Individual consultancy to produce a comprehensive guide for the implementation of life skills activities in schools

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, Education

How can you make a difference?

Purpose and Objective:

Purpose and Objective: The Education section of UNICEF intends to recruit an individual consultant to develop a guideline for the implementation of the activities of life skills in schools beginning with the themes of gender, violence against children, menstrual hygiene management and psychosocial support.

This will be an individual consultancy and the consultant will work in collaboration and under the guidance of the Ministry of Education and Human Development and the United Nations Children's Fund.

This consultancy is expected to contribute to strengthening of the capacity of the Education and Human Development sector to respond to the challenges of limited access, participation and retention, and dropouts of vulnerable children, in particular adolescent girls, and to strengthen the protective environment against violence and abuse. This consultancy will be carried out in accordance with the “Education Sector Strategic Plan (2020 - 2030)” recently approved by MINEDH, the “Gender Strategy Education Sector and its Operational Plan for the period 2016-2020”, “Strategy against Child Marriage” of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Action (MGCAS) and the new Law on Child Marriage.

Methodology and Technical Approach:

The consultant will work closely with the Ministry of Education and Human Development, the UNICEF Education Section and the UNICEF Child Protection Section, under the supervision of the UNICEF Education Officer / Specialist. Taking into account the country's emergency situation due to the COVID pandemic, the Consultant will do most of the work remotely. Face-to face work will be done if conditions permit.

The consultant should produce an inclusive guideline for the implementation of the activities of life skills in schools. This instrument should take into account the experiences and lessons learned by UNICEF and other actors in Mozambique as well as in other countries and be appropriate for the current context and situation of Mozambique.

For this work, the consultant must make use of the technological means available until the situation is normalized. Activities to be implemented at the school level, should be scheduled for the last phase of the consultancy, when the situation is stabilized, schools are functioning, and students are available.

The work will consist of (i) desk review of the key documents, (ii) interviews, meetings, consultations and discussions with officials from the education and child protection sectors and partners both at central and provincial levels, (iii) drafting guidelines for the implementation of activities of circles of interest in schools, and (iv) an experimental phase based on the draft guidelines to be implemented in schools, during the activities of like skills to children and adolescents at school level, which will be possible only after the reopening of schools. In case this is not possible, MINEDH in collaboration with UNICEF will decide how to deal with this phase.

Activities and Tasks:

1. Consultancy work plan

Considering the current emergency, the consultant should produce and submit to UNICEF a proposal for a work plan for this consultancy, including detailed information on the activities to be implemented, partners contacted and strategy for collecting information in order to achieve the planned results. 5%

2. Current situation review report:

Collection of information on, and analysis of existing national and international tools for implementing life skills activities / circles of interest at school, and on good practices in preventing and responding to violence against the child at school through interviews and meetings with the main actors at all levels (central, provincial, district and even the school). 15%

3. Draft guidelines for the implementation of activities of circles of interest in schools: development of an inclusive guide with specific guidelines for carrying out activities with children and adolescents, on the following topics: gender and violence against children and psychosocial support. This guide should include a chapter with the conceptualization of these issues, the approach and principles to be considered when implementing the script. 40%
4. The Final Report and guidelines: a report of activities of pilot life skills activities implemented in schools; the final version of the comprehensive guidelines for the implementation of life skills activities in schools and the final report of the consultancy.

To finalize the guidelines, the following actions will be taken:

Working in collaboration with DPEDH-Nampula and Zambézia and UNICEF, implement circle of interest activities (life skills) in at least 6 schools (at least 3 schools per province); test the guidelines with school gender and health focal points teachers and with boys and girls at district and school level. After testing the script at school level, include any necessary changes and comments received during the testing period. Organize a multi-sectoral script validation meeting, with the participation of key government sectors and civil society organizations to present the script. Based on the comments received at the multisectoral meeting, review the script and submit the final version of the script for implementation at the national level. Produce a final report with a summary of the activities implemented, the specific findings and recommendations to ensure a specific implementation of the inclusive script in schools. 40%

Deliverables and Payments:

The period of time determined for this consultancy is 90 days in a period of 6 months.

All payments will be processed upon acceptance of the corresponding deliverables by UNICEF and against an invoice that will refer to the contract and the planned result. Payment will be approved by the respective UNICEF Head of Education.

Payments will be processed upon acceptance of the corresponding deliverable and against an invoice that will make reference to the contract reference and deliverable number. Payments will be approved by the respective section chief.

Management and Supervision:

The consultancy will be supervised by the Education Officer of UNICEF, in close consultation and in coordination with the Head of the Gender Department of MINEDH and with the Gender Coordinator of DPEDH Nampula and Zambézia.

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

• Minimum a master’s degree in social sciences or other related area with specialization in gender, child protection issues, etc.;

  • At least five years of professional experience in the development of tools and the implementation of activities with children and adolescents.

  • Knowledge and work experience in the following thematic areas: gender-based violence, violence against children, menstrual hygiene management and psychosocial support.

  • Knowledge of the context of Mozambique, in particular of the situation of gender disparities in the education sector and the context of violence against children in the country.

  • Fluent in Portuguese and reading and interpreting skills in English.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

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.

Annex 3 - Template - TOR lifeskills guidelines_TS+KO (2).docx

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.