Consultancy for Development of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2023-2027), Nigeria

Contract

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Background

The United Nations System in Nigeria has used the United Nation’s Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) as an approach to improve the UN System’s capacity to provide coordinated assistance in addressing priority development needs at the country level. The goal of the approach was to maximize development impacts while using less resources through cutting of costs, reducing of waste, and avoiding duplication. This could only be realized through greater coherence, partnership, and synergy among the UN programmes of assistance in-country.

The first UNDAF in Nigeria was developed covering the period 2002-2007. This was followed by UNDAF II (2009 -2012), UNDAF III (2014 – 2017) and most recently, the United Nations Sustainable Development and Partnership Framework (UNSDPF 2018-2022). The first three UNDAFs were driven by global agreements on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) while the UNSDPF 2018-2022 is driven by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2030.

Across the four Development Frameworks, the UN system set out to address the root causes of the development shortfalls more systematically in Nigeria with a specific focus on achieving realistic and measurable development outcomes. There was increased emphasis on national ownership of the UNDAF and strengthening of the linkages between the UNDAF and individual UN entity programmes. In UNDAF III, the UN system in Nigeria deliberately strengthened the Delivery as One approach to improve its performance towards achieving measurable results and impact of its collective response to the development needs of Nigeria.

The key focus areas of the four UNDAF cycles included: Promotion of Good Governance, Human Rights and Accountability; Poverty, social service delivery and social capital development; Productivity, employment and, sustainable and equitable growth; Peace, security and disaster/crisis risk reduction.

Although official statistics indicate that the Nigerian economy has grown almost five-fold from USD 95.93 million in 2002 to USD 514.076 billion in 2020, making it the largest economy in Africa, its socioeconomic indices are still very poor. The Human Development Index value for Nigeria has improved slightly from 0.446 in 2003 to 0.539 in 2020 but its ranking dropped from 151 of 174 countries to 161 of 189 countries in the same period. Over the same period, the number of persons living in poverty is estimated to have increased three-fold from 31.9 million in 2002 to 105 million in 2020. The number of out-of-school children has doubled from 6.5 million to 13.2 million while the number of unemployed has almost doubled from 13 million to 23.2 million. There has also been an increase in violent crime, banditry, herder-farmer clashes and insurgency/terrorism across the country. Gender inequality, violence against women and disempowerment continue to be of concern.

With the UN Reforms instituted by the Secretary General, the UNDAF has been renamed the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (Cooperation Framework) to reflect the contemporary relationships between the Governments and the UN Development System in collaborating to achieve the SDGs.

The Cooperation Frameworks are rooted in four key objectives: articulation of the UN’s collective response to help countries address national priorities and gaps in the pathways towards meeting the SDGs; embody the spirit of partnership with host governments and other stakeholders to leverage strengths and drive transformative change; turn the collective promise to Leave No One Behind into tangible action for people, especially those furthest behind and; provide UN Country teams (resident or non-resident) with the tools to ensure the UN development system can meet host country needs and realities and effectively support national implementation of the 2030 agenda.

Based on previous UNDAF experience and in line with the UN Reforms, the Government of Nigeria and the United Nations Country Team in Nigeria have launched the process for drafting the fifth Development (Cooperation) Framework 2023-2027. This document will serve as the next partnership framework between Nigeria and the UN System towards accelerating the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The Cooperation Framework will be prepared in close partnership with the Government of Nigeria (GoN), international partners, International Financial Institutions (IFIs), private sector, civil society organizations and other relevant stakeholders. Currently, the UN system in Nigeria comprises 24 resident and five non-resident entities that together constitute the United Nations Country Team (UNCT). All these entities, plus other relevant Non-Resident Entities, need to be enjoined to bring their varied comparative advantages to deliver the Cooperative Framework as One UN.

The Cooperation Framework shall be reflective of the country context and its specific needs and priorities within the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. By adopting the integrated programming approach, it will address core programming principles in a holistic manner and integrate the key UN programming principles throughout all stages, considering the “five P’s” of the 2030 Agenda (people, prosperity, planet, peace and partnerships). As the central transformative promise of the 2030 Agenda, leaving no one behind will be used as the rights-based framework that represents the unequivocal commitment of all United Nations Member States.

