Consultancy: Child Protection Consultant for the Child Welfare Commission (National)

Contract

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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, Hope

How can you make a difference?

The Government of Iraq has made significant strides in developing strong legal and policy frameworks for protection of children. Art.19 of the constitution states that the State shall guarantee the protection of childhood; shall care for children and provide appropriate conditions to develop their talents and abilities. The constitution also prohibits exploitation of children and bans all forms of violence and abuse against children in the family, school and society.

The Government of Iraq has issued the Child Protection National Policy Document (2017-2027) which aims at protecting all children from violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect in all circumstances. The policy provides strategy for protection, prevention, rehabilitation, follow-up and reintegration of children including protection of children and youth from involvement in the armed conflict. The policy seeks to ensure:

• Children are protected by a legislative and policy framework that promotes their rights and addresses their needs holistically, in line with international standards.
• Children live safely in supportive families and communities that promote their protection and rights, and ensure their development in childhood to achieve their full potential.
• Children participate actively in addressing their concerns, discuss and propose solutions for their problems
• Children and families access adequate support to promote safety and early intervention and are protected from risk factors of child abuse, exploitation and neglect.
• Children who have been abused or exploited receive the support and care they need to promote their well-being and facilitate their recovery and reintegration into their communities.
• Children affected by conflict and displacement are supported and safe in their families and in the communities where they live.
• Comprehensive system for reporting and data gathering on child protection is established and
• Clear procedures for the implementation, follow-up and monitoring of Strategy is established

Despite strong policy commitment, there are evident deficiencies in implementation. The child protection sector suffers from a number of systemic barriers and bottlenecks including weak capacity; weak coordination mechanism; limited financial investment; inadequate skilled workforce; limited preventive and responsive protection services. The Child Welfare Commission, which is part of Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, is entrusted with responsibility to lead and coordinate the implementation and monitoring of the National Child Protection Policy (2017-2027). Unfortunately; the Commission is severely understaffed.

Additionally, the other mandated sectors which are member of the Child welfare Commission also suffer from acute shortage of well trained and skills child protection staff and many are not fully aware of their sectoral commitments under the policy to be able to lead implementation of the policy within their respective sectors.

Goal / Objective:

At the request of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and the Child Welfare Commission, UNICEF seeks to recruit a national child protection Consultant to provide high level technical support to the the Child welfare Commission to be able to effectively lead and coordinate to accelerate implementation the National Child Protection Policy, thereby improving the care, support and protection of children.

Specific Tasks:

The Consultant will sit within the Ministry of labor and Social Affairs and work very closely with the Commissioner of Child Welfare Commission. Under the supervision of the Commissioner and guidance from UNICEF child protection team, the consultant will carry out the following specific tasks:

1. Support the Commission in development of costed executive plan through adoption of public finance for children (PF4C) or roadmap for implementation of the child protection policy from 2021-2027
2. Undertake training on child protection and child protection policy for members of the Child Welfare Commission
3. Provision of technical support as requested to child welfare commission for development of strategies, plans and policies related to the child protection in Iraq.
4. Undertake Orientation of Child Protection and Child Protection Policy for parliamentary for Women, Family and Childhood Committee.
5. Support the Child Welfare Commission in developing social behavioral Communication plan to raise awareness and capacities of families on child protection and best practice for dealing with children including positive discipline/parenting.
6. Support the Child Welfare Commission in building the capacity of local governorates and districts aimed at promoting the implementation of the policy in their respective locality.
7. Support the Child Welfare Commission in organizing technical coordination meetings with child protection stakeholder including national and international NGOs.
8. Facilitate the establishment of child protection database program run by Child Welfare Commission and to be linked to the Statistical Office in Ministry of Planning.
9. Support to develop media plan for dissemination of the child protection policy and for the child welfare commission.
10. Support to develop and implement a legislative advocacy plan for the child rights draft law to ensure effective process inside and outside the parliament to ensure passage of this law.

