Home-Based Consultancy to conduct a stocktaking exercise on Accountability to Affected Populations in UNICEF-led clusters & Area of Responsibility (50 working days between Nov 2022 to Mar 20

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, Hope

Background

In 2015, OFDA awarded UNICEF a grant to ensure better integration of quality and Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) in the work of UNICEF-led and co-led global and country clusters and Area of Responsibility (AoR) as well as other coordination mechanisms.

The proposal was born out of a request by UNICEF to OFDA to use its clusters/AoR to influence and promote change in a way that reinforces quality and accountability. The grant expired at the end of 2019 and a review was made to document lessons from the AAP project in terms of its relevance, effectiveness, coverage and impact and to identify concrete actions/recommendations required by UNICEF to ensure that successes and benefits of the project are sustained beyond the end of the project.

The AAP Section in EMOPS Geneva has been supporting UNICEF-led clusters since 2015 and reaffirmed this commitment at the end of the review, as part of its role to strengthen AAP in UNICEF. As part of this ongoing efforts, it has been agreed with the Global Cluster Coordination Section to conduct a stock take of how UNICEF-led clusters/AoR have mainstreamed AAP in their work at country level, what have been the concrete results and what are the remaining gaps.

Purpose of Activity/Assignment

The purpose of this assignment is to identify key areas of actions and recommendations for further reinforcing AAP in the clusters/AoR in the next 4 years. The consultancy will cover mapping of activities, tools, and surveys in the area of AAP that are being implemented or under development by UNICEF-led clusters/AoR globally and in countries. This exercise will include both an inventory and a technical assessment of the extent to which AAP is implemented in national clusters.

Scope of work

1. National clusters

A - Mapping of:

• How AAP has been mainstreamed in clusters/AoR (TORs, workplans, HNO/HRP, standing agenda point in meetings, appointment of AAP focal points, etc.).
• Clusters/AoR engagement with affected populations, including children, through community participation, two-ways communication and feedback mechanisms – including what populations are being engaged, with consideration to gender, age, disability and other.
• Complaints and feedback mechanisms (CFMs), either as inter-cluster/inter-agency initiatives or cluster-specific CFMs, and the extent to which they are used by different segments of the populations (including to report sensitive issues), and ensure the data collected informs decision-making.
• Ways of disseminating critical and timely information about services/projects and who this information reaches in the community (with consideration for gender, age, disability and other).
• Inter-agency coordination, through AAP Working Group (or similar), ICCG, with other clusters/AoRs, etc.
• AAP capacity building initiatives and other technical support available.
• Extent to which AAP indicators/questions are mainstreamed in surveys, assessments, as well as output and outcome/quality monitoring of humanitarian responses.
• Whether and how AAP is resourced/funded

B - Assessment of:

• gaps in knowledge, capacities (including in coordination and partners), implementation, and others. Based on the elements covered under section A, the mapping will allow to identify areas where some gaps exist. Questions on potential gaps should be included in the key informant interviews with clusters and partners.

2. Global clusters

• How AAP is mainstreamed in global strategies and workplans.
• Existence or plans in progress related to AAP orientation to national clusters/AoR or mainstreaming of AAP in capacity building coordination trainings.
• Extent to which mainstreaming of AAP reflects recognition of diversity among affected populations (including by gender, age, disability and other).
• Existence of AAP taskforces or global cluster /AoR initiatives to strengthen people- centered work

Data collection Methodology

The data collection will include both quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative methods are important (for example “yes/no questions”, “scale of practice”, etc.) to establish a baseline and identify areas that will require specific attention, whereas qualitative methods will provide additional in-depth information.

• Key informant interviews (KII) and/or focus-group discussions with national and subnational cluster coordinators, co-leads, IMOs and cluster partners;
• KII with global cluster/AoR coordination teams;
• Desk/literature review;
• Connecting with consultant conducting the review of cross cutting, including AAP mainstreaming in HNO/HRPs for 2022.

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks / Milestone******Deliverables / Outputs******Timeline / DeadlineInception report & literature reviewAn inception report detailing how the assignment will be approached, including the scope, analytical framework that will be used for the assessment, selection criteria, type of information to be collected, methods/sources for collection of the relevant information and appraisal criteria. It will be based on a preliminary review of existing literature.5 working days;

by 23 November 2022

Interviews with global and national clusters- Conduct interviews with relevant colleagues.

- Summary of interview findings.

- The findings should include a consolidated list of data on activities/initiatives, methods of work, tools & surveys, clusters TORs with AAP, and any existing documentation on their use, in electronic format., with links to the tools, and details, description, purpose of each

25 working days;

by 24 February 2023

Writing and submission of draft report- A draft report for UNICEF’s revision.

- The draft report will summarize all the above, including the outcomes of the inventory and assessment, major gaps, strengths and limitations of the AAP work, tools, and recommendations for further work.

- The report will also include a description of the analytical framework used for the assessment and a comprehensive overview of the different activities, plans, initiatives, methodologies to implement AAP in clusters/AoR work.

- The draft report will include gaps and recommendations.

10 working days;

by 03 March 2023

Submission of final report & PPT (including gaps and recommendations)- A final detailed report with UNICEF’s feedback incorporated, summarizing all the above including the outcomes of the inventory and assessment, major gaps, strengths and limitations of the AAP work, tools, and recommendations for further work.

- The report will also include a description of the analytical framework used for the assessment and a comprehensive overview of the different activities, plans, initiatives, methodologies to implement AAP in clusters/AoR work.

- The report will include gaps and recommendations.

- The report will be summarized in PPT format for presentations and disseminations.

- The findings will be presented in 4 meetings with the AAP Section.

10 working days;

by 31 March 2023

Estimated Duration of the Contract

50 working days (between November 2022 and March 2023)

Consultant’s Work Place and Official Travel

The Consultant will be remote/home-based reporting to AAP team, UNICEF EMOPS Geneva.

Estimated Cost of the Consultancy & Payment Schedule

Payment will be made on submission of an invoice and satisfactory completion of the above-mentioned deliverables. Please indicate a daily fee based on 50 working days to undertake this assignment.

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

• Master’s degree in relevant field, with at least 8 years of professional experience in the area of development and humanitarian response and/or international development (or Bachelor’s degree and at least 10 years of professional experience).
• Familiarity with the principles of accountability to affected populations, risk communication and community engagement (feedback and complaints mechanisms, participation, information provision).
• Professional expertise in documentation, designing and conducting qualitative research reviews and evaluations, design of surveys, conducting interviews and groups discussions and data collection.
• Experience with managing and conducting multi-stakeholder consultations at different levels.
• Experience with humanitarian coordination systems, including cluster-system and collective approaches to Accountability to Affected Populations/Community Engagement highly desirable.
• Experience in working on inclusion of people living with disability, child and youth participation, GBV and other cross/cutting issues desirable.
• Preferably work experiences with UNICEF or other UN agency, ideally in a country office.
• Excellent analytical skills with strong drive for results and capacity to work independently.
• Excellent English communication and writing skills. Samples of previous work will be required.
• Knowledge of another UN official language is an asset.

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.

View our competency framework at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

Remarks:

Please include a full CV and Financial Proposal in your application by indicating your availability and daily rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a daily 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.