Consultancy for a Technical Support to Develop a Monetary and Multidimensional Poverty Study in Belize

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.

There has been a growing recognition around well-being and poverty being multidimensional.

The concept of multidimensional/ non-monetary poverty has gained importance over the years. Multidimensional poverty is translated into deprivations in the sense of non-access to basic rights, which are nationally defined and typically include, but are not limited to housing, water and sanitation, education, health or participation. UNICEF made the commitment to address poverty affecting children and families in all dimensions (UNICEF, 2016).

In Belize, families and children are confronted with high levels of poverty.

In 2002, children showed the highest rate of monetary poverty compared to other age groups (39 percent), meaning that two out of every five children did not have their basic food and non-food needs met. The 2009 data showed that the situation of children did not improve, with increased levels of monetary poverty for all age groups of children and youth. Half of people under the age of 15 were classified as indigent or poor (21 and 29 percent, respectively), which is high compared to the overall national average of 42 percent.

Further, multidimensional child poverty was extremely high in 2006 and decreased in 2011 yet remained at high levels, meaning that children were confronted with multiple deprivations. In 2011, 58 percent of children aged under 18 in Belize were recorded as living in poverty and 31.8 percent in extreme poverty. Geographical disparities were significant, with 70.3 percent of children living in poverty and 41.8 percent living in extreme poverty in rural areas. In urban areas, these percentages were 39.2 percent and 16.3 percent, respectively. Similarly to monetary poverty, multidimensional child poverty rates are higher for young children (aged 0 to 5); and extreme poverty tends to decrease with age.

The COVID-19 outbreak has exacerbated poverty in Belize.

The COVID-19 pandemic had direct repercussions on households’ livelihoods and access to essential services such as education, health, and protection. According to a World Food Program (WFP) survey in June 2020, disruptions in livelihoods affected three out of five respondents in Belize. In addition, three out of four respondents reported job loss or decline in salaries in their households, and one out of ten respondents expressed the need to resort to secondary or alternative activities. The availability of fresh food items and essential medicine remained low, and food security deteriorated. Besides, approximately 108,000 children remain out of school due to school closure in March 2020.

Rationale for the poverty analysis

Experience shows that data on poverty/ child poverty is scattered and outdated. The most recent available data on poverty in Belize dates back to 2009 (Country Poverty Assessment). In 2014, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), in collaboration with UNICEF, developed a study on multidimensional poverty in Belize, based on the 2011 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS). Another multidimensional child poverty study was initiated more recently by UNICEF, based on the 2015 MICS. However, there exists no compilation and overview of available knowledge, including recent collected data on COVID-19 and effects on children.

There is a need for updated analysis on poverty, with a child lens. Evidence and knowledge are instrumental to monitor the situation of children and their families, as well as to support the formulation of adequate policies and implementation of programmes and initiatives for children, especially in times of COVID-19. It is critical to understand how COVID-19 has impacted poverty levels to better respond and advocate for increased investments for children.

How can you make a difference?

The consultancy will provide technical and analytical support to the preparation of the Belize child poverty study. Annex I provides the content of the study; the consultant will provide technical support for identified sections, will also provide feedback/ quality assurance on the final consolidated report.

The scope of the consultancy will include two components -monetary and multidimensional- and will rely on secondary data source:

Activities:

Monetary component:

• Conduct secondary data analysis of the Labour Force Surveys dataset;

• Extract the main trend regarding monetary poverty, and recent impact of COVID-19 on key variables;

• Triangulate results and findings with upcoming Poverty Study;

Multidimensional component:

• Elaborate on a method to build upon the multidimensional poverty based on preliminary 2015-MICS estimates; using MICS plus waves dataset;

• Extract the main findings with regards to deprivations;

• Extract the effects of COVID-19 on deprivations (especially in key sectors such as health, education, nutrition).

The analysis will answer key questions:

• What is the current situation of monetary poverty in Belize for children and families? What are the gender, rural/ urban, and regional disparities?

• What are the socio-economic effects of COVID-19 on poverty for children and families? (job loss, income changes, education, health and nutrition…).

• What are the mechanisms put in place by the households to cope with the loss of income due to COVID-19 (resort to child support/ child labour)?

• What is the current situation in terms of deprivations?

• What are the sectors/ deprivations affected by COVID-19?

Please click here for detailed TOR: VA Poverty Study Individual Consultant TOR.pdf

The consultant will work in collaboration with the UNICEF Social Policy Consultant based in Belize, and under the supervision of the Social Policy Specialist and M&E Specialist.

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Social Science, Economics, Econometrics, Statistics
• A minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in Child Poverty Assessment, relevant work experience with UNICEF or other UN Agencies
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

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.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

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:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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.