Consultancy to undertake the Evaluation of UNICEF work on Disability Inclusion: Evaluation Office, New York, USA, Ten (10) Months from October 2022 to August 2023

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Application deadline 1 year ago: Thursday 22 Sep 2022 at 03:55 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.

And we never give up.

For every child, Evaluate

The Evaluation Office (EO), at UNICEF HQ in New York provides global leadership and oversight for the evaluation function. As part of the Plan for Global Evaluations, the Evaluation Office (EO) has committed to undertake a cross-sectoral evaluation of the UNICEF work on Disability Inclusion.

Changing attitudes towards children with disabilities is a core UNICEF obligation. Protecting the rights of children with disabilities has been an integral part of UNICEF programming since the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) – the first international treaty to explicitly recognize the rights of children with disabilities. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)is the foundational guiding instrument behind UNICEF work in this area with its roots in human rights, non-discrimination, and equity. While the CRC provides a good basis for the rights of children with disabilities. Children with disabilities experience stigma and discrimination in every aspect of life, which have been exacerbated by the COVID-91 pandemic. Other challenges they face include limited access to health care, nutrition, safe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities and support for their well-being which leads to poor physical and mental health outcomes.

UNICEF portfolio on children with disabilities follow these main goals: (i) Empower and recognize children with disability as their best advocates, essential to the expansion and sustainability of inclusion; (ii) receive the required support across their life courses to live independently and included in their communities; (iii) grow up in enabling environments with access to resources and opportunities to realize their full potential; (iv) children and persons with disabilities benefit from a full range of UNICEF programmes and organizational investments that embrace inclusivity and diversity.

To advance those goals, the organization recognizes as cross-sectoral strategic priorities (i) prevention of stigma, discrimination, neglect and violence against children with disabilities and promotion of diversity and inclusion; (ii) improvement of disability-inclusive infrastructure, services, programmes and coordination platforms; (iii) access to comprehensive community care and support services; (iv) Access to assistive technology and relevant services; (v) Disability-inclusive action in humanitarian, emergency and fragile contexts, including in programming and in UNICEF’s role as a cluster lead agency; and (vi) Full and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities. UNICEF works in partnership with governments, national statistical offices, academic institutions, and organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) to develop disability measurement, support the collection and dissemination of disaggregated data, advance knowledge management, and invest on global research to inform all relevant stakeholders, including children with disabilities. the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy (UNDIS) lays out a clear System wide framework and accountability mechanisms for UNICEF to ensure disability inclusion. The UNDIS has both a policy and an accountability framework. The policy establishes the highest levels of commitment and a vision for the UN system on disability inclusion for the next decade. The four core areas are: (i). Leadership, strategic planning, and management, (ii). Inclusiveness, (iii). Programming and (iv). Organizational culture. To guide the organization's approach to the work on disability in both (i) programmatic sectors/areas and (ii) institutional systems and processes, the UNICEF Disability Section is developing a disability strategy and action plan, prepared to guide the 2022-2030 period (DIPAS).

How can you make a difference?

There are two purposes for the Evaluation. The first is formative and seeks to better position UNICEF in delivering results for children with disabilities, by identifying and filling the knowledge gap about: (1) Identify the existing barriers and enablers that hinder or enable UNICEF disability inclusive programming to address the needs of children with disabilities; (2) Identify existing UNICEF disability inclusive programming approaches and models to reach out (with information and services), to create enabling environments, and to empower children with all types of disabilities. More specifically, identify what lessons that can be learned, what are the innovative approaches that can be scaled up or transferred to other contexts, including humanitarian and peacebuilding contexts. A secondary purpose from, the accountability side, is to identify what results have been achieved so far, what are the key barriers and enablers UNICEF is facing to deliver and reach out to children with disabilities, and what more can be done to mainstream disability-inclusive approaches to programming.

The Evaluation will pursue the following objectives:

  1. To identify how effectively disability inclusion has been implemented, over the 2018-2022 period.
  2. To identify barriers and enabling factors affecting UNICEF disability-inclusive programming, ensuring the inclusion of children with disabilities in all of UNICEF programmatic work.
  3. To assess what results were achieved, so far, for children with disabilities
  4. To identify effective, innovative, and promising UNICEF disability-inclusive programming approaches ensuring the inclusion of children with disabilities in all its work and addressing the specific needs of children with all types of disabilities. To identify best practices that can be adjusted or transferred across development, humanitarian, or peacebuilding contexts.
  5. To identify lessons that can be learned from global, regional, and country level initiatives, as well as from various development and humanitarian contexts

The evaluation team is responsible to submit the following deliverables:

