Secretariat of the Pacific Menstrual Hygiene Network

Support WaterAid’s Regional Technical Lead for Equality, Inclusion and Rights to deliver WaterAid’s ANCP funded project ‘Galvanising Menstrual Health Action in the Pacific’.

Duration: October 2023 – September 2025
Time required: 8-12 days per month
Reports to: Technical Lead – Equality, Inclusion and Rights
Fee for service: Negotiated with applicant

Introduction

WaterAid’s vision is of a world where everyone has access to safe water and sanitation. Our mission is to transform lives by improving access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in the world’s marginalised communities. WaterAid works with partners to maximise its impacts to influence policy. Never before has there been more global recognition of the importance of WASH. WaterAid works through supporting local organisations and government authorities to design and demonstrate appropriate and sustainable WASH programs.

WaterAid also seeks to influence policy change through government and other key sector actors to secure and protect the right of people to safe, affordable water and sanitation services. Everything we do is shaped by our six values: Integrity, Respect, Collaboration, Courage, Accountability, Innovation.

Pacific Menstrual Health Project Overview

WaterAid has supported the establishment of a network of local Pacific actors working together to strengthen evidence, learning and influencing of menstrual health since 2019 funded by DFAT’s Australian NGO Cooperation Program. The Pacific Menstrual Health Network (the Network) aims to support girls, women and gender diverse people’s menstrual health, dignity and participation in education and work. The project is midway through its second phase (July 2022- June 2025) and below captures the refreshed vision, mission and purpose co-created by the Network members:

Our Vision

All Pacific women, girls and people of all diversities, who menstruate realise their menstrual health and rights throughout their life course.

Our Mission

Our mission is to create a collaborative platform made up of inclusive and diverse leaders and experts in the region who drive a menstrual health and  rights movement.  Through this Network the members collaborate, advocate, convene Pacific voice and are creating positive menstrual health and rights change.

Our purpose is to:

1. Create Pacific visibility and credibility on menstrual health efforts regionally and globally, through leading a strong feminist and human rights platform that is inclusive and diverse for strong Pacific led collaboration.
2. Empower diverse women and girls (from a range of ages, genders, disabilities and identities) to advocate for menstrual health (and sexual and reproductive health and rights) policies, by influencing policy makers and resources at all levels to bring about systematic change across the region.
3. Build evidence, within the Network and across the region, sharing learning of culturally and environmentally appropriate solutions to menstrual health across SRHR, WASH, gender, climate, social enterprise and others to influence increased prioritisation and funding.
4. Strengthen capacity of Pacific stakeholders to address menstrual health through a community of practice.

Secretariat role overview

The PMHN Secretariate role is open to qualified applicants who reside in the Pacific, preferably in one of the project’s five focus countries: Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. The person must be from the Pacific who can bring insights and understanding on the realities of menstrual health challenges experienced by people living in the Pacific. The role will collaborate with WaterAid to lead the coordination of the regional Network; support partners to lead advocacy or learning in their country, as well as support operation functions such as work plans, budgets and reporting. The Secretariate will lead the organisation/networking and implementation of key events over the course of the year as outlined in the 2022-25 Network plan.

Secretariat role responsibilities

Management of partnerships and network of actors

• Facilitate processes to support Pacific actors to develop and implement their own plans
• Support the transition of the Network to be independent, including sourcing other funding and management of budget
• Lead coordination of Network activities and processes including quarterly meetings, reflections and at least 2 advocacy activities per year.
• Lead relationships and partnership building, including the start up of and ongoing management of a community of practice, with two CoP webinars per year.
• Engage with Pacific actors and networks (SPC, Pacific Women, government and development agencies) interested in menstrual health and WASH. This includes speaking at forums and events, and responding to requests.
• Understand member interests and needs around learning, sharing, testing, advocacy, and ensure the Network activities respond to these through network meetings and learning.
• Working with partners to ensure that activities take Do No Harm steps, and are conducted in a safe and empowering manner

Project coordination

• Facilitate  and manage regional project implementation plans in line with ANCP requirements, and support WA to manage the budget
• Coordinate project activities across Pacific countries with a range of partners, supporting their workplan and monitoring
• Work closely with WaterAid Program Operations team to ensure donor compliance, partner contract management and reporting requirements are met
• Work closely with 2-3 partners to deliver advocacy or learning in Pacific countries, including contracting and monitoring support.

Documentation and learning

• Support partners to document menstrual health efforts in the Pacific.
• Build the Network’s social media profile and visibility by managing the facebook page and other platforms
• Support policy analysis and documentation of menstrual health in the Pacific.
• Coordinate learning and knowledge sharing across partners and actors through the CoP.

To Apply

Please submit complete the application form below and email to [email protected] with the headline ‘PMHN Secretariat’ by close of business on Friday 30 August 2023.

For any queries not answered in this document please email Chelsea Huggett at [email protected]

WaterAid is a child safe organisation. We recognise that we must meet community expectations and the trust placed in our personnel to maintain the highest standards of conduct with children. Therefore, all positions engaged by WaterAid are required to comply with our Child Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct. WaterAid is committed to protection from sexual exploitation and abuse in everything we do. The values and standards we uphold are highlighted in our Global Code of Conduct. All positions within WaterAid are required to comply with our Global Code of Conduct.