Individual International consultant to facilitate the consultations and support with the development of the National Action Plan on child rights 2023-2028

Contract

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Background:

The National Action Plan (NAP) on Children’s Rights was approved in 2018 and will end in 2022. The plan contains the main priorities of the state policy, aimed at the further improvement of situation of children, ensuring their rights and well-being. Through the development and implementation of the National plan on Children’s rights, Turkmenistan confirms its commitment to implementation of its obligations towards protection of rights of children.

Evaluation of NAP has been conducted in 2022 and provided several recommendations. Implementation of the recommendations will provide the basis for the development of a new NAP.

Turkmenistan is an upper-middle income country, with socially oriented market economy. 2021 was the first year of implementation of the new UNICEF and Government Country Programme Document 2021-2025, that provides the framework and government commitment on further implementation of child rights in the country.

UNICEF supported a number of reviews and evaluations during the implementation of the current NAP, which involved extensive reviews of secondary data, both from surveys and administrative sources, to assess the levels of coverage of key interventions for each sector, understand the bottlenecks and barriers for increased coverage, changes in programme environment, and identify new development priorities.

To ensure a participatory consultation process which is aligned with international best practices, implementation of SDGs and national priorities, UNICEF Turkmenistan wishes to engage an international consultant to support the articulation of NAP 2023-2028 priorities, including guidance and coaching during the development of NAP, and to facilitate the discussions during preparation and validation workshops, and other meetings if required.

The resulting output of the consultancy will be a developed NAP 2023-2028, as well as an increased awareness of Results Based Management, child rights, and CRC concluding observations amongst government ministries/institutions and national NGOs.

The purpose of the consultancy is to support the articulation and to facilitate the discussions on the development of NAP 2023-2028 through preparatory and validation workshops and other meetings if required in future, to support the country in realizing the rights of children, adolescents and women. Given the large number of participants in these meetings, an experienced facilitator is required to ensure the participation of staff and the strategic discussions set a clear way forward.

Under the direct supervision of the Child Rights Monitoring Specialist and the overall guidance of the Deputy Representative, the international consultant will work closely with the Institute of State Law and Democracy (ISLD), as the secretariat of the Inter-ministerial commission on realisation of international obligations and humanitarian law (IC) and UNICEF section chiefs to conduct the following:

1. Conduct a review and analysis of existing programme documents (SitAn, current CPD, UNSDCF, studies and evaluations, review reports, adopted SDGs, MICS and other data sources).
2. Develop agenda and resource materials for Preparatory and Validation Workshops, and other planning meetings, in consultation with UNICEF, ISLD and IC
3. Drafting NAP action framework (Identification of policy and practice gaps, priority intervention areas, formulation of outcomes, targets and indicators to measure progress, implementation strategies and key interventions for the national NAP framework coherent with SDGs and Concluding Observations of the State Party reports by the CRC and CRPD treaty bodies).
4. Develop a strategy/approaches on engagement of children and youth in development of NAP
5. A detailed Inception Report with work plan for the consultancy including schedule of activities, and a tentative plan for meetings with key national stakeholders, as well as proposed Theory of change and overall objective of the plan.
6. Stakeholder Consultations (develop guides and structure for workstations during the workshops): These will help to ensure inputs of all relevant sectors including, Government, civil society, children, and youth.
7. Structure and facilitation of the Inception Workshop for the Working Group on the development of a NAP 2023-2028
8. Formulate key insights for the NAP that include a vision statement, implementation and accountability matrix, monitoring and evaluation plan that includes linkages with SDGs framework and indicators.
9. Validation Workshop: To present, discuss and review the draft NAP. Incorporate and synchronize all feedback from stakeholders.
10. Final consultations with national stakeholders and submission of the final draft NAP to UNICEF RO and Institute of State, Law and Democracy upon incorporating all written feedback received.
11. Develop key advocacy messages coming from the new NAP and present the Plan to the representatives of state and public organizations, UN agencies and other stakeholders in a devoted advocacy event
12. Present and finalise NAP 2023-2028.

An advanced university degree (a university degree (such as a master's or doctor's degree) higher than a bachelor's) in Social sciences, project/programme management or other relevant disciplines, with specialized training in areas such as planning, monitoring and evaluation, social statistics;

At least 8 years of relevant experience and proven expertise with programme planning and development of national and UN planning documents, including strong understanding of UN’s relevant Programming Guidelines on UNDAF/UNSDCF process, UNICEF CPD process, Gender Equality, Human Rights Based Programming (HRBP) approach, Capacity Development, Environmental Sustainability, Results Based Management (RBM), SDGs and National Action Plans or Strategies.

Previous experience in facilitating meetings with large number of participants and on sensitive topics with Governments and other partners.

Excellent and strong facilitation skills, report writing skills, analytical skills as well as communication skills

Previous experience in leading/supporting the Country Programme planning processes and practical experience in Central Asia is an asset.

Experience in working with teams and team processes

Ability to produce content for high standard deliverables in Russian and English;