International Consultant to support undertaking of an assessment of national system’s readiness to respond to shocks, including activating emergency cash support with UNICEF in Uzbekistan

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, care.

BACKGROUND

According to the UNICEF guidance, ‘Social protection policies and programmes are most often designed to address typical risks faced by individuals and households along their lifecycle. ‘Shock responsive’ social protection aims to extend the types of risks covered to include additional challenges which often impact many households at once such as natural hazards, economic crises, and conflict that also play a critical role in determining life outcomes’.

Shock responsive social protection (SRSP) aims to contribute to efforts to enhance the capacity of shock-affected families and care givers to access goods and services essential for their wellbeing and that of their children. This outcome is intended to be achieved, among other things, through supporting governments to respond via adequate and appropriate cash transfer and social support programmes, as well as enabling them through establishing appropriate social welfare workforce, to meet their heightened needs caused by the larger shock.

In Uzbekistan, UNICEF supporting the government to undertake reforms in social protection system, including the measures to strengthen preparedness of the national social protection system to respond to shocks. For instance, in 2019 UNICEF Uzbekistan undertook assessment of preparedness of the national cash transfer programmes to respond to shocks. UNICEF also supported the development and national roll out of the national Information System “Single Registry of Social Protection”, which allowed the government to quickly expand its cash benefits to reach more people (‘horizontal expansion’) and with increased cash (‘vertical expansion’) during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-2021.

Currently UNICEF is cooperating with relevant national line ministries to develop a comprehensive legislative and regulatory framework to outline the role of social protection in times of emergencies. This includes: (1) Undertaking an assessment of the national system’s readiness to activate emergency cash support protocols to reach affected households, (2) Developing a legal package, based on international experience of expanding social protection as part of a national humanitarian response; (4) Developing and implementing a digital module within the Single Registry, which will allow launching and end-to-end administration of ad hoc cash transfers in response to shocks. The module will also have functionality in registering, undertaking needs assessment and referring individuals and families to social service providers; and (4) Establishing a network of makhalla (a traditional local community-based self-government body)- and district-level social workers, who should become a part of routine system of social service provision, but also will be the social workforce mobilized during shocks to provide social services to the affected population.

OBJECTIVES

UNICEF Uzbekistan is seeking an international individual consultant to support UNICEF, the Ministry of Emergencies, Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Poverty Reduction and Employment and other relevant actors to:

1. Conduct an assessment of national social protection system’s readiness to respond to shocks, including activating emergency cash support.
2. Develop a list of legislation and amendments required for the social protection system to be able to scale up cash assistance as part of a national humanitarian response.

SCOPE AND FOCUS of the assignment:

1. Conduct an assessment of national system’s readiness to respond to shocks, including activating emergency cash support, including

1. Using the CADRI Social Protection Assessment tool, with a combination of desk review and key informant interviews, identify potential opportunities, barriers, and detailed recommendations (along policy, programmatic, systems, and related dimensions) for improving the delivery of humanitarian cash transfers in Turkmenistan
2. Facilitate a 3-days Workshop with key stakeholders to undertake joint assessment and validation of findings and recommendations, including prioritising the recommendations based on feasibility and importance;

2. Conduct an indepth review of the legal system, exploring legislation and amendments required for the social protection system to be able to scale up cash assistance as part of a national humanitarian response, including:

1. reviewing the existing national legislation to identify currently used protocols, practices, stakeholders, and their roles in activating emergency cash transfers.
2. analysing existing laws and secondary legislation vis-a-vis the requirements for activating emergency modules of the Information System “Single Registry for social protection”.

3. Produce and present clear reports as well as develop a list of legislation and amendments required.

TASKS, DELIVERABLES AND ESTIMATED TIMEFRAME:

It is expected that the consultant will deliver the following tasks and deliverables in 45 working days during the period of 10 May – 31 July 2023:

Phase 1: Inception (10 days)

1. Conducting the desk review

1.1. A report with findings of the desk review. Home-based May 2023 (8 days) 1.2. Workplan for accomplishment of the assignment. Home-based May 2023 (2 days)

Phase 2: Assessment of national system’s readiness to activate emergency cash support protocols (15 days)

2. Conduct an assessment of national system’s readiness to respond to shocks, including activating emergency cash support

2.1 Use of the adapted CADRI Social Protection assessment tool for Uzbekistan context. Home-based May 2023 (3 days) 2.2 Presentation and discussion/validation of the adapted CADRI Social Protection assessment tool for Uzbekistan context. Home-based May 2023 (1 day)

3. Facilitating 3-days Workshop in participation of key stakeholders to undertake joint assessment and validation of findings and recommendations