  1. Inception report: The inception report should include a comprehensive background on the selected inclusive approaches, a finalized purpose, objective and scope, draft ToC’s for each inclusive intervention with UNICEF inputs, finalized evaluation questions, an evaluation matrix (including indicators through which the criteria will be assessed), a final list of data sources to be used, the methodology, finalized sampling strategy, data analysis plan and final data collection instruments and timelines for deliverables. A draft inception report should be shared with the reference group, after which the evaluation team should incorporate the received feedback and finalize the inception report. Following its finalization, the evaluation team should field-test the data collection instruments in the first country and incorporate feedback in the final instruments; after which roll-out in the other countries should start. Given the need for different instruments for different interventions, changes to the qualitative instruments are still accepted even after data collection has begun in some countries. Excluding annexes, the report should be concise and not be longer than 40 pages.
  2. **Main Synthesis repor****t: The synthesis report is the main deliverable of the evaluation, and should synthesize findings, conclusions and recommendations across evaluated inclusive intervention and approaches and countries. The report should be in line with UNICEF-adapted UNEG Evaluation Report Standards. The report should contain an executive summary of maximum five pages, a description of the programmes evaluated, the evaluation’s objectives, the methodology used and the evaluation’s main findings, conclusions and recommendations. Excluding annexes and the executive summary, the report should not be longer than 60 pages. No limited number of drafts should be set due to the need to optimise the quality of the synthesis report via the different consultations that are expected with reference group and key stakeholders.
  3. Country Evaluation Reports (4): Country Evaluation reports should complement the synthesis report. The reports should provide a high-level overview of the inclusive intervention/approach evaluated in the country and the scope of fieldwork and then focus on the findings, conclusions and recommendations based on the analysis of this particular inclusive approach. Excluding annexes, each country evaluation report should not be longer than 30 pages.
  4. **Validation workshop****: Prior to finalization of the synthesis report, the evaluation team needs to conduct a validation workshop to collect views on the findings from the Evaluation Office and the Reference Group. Given the recommendations are from the Evaluation office, the validation workshop will also discuss the draft recommendations, following a co-generation process, while maintaining the independence of the Evaluation team, and under the leadership and ownership of Evaluation Office. In addition, staff from UNICEF offices not visited during the assignment may be invited to participate in some sessions of the workshop, serving to corroborate the findings with experiences from other countries, further triangulating the conclusions and recommendations. The workshop is to be organized after submission of the first draft synthesis report.
  5. Datasets The evaluation team should make available all data that has been collected, not limited to but including from survey, focus group and KII.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

The Evaluation will be conducted by a team of three experienced evaluators with one of them with content expertise in disability inclusion programming in areas relevant to UNICEF, knowledge of UNICEF and its Strategic Plan, and can work within the given timeline. Preference will be given to teams whose membership is comprised of persons with disabilities who have standpoint expertise and interpretive experience related to stigma and barrier reduction.

The consultancy will be home-based, with potential travel to NYHQ and/or globally.

    1. Team member 1 will be the team leader preferably with knowledge or experience in UNICEF programming. The lead evaluator will be responsible for the overall direction of the Evaluation, producing all the deliverables in expected quality and timeliness, liaising with the UNICEF evaluation office, and having strong evaluation methodological expertise, experience in leading complex evaluation project to meet the requirements of this TOR. The team leader should hold a PhD or MA in a related field or in one of the UNICEF programmes. The team leader must also have 15 years of evaluation experience, including leading teams of the evaluation team. Preference will be given to team leaders with UNICEF evaluation experience and thematic experience on disability inclusive approaches.
    2. Team member 2 will be an evaluator, preferably with disability-inclusion expertise and preferably with knowledge or experience in UNICEF programming. Under the leadership of the team leader, this evaluator will have professional, academic, or lived knowledge of guiding factors related to disability inclusion and barriers to such inclusion. Team member 2 will have at least seven years of evaluation experience and will serve as a content expert who will interpret disability-inclusion findings through a lens of a rights-based normative framework and social model of disability. Team member two will hold a PhD or MA in a related field in one of the UNICEF programme areas.
    3. Team member 3 will be an evaluator with methodological expertise, preferably with knowledge of experience in UNICEF programming. Under the leadership or the team leader, this team member will serve as an expert on evaluation methodologies. Although methodologies are described in this TOR, the methodology expert will provide expertise on the implementation of the prescribed methods within the context of the UNICEF structure. Team member 3 will hold a PhD or MA in a policy-related field related to one of UNICEF programme areas, or a field with intensive research methodology requirements.

How to apply:

Interested candidates must submit the following documents:

  1. CV, cover letter and a technical proposal demonstrating how the consultant(s) or team intend to deliver on the work. the proposal should describe the general understanding of the TORS by the team, the evaluand (what), approach and methodology (how), team (who), and proposed workplan (when)(no longueur than 15 pages).
  2. The daily rate should indicate expected total budget with a breakdown cost for each stage of the work.
  3. The budget can include travel costs as a separate item but given the uncertainty about feasibility of travel at this stage, UNICEF reserves the right to exclude the estimated travel amount from the prospective contract amount.
  4. The application should be accompanied by short examples (through links provided or attached documents) of analyses that show experience and competence to undertake this consultancy in line with the required qualifications described above.
  5. Individual consultant or team can apply, indicating the role team member 1 (team leader) or team member 2 or 3

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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 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.

Remarks:

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.

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