Consultancy: National Consultant on Disability Inclusive Social Protection, Iraq (Open to nationals of Iraq only)

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Application deadline 1 year ago: Thursday 27 Oct 2022 at 20:55 UTC

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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.

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For every child, inclusion

Purpose of Activity/Assignment: The purpose of the assignment is to support the implementation of the KFW project on Strengthening National Systems for Improved Access to Equitable and Integrated Basic Services. Th project presents a clear outcome under the social policy section to ensure children with disabilities benefit from evidence-based review of social protection programmes and social services including improved targeting and disability sensitive social protection delivery mechanisms focusing on the following outputs: 1. Social protection programmes and services are evidence informed and with enhanced capacity to address the priorities of most vulnerable children and young people with focus on Children with Disabilities 2. National strategy and action plans are developed to enhance the rights of persons with disabilities, with a focus on children, through quality social protection and services. 3. Social protection service providers’ capacities to deliver quality disability sensitive services as well as interpersonal and community engagement competencies are improved. The consultant will therefore provide support to the achievement of these outputs with primary focus on engaging government and other critical actors towards setting a systematic institutionalized administrative and coordination structure for the enhancement of rights of people with disabilities especially children.

Scope of Work: In close collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MOLSA) through the support of German government, UNICEF seeks to strengthen the social protection system’s ability to provide expanded and effective coverage to children with disabilities addressing bottlenecks at policy and inter-ministerial coordination fronts, capacity of social workforce, and MISs of the directorate of persons with disabilities at the MoLSA.

The proposed intervention will specifically include generating evidence on children with disabilities through a situation analysis and review of social protection program design and disability eligibility criteria to improve inclusion of children with disabilities and special needs in the country. Further to evidence generation the project will seek to establish a coordination forum and develop a national strategy and action plan for persons with disabilities with focus on children. In addition, capacities of government to deliver quality disability sensitive services as well as interpersonal and community engagement competencies in social protection and social services will be improved.

Therefore, the National consultant on disability inclusive social protection will provide technical support to this intervention by engaging all critical stakeholders in high consultation with UNICEF to ensure a systematic facilitation and implementation of key activities in the strategy. He/she will engage with MoLSA and other relevant ministries for strengthening of the disability policy environment and enhancing the implementation and administration approaches. The post will also contribute towards improved coordination of social protection schemes and services for the poor and vulnerable people particularly children with disabilities. Some of the key deliverables of the project which the consultant will be working on includes: 1. Development of situation assessment of children with Disabilities in Iraq and advocate for disability inclusive social protection. 2. Development of the National Strategy for persons with disabilities in Iraq 3. Skills assessment of social workers to identify gaps in professional, SBCC and disability sensitive competencies. 4. Development of Disability sensitive curriculum to build required competencies of social workforce 5. Establishment of a database and improve the Management Information System of the Commission of Persons with Disabilities and special need.

Details of specific deliverables for the consultant are provided below (Tasks/Milestones, Deliverables/Outputs and Timelines) Support the review and facilitate engagements with key stakeholders during the situation assessment of Children with Disabilities in Iraq to Inform Disability Inclusive Social Protection System. Deliverables/Outputs: All critical stakeholders consulted, and inputs harmonized during the development of the Situation analysis of children with Disabilities in Iraq and monthly update Report Submitted. January 2023

Support the review and strengthening of the National forum of persons with Disabilities (National Board of Directors for the commission of Persons with Disabilities and special need) Deliverables/Outputs: National forum for persons with Disabilities in place and functional. Monthly update Report provided. February 2023

Support the development of a TOR for the National Forum of Persons with Disabilities Deliverables/Outputs: TOR for the National forum for Persons with Disabilities developed and monthly update Report submitted. March 2023

Facilitate engagements with critical stakeholders on the design and implementation of the SSN cash transfer program to improve inclusion of children with disabilities and special needs. Deliverables/Outputs: Children with Disabilities identified and included systematically into the National SSN programme especially the child grant at both Federal and KRI level and monthly update Report Submitted. April 2023

Contribute to the development of the National strategy for persons with Disabilities and facilitate key meetings and workshops in collaboration with the consulting firm to ensure smooth development process. Deliverables/Outputs: Strategic consultations facilitated leading to the development of National Strategy for Persons with Disabilities and monthly update Report Submitted. May 2023

Provide guidance and support to the assessment of social workforce to identify gaps in professional and Social Behavioural Change Communication (SBCC) competencies. Deliverables/Outputs: Support provided to the assessment of Social Workers skills in Iraq and monthly update Report Submitted. June 2023

Provide support and inputs in the development of disability curriculum including facilitating the uptake of the curriculum by key institutions (High institutions and key social protection programmes) Deliverables/Outputs: Disability Sensitive Curriculum, training manuals & guidelines developed in a consultative approach and monthly update Report Submitted. July 2023

Develop a recommendation report with clear action plan to guide UNICEF work on Disability in Iraq based on the consultant’s experience and the National strategy. Deliverables/Outputs: Recommendation Report on Disability programming approach developed, and monthly update Report Submitted. August 2023

Support the training of social workforce master trainers on disability sensitive approach and engagement Deliverables/Outputs: Master trainers trained through a consultative approach and monthly update Report Submitted. September 2023

Facilitate meetings and consultations during the development and upgrading of the management information system of the commission of persons with disabilities. Deliverables/Outputs: Strategic facilitation and support provided towards development of a functional administrative database and MIS system for the commission. October 2023

Provide an end of consultancy report on the support provided to the disability reform agenda over the past 11 months with challenges experienced and clear recommendations forward Deliverables/Outputs: End of Consultancy Report provided. November 2023

Consultant will be based in MoLSA at the Commission for People with Disabilities and special needs in Baghdad and is expected to spend 5 working days/week in MoLSA Baghdad premises working directly with national counterparts.

Recruitment qualifications: - Bachelor’s Degree in public administration, international development, social and political sciences or related field. Solid hand-on experience and proven professional record could be accepted in lieu of academic background - Over 5 years of work experience with national and local governments in project support/ technical assistance projects in the area of social services and social protection, child/ human rights, social work and disability inclusion. - Solid knowledge of social development and social protection agenda especially in disability programming in Iraq and Kurdistan region; understanding of international standards. - Previous working experience with government, NGOs, UN agencies or other international agencies would be an asset. - Good analytical, drafting and synthesis skills; ability to communicate with different audiences, excellent presentation skills. Good organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to contribute to teamwork. - Fluency in English, and Arabic (written and spoken). - Ability to work in an international and multi-cultural environment. - Ability to work independently and respond to feedback in a timely and professional manner. - Good knowledge of computer applications.

Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant

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.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unicef.org