Consultancy: Facilitation of High-level Annual Review with Government (open for Omani Nationals only), Muscat, Oman

Consultant

Contract

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Assignment

Facilitation of High-level Annual review with Government

Location

Oman, In-country; no travel

Duration

1 month

Estimate number of working days

3 working days

Start date

20 Jan 2021

End date

20 Feb 2021

Reporting to

Social Policy Manager

Closing date for proposals

15 Jan 2021

1. BACKGROUND

Country Context

The Sultanate of Oman, with a gross national income (GNI) per capita of US$15,140 in 2018, became a high-income economy in 2007.[1] Economic growth, political stability and socially progressive policies over five decades have transformed Oman from an under-developed country with almost no basic services in 1971 to a modern welfare state providing free health care to all citizens and free education to all children, including expatriate children. Oman was the first Gulf Cooperation Council state to give women the right to vote and stand for election (1994). Oman has achieved low infant and under-five mortality rates (respectively 9.8 and 11.4 per 1,000 live births)[2] as well as near-universal primary and secondary education,[3] together with gender parity in education.[4]

The high dependence of Oman’s economy on its oil production and exports highlights the significance given to the government’s economic diversification programme, away from a hydrocarbon reliant economy and at the same time investing in vision 2040 to promote human capital formation and build a high capacity workforce. This becomes even more relevant with the new economic realities characterized by general slowdown of economic activities due to the recent falls in the oil price, coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic and its health and economic impacts. This has shone a brighter light on the macro-fiscal challenges that Oman faces progressive reform measures are underway.

To improve Government performance, efficiency and effectiveness, HM Sultan Haitham has recently made structural changes of the Government to achieve Vision 2040 goals with placing the economy and social services in a sharper focus.

Despite the realized advances in human development, there are still some challenges to Oman’s socio-economic development as well as some specific child rights that merit special focus at this juncture of Oman’s progress path. In particular evidence indicates that there are differences in the outcomes for children at the sub-national level, which needs to be addressed.[5] Besides, undertaken research emphasizes the need to address the issue of data gaps, especially as they pertain to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and child related indicators, including their disaggregation at the sub-national level. As for child rights, national evidence has indicated that: quality of education can be further improved; universalisation of IECD is an imperative for the growth of healthy and well educated children; inclusive education is instrumental for reducing inequity and vulnerability; child protection and social protection deserve more informed strengthening; and imrpovement of health and nutrition knowledge and infant and young child feeding practices are vital tools for addressing the relatively high stunting and wasting among Omani U5s.

Oman Country Programme

The Government of Oman (GoO) is committed to achieving the SDGs and is taking significant steps to support delivery of child related SDGs and establishing the required institutional structures to map and monitor progress against them. This has included, mapping of child-related SDG indicators against admin data systems, establishment of a national SDG Portal, as well as a Voluntary National Review in 2019; a process the current CPD has contributed to. With that backdrop in mind, a Mid-Term Review was carried out in April 2018. The MTR processes validated a revised and more streamlined country programme structure for the post-MTR period of two outcomes:

Outcome 1: Enhancing children’s potential: By 2020, children of all ages have more equitable access to quality services in protection, education and health, and enhanced opportunities to realize their full potential.

Outcome 2: Making data work for children: Data disaggregated by age, sex, disability, governorate and income are used effectively in planning, monitoring, policy and practice related to children and the Sustainable Development Goals

The strategies for achieving these outcomes and their outputs that emerged from the MTR discussions fall under the following four categories:

- Social behaviour change communication (SBCC)

- Institutional strengthening

- Evidence-based policy analysis and policy advocacy

- Partnerships

Moreover, following a review of the UNICEF Oman programme implementation during the first half of the programme cycle 2017 – 2021[6], some key lessons were identified as follows:

- The need for a broader programme structure to accommodate emerging Government needs.

- The need to refocus activities.

- The need to address the crosscutting challenges.

- The added value of UNICEF Oman in a high-income country lies in introducing innovative approaches and ideas, which the Government could then take to scale.

- The need to strengthen national capacities is considerable and should not be underestimated just because Oman is a high-income country.

