Communication & Visibility and Communication for Social Change Expert (Consultant)

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Communication & Visibility and Communication for Social Change Expert (Consultant)

Type of contract: Consultant contract Duration: 7 months Workplace: UNICEF Office in Kazakhstan (based in Nur-Sultan), office-based Type of work: full-time

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. And we never give up. For every child, a fair chance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=E1xkXZs0cAQ

Background

UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. The UNICEF staff and experts/consultants should act in accordance with the UN Code of Conduct and UNICEF Mission.

UNICEF programme will contribute to strengthening government systems through the development of a professional workforce, whether health workers, teachers or social workers and further strengthening of service delivery systems. These efforts will be complemented by communication for behavioural and social change, to address the social norms that help to perpetuate practices that deny children their rights, and increased investment in evidence generation. In education it is expected that there is enhanced institutional capacity within the education system to deliver quality, inclusive, child-centred preschool education, and parents have the skills to monitor their children’s development. The programme will support childcare reform, including a nationwide shared vision for deinstitutionalization and strengthened capacities to manage family support and alternative care services for children, including those affected by migration.

Kazakhstan is a destination country for migration and, to a lesser extent, a source and transit country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labour. The data on children in migration processes is rather limited, however, majority of international child migrants come from other Central Asian countries. In addition, unaccompanied internal migrant children remain invisible and unaccounted for, therefore lack provision of services and have limited access to education and healthcare.

In response to the regional (and global) situation concerning children affected by migration, including those trafficked, the EU and UNICEF partner to implement a multi-country 42-month programme with the focus on three specific objectives: (i) Child protection systems, including alternatives to detention, are inclusive of children affected by migration, including those trafficked. (ii) An enhanced enabling environment is in place for children affected by migration, including those trafficked. (iii) Relevant international, regional and national bodies recognize the rights of children affected by migration, including those trafficked.

The involved consultant will contribute to realization of the agreed between the Government of Kazakhstan and UNICEF country programme with focus on mainstreaming protection of the rights of the children affected by migration into the national child protection systems and excluded from education. The consultant will be focused on provision of technical support to the implementation of the Kazakhstan specific Communication Plan of the EU-UNICEF programme ”Protecting children affected by migration in South-East and Central Asia”. Communication plan emphasizes the shared EU and UNICEF commitment to communicate the results of the partnership to beneficiaries and external stakeholders in the interest of transparency in the use of public funds, and as a means to foster global solidarity.

The Communication plan aims to: • Raise awareness of the public and key stakeholders on the start of the programme, its donor, allocated funds, national partners, objectives and the importance of the programme in the regional and national context. • Keep the targeted groups in Kazakhstan informed on the development, changes and steps to be taken to improve the social child protection system’s response to the needs of unaccompanied, separated and left behind children (UASC) affected by internal and external migration. • Advocate for the rights and needs of children affected by migration, promote creating access to services for children affected by migration, and raise awareness about legal, policy and capacity gaps. • Introduce International standards and share best practices.

Communication for Development component of the programme will: • emphasise changes that need to be made to enhance the national legislative framework concerning children affected by migration including its interpretation and implementation by local authorities and agencies; • advocate for increasing capacity of local authorities and NGOs to identify and provide services to children and families affected by migration; • stimulate strengthening administrative data collection and disaggregation; • advocate to enhance the training curriculum for migration officers and social workers for working with children affected by migration.

During COVID-19 many children including those affected by migration, faced difficulties in access to health and education services. They got stranded in the regions of Kazakhstan together with their migrant relatives unable to repatriate to their countries of origin. Some additional communication support would be needed to advocate for safety measures during pandemic and post-pandemic periods to affected children. With the shift to digital learning, many children lost their access to quality studies due to lack of IT devices, connectivity and non-inclusive approaches. In support of children at risk of dropping out from education, the consultant will provide support in bringing public attention to evidence about the status of current distance learning (on-line and off-line) system and key recommendations for improvement. The support will be provided to highlight virtual events on promoting of digital learning, safe school functioning, child-centered approaches.

Kazakhstan is preparing its state party periodic reports to CRC and a number of consultations will be organized with various stakeholders including government, non-state actors and children. The consultant will support consultations with children on taking stock of the CRC realization including those related to protection of children affected by migration, at risk of dropping out of education.

How can you make a difference?

Contractor is needed with solid expertise, skills and knowledge in the area of Communication and Visibility and Communication for Development with special focus on Child Protection and Education

Purpose of the Assignment

The overall purpose of the assignment is to provide technical assistance to UNICEF Country Office in achieving country programme results in child protection and education with focus on issues of children at risk of dropping out from education and affected by migration through Communication & Visibility and Communication for Development approaches. The contractor will contribute to 2020-2021 Work Plans (WP) with government bodies and the UNICEF-EU Agreement MIGR/2017/392-759 ‘Protecting children affected by migration in Southeast, South, and Central Asia’, 2017-2021 The expert will perform in line with UNICEF procedures applicable to individual consultants. Communication and visibility activities will be conducted in line with the Joint Visibility Guidelines for EC-UN Actions, UNICEF branding rules.

Work Assignment Overview.docx

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… • Bachelor or MA or equivalent in communication, public relation or social sciences. • At least 5 years of positive work experience in Communication and Visibility. • Proven experience in developing Information, Education and Communication materials. • Proven experience in developing and implementing Social media marketing plans. • Excellent management skills; good communication, writing and interpersonal skills. • Experience in implementation of advocacy, social mobilization, communication projects in Kazakhstan or transition economies, experience in working with a high and technical level government officials and local authorities. • Excellent knowledge of English and Russian languages, Kazakh is an asset. • Knowledge of migration legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan is an asset Other skills and attributes: • Networking, advocacy and negotiation. • Proven ability to innovate, plan and execute ideas as well as transfer knowledge and skills. • Advanced computer skills. • Competencies: - Communication; - Working with people; - Drive for results; - Functional competencies: 1) Deciding and Initiating Action 2) Relating and Networking 3) Creating and Innovating 4) Formulating Strategies and Concepts 5) Planning and Organizing 6) Following Instructions and Procedures 7) Coping with Pressure and Setbacks

For every Child, you demonstrate… UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability (https://www.unicef.org/about/unicef-culture) View our competency framework at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

Remarks: • Completion of the UN/UNICEF mandatory trainings is obligatory upon commencement of the consultancy. • Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. • UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. • UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. • All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future. • The Consultant will perform his/her duties in line with UNICEF standards and procedures. • The successful candidate will be required to have medical insurance (at his/her own cost), covering the whole period of contract, including travel. • Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. • UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs is incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines (fees reduced due to late submission: 20 days - 10%; 1 month-20%; 2 months - 50%; more 2 months – payment withhold). • Payment upon completion of each deliverable according to schedule • The exact schedule of activities will be agreed with the expert based on implementation plan to be developed by the expert. • Monthly reports in English will be submitted along with request for payment prior to 10th day of the reporting month.