/WHO Regulations, and e-Manual.
• For information on PAHO please visit: http://www.paho.org
• PAHO/WHO is committed to providing a respectful and supportive workplace for all personnel .
• PAHO is an ethical organization that maintains high standards of integrity and accountability. People joining PAHO are required to maintain these standards both in their professional work and personal activities.
• PAHO also promotes a work environment that is free from harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and other types of abusive behavior. PAHO conducts background checks and will not hire anyone who has a substantiated history of abusive conduct.
• PAHO personnel interact frequently with people in the communities we serve. To protect these people, PAHO has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse. People who commit serious wrongdoings will be terminated and may also face criminal prosecution.
• PAHO/WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.
• Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority.  The execution of the work under a consultant contract does not create an employer/employee relationship between PAHO and the Consultant.
• PAHO/WHO shall have no responsibility whatsoever for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the Consultant.  The Consultant shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the Consultant in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by PAHO/WHO.