Consultancy: Roster for Individual Consultants - Disability Inclusive Cross-sectoral and Sectoral Programming - Req

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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.

Vacancy Announcement: Consultant

Consultancy Title: Roster for Individual Consultants - Disability Inclusive Cross-sectoral and Sectoral Programming

Section/Division/Duty Station: All HQ, Regional and Country Offices – Remote (some travel may be required)

Duration: 01 September 2023 to 31 August, 2026 (Number of days will vary)

About UNICEF

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

As part of UNICEF’s 2022-25 Strategic Plan and its Results Framework, disability inclusion is anchored as one of the guiding principles and disability inclusive programming is a cross cutting priority ensuring disability inclusion across the organizational mandate. The new UNICEF Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy (DIPAS) 2022-2030 will guide the organization’s work on disability in both programmes and operations. It's linked to UNICEF’s Strategic Plan, its Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action, the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy (UNDIS), and the UN 2030 Agenda. The DIPAS specifically outlines UNICEF’s priorities for children with disabilities and provides strategic direction and a framework for accelerating disability-inclusive programming and results at scale, based on evidence, lessons learned and good practices.

In order to scale up and mainstream disability inclusion across all its work, the Disability Section, aims to establish a roster of pre-vetted and technically qualified individual consultants to support this expanding area of work in headquarters, regions and countries.

Purpose of Activity:

The purpose of this Terms of Reference (ToR) is to establish a roster that will provide access to a repository of experts who meet the minimum technical requirements and can work as consultants to support UNICEF's disability inclusive cross-sectoral and sectoral programming, at country, regional, and headquarter levels.

Qualifications of Successful Candidates

Requirements:

• Advanced university degree in international development and/or other relevant technical field.
• Strong background in disability inclusion, with demonstrated knowledge of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
• Sound understanding of UNICEF’s Strategic Plan, Core Commitments for Children (CCC’s) in Humanitarian, Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy (DIPAS), the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy (UNDIS).
• A minimum of five to eight years of professional, demonstrated, experience in one or more of disability inclusive cross-sectoral and/or sectoral programme areas, across humanitarian and development settings.
• Proven record of successful delivery of high-level expert advice, technical support and capacity development to governments, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) or UN entities in disability inclusive cross-sectoral and sectoral programming, including experience working with Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs).
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills -including negotiating, and advocacy skills; strong reporting, presentation and writing skills;
• Ability to work in a team to develop synergies and establish effective working relations with government counterparts, donors, CSOs and other partners.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
• Prior experience working in developing countries is an asset.
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is an asset.

Needed Services and Expertise for Disability Inclusive Programming.

Cross-sectoral:

1. Capacity building and guidance development. Build capacity by utilizing accessible and disability inclusive methodologies and with expertise in participatory methods. Develop guidance and tools through the integration of disability inclusion and piloting of tools, products, and resources.
2. Strategic Programme Design. Design strategic programme for bold and transformative change (ToC development) by strengthening the integration of disability inclusion through all its programming, spanning the full course of life; monitoring system to track progress and gaps towards key outcomes.
3. Research. Design and conduct research (qualitative + quantitative and with primary and secondary data analysis) on children with disabilities - behavioral and social science, and implementation research across all UNICEF programmes.
4. Disability / Disability inclusive SitAn. Generate evidence on situation of children with disabilities to establish a baseline and to increase knowledge and awareness about the situation and the rights of children with disabilities, including those rights not being fulfilled and their pressing needs, as per UNICEF Situation Analysis Core Guidance and Toolkit.
5. System strengthening + governance. Strengthen cross-sectoral coordination by supporting the necessary coordination across sectors and levels of government to enable community inclusion of children with disabilities and ensure engagement of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) at all levels.
6. Social and Behavioural Change (SBC). Generate insights and rationale for SBC strategy design through the analysis and interpretation of formative or process evaluation and baseline research results to eradicate stigma and discrimination towards persons with disabilities. Implement and adapt SBC package to local context to measure SBC and to address stigma and discrimination towards persons with disabilities.
7. Policy Development and Review. Support the development and review of policies for the effective and disability inclusive systems in addressing the barriers faced by children and adults with disabilities

Sectoral:

8. Health. Build capacity of staff and partners to design, deliver and monitor inclusive health interventions as well as specific health interventions for persons with disabilities where relevant.
9. Nutrition. Design disability-inclusion nutrition programmes for the early detection and provision of nutrition interventions to children with disabilities; including the strengthening of national systems and humanitarian action to accelerate the delivery of disability-inclusive nutrition services.
10. Early Child Development (ECD). Support development of disability inclusive ECD policies, plans, strategies, and programmes at national, subnational and regional levels; including strengthening and development of guidance, tools and resources promoting the inclusion and development/learning of young children with disabilities targeted at parents/caregivers and service providers.
11. Education. Support the disability-inclusive practice and culture and development of national/subnational policies, plans, strategies and programmes in the educational system, inclusive pedagogy and foster an environment free from discrimination; build the capacity of teachers, administrators, and communities for disability inclusion across schools and communities, including in emergency settings.
12. Child Protection. Strengthening the social service workforce (SSWS), and the justice system by enhancing their capacity to be disability inclusive, including by addressing stigma, discrimination and harmful social norms that prevent them from providing inclusive and equitable child protection services.
13. WASH. Strengthen systems and capacity to design and technically support the delivery of disability inclusive WASH programming including accessibility of WASH services and products (e.g. WASH facilities, hygiene messaging, and hygiene kits. Etc.) in development and humanitarian contexts.
14. Social Protection. Early identification as well as disability assessment and determination and information system for case management and eligibility determination in low and middle-income as well as high countries for children with disabilities. Support to make cash and voucher assistance in humanitarian settings inclusive.
15. Humanitarian action. Support needs assessment, response planning, implementation and monitoring of humanitarian preparation and response. This includes strengthening disability-inclusive data collection, analysis and use; design of inclusive programmes; identification of persons with disabilities; identification and addressing barriers; capacity building of humanitarian actors, persons with disabilities and OPDs.
16. Gender Equality. Strengthen systems to monitor the situation of children and adults with disabilities, who are at risk of multiple forms of discrimination, and prevent, violence against them based on sex characteristics, sexual orientation and gender identity.
17. Adolescent development and participation. Support the participation and empowerment of adolescents with disabilities in their development based on evidence, lessons learned and good practices.
18. Climate Change and Preparedness. Strengthen and scale up disability inclusive climate change and preparedness activities.

Requirements:

Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and provide your CV and cover letter, including:

1. Clear indication of specialization area(s) you are applying for. Must clearly list which of the 18 areas of support you are applying for.
2. All-inclusive daily rate in USD
3. Language(s) you are fluent in (written and verbal).
4. Preferred work locations/regions.
5. Indicate date of availability.
6. Contact details of three professional referees (email and telephone number).

Application missing above elements will not be considered. An initial screening and short listing based on evaluation criteria will be done; only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted. Successful applicants will be placed on a pre-approved roster which will remain valid for a period of 36 months.

• Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory 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.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

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.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy 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. Consultants 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.