Consultant to support UNICEF Mexico in advancing the implementation of its PSEA Strategy and in ensuring its implementing partners align with required PSEA standards. Mexico

This opening expired 2 years ago. Do not try to apply for this job.

UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund

Open positions at UNICEF
Logo of UNICEF

Application deadline 2 years ago: Friday 24 Sep 2021 at 04:55 UTC

Open application form

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

General Context

The prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse has, for decades, been at the core of UNICEF’s mandate. UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy for sexual exploitation and abuse perpetrated by employees, personnel and sub-contractors of UNICEF and implementing partners.

In December 2018, under the Championship of UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore, the IASC Principals laid out in a Plan for Accelerating PSEA at Country-Level. The plan outlines three main priorities: 1) safe, accessible and dignified reporting that is gender and child sensitive; 2) quality SEA survivor assistance; and 3) enhanced accountability, including through prompt and respectful investigations.

To demonstrate UNICEF’s commitment to advance the agenda on PSEA, ED Fore allocated US$11 million in 2018 to support 16 countries,1 where crises have created a spike in vulnerability. A Results Monitoring Framework has been developed and rolled-out at country level to measure progress and results at country and global level.

Following the endorsement of the United Nations Protocol On Allegations Of Sexual Exploitation And Abuse Involving Implementing Partners (hereinafter referred to the UN Protocol) in February 2018, UNICEF has incorporated prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse standards in the General Terms and Conditions of partnership agreements with civil society organizations.

The most significant changes in the General Terms and Conditions are as follows:

  • Article 4.0 clarifies that if the implementing partner is using further tiers of sub-contractors (e.g. sub-sub-contractors), they are required to adhere to the agreement;
  • Article 11.2(b) provides that sexual exploitation and abuse, or child safeguarding violations perpetrated by implementing partner workers, or a failure of the implementing partner to properly address such issues, each constitutes grounds for immediate termination of the agreement;
  • Article 13.0 lists policy obligations concerning protection from sexual exploitation and abuse, child safeguarding and fraud;
  • Article 14.0 defines sexual exploitation and abuse and child safeguarding violations, and prescribes expectations of ‘zero tolerance’, preventative measures (including training), obligations to report to UNICEF, and investigation obligations; and
  • Article 16.0 extends assessments from ones relating to finances alone, to ones assessing capacity to address sexual exploitation and abuse or child safeguarding violations.

Considering the above, UNICEF has developed a procedure and related tools to support UNICEF Offices and their Implementing Partners to abide by the requirements of the UN Protocol and the General Terms and Conditions of their partnership agreements with UNICEF.

UNICEF Mexico is organising PSEA trainings for staff and Implementing Partners and conducting PSEA risk assessments, and thereafter working with Implementing partners to jointly strengthen prevention of and response to sexual exploitation and abuse through strengthening prevention, reporting, referral and investigation capacities. Through these measures, UNICEF Mexico together with Implementing Partners aims to create a safer and more protective environment for every child.

Objective

Support Mexico Country Office in advancing its PSEA Strategy through strengthening internal PSEA knowledge/capacity and tools and ensuring its implementing partners align with required PSEA standards.

Main duties and responsibilities

The consultant will contribute to develop and implement the PSEA action plan to accelerate results in Mexico Country Office. The aim is to have an integral system based on a holistic view of keeping children and communities safe from sexual exploitation and abuse across all areas of programming and operations. This includes the implementation of: 1) a UNICEF PSEA CO Action Plan; 2) PSEA reporting system; 3) UN Victims’ Assistance Protocol for all child and adult victims of SEA (which has been developed by UN); and 4) capacity development of UNICEF CSO implementing partners to prevent and respond to SEA across all areas of UNICEF programming.

Technical Support for Country Office (CO)

The consultant will develop the PSEA Action Plan for the Country Office (CO), with a defined strategy, activities, results, deadlines and responsibilities. The consultant will contribute to develop the CO internal mechanisms to prevent, detect, refer, and care for PSEA victims (it includes an internal protocol), also to encourage awareness of UNICEF staff and programs beneficiaries, etc. The consultant may assist with facilitating UNICEF internal training needs that may arise, for example: training of PSEA focal points in MCO; training of programme sectoral technical staff in conducting PSEA Assessments; training of programme sectoral technical staff in carrying out beneficiary level monitoring with SEA questions, as well as development of materials for MCO and partners (training materials, reporting and referral pathways, communication materials (only contents) for beneficiaries, especially children etc.).

