Accountability to Affected Population, Consultant, Brazil

Contract

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Background & Rationale

Context

Over 260,000 Venezuelan migrants and refugees arrived in Brazil since the onset of the migration crisis10. Some 50,000 (of which 30% estimated children) settled in the Northern States of Roraima, Amazonas and Para, where services and monitoring activities focus on 73 identified locations, including: 22 official shelters, 17 spontaneous occupations, church/civil society institutions, Operação Acolhida (OA) facilities (screening, reception, transit centres), and indigenous communities. The majority enter the country via the border in the northern State of Roraima, concentrating in the municipalities of Pacaraima and Boa Vista, where 13 official shelters and triage centers, managed by the Brazilian Army and UNHCR, host 5,536 people (1,562 children <15 years). The rapid surge of migrants has strained the capacity of local municipalities in Roraima, one of the most impoverished and least densely populated states in the country (522,636 inhabitants distributed in 13 municipalities and a per capita income of US$268).

Among the migrant population, Venezuelan indigenous communities are amongst the most vulnerable. It is estimated that there are currently 4,654 indigenous refugees and migrants from Venezuela, mainly of Warao (81%), Pemon Taurepan (17%) and Eñepa (2%) ethnicities, with about half living in indigenous shelters in Roraima (900 individuals), Manaus (around 700) and Pará (around 500)[1], and moving in the states of Roraima, Amazonas and Pará.

UNICEF response

Since 2018, UNICEF initiated its interventions in Roraima and established an Office in Boa Vista. The Roraima office was set up in response to the migration crisis, while UNICEF Zonal Offices in Belem and Manaus pre-date the Crisis and have gradually incorporated emergency response into their development programming. UNICEF’s response to the needs of children and families in the context of the migration crisis focuses on ensuring access to essential services and programmes. UNICEF aims at strengthening the capacity of actors responsible for providing quality protection, education, health/nutrition, water and sanitation services (including Government, non-governmental and community organisations), so that they are fully equipped to assist children on the move and their families. UNICEF advocates for the rights and voices of children and women as an integral component of the response.

Coordination

The Brazilian Federal Government response, known as Operacao Acolhida (OA), was launched in February 2018 and is managed by Casa Civil at Federal level, with the Army providing the overall coordination of the response at field level. The operation is organized around three key pillars : (i) Reception and documentation, (ii) Emergency Assistance (food, shelter, emergency healthcare etc), and (iii) Federal Voluntary Relocation programme for Venezuelan refugees and migrants.

With the continuous outflows from Venezuela, inter-agency preparedness and operational activities to respond to the growing needs gradually scaled up. The Regional Inter-Agency Coordination Platform, R4V, was established by IOM and UNHCR in April 2018 in response to UN Secretary-General request to lead and coordinate the response to refugees and migrants from Venezuela. Thus, country-level coordination platforms and thematic sectors have been set up in Brazil. Within the R4V framework, UNICEF is the lead Agency for the coordination of the Nutrition, WASH and Education sectors as well as the Child Protection sub-sector (within the overall Protection sector). UNICEF co-leads the coordination of the Communicating with Communities Working Group. The overall coordination of the Brazilian R4V Platform response lies with UNHCR/IOM.

Accountability for Affected Populations (AAP)

Consistent with UNICEF's mission and mandate, Core Commitments to Children (CCCs), and Humanitarian Principles, UNICEF subscribes to IASC's and Core Humanitarian Standards definition of Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) as, "An active commitment to use power responsibly by taking account of, giving account to, and being held to account by the people humanitarian organizations seek to assist” and as putting "communities and people at the centre of humanitarian action and promoting respect for their fundamental human rights underpinned by the right to life with dignity, and the right to protection and security as set forth in international law,” respectively.

UNICEF aims to put affected families, children and adolescents at the centre of its work. This requires all UNICEF programmes, systems and procedures to systematically include participation of and accountability to, affected people (AAP) across all elements of the response, including through a common feedback mechanism ensuring that feedback from affected boys, girls, men and women informs decision-making and that UNICEF staff and partners understand, respect and systematically take the view of community to account.