Duration of Contract

The consultancy is for a period of one year, expected to commence 15th of June 2021 and end on 14th June 2022.

Working Condition

1. Location: The consultant will be based in the Ministry of Social Welfare in Bagdad during the consultancy period.
2. Logistic Requirement: The consultant will work on his/her own computer(s) and use his/her own office resources and materials in the execution of this assignment. The consultant will arrange for insurance coverage for any eventuality throughout the entire duration of the consultancy. The contractor's fee shall therefore be inclusive of all office administrative costs.

Contract Supervision

The Consultants will report to the Chief office for Child Welfare Commission with regular supervision from UNICEF Child Protection Specialist (NO3). The chief office of CWC and the UNICEF Child Protection Specialist will have frequent interactions with the consultant at various stages in order to brief the consultant on the situation/assignment; agree on the process and clarify the deliverables; and track the progress made by the consultant. Both the chief office of CWC and the UNICEF child protection specialist will evaluate the consultant’s work and certify delivery of works.

Deliverables

The consultant is expected to submit the following:

1. Costed executive plan for national child protection policy developed.
2. Child Welfare Commission members trained on child protection and national child protection policy.
3. Parliamentary Committee for Women, Family and Childhood Committee received orientation on Child Protection and Child Protection Policy.
4. Facilitated the development and implementation of a legislative advocacy plan for the child rights draft law to ensure the passage of the Act.
5. Officials from 6 focus governorates and districts trained and capacity enhanced for promoting the implementation of child protection policy in their respective locality.
6. Quarterly child protection coordination meetings held with child protection stakeholder including national and international NGOs.
7. Media plan for dissemination of the child protection policy and by Child Welfare Commission developed.
8. Technical support provided to Child Welfare Commission.
9. Facilitated the establishment of child protection database program run by Child Welfare Commission and to be linked to the Statical Office in Ministry of Planning.
10. Facilitated the development and implementation of a legislative advocacy plan for the child rights draft law to ensure the passage of the Act.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

The consultant is expected to meet the following requirements in terms of qualifications and experience:

Education:

• Advanced university degree M.A./M.S. social works; social studies; psychology, public policy etc.

Work Experience

• 10 years experience in working with public sector particularly in areas of social policy; child protection etc.
• Solid experience in planning and public financing;
• Experience in coordination of various stakeholders.
• Solid experience in policy development and capacity building
• Experience in assessment, research and monitoring and evaluation
• Proven expertise and work record in working with national level government structures and coordinating different stakeholders

Special Skills

• Strong understanding of confidentiality, safety and ethical concerns related to working with women, girls and GBV survivors in line with international standards (e.g. GBV Minimum standards)

Competencies

• Attention to detail, excellent organizational skills, ability to work well with others.
• Ability to work with virtual teams
• Excellent organizational and analytical skills
• Excels in collaboration and is team-oriented
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Fluency in Arabic is preferred. Fluency in another UN language is an asset.

Contractual Terms and Conditions

• Candidates should submit a financial proposal for the assignment, outlining all-inclusive fees per deliverable (based on the number of days worked and daily rate charged).
• Travel expenses to the duty station and within the country, if required, will be paid in accordance with UNICEF polices/rules and regulations for individual consultancy assignment.
• Under consultancy agreements, a month is defined as 21.75 working days, and fees are prorated accordingly for actual days worked.
• The consultant is not entitled to payment for overtime, weekends or public holidays, medical insurance, taxes, and any form of leave.
• The Consultant must not publish or disseminate reports, data collection tools, collected data or any other documents produced from this consultancy without the permission of and acknowledgment of UNICEF Iraq.
• The selected candidate will be governed by and subject to UNICEF’s General Terms and Conditions for individual contracts.

Please indicate your ability, availability and daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above.

Applications submitted without a daily/monthly rate will not be considered.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

View our competency framework at https://www.unicef.org/careers/get-prepared

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.

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 be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

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.