Training Workshop and Fellowship Programme for Journalists to support Prevention and Control of NCDs

WHO is a public international organization, consisting of 194 Member States, and a Specialized Agency of the United Nations with the mandate to act as the directing and coordinating authority on international health work. As such, WHO is dependent on the budgetary and extra-budgetary contributions it receives for the implementation of its activities. Bidders are, therefore, requested to propose the best and most cost-effective solution to meet WHO requirements, while ensuring a high level of service.

The Western Pacific Region has witnessed a significant rise in the prevalence of NCDs over the past decades. These diseases, which include heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancers, and chronic respiratory diseases (e.g. chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD), are responsible for nearly 9 out of 10 deaths in the Region. The burden of NCDs places immense strain on healthcare systems, economies, families, and individuals, demanding urgent and effective action for prevention and control.

The purpose of this Agreement for the Performance of Work (APW) is to organize a journalism training workshop and fellowship programme targeting r journalists in selected countries within the Region, The aim is to increase the quantity and quality of media stories and content about noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), their risk factors, as well as evidence-based solutions and WHO’s recommendations.

Award Rules

WHO reserves the right to:

• Award the contract to a bidder of its choice, even if its bid is not the lowest.
• Award separate contracts for parts of the work, components or items, to one or more bidders of its choice, even if their bids are not the lowest.
• Accept or reject any proposal, and to annul the solicitation process and reject all proposals at any time prior to award of contract, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders and without any obligation to inform the affected bidder or bidders of the grounds for WHO’s action.
• Award the contract on the basis of the Organization’s particular objectives to a bidder whose proposal is considered to be the most responsive to the needs of the Organization and the activity concerned.
• Not award any contract at all.

Requirements/Work to be Performed

Under the supervision of the PND Coordinator, the contractual partner will organize the journalism training workshop and fellowship program and manage all necessary logistical arrangements for this program.

• Output 1: Journalism training workshop on NCDs
  • Deliverable 1.1: A work plan with key tasks and timeline, a draft workshop agenda, and a list of speakers/resources persons and target participants for the workshop in consultation with WPRO
  • Deliverable 1.2: Progress report on the organization and logistical arrangements needed for the training workshop, including venue reservation, hotel booking, flight arrangements of participants among others
  • Deliverable 1.3: Organization of two-day journalism workshop
  • Deliverable 1.4: Final report with the final workshop agenda, list of participants and speakers/resource persons, presentations, media stories resulted from the workshop, evaluation and other relevant materials (the report should also include a session on lessons learned the recommendations for future workshops)
  • Deliverable 1.5: Supplemental report on published media stories resulted from the workshop.
• Output 2: Media fellowship/story grants program (story support and editorial mentorship)
  • Deliverable 2.1: A list of 3-5 fellows selected and their proposed story ideas together with interview or research plans
  • Deliverable 2.2: Mentorship update on the fellows’ work
  • Deliverable 2.3: Final report on the fellowship programme, including published stories or expected stories (with timeline). The final report should include a session on lessons learned and recommendations for future similar initiatives.

Place of Assignment

• The workshop will be held in person in Manila, Philippines over 2 days between November and December 2023 with preparatory activities to be conducted remotely beginning in October. The fellowship will be conducted virtually and remotely, from December 2023 to March 2024.

Eligibility Criteria

• The successful bidder shall be a for profit/not for profit institution operating in the field of journalism and public health with proven expertise in non-communicable diseases, health promotion and health communication.
• The successful bidder is expected to demonstrate experience and list relevant projects as follows:
  • Mandatory experience:
    • Experience working in a media outlet and multicultural and multidisciplinary settings
    • Experience conducting journalism training programs and facilitating media coverage of the multisectoral issues surrounding health and noncommunicable disease prevention and control
    • Experience working with WHO, UN agencies and/or international development organizations is an advantage
  • Qualifications required (of the team leader):
    • University degree in journalism, communication, public health, or any related field from a recognized university.
• Experience conducting journalism training programs on health issues for journalists from various countries in the Western Pacific Region.
• Language requirements:
  • Essential: Written and spoken fluency in English.

For more information, visit World Health Organization (WHO).