2. OBJECTIVE, PURPOSE AND EXPECTED RESULTS

It is within this context, that the GoO and UNICEF Oman Country Office (OCO) will begin discussions about the priorities, strategies, and resource requirements of the next Country Programme (CP) for the period 2022-2025. A high-level workshop bringing together senior decision makers from the Ministries of Social Development, Education, Health, Finance, Culture, Sports and Youth, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Center for Statistics and Information is scheduled to facilitate these discussions. The workshop is considered a key milestone for the programme planning process.

To support facilitation of this workshop, UNICEF is looking to recruit an Individual Contractor with an extensive understanding of the Omani policy context, development framework and long-time experience interacting with and facilitating workshops for senior decision makers.

3. DESCRIPTION OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The selected consultant will work with OCO on the following tasks:

- Provide technical inputs on the agenda and run of show for the workshop

- Review technical materials for the planned workshop, focusing on ensuring that materials are relevant to the target audience and achieve expected results.

- Facilitate the full workshop utilizing engaging approaches

- Provide wrap up summary of the key discussion points at the end of the workshop

4. EXPECTED DELIVERABLES

- Technical inputs provided on workshop materials

- Workshop facilitated in a successful manner

- De-brief on workshop proceedings provided

5. LOCATION AND DURATION

Location: Muscat

Duration: 3 days

6. OFFICIAL TRAVEL INVOLVED

N/A

7. CONTRACT MANAGEMENT

- The supervisor of this contract is the Social Policy Manager

- The Operations Focal Point is the Operations Officer

8. FREQUENCY OF PERFORMANCE REVIEWS AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR EVALUATION OF RESULTS

Final evaluation will be completed at the end of the consultancy.

9. DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS, SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE OR EXPERIENCE

The selected candidate will meet the following criteria:

- Advanced university degree in Political Economy, Economics, Sociology, Law or related field.

- At least 20 years of experience engaging in planning processes with senior level policy makers in Oman.

- Excellent facilitation and communication skills.

- Familiar with the UN system, in particular UNICEF.

- Familiar with the UNICEF Oman Programme.

- Expert knowledge of the Omani policy context.

- Excellent command of Arabic and English, both written and oral.

10. PROPOSED PAYMENT SCHEDULE

Select proposed methodology Lump sum upon completion

100% of payment is to be made upon completion of the consultancy.

11. STRUCTURE AND EVALUATION PROCESS OF THE PROPOSAL

Interested candidates are to submit their most recent resume and daily rate.

12. UNICEF RECOURSE IN CASE OF UNSATISFACTORY PERFORMANCE

In case of unsatisfactory performance, the payment will be withheld until quality deliverables are submitted. If the firm/individual is unable to complete the assignment, the contract will be terminated by notification letter sent 30 days prior to the termination date. In the meantime, UNICEF will initiate another selection process in order to identify appropriate candidate.

13. CONDITIONS AND ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES

- The contractor will work on its own computer(s) and use its/his/her own office resources and materials in the execution of this assignment. The contractor’s fee shall therefore be inclusive of all office administrative costs.

- Granting access to UNICEF ICT resources for consultants/non-staff is considered as ‘exception,’ and therefore shall only be granted upon authorization by the head of the office on justification/need basis. This includes creation of a UNICEF email address, as well as access to ICT equipment such as laptops and mobile devices.

- All persons engaged under a UNICEF service contract through an individual contract or consultancy shall be subject to the UN Supplier Code of Conduct: https://www.ungm.org/Public/CodeOfConduct

- 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.

- 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.

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

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[1] World Bank Atlas Method (Current US dollars) for classifying economies.

[2] UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, 2018 estimates.

[3] 96.8% primary adjusted net enrolment ratio, 96.2% secondary net enrolment ratio. UNESCO/UIS.

[4] Gender parity indices of 0.995 for primary, 0.980 for lower secondary, and 0.997 for upper secondary education. Source: Ministry of Education, 2019. Education Statistical Yearbook 2018/19, Muscat.

[5] The Child-Wellbeing and Empowerment Index (CWEI) of Oman, published by the National Center for Statistics and Information UNICEF Oman and in 2018, while confirming remarkable achievements for children, highlighted sub-national disparities: For example, gross enrolment indices were over 90 across all governorates, except for two governorates: Al Wusta and Ash Sharqiyah. Overall, Al Wusta had the lowest CWEI, followed by Dhofar, while Muscat and Musandam are the top performers.

[6] It is worth noting that due the impact of COVID-19; the current country programme cycle has been extended to 2021.

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Added 3 years ago - Updated 3 years ago - Source: unicef.org