International Consultant to conduct Process Evaluation of the Cash Support Programme to support Ukrainian refugee families with children (Belarus) - Req

Consultant Programme & Policy Monitoring & Evaluation

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Consultancy Title: International Consultant to conduct Process Evaluation of the Cash Support Programme to support Ukrainian refugee families with children (Belarus)

Section/Division/Duty Station: Monitoring & Evaluation and Emergency Sections, UNICEF Belarus CO

Duration: December 8, 2023 to April 22, 2024

Home/ office Based: Remote/ with limited travel to Minsk (Belarus) and the regions of Belarus

About UNICEF

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. Over 75 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/ Assignment:

Since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, UNICEF Belarus Country Office (CO) has been implementing emergency response interventions to provide comprehensive assistance to Ukrainian refugee children including the most vulnerable groups. Building on the Country Programme Document priorities, the CO was able to integrate and address key refugee needs such as basic supplies, psycho-social support and education with special attention paid to identifying and assisting the most vulnerable groups, such as families with several children and children with disabilities. The CO also secured additional resources to provide Ukrainian refugees with children financial assistance.

In February-August 2023, the CO implemented the Cash Support Programme in cooperation with the Belarus Red Cross (BRC) as the implementing partner (the CO no longer has a partnership with BRC). The overarching goal of the programme is to provide Ukrainian refugee children and their families cash support to address multiple urgent needs, including recuperation of children. The Programme includes several iterations consequently launched depending on the availability of funds and the type of needs identified based on monitoring the Ukrainian refugees’ situation. In February-August 2023, two iterations of cash support were completed. The programme is a part of a comprehensive set of emergency response activities implemented and coordinated by the CO with international agencies and national partners operating in Belarus.

The goal of the first iteration of the programme was to provide financial assistance to Ukrainian refugee families with children temporary residing in Belarus through a government system - national postal service BelPochta. In February-May 2023, 443 refugee families (1,477 individuals, including 727 children) received cash assistances processed by BRC and delivered by BelPochta in all the regions of Belarus. Based on data received from monitoring, needs assessment and consultation with partners, the CO decided to extend the programme and provide further financial support for recuperation and recreational activities of Ukrainian refugee children during the summer season. The second iteration of the programme was completed in June-August 2023 and covered 722 children.

UNICEF is engaging an individual consultant to conduct a Process Evaluation of the two iterations of the Cash Support Programme. The purpose of the Evaluation is both learning and accountability. The findings and lessons learned from this evaluation are intended to guide and inform all stakeholders — including UNICEF, implementing partners, the Government of Belarus, and beneficiaries (including the most vulnerable groups) — on what worked well; what the shortcomings were; and what needs to be done to improve design and implementation of future emergency cash transfer programming.

The Process Evaluation is to provide actionable recommendations to enhance the next iterations of the Cash Support Programme and overall emergency response regarding both outreach and provision of cash assistance to Ukrainian refugee children and their families and further strengthening the capacities of the national partners. It will identify and document potential innovations and lessons learned and provide actionable recommendations to the CO and its implementing partners to enhance the delivery of cash support programmes in the future.

The Process Evaluation will assess the programme’s alignment to the human rights-based approach, including from the equity and gender perspectives. It will also contribute to UNICEF being accountable to the affected population fleeing Ukraine due to the conflict and assess UNICEF’s ability to uphold its accountability in humanitarian action and to strengthen support systems.

The Process Evaluation has the following major objectives:

1. Assess and provide evidence on the relevance of the overall performance, and results of the Cash Support Programme against its goals and targets
2. Assess the efficiency and effectiveness of designing, implementing, and coordinating the Cash Support Programme by UNICEF and partners (BRC and BelPochta), including review of organizational and staffing structure, developed operating procedures, channels, and applied tools
3. Identify good practices and gaps in the implementation process including challenges resulting from internal and external factors such as overall management and coordination of activities between BRC regional branches and headquarters and with national and international partners, changes in operating environment, etc.
4. Assess mechanisms that allowed beneficiaries to get involved in planning and providing feedback on the Cash Support Programme at various stages
5. Identify and document lessons learned, and potential innovations introduced by the Cash Support Programme to achieve better results for Ukrainian refugee children and their families
6. Evaluate the degree to which the Cash Support Programme strengthened BRC capacity to effectively manage cash support programmes, reach out and provide assistance to vulnerable populations and sustainability of this capacity
7. Provide actionable recommendations to the CO and BRC to enhance their capacity to effectively implement outreach activities and cash support programmes in the future, including recommendations on improving the coordination with BelPochta.

