International Individual consultant to enhance the legal regulatory framework for social services and social work with UNICEF in Uzbekistan

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

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, Protection!

The purpose of this consultancy is to support the National Agency for Social Protection (NASP) and UNICEF in enhancing the legal regulatory framework for social services and social work, specifically by 1) reviewing the amended Law on Social Services for compliance with international standards and promising practices on a) social welfare services for children and families and b) social work & social service workforce strengthening, and 2) providing recommendations for establishing a social services and care system guided by quality standards.

In close cooperation with the NASP and UNICEF, the international consultant will:

Task 1: Review the existing legislative framework for Social Services and Social Work in the country to identify its limitations and provide technical support and direct inputs to the revised draft of the Law on Social Services (which has been amended by the NASP to also include a chapter on social work and social service workforce strengthening) for compliance with international standards and promising practices on a) social welfare services for children and families and b) social work & social service workforce strengthening. As part of this task, the international consultant is expected to conduct a desk review and to facilitate three group discussions with relevant national experts: a) to propose and agree upon the review process, b) to present the amended draft law, and c) to validate the final draft law.

Task 2: Provide recommendations for the establishment of a social services and care system guided by quality standards. Facilitate two group discussions with relevant national experts from the NASP: a) to provide an overview for of international promising practices in regard to establishing and continuously monitoring principles of quality assurance, and b) to provide recommendations to the NASP on the key components of a quality assurance system that need to be in place to ensure quality social services and care.

Work Assignments Overview - Deliverables/Outputs - Timeline

1. Provide advice and concrete inputs for the amendment of the law on social services aligned with international standards and promising practices; act as a resource person in technical and advocacy meetings/ workshops with the government and other partners - Concrete inputs provided to the amended Law on Social Services relevant to social welfare services for children and families and for social work and social service workforce strengthening. Three online consultations facilitated with the NASP & national experts - 15 days (22 November to 15 December 2023).

2. Provide technical advice for the establishment of a social services and care system guided by quality standards; act as a resource person in technical and advocacy meetings/ workshops with the government and other partners - Two online consultations facilitated with the NASP & national experts - 5 days (15 to 19 January 2024).

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

• Enter Disciplines Law and other Social Sciences
• Advanced university degree in social work
• At least 10 years of relevant work experience, including in developing legal regulatory frameworks for social services and social work and social services workforce strengthening, with a focus on social welfare of children and families
• Excellent communication skills in English and good understanding of Russian
• Previous work experience in Uzbekistan/ Central Asia and familiarity with the relevant context highly desirable
• Previous work experience with UNICEF desirable

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.

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.