In 2018, UNICEF Regional and HQ Directors agreed upon a Business case, Framework and roadmap for scaling up AAP across the organization. Amongst others it states that: “AAP needs to be reflected in all of UNICEF’s humanitarian and development programme policies, guidance and procedures. Once AAP processes and mechanisms are established at country-level, UNICEF should ensure that information received through feedback and complaints mechanisms is systematically acted upon, and that feedback on our actions is communicated back to communities.”

While most interventions to varying degrees integrate AAP mechanisms within the Migration Response, there is a need to systematize and document APP across all sectors, and ensure it is fully internalized both by UNICEF Staff and implementing partners staff. A critical step is this direction is the development for Brazil of an AAP country framework, which is being led though remote deployment and UNICEF HQ ERT support expertise. While the AAP framework is under elaboration it will be structured according to the following 7 pillars (standard):

1. Participation: ensure equitable access to safe, appropriate participation opportunities
2. Information and communication: right to receive to relevant and timely information through preferred communication channels
3. Feedback and complaint mechanisms: access to use, safe and trusted mechanism to provide complaints and feedback
4. PROTECTION FROM Sexual Exploitation and Abuse: ensure safe and reliable mechanisms are in place to access assistance and to raise concerns
5. Strengthening local capacity: Work with and strengthen capacity of local actors
6. Evidence base advocacy and decision making based on evidenced results and inputs from community
7. Coordination and partnership: leverage collective efforts for efficiency and effectiveness

Purpose

Under the overall supervision of the Emergency Manager, and as a member of the Emergency Technical Team (ETT), and with direct guidance from Communication/C4D and HPM colleagues, work closely with Zone Office collegues, PSEA focal points and in liaison with R4V coordinators to:

• Provide technical support in the management, coordination, implementation and reporting on AAP interventions, ensuring that views and priorities of affected people are incorporated into all stages of UNICEF’s humanitarian response. (60%)
• Provide technical support for the incorporation of APP within sector plans, interventions and reports of R4V sectors coordinated by UNICEF (Education, Nutrition, Child Protection, WASH). In line with RMRP 2021, identify and promote exchange of best APP practices and incentivise inter-agency APP initiatives as part of efforts to secure operational coherence across sectors and regions (20%).
• Provide technical support to the COVID national coordination team to incorporate APP with the COVID national response Strategy. (20%)

Expected results: (measurable results)

Result 1: AAP mapping and assessment

• Develop and regularly update an AAP tracking tool encompassing all of UNICEF’s migration projects and initiatives and structured against the 7 pillars of the AAP framework, and including PSEA.
• The APP mapping and assessment tool, must provide amongst others a clear sense of the type and diversity of existing mechanisms to share information and gather feedback, describe AP users, frequency of use, modalities for documenting the feedback and process for taking action and documenting it. The tool should include PSEA reporting mechanisms and importantly have a section for recommendations for scaling up /improving APP (listing steps and responsible persons). The expectation is that this be a living tool, which could provide an overview to gauge the extent of UNICEF’s AAP within the migration response and used to mobilize and track efforts for strengthening and scaling up APP.
• As much as feasible, the tool should attest and link to the R4V interagency AAP/PSEA mechanisms which are to be developed in 2021 in line with the RMRP.
• The AAP tracking tool, could as well encompass the BCO COVID response, should this be deemed relevant by the COVID response coordination team

Result 2: Strengthen evidence generation

• Issue monthly concise reports on AAP documenting UNICEF’s progress towards scaling up APP and documenting how responses are directly informed and adapted by AP/community feedback. The AAP reports should highlight new developments, achievements and emerging trends (based on feedback), issues of concern and or issues needing management response in consultation with IPs and respective programme sections.

