Consultancy - Individual Contractor to develop a monitoring and evaluation framework for the implementation of the Djibouti Declaration by IGAD

Consultant Teaching & Training Programme & Policy

Contract

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TERMS OF REFERENCE

Title of Assignment

Individual Contractor to develop a monitoring and evaluation framework for the implementation of the Djibouti Declaration by IGAD

Section

Education

Location

Remote (with possible travel to Nairobi and/or Djibouti)

Duration

90 working days over 5 months

Start date

From: 20.11.2020

To: 30.04.2021

Background and Justification

Promoting access to education for refugees, IDPs and other marginalized populations is a key priority for UNICEF. UNICEF’s new Education Strategy 2019-2030 envisions that “Every Child Learns”: “improved learning and skill development for boys and girls from early childhood to adolescence, in particular for the most marginalized and those affected by humanitarian situations”. The strategy aims for improved learning and protection for children in emergency and fragile context, which characterizes many of ESAR’s countries hosting large refugee and other displaced populations. Recognizing that children, adolescents, and youth in emergency and displacement contexts face numerous challenges in accessing and obtaining a quality education, UNICEF has over the past years, advocated and supported the strengthening of education provision across the humanitarian-development nexus, the inclusion of refugees in national systems, and the provision of multiple pathways to learning. UNICEF has worked with partners to advocate and facilitate access to national education systems through flexible ID/documentation requirements for refugees, IDPs and returnees. Efforts have gone into the development of regional and national policies to recognize learners’ qualifications (recognition, validation, equivalence), and in facilitating access to national examinations. UNICEF and partners have also leveraged digital technologies to capture and share student learning, in alignment with national systems requirements.

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in Eastern Africa, created in 1996, includes 8 member states, with the following 6 members located in UNICEF’s ESA region: Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Uganda, Somalia and South Sudan. Its vision is to be the premier Regional Economic Community (REC) for achieving peace and sustainable development in the region. December 2017 marked a major milestone for the refugee-education agenda in the East and Horn of Africa region: the Djibouti Declaration (DD) on education for refugees, returnees and host communities was adopted by all IGAD ministers in charge of education in relevant member states. It is the most significant, joint commitment on education and refugees in the region, and can be seen as a collective vehicle to advance the key goal of ‘enhancing refugee self-reliance’ outlined in the Global Compact for Refugees – through more accessible and inclusive education and multiple pathways of learning for refugees.

The DD emphasizes five key strategic interventions:

1. Inclusion of refugees and returnees into national education systems with a multi-year costed plan of action;
2. Higher Education and TVET/ post-secondary skills and competencies;
3. Regional Qualifications Framework
4. Accreditation and Certification of Education
5. Resource Mobilization and Partnership

At regional level, the DD and its accompanied Plan of Action tasks IGAD to i) lead the implementation of the DD and Plan of Action; ii) Oversee the proper implementation of the all agreed standards, policy instruments and frameworks for education for all; and to iii) coordinate and guide the implementation, monitoring and follow-up of established minimum standards for education of refugees, returnees and host communities;

The DD offers opportunities for strong partnership and development of shared responsibilities among host countries, regional organizations, development partners and other stakeholders. It is within this framework that UNICEF stepped up its collaboration with IGAD and continues to provide support, as part of the Technical Taskforce focused on the implementation of the DD, collaborating closely with UN partners, key multilateral and bilateral donors & development agencies, including UNHCR, GIZ, EU, UNESCO, and ECW.

Justification

This consultancy aims to establish and build capacity on a monitoring and evaluation framework for the implementation of the DD. It is part of UNICEF’s technical contribution to support the realization and operationalization of the DD, which in the East and Horn of Africa, represents the key regional, harmonized framework on promoting education access and inclusion of refugees and other displaced populations in national education systems.

Since December 2017, member states have tried to implement their high-level commitments to the DD’s through strategic interventions and concrete Action Plans. While these include specific timelines and milestones - for example, clause 24 of DD states “integrate education for refugees and returnees into National Sector Plans by 2020” – there is no Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) framework or relevant tool to assess progress in operationalizing commitments. As it stands, it is not possible to measure concrete impact, outcomes and outputs envisaged, to determine if the DD is implemented accordingly – and importantly, where it is not, to identify where strategic or operational change is required. Without concrete, measurable evidence, it also difficult to engage in cross-country learning around education policy and practice.

