Individual Consultant for National Policy Dialogues on Multi-dimensional Child Poverty, Viet Nam

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.

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For every child, Social Protection...

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

- To disseminate the key findings of the updated multi-dimensional child poverty (MdCP) study.

- To facilitate policy dialogues and identify policy options and priorities to achieve VietNam’s target for reducing multi-dimensional child poverty by 2030.

Scope of Work:

In 2023, UNICEF and the VietNam General Statistics Office (GSO) undertook an analysis to update the Multidimensional Child Poverty (MdCP) statistics of VietNam, using the updated data from 2020 Household Living Standards Survey (VHLSS) and 2020-2021 SDG Survey on Children and Women (SDGCW). The analysis indicates that:

- The proportion of MdCP decreased rapidly from 21.2% in 2014 to 10.7% in 2020, with decreases in all geographic regions and population groups.

- However, the poverty rate was still high in some groups of children in terms of age, geographical locations, ethnicity or ability status.

- Ethnic minority children have a very high rate of MdCP at 33.1% while only 6.3% of their Kinh/Hoa peers live in the same situation.

- Disparities between ethnic groups are notable in many dimensions including nutrition, health, education, WASH and gender.

The evidence on child multi-dimensional poverty (MdCP) is important to inform policy making and programming for children. Using the updated MdCP statistics as a starting point, UNICEF Viet Nam plans to engage key stakeholders and development partners, including the World Bank, ADB, IMF and UNDP to explore policy options to achieve VietNam’s targets for reducing MdCP by 2030. The policy options will include an analysis and recommendations on how to leverage existing policies and programmes on poverty reduction, ethnic minority development, sustainable development to advance MdCP’s agenda.

Work Assignment:

- Consultation with UNICEF Social Policy Section (2 working days):

3-5 page report to present the proposed methodology of the Policy Dialogues and content of the Policy Brief, by 30 August 2023.

- Desk review and key informant interviewson poverty, policies and programmes to reduce MdCP (6 working days):

3-5 page report on key findings of the desk review and KII, by 15 September 2023.

- Policy dialogues with key stakeholders (2 working days):

At least 1 round table discussion with key stakeholders and experts working in the area of poverty reduction, by 15 October 2023.

- Policy Brief on A Roadmap to Achieve VietNam’s target for reducing multi-dimensional child poverty by 2030 (5 working days before 30 October 2023):

Maximum of 20 page Full Report and 2-4 page Policy Brief that identified policy options to Achieve VietNam’s target for reducing multi-dimensional child poverty by 2030.

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

Education:

• Advanced university degree in development economics, social policy, social sciences or related areas of majors.

• At least 10 years of professional experience in policy analysis and research.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills Required:

• Extensive experience in conducting research and data-driven analysis on poverty reduction and sustainable development.

• Understanding of Viet Nam’s political economy on poverty reduction and sustainable development is an advantage.

• Experience in facilitating/moderating policy dialogues with development partners, donors, UN agencies, IFIs.

• Excellent English speaking and academic writing.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Assessment criteria:

For evaluation and selection method, the Cumulative Analysis Method (weight combined score method) shall be used for this recruitment:

a) Technical Qualification weight 75 points:

- Educational background (15 points)

- Relevant work experience (50 points):

+ Extensive experience in conducting research and data-driven analysis on poverty reduction and sustainable development.

+ Understanding of Viet Nam’s political economy on poverty reduction and sustainable development.

+ Experience in facilitating/moderating policy dialogues with development partners, donors, UN agencies, IFIs.

- Excellent English speaking and academic writing skills (10 points); Submission of at least 2 samples of written work required.

b. Financial Proposal weight 25 points:

The maximum number of points shall be allotted to the lowest Financial Proposal that is opened/evaluated and compared among those technical qualified candidates in the technical evaluation. Other Financial Proposals will receive points in inverse proportion to the lowest price.

The Contract shall be awarded to candidate obtaining the highest combined technical and financial scores, subject to the satisfactory result of the verification interview if needed.

Submission of applications:

Interested candidates are kindly requested to apply and upload the following documents to the assigned requisition in UNICEF Vacancies: http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/:

a. Letter of interest/confirmation of availability and CV;

b. Technical proposal which clearly explains the outline on how to deliver the tasks and deliverables (preferably 1 or 2 pages);

c. At least 2 samples of written work required.

d. Performance evaluation reports or references of similar consultancy assignments (if available).

d. Financial proposal: All-inclusive lump-sum cost including consultancy fee and any other relevant costs for this assignment.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors 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.

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:

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.