Training:

Conduct virtual group trainings for UNICEF staff and Implementing Partners on PSEA using available PSEA Toolkit training package and other available products and sometimes adapting them to suit local contexts.

Develop suitable documents and materials (infographics, training materials, etc.) to help implement PSEA strategy with UNICEF’s implementing partners, as well as a compendium of FAQ from trainings and share with responses and links to relevant reference materials.

Complete a report of each training event, for every training session; hand in a list of Participants with relevant details of their organization, position and contact details.

Conducting PSEA Assessments:

The PSEA Assessment is intended to give UNICEF and its partners a baseline for tracking progress of partners’ organizational capacities on PSEA. The Consultant is expected to complete the assessment together with the UNICEF implementing partner before UNICEF enters into a partnership. The Assessment, when completed in collaboration with the partner, provides a shared understanding of the partner’s organizational strengths and areas of improvement on PSEA moving forward.

After completing the UNICEF PSEA Toolkit Training Package (to ensure that the Consultant has a complete understanding of the PSEA Toolkit and the PSEA Assessment), and using the standard UNICEF PSEA Assessment questionnaire and the related instructions for completing the questionnaire, the Consultant collaboratively conducts PSEA Assessments of national CSO (Civil Society Organizations) implementing partners of UNICEF. The PSEA Assessment is documented in the provided template, and supporting evidence is collected and filed against each Core Standard.

COVID19 Remote PSEA Assessments for National CSO Partners: Verification of Self-Assessments by Partners

The consultant will verify PSEA self-assessments completed by the national CSO partner. Ideally, the self-assessments will be completed during a remote PSEA Toolkit Training session, as described in the COVID19 Implementing Partnership Management Guidance.

Steps for Review and Verification of Partner PSEA Self-Assessment

  1. Review documentation: Consultant verifies that the supporting documentation provided by the partner adequately justifies the self-assessment rating of the partner. This is done following the guidance in the Methodology for Review of Assessments . The consultant documents findings of the review, clearly indicating questions and missing documentation for partner in the Template for Feedback to Partner.
  2. Follow up with partner: Consultant shares the Feedback with partner and asks for further clarification and documentation for finalizing the assessment as needed. The partner is given a reasonable period of time to gather or develop the additional policy, procedure or system, and is guided to the PSEA Toolkit for resources to help with this.
  3. Update review: Consultant adds additional information received from partner to updated Template for Feedback to Partner.
  4. Provide final feedback to partner: Consultant informs the partner of the outcome of the verification process, using the final section of the Template for Feedback to Partner
  5. Develop and/or follow up to PSEA action plans: Develop and/or monitor PSEA action plans with partners to ensure they address gaps in organizational capacity
  6. Record review outcomes: on conclusion of the process the consultant records the PSEA assessment in e-Tools against the partner record.

Strengthening Prevention, Reporting, Referral and Investigation Capacities of national CSO implementing partners:

Using the PSEA Toolkit as a primary reference, collaboratively work with national CSO implementing partners to develop an Action Plan to address gaps in organizational PSEA capacity, as highlighted through the PSEA Assessment. Thereafter, provide support to the national CSO to develop and implement policies, procedures, and systems to improve PSEA organization capacity of the CSO.

To support partners’ efforts in addressing identified capacity gaps, the PSEA Toolkit provides practical guidance on PSEA as well as an extensive list of additional resources in each section.

Key activities

Under the supervision of the Child Protection Officer, the consultant will implement the following activities

  • Develop the PSEA Action Plan for the CO, with a defined strategy, activities, results, deadlines and responsibilities
  • Implement and follow up of the CO PSEA Action Plan activities.
  • Contribute to identify and develop the CO internal mechanisms to prevent, detect, refer, and care for PSEA victims
  • Guide, supervise and strengthen the capacities of UNICEF staff and implementing partners on PSEA
  • Conduct PSEA assessments with implementing partners
  • Develop PSEA materials (infographics, training materials, etc.) and adapt the existing ones to suit the local context.
  • Facilitate PSEA webinars/in person trainings for UNICEF staff and partners
  • Develop and/or follow up PSEA actions plans with partners to ensure they address gaps in organizational capacity
  • Participate in field missions to Tijuana, Tapachula and Ciudad Juárez to support field staff with PSEA in shelters and conduct PSEA needs assessments and recommendations.
  • Diffusion of PSEA materials for CO (sharepoint webpage)

Deliverables

Deliverables

Deadline

  • CO PSEA Action Plan
  • 5 IPs PSEA assessments conducted
  • Monitoring tool to record the PSEA assessments completed
  • 1 PSEA infographic/flyer developed
  • Any other document/task if requested
  • Publication of PSEA materials (Sharepoint webpage)

October

  • Report of CO PSEA Action plan implementation
  • Draft version of the internal PSEA protocol.
  • PSEA Training package (ppt) for partners and new staff developed
  • Model of referral pathway for partners developed
  • 1 PSEA webinar for partners delivered
  • 4 IP’s PSEA assessments completed
  • Any other document/task if requested

November

  • Report of PSEA Action plan implementation
  • Final version of the internal PSEA protocol.
  • 3 IP’s PSEA assessments completed
  • 1 PSEA webinar delivered
  • 1 field mission to Tijuana/Tapachula/Ciudad Juárez conducted (mission report and debriefing)
  • 1 PSEA in person training for staff and partners delivered in Tijuana/Tapachula/Ciudad Juárez
  • 6 Action Plans to address gaps in organizational PSEA capacity within partners completed
  • Any other document/task if requested

December

  • Report of PSEA Action plan implementation
  • 2 IP’s PSEA assessments completed
  • 1 PSEA webinar delivered
  • 1 field mission to Tijuana/Tapachula/Ciudad Juárez conducted (mission report and debriefing)
  • 1 PSEA in person training for staff and partners delivered in Tijuana/Tapachula/Ciudad Juárez
  • 1 PSEA infographic/flyer developed
  • Any other document/task if requested

January

  • Report of PSEA Action plan implementation
  • 1 field mission to Tijuana/Tapachula/Ciudad Juárez conducted (mission report and debriefing)
  • 1 PSEA in person training for staff and partners delivered in Tijuana/Tapachula/Ciudad Juárez
  • 1 PSEA webinar delivered
  • Compendium of FAQ from trainings delivered and shared
  • Any other document/task if requested

February

  • Final report of PSEA Action plan implementation
  • 6 Action Plans to address gaps in organizational PSEA capacity within partners completed
  • 1 PSEA in person training for staff and partners delivered in Mexico City
  • Any other document/task if requested

March

Required profile

  • An advanced university degree (Masters and above) in one of the following areas is required: international development, human rights, psychology, sociology, international law, or another relevant social science field.
  • A minimum of 5 years of relevant professional work experience in child protection, or prevention or protection against sexual exploitation and abuse, or gender-based violence is required, including very good knowledge of the technical area. Experience in conducting trainings is an asset. Experience working in multi-cultural settings is an asset. Experience in capacity building and systems strengthening is an asset.
  • Very good organizational and facilitation skills required.
  • Fluency in Spanish and proficiency in English is required.
  • UNICEF Core Values are Diversity and Inclusion; Integrity; and Commitment. UNICEF Core Competencies are Communication; Working with People; and Drive for Results. Applicants are required to have proficiency in all of these areas.

Working conditions

  • Home office.
  • Availability to travel to Chihuahua, Chiapas and Baja California and to have meetings in Mexico City.
  • Expenses linked to field missions will be reimbursed by UNICEF
  • The consultant needs to use his/her own computing system/laptop
  • The consultant needs to count with a medical insurance for the whole contract duration (must prove its validity before starting the contract).

Remarks

  • The application must include an economic proposal describing the activities to be performed and the cost per day:
Added 2 years ago - Updated 2 years ago - Source: unicef.org