Consultancy: Social Protection Programme Coordinator and Technical Contributor in Belize

Contract

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Location: Belize City, Belize, Central America

Duration: 11 months

Start Date: February 2022

End Date: January 2023

Supervisor: Social Policy Specialist

BACKGROUND:

Belize is challenged with high levels of poverty, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Monetary poverty increased from 41% in 2009 to 52% in 2018, with the highest levels found in Toledo, Corozal and Orange Walk. In 2018, 60% of the children aged 0-14 were living in poverty. 1 In multidimensional terms (lack of access to essential services), 58% of children under 18 years were recorded as living in poverty in 20112 meaning that children were confronted with multiple deprivations3. Geographical disparities were significant, with 70% of children living in poverty in rural areas. The pandemic significantly impacted households’ livelihoods and disrupted access to essential services causing a multiplier effect on an already dire situation. According to a rapid survey conducted in 20204, disruptions in livelihoods affected three out of five respondents. Three out of four respondents reported job loss or decline in salaries in their households, and one out of ten respondents expressed the need to resort to secondary or alternative activities. Amidst COVID-19, the availability of fresh food items and essential medicine remained low, food security deteriorated, and approximately 100,000 children remained out of school for more than a year.

Belize is also highly vulnerable to natural disasters and the effects of climate change. In 2020, Belize was impacted by Hurricanes Nana, Eta and Iota. As the result of anomalous levels of flood waters in decades, tens of thousands of families were affected. The floods caused damage to residential property, utilities, farms, and road infrastructure and further added to the vulnerabilities due to COVID-19.5 Such hazards are a major challenge to sustainable development and the survival and well-being of communities, and particularly children. Because they impact households’ livelihood and access to essential services, natural disasters and climate change reinforce multidimensional and economic poverty, putting children, and especially the most vulnerable, at risk of falling into poverty, and perpetuating intergenerational poverty.

Though poverty is alarming and aggravated by COVID-19, social protection remains low, especially for children. In 2018, only 43% of the population received social protection benefits6. Young children were the most impacted: less than 10% of children 0-4 years old had access to the National Health Insurance (NHI) in 2018. In total, only about 11% (20,000 children) of the total children population was covered by a social protection programme (incl. BOOST, school subsidies, food pantry).

The legislative and policy framework is limited to support a comprehensive social protection system, especially for children. In general, there are no specific legislation to guide social policies and social protection in Belize. The social protection system remains fragmented, with 38 service delivery activities. There is an urgent need to establish the conditions for an enabling environment and governance mechanisms that will provide for the adequate policies, regulations, and action plans to guide the sector, starting with a National Social Protection Strategy, providing a social protection floor, progressive universal coverage and shock-responsiveness.

UNICEF Social Protection Agenda: SDG Fund & Human Security Trust Fund

In collaboration with ILO and WFP, UNICEF is part of the SDG Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) Fund Initiative, which will start in January 2022. UNICEF Belize will be the lead agency in the implementation of the Joint Programme (JP). The JP aims to supports a stronger, coordinated, integrated, shock-responsive, and resilient social protection system in Belize that reaches the most vulnerable, women and children through the development and implementation of the National Social Protection Strategy, inclusive of the Social Protection Floor (SPF). The main results are centered on two interconnected outcomes, both of which are articulated in Plan Belize and the Government’s Medium-Term Development Strategy Priority Areas: Poverty reduction and Economic growth. Simultenously, the three agencies have also submitted a proposal as part of the UN human security initiative, wich will link with the SDG Fund by providing a unique opportunity to leverage additional funding to establish the foundation for strengthened social protection and economic development.

PURPOSE/SCOPE OF ACTIVITY/ASSIGNMENT:

Overview of the consultancy

The consultancy will focus primarily on supporting the Social Policy Programme Section in Belize, in the framework of the new Country Programme Document (CPD). The consultancy will include two components:

1. Technical support to the areas of work of UNICEF’s Social Policy agenda, and especially as part of the implementation of the SDG Fund. As part of year 1, UNICEF key activities will include: development of SP national strategy and action plan, coordination mechanism, capacity building, costing the the Social Protection Floor.
2. Programme coordination of the implementation of the SDG Fund.

