Local Consultant: Child Protection Programme Support for the Department of Education (63 Days over 3 Months)

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, a fair chance

UNICEF has been an active partner of the Government of the Philippines and civil society in realizing the rights of every Filipino child, in line with priorities to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. UNICEF efforts have been focused on the most vulnerable regions identified by the Government of the Philippines Development Plan, particularly in the regions of Visayas and Mindanao. To ensure that interventions are sustainable and scaled up, UNICEF will support primarily local government units (LGUs) as the main instruments of delivering services and building systems. The level of engagement with government institutions will take into account capacities, economies of scale and sector issues.

It has a field office in Cotabato City, the second largest city in Mindanao, southern Philippines, with some 300,000 population. The city is the regional administrative centre of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao and over 80 percent of the population is Muslim. Mindanao is both conflict-affected and prone to frequent earthquakes and typhoon storms.

Visit this link for more information on Philippine Country Office: https://www.unicef.org/philippines/

How can you make a difference?

The Consultant is expected to:

• Review and adapt the Child Protection Policy to the new normal, ensuring that it details clear mechanisms for preventing, reporting and managing cases of violence against children
• Review for possible adoption innovations in policy related to child protection such as the child online safeguarding policy
• Recommend a strategy and action plan for DepEd to strengthen links to LGUs and LSWDOs on preventing, reporting and responding to violence against children, both online and offline
• Recommend a strategy and action plan for capacitating and supporting parents/guardians of learners to prevent, report and respond to violence against children
• Review and propose recommendations on ensuring access to education and protection of Children-at-Risk (CAR) and children in conflict with the law (CICL), including enhanced linkages to the Alternative Learning System
• Develop an action plan on prevention and management of bullying and violence in the physical school and/or digital and online platforms
• Recommend means of effective communication and information dissemination to stakeholders
• The Consultant shall also assist in meetings and other related activities in DepEd as necessary.

Work Assignments

• Review of DepEd’s Child Protection Policy, related DepEd policies, rules and regulations (including innovations such as the child online safeguarding policy) and study of the BE-LCP;

• Consultation with key offices/schools within DepEd on the current implementation of the Child Protection Policy.

  Propose action points on the implementation of the Child Protection Policy in line with the BE-LCP that will address the following concerns:

  a. Education and support for parents and caregivers must be given on child protection and child rights; b. Reporting mechanisms and case management for VAC, both online and offline, must complement the different learning modalities provided in the BE-LCP; c. Adoption of a child online safeguarding policy that will further enhance the implementation of the LCP d. Proposals must be with the view of developing a shock-resilient and emergency responsive system consistent with the realities of the new normal; e. Development of strategies must include the participation of key stakeholders such as LGUs and LSWDOs as well as parents for reporting and response to VAC; f. Equal attention must be given to ensure the protection of all kinds of learners, CAR and CICL; g. The action points must include plans for the eventual transition and return to face-to-face classroom setting, including plans on classroom observations, teacher training on social and emotional skills development, and prevention and management of bullying and violence in the classrooms; h. The action plan must include new strategies to introduce a more positive light on child protection.

  Propose action plan for implementation and information dissemination on the Action Document on Child Protection Under the New Normal to stakeholders

  Propose action plan assess the effectivity of the project, including: a. Designing data capture and reporting forms on child protection in the new normal to determine best practices of child protection; b. Designing means to collect data that are more accurate and more useful for designing future child protection programs.

Deliverables

• Document on Policy Review
• Minutes of the Meetings
• Draft DepEd Order initially supplementing the Child Protection Policy, specifically for the new normal/disaster situations to ensure a shock-resilient, emergency responsive child protection system in DepEd that will facilitate prevention and response to VAC
• Initial Proposal for an Action Document on Child Protection Under the New Normal (e.g. supplemental D.O., addendum to D.O. No. 40 s. 2012, etc.) containing the following:

a. Observations of the Consultant on the current implementation of the Child Protection Policy; b. Analysis on areas of conciliation, conflict and opportunities between the existing Child Protection Policy and BE-LCP; c. Recommended action points for DepEd on the following:

1. Education and support for parents and caregivers on child protection and child rights; 2. Reporting mechanisms, policy enhancements and case management for VAC, including online violence; 3. Strategies for LGUs to facilitate and support CP approaches and interventions 4. Transition strategies for eventual return to face-to-face classroom setting.

• Action Plan for Information Dissemination and Implementation
• Implementation, monitoring and evaluation of interventions
• Action Plan for Assessment of the Project
• Roll-out of Project Assessment
• Final Report on the Project

Qualifications and Competencies of Successful Consultant

• Relevant combination of academic qualification and field experience in law and Child Protection; preferably a masters degree in either law, social sciences, management, social/public policy, social work or other fields related to social sciences or law.
• Work Experience: • A minimum of 7 years combined experience in above fields and Child Protection, both at national and local settings. • Knowledge of Philippine policies, legislation, procedures/protocols and structures related to child online protection. • Able to submit sample works that demonstrate knowledge, experience and capacity • Ideal if able to demonstrate experience in provision of technical support to key national government agencies such as the Department of Education, Departments of Justice and the Social Welfare and Development. • Experience in provision of technical support to local government units and civil society organizations. • Fluent in English and knowledge of relevant local language an asset. • Experience working with the private sector and asset. • High level of writing and communication and computer skills. • Dynamic, independent, self-motivated and well-organized. • Negotiation skills and leadership qualities highly desired.

HOW TO APPLY

Qualified candidates are requested to complete an online candidate profile in http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/ by 14 August 2020. Only applications sent through the e-recruitment portal under Job Number: 533603 will be considered.

All candidates are requested to submit a COVER LETTER, and the duly filled P 11 form which can be downloaded from our website at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/P11.doc indicating three (3) previous supervisors. Please indicate your ability, availability and daily/monthly rate to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a daily/monthly rate will not be considered.

Only shortlisted consultants will be contacted.

By applying through our Talent Management System (TMS) you agree to our privacy statement which is in line with the Philippines Data Privacy Act. You are strongly advised to read carefully through the privacy statement before submitting your application.

"UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles."