Full-time Individual Contractor (11.5 months, home-based in Italy with field travel): Social Behavioural Change Consultant - Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECARO), Rome, Italy

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, Protection

Background

The war in Ukraine is having a devastating impact on the country’s 7.5 million children, with humanitarian needs multiplying by the hour as the fighting continues. Children continue to be killed, wounded, and deeply traumatized by the violence all around them and families that manage to flee are terrified, in shock, and desperate for safety. According to UNICEF, more than one in two children has left Ukraine. Since February 24, there are 3 million displaced children inside Ukraine and 2.9 refugees in the bordering countries. A remaining 2 million children is in danger of being displaced or become a refugee.

In Italy, according to data of the Ministry of Interior, since February 2022, more than 158,800 refugees from Ukraine (83,148 women, 27,868 men and 47,784 children) have been recorded in the country. 5,392 unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) from Ukraine are currently hosted within the Italian reception system, with the Ukrainian representing the first nationality of all UASC in Italy. The number of boys and girls is equally represented where roughly 50 per cent are girls and 50 per cent are boys.

To put emphasis on the need to respect protection and reception standards during and after the emergency phase and to support the social inclusion of Ukrainian refugee boys and girls, in the first months following the war in Ukraine, UNICEF developed a multi-level social and behavioral change and awareness raising strategy using a mixed methodology approach comprising of key informant interviews, desk review, online engagement review and media review. The resulting SBCC strategy, rooted also in the needs assessment process conducted by UNICEF, was then reviewed and validated together with UNHCR and IOM, to ensure a synergic response to the issue. The strategy was developed on three main lines of work:

1. Harmonizing the information available on the response and its provision to the different audiences from the different stakeholders involved in the response;
2. Engaging the different groups that the strategy is targeting;
3. Advocating with both the general public, being it Italian or Ukrainian, and with the national authorities and the media.

This strategy, focused on raising awareness about child protection and safeguarding, promoting positive behaviours and engaging people for social change, targets four main populations including Ukrainian individuals and communities (both arriving in Italy or already in the country), Italian individuals and communities, services providers involved in the response and local and national institutions.

Scope of Work

Considering the continuous evolution of the needs and trends of the population affected by the Ukraine crisis – including with return movements being reported – and to ensure an updated and tailored response, the main responsibilities and tasks of the consultancy are the following:

• Periodically review and update UNICEF’s SBCC strategy to ensure its alignment with the current needs and priorities;
• Guide a process of prioritization of SBCC activities at both UNICEF and inter-agency level and develop specific implementation plans;
• Support the implementation and monitoring of the SBCC activities and take corrective actions to ensure a smooth implementation of the SBCC strategy;
• Sharpen and systematize monitoring and evaluation of SBCC interventions;
• Strengthen existing and/or establish new partnerships for scaling up and sustaining SBCC interventions;
• Facilitate periodic coordination and exchanges with UNHCR and IOM for the harmonization and possible joint implementation of SBCC activities;
• Support the development of and/or quality assure new SBCC materials, messages and media products and their dissemination with the relevant audiences;
• Analyze and systematize UNICEF’s SBCC interventions, including beyond the response to the Ukraine crisis, and support the development of new strategies and planning of future activities;
• Assess existing partner capacity as well as new potential partners and identify the main government counterparts and other key actors engaged in SBCC work e.g. strategic community level actors, community networks, faith-based organizations, youth networks, women’s organizations and umbrella organizations.

Purpose of the Assignment

The Social Behavioural Change Consultant will support planning, implementation, periodic review, monitoring and evaluation of UNICEF’s social behavioural change communication strategies and activities for the response to the Ukraine crisis in Italy and, more broadly, for the Refugee and Migrant response, in coordination with other UN agencies and institutional counterparts.

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks / Milestone******Deliverables / Outputs******Timeline / DeadlineSupport the prioritization of SBCC interventions and periodic review of the UNICEF’s SBCC strategy for the response to the Ukraine crisis in ItalyReport on prioritized activities of SBCC strategyMonth 2Revision and update of SBCC strategyQuarterlySupport the implementation of the SBCC activities in close coordination with other UN agencies and other relevant actorsPlan for the implementation of prioritized activities including monitoring frameworkMonth 2Minutes of periodic coordination meetings with UNHCR and IOMMonthlyReport on implementation of activities and on progress against monitoring frameworkMonthlySupport the planning of future UNICEF SBCC strategies and interventionsReport on the current SBCC interventions, including assessment of internal and external capacitiesMonth 4UNICEF’s 2023 strategy on SBCC activities developed and validated internallyMonth 5 (not later than March 2023)Assessment of current and potential partners’Month 10Ensure coordination of SBCC interventions with GoI, Civil Protection, UNHCR, IOM and other key stakeholdersMonthly meetings with partners on SBCC held and minutedMonthlySupport the development of and/or quality assure new SBCC content and dissemination to relevant audiences100% new messages reach 70% of planned target audienceMonthlyEstimated Duration of the Contract

11.5 months (November 2022 - October 2023)

Individual Contractor's Work Place and Official Travel

The assignment will be home-based in Italy. The Individual Contractor is required on a full-time basis for the period of the contract.

The Individual Contractor will travel to field locations in Italy. The Individual Contractor will be responsible for organizing their travel. Travel expenses (tickets, accommodation, public transport, meals) will be reimbursed.

Travel Clause

• All UNICEF rules and regulations related to travel of Consultants/Individual Contractors apply.
• All travels shall be undertaken only upon the prior written approval by UNICEF.
• The consultant is responsible for his/her for travel arrangements. The most economic and direct route is authorized.
• Travel costs will be reimbursed after the completion of mission upon submission of the invoice together with the supporting documentation.
• The consultant must be fit to travel, be in a possession of the valid UN BSAFE certificate, obligatory inoculation(s) and have a valid own travel/medical insurance and an immunization/vaccination card.

Estimated Cost of the Consultancy & Payment Schedule

Payment will be made on submission of a monthly invoice and satisfactory completion of the above-mentioned deliverables. Please indicate an all inclusive fixed monthly fee in EUR to undertake this assignment.

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

• Bachelor's in Sociology, communication, behavior science, social sciences or any related technical field;
• At least 5 years of experience in the SBCC field;
• Proven track record in country level SBCC strategy development, implementation and/or monitoring is required;
• Fluency in English and Italian required;
• Previous work experience with UNICEF or any other UN agency required;
• Experience working with migrant and refugee or highly vulnerable populations desired.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA), and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

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:

Please include a full CV and Financial Proposal in your application. Additionally, indicate your availability and monthly rate (in EUR) to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a monthly rate will not be considered. 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.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants 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.