A lead international consultant for the project on strengthening civil registration and vital statistics systems in Asia and the Pacific

Result of Service The consultant will facilitate a series of training and workshops to project countries to develop statistical capacity and demographic skills within national statistics office and other line ministries/organizations responsible for the production of statistics. This includes various activities at national, subregional and regional levels such as capacity building workshops, technical advisory services, knowledge sharing activities as well as development of knowledge products.

Work Location Home base

Expected duration 1 Nov 2022-30 Sep 2023

Duties and Responsibilities The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development emphasizes the inclusive and sustainable future for all with a focus on leaving no one behind. With a well-functioning civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) system, it helps ensure that every person has a legal identity, facilitating access to the benefits and protections of the State. Moreover, registering, documenting and recording life events enhances good government and sustainable development. Knowing the population of a country and its subdivisions, leading causes of death, fertility rates and life expectancy enhances public administration by informing effective, efficient and directed policies at the national and local levels. However, more than 100 low and middle-income countries lack functional CRVS systems, and, as a result, the registration rate of births and deaths is incomplete, which results in uncertainties of who is being left behind as the relevant disaggregated population data are not available.

CRVS data is also critical for monitoring development indicators, including SDG indicators, and 67 of the 231 SDG indicators rely on effective CRVS data, including those aimed at reducing maternal and infant mortality, eliminating poverty, building resilience to climate-related disasters and guaranteeing legal identity for all.

Despite continuous efforts, an estimated 64 million children, under the age of five, within Asia and the Pacific have not had their birth registered, and millions of other vital events, including deaths, are not registered. The midterm reports submitted by countries at the midpoint of the CRVS Decade demonstrated the need for greater efforts to accomplish the vision of universal and responsive CRVS systems. Reaffirmed commitment to improved CRVS systems has also been made at the Second Ministerial Conference on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics, which was organised in November 2021. These commitments include addressing disparities and ensure civil registration completeness and coverage among hard-to-reach populations and people in vulnerable situations. This includes people living in rural, remote, isolated or border areas, indigenous peoples, local communities, migrants, noncitizens, asylum seekers, refugees, stateless persons, internally displaced persons, domestic workers, persons with disabilities, foundlings and persons without documentation, among others, in accordance with national context, regulations, and priorities.

Against this backdrop, ESCAP and Bloomberg Philanthropies have collaborated and implemented the project entitled Getting everyone in the picture: strengthening civil registration and vital statistics systems in Asia and the Pacific (Data 4 Health Initiative). The project builds on lessons learned through three phases of projects with the Data 4 Health initiative as well as multiple projects on CRVS implemented by the Statistics Division since the inception of the Asia and the Pacific CRVS Decade (2015-2024). The work supports implementation of the Regional Action Framework on CRVS in Asia and the Pacific and the further commitments made in the Ministerial Declaration on Building a More Resilient Future with Inclusive Civil Registration and Vital Statistic.

More specifically, the project aims to develop statistical capacity and demographic skills within national statistics offices (NSOs) and other line ministries/organizations responsible for the production of statistics. This includes various activities at national, subregional and regional levels such as capacity building workshops, technical advisory services, knowledge sharing activities as well as development of knowledge products.

The project will help selected countries to improve CRVS systems to be well-functioning and universal through three project outcomes.

1. Selected countries produce vital statistics from civil registration records and identify inequalities related to civil registration. 2. Selected countries improve their CRVS systems through the review and analysis of their civil registration processes and implement a holistic approach to civil registration, vital statistics, and identity management. 3. Selected countries use CRVS-related evidence to improve policies and programmes.

In this connection, ESCAP is seeking a consultant to support implementation of the project as advised and supervised by the project manager.

Travel to the two national capacity building workshops in Samoa and the regional workshop in Bangkok will be funded by ESCAP.

Qualifications/special skills Advanced degree in statistics or related fields - At least 10 years of experience in providing technical assistance to strengthen national CRVS Systems - At least 5 years of experience in managing the medium to large-scaled projects - At least 5 years in the area of demographic estimation and official statistics - Understanding of official statistics in the Asia-Pacific region - Working experience with a national statistical office in the Asia-Pacific region is desirable

Languages- Fluency in English, including written and oral is required.

Skills:

- Strong understanding of civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems and other data sources for estimating vital statistics - Demographic modelling and estimation skills - Strong drafting skills, including the ability to summarise technical material. - Excellent coordination, planning, communication and organizsational skills - Ability to collate a vast array of information and ideas, use critical thinking, conceptualize ideas, and articulate relevant subject matter in a clear and concise way - Ability to provide advice and recommendations to other project consultants in different areas of work - Ability to support electronic-only forums and organize virtual and face-to-face workshops.

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.