Consultant to Map and analyze adolescent and youth engagement initiatives and adolescent and youth networks relevant to water and sanitation and climate change in South Asia

Contract

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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, a future

How can you make a difference?

1. Background and Rationale:

The UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia (ROSA) supports eight countries in the region implement rights-based programming in the five UNICEF goal areas of Health and Nutrition, Education, Child protection, Water and Sanitation/Climate Change and Social Protection. In line with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), UNICEF forges empowered partnerships with children including adolescents and young people as partners for change, ensuring that their voices and concerns are on board the initiatives we shape for and with them. With adolescents and young people, specific age-based strategies are utilized that recognize adolescents’ and youth right to participation, and their evolving capacities in engaging in and influencing social change. Initiatives that engage adolescents and young people have also proven to enhance programme success in many spheres of development work at UNICEF.

This concept note will inform a Terms of Reference intended to support stronger youth engagement strategies in Water and Sanitation (WASH) and Climate Change strategies across the region.

Adolescent and youth voices in WASH policies and strategies is integral to responsive child rights programming in WASH. At the same time, enabling the self-organization and agency of adolescent and youth-led groups in order to be proactive partners in WASH is essential to deliver on effective youth engagement strategies.

WASH sections at UNICEF South Asia have traditionally ensured extensive engagement with communities through purposefully established WASH committees at both the community and institution level, particularly in schools and healthcare facilities. There are also at least a decade long trend in the engagement of youth and adolescents in advancing WASH practices. Within WASH programming, adolescents and young people have been creatively and meaningfully engaged at community level, and at policy level, including in informing WASH and CC curriculum and educational initiatives. Yet mainstreaming youth engagement in WASH programmes more systematically, ensuring their participation in adult committees and policy spaces and supporting adolescent and youth-led formations require a strong, evidence-based approach in the region.

In order to support systematic adolescent and youth engagement strategies the Adolescent Development and Participation (ADAP) section at UNICEF South Asia, in collaboration with thematic sectors, provides substantive evidence and adolescent and engagement participation capacity building solutions.

This assignment will focus on three countries Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan, where WASH is engaged in several implementation programmes working directly with communities.

2. Purpose:

The objective of this initiative is to undertake a qualitative mapping exercise in order to:

a. understand the basis for a systematic youth engagement strategy in WASH and climate action in South Asia

b. identifying areas of support to adolescent and youth groups and

c. supporting fund-raising initiatives for adolescent and youth engagement in WASH and climate action.

Specific objectives include:

a. Understanding existing youth engagement initiatives at national level, two sub-national contexts, and up to 3 identified local contexts each in Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan through a mapping exercise against a framework agreed with UNICEF

b. Understanding the structures and functions of existing youth and adolescent clubs, networks and other formations at national level, two sub-national levels and up to three local levels in Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan on WASH and climate change/environment against a framework agreed with UNICEF.

3. Key Assignments and Tasks:

• Review and finalize the preliminary mapping matrix that will be provided by UNICEF ROSA.
• Review and finalize the preliminary interview matrix for programme planners and adolescent/youth groups provided by UNICEF ROSA
• Hold discussions with national and sub-national WASH, Climate Change and Adolescent Development and Participation (ADAP) staff in Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan on current initiatives and existing youth and adolescent formations
• Develop a sampling frame of adolescent and youth networks and school clubs engaged in WASH and climate change in relevant geographical locations.
• Narrow down on sample for interviews based on provided criteria
• Hold discussion with adolescent and youth groups
• Provide draft report
• Provide final report

4. Key deliverables:

Brief report on way forward based on discussion with country staff and partners 10 days

Progress report of completion of all interview with adolescent and youth groups 10 days

Formulation and submission of draft report 30 days

Final report submitted 10 days

Duration: March 15 to June 15 2022.

Note: The consultancy is home based. Please submit your application with the financial proposal.

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

Education:

• At least an MA in humanities, social sciences with a specific focus on youth development
• Highly desirable: complementary qualifications in WASH and climate change

Experience:

• At least five years’ experience in evaluation and research on youth engagement and participation in development settings with a particular focus on WASH and climate change

• Experience working with and mobilizing adolescent and youth groups highly desirable

  Language:

• English with strong ability to translate

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

Competencies:

• Critical analysis skills
• High level of English language fluency
• Ability to work with diverse social groups including most marginalized youth
• Ability to work in translation
• Ability to collaborate and engage with diverse viewpoints
• Youth engagement skills
• Knowledge of youth development, empowerment and participation

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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.