Consultancy: Reform the Social Protection Programme, UNICEF Iraq (National consultancy)

Contract

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Purpose of Activity/Assignment: The senior national consultant for social policy and inclusion will (1) support UNICEF’s upstream advocacy to advance child responsive planning and budgeting. And (2) feed into UNICEF’s technical assistance to the Government of Iraq (GoI) in the reform of social protection and advancing child responsive planning and budgeting at federal and local level.

Scope of Work: Children in Iraq are disproportionately affected by poverty. As a result of several socio-economic impacts, 2 out of 5 children live in monetary poverty and 1 in 2 suffer more than one deprivation in their basic rights to health, education, nutrition and water and sanitation. Against this situation, UNICEF is expanding its support to the Government of Iraq to mainstream evidence on and enhance response to children’s multidimensional poverty. UNICEF’s engagement covers the support to the Government of Iraq in reforming social protection including a new national strategy and strengthening the child focus of the social safety net with special focus on disability inclusive social protection. Additionally, UNICEF is increasingly engaging in the government planning and budgeting and public financial management processes to ensure that national commitments for children, as captured in policies and laws, are translated into actual government plans, programs, and spending for children and to ensure that the child multidimensional poverty index (MPI) and analysis is utilized in the development of policies and plans. In that direction, the Senior National Consultant for Social Policy and Inclusion will support UNICEF’s upstream advocacy and feed into its technical assistance to the Government of Iraq. The work will cover a continuum of supporting the generation of evidence and roll out of strategies and interventions on social protection reform and system strengthening, while ensuring a child responsive planning and budgeting approach.

This is a remote, home-based consultancy for a period of 145 days until June 2024 which involves some travel under applicable UNICEF rules and regulations

Work Assignment Overview 1 Social Protection: Support and facilitate the engagement of all stakeholders in the development of the SP strategy. Deliverable 1 1.1. All stakeholders are engaged in developing the Policy option papers on (1) child sensitive social protection, unified national registry, (2) poverty targeting, and (3) public financing for social protection. 1.2. Critical stakeholders further engaged in the development of the social protection strategy. 1.3. Support the data collection for Public Expenditure review of social protection sector and costing of SP strategy. 1.4. All relevant documents reviewed to ensure alignment with government official language Timeline: 39 working days to be completed on October 30 2023

2. Social Protection: facilitate engagements with high level stakeholders during the situation analysis of Children with disabilities, development of national strategy for person with Disabilities in Iraq, and the development of disability curriculum. Deliverable 2 2.1. All critical stakeholders relevant to the situation analysis of children with disabilities consulted. 2.2. Advocacy events facilitated and organized with relevant high level government stakeholders (Parliament, Prime Minister Advisory Committee, and Reform Management Cell) 2.3. Strategic consultations facilitated leading to the development of National Strategy for Persons with Disabilities. 2.4. All Critical stakeholders further engaged in the development of the curriculum. 2.5. Advocacy events facilitated and organized with relevant high level government stakeholders (Parliament, Prime Minister Advisory Committee, and Reform Management Cell) minutes and action points of the meetings are taken Timeline: 37 working days to be completed on January 30 2024

3. Social Protection: Continue to support the rollout of the social protection strategy and implementation of the roadmap Deliverable 3 3.1. Social Protection strategy approved and launched by the government. 3.2. Critical stakeholders further engaged in the finalization and rollout of the social protection strategy. 3.3. All relevant documents reviewed to meet standard and ensure alignment with government official language. 3.4. Advocacy events facilitated and organized with relevant high level government stakeholders (Parliament, Prime Minister Advisory Committee, and Reform Management Cell). Minutes and action points of the meetings are taken Timeline: 33 working days to be completed on March 30 2024

4. Social Protection: Support the roll out of the child Grant pilot at federal level Deliverable 4 4.1. Meetings and engagement facilitated with all critical stakeholders. 4.2. Support is provided to kick off the child grant project in Sader City and Muthana governorate 4.3. Support provided to ensure development of social service workforce training manuals and training conducted towards integration of ECD into the grant. 4.4. All relevant documents reviewed to meet standard and ensure alignment with government official language 4.5. Advocacy events facilitated and organized with relevant high level government stakeholders on the child grant programme. Minutes and action points of the meetings are taken Timeline: 36 working days to be completed on June 2 2024

Minimum Qualifications required: Master’s 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 advanced academic background and 12 years of relevant experience. 10 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 high level working experience with government, NGOs, UN agencies or other international agencies would be an asset. Good knowledge of computer applications. Fluency in English, and Arabic (written and spoken).

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

Remarks:

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. Candidates must submit an all-inclusive fee for the assignment. UNICEF will provide travel for the assignment and in-country travel if required.

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.