The detailed TOR providing more information on the Process Evaluation (14 pages), including background, programme details, indicative questions, and other relevant details, is attached to this VA and is mandatory for consideration by a bidder as an integral part of this contracting process.

TOR_process_evaluation_CSP_detailed_final_31102023.pdf

Scope of Work:

Scope of Work:

The Process Evaluation will focus on the set of activities of the two iterations of the Cash Support Programme supported by UNICEF and implemented by BRC to identify, reach out, assist in applying, processing and timely providing cash assistance to support Ukrainian refugee families with children currently residing in Belarus. The Process Evaluation will also assess the efficiency and effectiveness of cooperation with the government system – national postal service BelPochta.

The review will cover the programme implementation period from February 2023 through the end of August 2023.

Delivery Deadline / Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

1. By December 8, 2023

• Contract signing; initial briefings with the CO:

Contract signed

Briefings with the CO held

2. By January 14, 2024:

• Initial desk review

Desk review conducted

• Discussion of the initial methodology

Initial methodology discussed and agreed

• Producing a draft Inception Report including suggested approach and methods for the Process Evaluation

Draft inception report is submitted to the Evaluation Manager for review

• Internal and external quality assurance (QA)

Internal and external quality assurance completed in line with UNICEF requirements

• Incorporation of received feedback

Received feedback is incorporated in the inception report

• Finalizing the inception report

Finalized inception report submitted to the Evaluation Manager for review and approval

3. By March 15, 2024

• Hybrid data collection

Hybrid data collection conducted

• Data analysis and conducting interviews, focus groups, reflection groups and other types of discussions with all stakeholders

Necessary steps to collect data from beneficiaries, implementing partners and stakeholders completed in line with the approved methodology and schedule

• First draft of the Process Evaluation report

Draft final report submitted to the Evaluation Manager for review

• Internal and external quality assurance (QA)

Internal and external quality assurance completed in line with UNICEF requirements

4. By April 15, 2024

• Finalization of the Process Evaluation report to incorporate feedback

Provided feedback incorporated in the Process Evaluation report

• Final Process Evaluation report and PowerPoint presentation of key results

The Process Evaluation report is finalized and submitted to the Supervisor for approval. A PowerPoint presentation of the major conclusions, findings and results is submitted to the Supervisor

• Presentation of the evaluation results

An online presentation of evaluation results conducted for the CO and stakeholders as relevant

Travel (if required as per TOR):

Travel to Minsk (Belarus) and the regions of Belarus in line with ToR.

Qualifications:

Education:

• An advanced university degree, preferably in evaluation, social studies, or related field. A combination of relevant academic background and relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• At least five years’ experience in evaluation and familiarity with UNICEF and the UN system (CV and P11 UNICEF Form required). Experience of evaluating/assessing programmes in humanitarian context will be an asset
• Previous work experience with UNICEF will be an asset
• Previous experience of evaluations/assessments conducted in ECA region, and Belarus in particular
• Understanding of humanitarian programming and specifics of refugee response
• Familiarity with UNICEF regulations and procedures
• Strong analytical and facilitation skills. Experience of conducting focus groups
• Ability to produce content for high standard deliverables in English
• Sensitivity towards ethics with regards to human and child rights issues, vulnerable populations, different cultures, local customs, religious beliefs and practices, personal interaction and gender roles, disability, age, and ethnicity
• A strong development background with a profound understanding of development and humanitarian programming, gender equality and human rights, including child rights, equity/inclusion. Understanding of the current regional and Belarus context will be an asset
• Oral and written fluency in English and Russian
• Ability to travel to Belarus.

Competencies:

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Maintains impartiality and neutrality when performing an assignment (4) Manages ambiguity and complexity (5) Identifies risks and takes necessary steps to mitigate them in the process of implementing an assignment (6) Work collaboratively and maintains integrity when working with all stakeholders.

Requirements:

Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and

• Upload copy of academic credentials
• Financial proposal that will include/ reflect :
  • the costs per each deliverable and the total lump-sum for the whole assignment (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference.
  • travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
  • Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
  • Indicate your availability
• Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at: Here

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:

Individuals engaged under a consultancy 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. Consultants 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.

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Added 5 months ago - Updated 5 months ago - Source: unicef.org