3.1 Draft workshop package (agenda, participants, sessions, presentations in PPT format, activities, handouts and materials etc.). Home-based May 2023 (5 days) 3.2. Finalized workshop package following comments and revisions of UNICEF, MoEF other partners involved. Home-based May 2023 (3 days) 3.3. Workshop conducted Uzbekistan June 2023 (3 days)

Phase 3: Finalization of the assignment (20 days)

4. Produce and present the reports as well as the draft amendments to the existing legislation

4.1 Final report with analytical findings and actionable recommendations for the government and other stakeholders. Home-based June 2023 (10 days) 4.2 Brief report (2-3 pages) with recommendations for UNICEF on strategic options to further engage national stakeholders in strategic positioning of the humanitarian cash transfers as the vital part of the social protection system. Home-based June 2023 (2 days) 4.3 Develop a list of legislation and amendments to the existing legislation or suggest new legal acts (including secondary legislation) as needed. Home-based June 2023 (4 days) 4.4 Presentation of the findings and recommendations to the stakeholders. Home-based June 2023 (1 days) 4.5 Finalize the reports as per comments and suggestions received during the presentation. Home-based June 2023 (3 days)

Management

The assignment will be carried out under overall supervision of the Chief of Social Policy, while UNICEF Social Policy Officer will be a direct contact person for monitoring and coordinating the assignment within UNICEF. The consultant will be required to work with the National consultant hired by UNICEF Uzbekistan, Ministry of Economy and Finance, and Ministry of Emergencies and other identified government institutions in the execution of this assignment. The national consultant will provide a support for data collection and facilitating engagement with national partners.

Resource requirements and payment

The consultant will be paid a daily fee negotiated between UNICEF and the consultant based on an initial offer of the consultant to be submitted with the application. The fee will be paid against the deliverables as defined by the current ToR. The deliverables will be refined during the course of work.

The consultant has no entitlement for annual leave, sick leave, maternity, adoption or paternity leave or any other kinds of special leave. UNICEF will not undertake any liability for tax, duty or other contribution payable on payments made under this contract. UNICEF will not issue a statement of earnings.

The consultant will be paid by instalments upon completion of the deliverables certified by the Chief of Social Policy in line with the following schedule:

Deliverables / Instalment Deliverables 1 (1.1 & 1.2) / Instalment #1: 10 days * consultancy fee per day Deliverables 2 & 3 (2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 & 3.4) / Instalment #2: 15 days * consultancy fee per day Deliverables 4 (4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4 & 4.5) / Instalment #3: 20 days * consultancy fee per day Travelling expenses (once travelling authorization obtained from senior management) / As per established UN(ICEF) rates and rules

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

• Advanced university degree in Economics, Public Policy and Administration, Social Policy, Law or related area
• At least 5 years of professional experience in research and analysis, review and drafting of the legislative frameworks, designing, implementation and monitoring of programmes in the fields of Humanitarian Cash Transfers, Social Protection, Humanitarian response etc
• Proficiency in written and spoken English; Good command of Russian is a big advantage; Knowledge of Uzbek is an asset (verified by review of CV/profile and interview).
• Experience in applying various HCT tools, SRSP tools, and tools to inform evaluation/assessment findings as well as decision making for Humanitarian Crisis Response
• Experience of working in Central Asia, CIS regions and/or Uzbekistan
• Excellent facilitation, presentation and communication skills (verified by records of work experience in delivering speeches or presentations).

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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.

Procedures and Working Conditions

The international consultant will work both home-based and with a visit to Uzbekistan for in-country workshop. During in-country visit, international consultant will be provided with office space, transportation, translators, and support with meetings arrangements. Laptops or computers will not be provided. Travel related visa and logistics shall be arranged by international consultant, however, UNICEF may extent administrative/logistical support to facilitate this. All travel expenses to/from and within Uzbekistan for the consultancy purposes (terminal expenses and local air fare) as well as DSA in Uzbekistan should be based on the UN scale, rules and procedures and need to be included in the financial offer.

Consultant is responsible to pay to relevant government authority taxes or duties deductible from the earnings from this assignment. UNICEF undertakes no liability for taxes, duty or other contribution payable by the consultant on payments made under this contract. While contract would be in USD, however, all invoices and payments would be in local currency via bank transfer.

Reservations

UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if deliverable(s) incomplete, not finalized or for failure to meet deadlines. UNICEF will reserve copyright of all developed materials and own primary data collected through this assignment. The materials cannot be published or disseminated without prior written permission of UNICEF. UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future. The contractor must respect the confidentiality of the information handled during the assignment. Documents and information provided must be used only for the tasks related to these terms of reference.

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.

UNICEF undertakes no liability for taxes, duty or other contribution payable by the consultant on payments made under this contract.

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.