Thus, a robust and user-friendly M&E framework is required to enable IGAD at regional level, and member states at country level to systematically take stock of the situation: to assess and analyze progress made, to identify and document good practice as well as challenges, and to compare results and learn across countries for the period of 2018-2020. UNICEF will provide technical support to IGAD to establish and test such an M&E framework and relevant tools to apply it and importantly, build the necessary capacity on their use. While the systematic tracking of commitments and action plans across IGAD member states is the main objective, it is clear that systematic M&E will also be instrumental in ensuring member states’ ownership of data****; in supporting evidence generation and evidence-based advocacy efforts; in informing dialogue on education policy and practice at country, regional and global levels (including with regards to global frameworks such as the New York Declaration and the Global Compact on Refugees); and in supporting resource mobilization at all levels - thus strengthening efforts to improve the situation of education for refugees in the East and Horn of Africa overall.

Scope of Work

1. Objectives of Consultancy

The overall objective of the consultancy is to support IGAD and member states in operationalizing commitments made under the Djibouti Declaration and Action Plan, which are to improve access of refugees and returnees to quality education and inclusion into national education systems through strategic interventions and concrete action plans. For this purpose, a high quality, well-articulated M&E Framework and relevant capacity to apply it is essential, enabling

1. the tracking and analysis of progress in implementation;
2. the identification of gaps, challenges and required changes in action;
3. the generation of evidence and learnings on education for refugees, returnees and host communities throughout the region for improved policies and programmes ;thus contributing to the overall objective outlined above.

The specific objectives of the consultancy are threefold:

1. To develop a high quality and user-friendly Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Framework and relevant digital and non-digital tools required to systematically take stock of and assess progress made towards the DD at member state level, and a regional level, supporting IGAD’s regional oversight role
2. To undertake remote piloting/testing of the draft framework and accompanying tools, in one or several selected countries (tbd) for feasibility of scaling up across member states
3. To develop and build the capacity of the IGAD Secretariat and selected country focal points on a digital resource package that includes the M&E Framework, supporting tools and user guidance.

2. Reference to work plan

This assignment is part of the ESARO Education Section Rolling Work Plan 2019-2020:

Output 1. Quality evidence and partnerships for risk-informed programming and financing to ensure that girls and boys including those with disabilities complete primary and secondary education with grade level learning outcomes.

Activity 1. Partnership for SDG4: Build capacity and coordination of regional civil society and government organization

3. Activities and Tasks

This assignment is anticipated to require the following tasks:

1. Carry out consultations with relevant authorities and focal points of IGAD and conduct a secondary data review on the DD to get the full picture of the context and required task
2. Draft an inception report entailing the methodological approach, process and timelines
3. Develop a draft M&E framework and tools in close consultation with – and for the review of - UNICEF, the IGAD Secretariat and partners of the Technical Task Force on the DD; ensure the timely incorporation of feedback. Produce digital and non digital versions.
4. Undertake remote piloting/testing of the draft framework and accompanying tools, in close collaboration with relevant IGAD focal points, in one or several selected countries (tbd) and incorporate end-user feedback to improve and finalize the framework for scale up
5. Develop a digital resource package that includes the M&E Framework, supporting tools and detailed user guidance
6. Conduct training sessions with IGAD focal points on usage (based on the digital resource package) and hand over to IGAD to roll it out and support member states
7. Draft a final report on the process, lessons learned, recommendations/a roadmap for rollout
8. Submit the final version of the M&E Framework and digital resource package to the IGAD Secretariat to be presented to and validated by IGAD policy organs, member states and partners.

4. Key Deliverables

The deliverables of the consultancy are:

1. An inception report including methodology, process and timelines for the consultancy
2. A high-quality, user-friendly, digital and non-digital M&E Framework, which includes, but is not limited to, the following elements: (a) an introduction and basis of the tool (background and visualized summary of secondary data review and IGAD consultations); (b) country level monitoring tools; (c) regional monitoring tools
3. A tested digital resource package that includes the M&E Framework and tools, a user guide and checklists, including guidelines on identifying bottlenecks, using SMART indicators, on documenting good practice and lessons learnt, etc.