As part of the component 1, technical expertise will be provided in the areas as follows:

• social protection and shock-responsive social protection (SRSP), including establishment of a comprehensive and sustainable Social Protection Floor, this area of work will include the contribution to/ coordination of the SDG SIDS Fund as presented below;
• poverty measurement and MPI development, including contribution to the continuation of the national Multidimensional Poverty Index development process;
• public finance for children, including support to public finance activities;
• general support as part of the Social Policy agenda as requested by supervisor

As part of component 2, the consultant ill act as programme coordinator for the implementation of the SDG SIDS Funds. As a programme coordinator, activities will include:

• Planning and monitoring of programme implementation: in collaboration with technical teams, including focal points in WFP and ILO, and focal points at government level, lead the development and follow-up on progamme implementation, with the support of Resident Coordination Office.
• Work closely and collaboratively with colleagues and partners (technical working group) to discuss implementation issues, provide solutions, recommendations and/or to alert appropriate officials and stakeholders for higher-level interventions and/or decisions
• Coordinate teams and activities, as per anticipated workplan: ensure effective implementation of activities, and follow-up on results;
• Communication: Inform accordingly and maintain communication flows with Resident coordinator, UN Agencies, and stakeholders;
• Schedule and organize meetings/events and maintain agenda in coordination with Resident Coordinator;
• Liaise with WFP to ensure proper coordination between SDG and Human Security proposals;
• Support recruitment and administrative processes as required as part of programme implementation;
• Provide support to ensure integration of outcomes and results;
• Liaise with ILO, and WFP for key technical inputs as relevant;
• Track budget expenditures and, timelines;
• Liaise with relevant stakeholders for SDG visibility/ communications purposes;
• Act as focal point for reporting. Prepare data and evidence for reporting purposes as per SDG Secretariat, or required programme documentations, materials and data to facilitate the programme review and approval process;
• Provide inputs for communication material as relevant;
• Update SharePoint.
• Any other support as part of JP implementation as relevant

The contract will have a duration of 11 months. The contract could be extended depending of confirmation of need, satisfactory performance, and availability of funding. Full-time consultancy supervised by UNICEF Belize Social Policy Specialist. The consultant will work with their own ICT equipment.

Full and Detailed TOR can be found TOR Social Protection Programme Coordinator and Technical Contributor in Belize.pdf.

As the TORs is split into two parts, the monthly Payment will include 2 components with specific deliverables as per tables above: technical expertise and programme coordination.

PAYMENT SCHEDULE:

Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed deliverables which receive satisfactory quality review. In general, individual contracts shall not allow for fee advances. However, a maximum of 30 per cent of the total contract value may be authorized by the Approving Authority in cases where advance purchases, for example for supplies or travel, may be necessary.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE / QUALIFICATIONS:

• A Master’s degree in Social Studies, Economics, Public Finance Management, Public Policy and/or Administration, Social Sciences or other relevant disciplines
• A minimum 5 years of experience in social development, socio-economic analysis, and social protection. Experience in child related policies is an asset.
• Knowledge of social protection (including applied to emergencies), poverty measurement, and/or public finance
• Previous relevant experience with the United Nations, international cooperation agencies or government institutions is an asset
• Work experience in Belize or the Caribbean region is an advantage
• Experience in joint programme implementation;
• Knowledge of SDG Fund is an asset;
• Experience in interacting with/coordinated work between government institutions, international cooperation and civil society
• Experience/knowledge of social policy research and analysis
• Ability to write high quality technical documents
• Capacity to work in a team, and to adequately juggle with competing priorities
• Excellent spoken and written English

CONDITIONS OF SERVICE:

Before commencing work, a consultant or individual contractor shall submit a statement of good health and take full responsibility for the accuracy of that statement, including confirmation that he or she has been informed of the inoculations required for the country or countries to which travel is authorized. Consultants and individual contractors shall assume all costs that may occur in relation to the statement of good health. Consultants and individual contractors are required to certify that they are covered by medical/health insurance.

RECOURSE:

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. Performance indicators against which the satisfactory conclusion of this contract will be assessed include: timeliness/quality of submission and responsiveness to UNICEF and counterpart feedback.

TITLE RIGHTS:

All materials created by the Contractor which bears a direct relation to, or is made in order to perform, this contract and any intellectual property rights thereof, including but not limited to patents, copyright and trademarks, shall be jointly owned by UNICEF and the Contractor. At the request of UNICEF, the Contractor shall assist in securing such property rights and transferring them to UNICEF in compliance with the requirements of the law governing such rights. Any third-party usage shall require written permission from both parties.

TRAININGS:

Consultants and Individual contractors, even those working from home, must complete the following online courses prior to signature of contract. All certificates should be presented as part of the contract:

• Ethics and Integrity at UNICEF
• Prevention of Sexual Harassment & Abuse of Authority
• Sexual Exploitation Abuse (PSEA)

Consultants and Individual Contractors must complete the following course before commencement of any travel on behalf of UNICEF.

• BSAFE Security Training

Any consultant or individual contractor who is issued a UNICEF email address must complete the following courses no later than 30 days after signature of contract.

• UNICEF Information Security Awareness Course
• Fraud Awareness

HOW TO APPLY:

Prospective consultants should apply through UNICEF jobs website using the link provided No later than 9th January 2022. The application package should include the following:

1. A cover letter;
2. Detailed curriculum vitae
3. A proposal stipulating all-inclusive fees, including lump sum travel and subsistence costs, as applicable.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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.

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.