Duties and Responsibilities

Considering the Common Country Analysis (CCA), the overarching principle of ‘Leave No One Behind’, as well as recommendations and findings of the Evaluation of the current UN Sustainable Development Partnership Framework 2018-2022 (UNSDPF), previous UNDAF evaluations and relevant agency-specific evaluations, the Consultant will collaborate with the GoN, UNCT, PMT as well as key stakeholders to facilitate the Cooperation Framework (CF) consultation & prioritization process, as well as to lead the design and drafting of the CF, by performing the following indicative tasks:

1. Desk review and development of Inception Report outlining consultant’s approach to work, action plan and timeline (based on Nigeria’s Roadmap).
2. Facilitating the prioritization and consultation process, including prioritization workshop, additional national consultations with key stakeholders, with a view to produce 3-5 agreed development solutions/strategic priorities shared by the Government and United Nations, framed within the broader landscape of partners.
3. Facilitate a visioning exercise to develop a ‘Theory of Change’ against prioritized development solutions/strategic priorities as well as a Results Framework (based on Theory of Change), in consultation with all relevant stakeholders, including geographical outreach.
4. Working closely with the CF Task Team and Outcome Groups, lead the overall process of drafting and finalization of the UNSDPF 2023-2027, including preparing draft versions of the UNSDPF and related Annexes (integrating/consolidating comments and inputs received from stakeholders) as well as submit final (publishable) UNSDPF document that is accepted and approved by the RC and the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning.
5. Participate in regular and/or ad-hoc virtual teleconferences, meetings, and discussions with the UN RCO, PMT, TWGs, the M&E Working Group, UN subject experts, government officials, and other groups and individuals necessary to draft and complete the UNSDPF;
6. Regular communication and coordination with the RCO, PMT, UNCT, including conduct of online discussions and facilitations as needed;
7. Provision of quality assurance of the process relate products against relevant corporate guidelines as well as inputs from the Peer-Support-Group (PSG).
8. Development of a presentation of the Cooperation Framework or other visualization products.

A.****Expected Outputs and Deliverables

The assignment will be concluded by March 2022.

Deliverable /Process

Duration

Timelines

Inception Report outlining the consultant’s approach to work, including the action plan and timeline (based on Nigeria’s Roadmap).

10 Days

Mid Oct 2021.

Planning and facilitation of UNSDPF consultation & prioritization process (Strategic Priorities/Development Solutions).

20 Days

End Oct 2021

Planning and facilitation of the drafting and finalization of Theory of Change/Results Framework

15

End Nov 2021

Drafting and submission of the final Results Framework (Outcomes and Outputs) for comments. Draft-01

10 Days

End Dec 2021

Incorporating comments from GoN, PMT and stakeholders as well as recommendations & findings from the end-evaluation of Cooperation Framework document- Agree Delivery as One States.

7 days

End of Jan 2022

Cooperation framework Draft finalized (Including indicative Resource Requirements and all related annexes)

10 days

End of Feb 2022.

Consensus Building and validation, finalization of Cooperation Framework

10 days

End of Mar 2022.

B.****Reporting and Management/Institutional arrangements

The process to develop the UNSDPF will be under the leadership of the RC and UNCT supported by the PMT and RCO. The RCO will facilitate contacts with the GoN, the UNCT and relevant stakeholders via e-mail or online platforms.

Reporting: The consultant will be accountable to the Resident Coordinator’s Office.

United Nations Country Team: In line with the adopted Roadmap for preparation of the 2023-2027 Cooperation Framework, the PMT, under the leadership of the UN Resident Coordinator and UNCT, provides the overall strategic oversight and guidance for the entire process, including the participation in the visioning and prioritization as well as validation sessions. The PMT will guide the Result Groups and the consultant with preparation of the Cooperation Framework and review/endorse the initial and final drafts of the Cooperation Framework.

Office of the UN Resident Coordinator: RCO will be responsible for the overall coordination and daily management of the assignment. It will also provide guidance, data and analytical support as well as quality assurance in consultation and coordination with the UNCT and Result Groups. The responsibility of the RCO will also include facilitation and coordination of the inputs by the UNCT and Result Groups into the Cooperation Framework. The RCO will also manage the administrative and logistical aspect of the assignment as well as liaison with the consultant and the PSG on behalf of the UNCT.

Competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards.
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Treats all people fairly without favouritism.
• Ability to work with a multi-cultural and diverse team.
• Ability to produce high quality research work under pressure of tight schedules and timelines.
• Ability to understand and interpret governance issues and complex development situations.
• Good communication skills, written and oral.
• Ability to motivate staff and work well with others.
• Ability to plan and priorities, and to work under pressure.

Required Skills and Experience

• At least a master’s degree or PhD in Public Health, Social Sciences, Demography or Population Studies, Statistics, Development Studies, or a related field.
• Ten (10) years of experience in the field of international development and/or humanitarian action.
• Proven track record of previous work experience in developing published documents or policy briefs with Government, development sector or academia
• Proven experience in developing policy documents with public, private organisations or academia
• Experience in facilitating group discussions, and workshops, managing group dynamics to build consensus
• Good communication skills, (verbal and written) and experience in report writing.
• Ability to deliver results and quality products under pressure and a strict deadline