• Support and strengthen existing feedbacks mechanisms – including U-Report Uniendo Voces and community-based networks – on the systematization of data and qualitative information, creating procedures to share relevant insights to UNICEF programmes, partners and affected population –

• Provide inputs for R4V Sectors (under the coordination leadership of UNICEF) monthly Sitreps, which well beyond meeting reporting requirements would also demonstrate impact of APP.
• Contribute AAP analysis and data for UNICEF annual review and annual report processes and as required for donor reports due in Q1 of 2021. Develop a one pager on AAP within UNICEF’s Migration response, for use in briefing and fundraising efforts (along the lines and format of the concept notes to be developed by ETT for each sector area).
• Contribute to the preparation and analysis of the second multi-partner/multi-sectoral child focused rapid needs assessment planned for Q1, expanding on the AAP section of the first questionnaire.
• Conduct office-wide review of planned surveys, assessments etc to ensure AAP questions/concerns are adequately included in the tools and subsequent analysis
• Scan and advise on other suitable opportunities to generate and share evidence on AAP

Result 3: Capacity development

• Based on a thorough review of UNICEF’s guidance and policy documents, in particular the recently launched Accountability to Affected Population Handbook for Unicef and Partners (as well as the Business case, Framework and roadmap, Inter-agency standing Committee commitments on APP and R4V materials), support the roll out of the AAP framework by: i) expanding the existing internal migration program development guidance note issued by HPM (humanitarian performance monitoring) /C4D (Communication for Development) colleagues ii) elaborating in Portuguese a basic technical guidance note for IP (incl. key AAP resources, and relying on training materials provided by ERT colleague) and as required conduct orientation sessions. (N.B. a prior rapid assessment of APP knowledge gaps amongst IP may be required).

Deliverables

1st month

Concise analytical monthly report documenting progress against the 3 core results (incl. links to materials elaborated and suggesting remedial actions for encountered challenges in either R4V sector coordination or unicef programming

Duration: 21 days

Deadline: 01 month from the date of contract signature

Payment: 20% of the contract

2nd month

Concise analytical monthly report documenting progress against the 3 core results (incl. links to materials elaborated and suggesting remedial actions for encountered challenges in either R4V sector coordination or unicef programming)

Duration: 21 days

Deadline: 02 months from the date of contract signature

Payment: 20% of the contract

3rd month

Concise analytical monthly report documenting progress against the 3 core results (incl. links to materials elaborated and suggesting remedial actions for encountered challenges in either R4V sector coordination or unicef programming)

Duration: 21 days

Deadline: 03 months from the date of contract signature

Payment: 20% of the contract

4th month

Concise analytical monthly report documenting progress against the 3 core results (incl. links to materials elaborated and suggesting remedial actions for encountered challenges in either R4V sector coordination or unicef programming)

Duration: 21 days

Deadline: 04 months from the date of contract signature

Payment: 20% of the contract

5th month

Final report structured against achievement against each result area with a set of technical recommendations on sustaining and strengthening the integration of APP commitments, approaches and results in both the COVID response and the Migration response (incl. in R4V coordination sphere).

Duration: 21 days

Deadline: 05 months from the date of contract signature

Payment: 20% of the contract

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

• Timely delivery of reports and timely technical review and feedback on requests for technical support
• Technical accuracy and analytical ability to provide accessible and user-friendly orientation

Key competences, technical background, and experience required Deadline

• Advanced university degree or equivalent experience in Human rights, communication, Development studies or other related field.
• Experience in working with participatory and community-based approaches, with local authorities, international organizations, NGOs, UN agencies in emergency contexts.
• A minimum of 3 years of experience with either the UN and/or NGO.
• Fluency in Portuguese and English. Spanish proficiency is an asset.

General Conditions: Procedures and Logistics

• IC will work from home during home office work modality for Brasilia office using own equipment and stationery. Joining the office is an option – at least for occasional meetings as required and depending on space and in line with safe return to the office protocols.
• No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both UNICEF and the individual Contractor
• ICs will not have supervisory responsibilities or authority on UNICEF budget.

Financial Proposal

Costs indicated are estimated. Final rate shall follow “best value for money” principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible fee.

A financial proposal including the fee for the assignment based on the deliverables and number of days must be submitted.

The payment will be based on submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

Restrictions

In case of government officials, the contract cannot be issued without prior written clearance by the Government​, or unless on leave without pay.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all religious and ethnic backgrounds, representing the diversity of Brazil, such as black and indigenous people, to apply to become a part of our organization. Candidates will be equally considered regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, social and HIV/aids status.

[1] Approximate data collected in July, 2019 by the UNHCR Brazil.