4. A detailed report documenting and analyzing the process of developing, piloting, and supporting the institutionalization of an M&E framework for high level commitments on education for refugees adopted and implemented by the leading intergovernmental body of the region and multiple refugee hosting member states. It will include including key challenges, opportunities, and lessons learned, recommendations and a roadmap for rollout in all IGAD member states and replication in other refugee-hosting contexts.

5. Work relationships

The consultants will be supervised by the ESARO Education Specialist (Emergencies), under the overall guidance of the Regional Education Adviser. He is expected to work in daily consultation with the Senior Coordinator of the IGAD Education Program and relevant technical staff as required.

6. ****Outputs and deliverables****The table below sets out the expected deliverables with estimated timelines:

Deliverables

Duration

(est # of days)

Timeline/ Deadline

Schedule of payment

1. Consultations and inception report

8

11.11.2020

-

2. High quality and user-friendly DD M&E framework and tools that have been tested/piloted in one or several countries (tbd)

45

22.01.2021

60%

3. A digital resource package for capacity building + delivery of training sessions

30

05.03.2021

-

4. Final report, lessons learned and roadmap

7

16.03.2020

40%

TOTAL

90

100%

Payment Schedule

Payments are based upon satisfactory completion of deliverables in 2 installments as outlined above:

Payment 1 (Deliverable 1/2): 60%

Payment 2 (Deliverable 3/4): 40%

Desired competencies, technical background and experience

Minimum Qualifications required:

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

Master’s degree in Social Sciences, Economics, Political Science, Public/ Social Policy, Social Development, with specialized training in Statistics, Quantitative Research or Secondary Data Analysis.

In lieu of a Master’s degree, a first University degree in a relevant field combined with two additional years of professional experience may be considered to meet this requirement.

1. At least five (5) years of progressively advanced experience in M&E in the humanitarian/ development field, particularly in education and refugee contexts.
2. Demonstrated track record in the design of user-friendly M&E frameworks, tools and capacity building packages for large and complex, multi-country projects on education for displaced populations
3. Experience in dealing with policy level interventions, policy dialogue, working with government and/or policy makers in multiple countries
4. Experience in facilitating audience-friendly trainings in the international context, ideally with inter-governmental bodies and policy makers
5. Excellent communication skills in oral and written form
6. Strong coordination skills, adaptability and ability to work under pressure are required.
7. Excellent digital skills, full working knowledge of MS-Word, PowerPoint, Skype for Business, zoom, teams and other presentation and communication platforms.
8. Experience of delivering results independently and at distance in a timely fashion.

9. Familiarity with IGAD and UNICEF desirable

   Administrative issues

The assignment will be supervised through the UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office, Education Section and carried out in close collaboration with the IGAD Secretariat.

All travel costs need to be included in the financial proposal.

Conditions

The consultant will work remotely, with possible travel to Djibouti or Nairobi for consultations/ meetings/ trainings (travel costs to be covered by UNICEF). All travel undertaken by the consultant under this assignment will be by the most economical fare and will be paid as per UNICEF policy.

Risks

Close oversight is necessary to mitigate the risk that the consultant produces inapplicable resources that are not user-friendly. To mitigate this risk, UNICEF will support close collaboration between consultant and IGAD focal point so that the former will understand the needs of the latter to develop relevant and user-friendly tool and carry out handover. Also, the samples of work that will have been requested as part of the application procedure will be assigned a higher rating in the selection process to gauge the candidates’ adaptability, creativity and the ability to produce quality work.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should apply online using the button below. As part of their application, candidates should provide:

1. A cover letter that specifies how you meet the desired competencies, technical background and experience (no more than 2 pages)
2. A short CV (no more than 4 pages)
3. A fee structure that should include: daily rate in USD and total fee
4. Relevant records of M&E frameworks and tools and training facilitation

Candidates with questions about the opportunity should contact Carolin Waldchen at [email protected].

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 the organization.

Apply now

Added 3 years ago - Updated 2 years ago - Source: unicef.org