Local Consultant: CPiE, Child Protection in Emergencies, CARAGA, Surigao City, 6 Months (Extended Deadline)

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, 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 Bangsamoro 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?

Purpose of the Assignment

The purpose of the individual consultancy is to augment staff support in CARAGA ready to provide coordination and technical support to government and child protection partners in the implementation of Child Protection (CP) and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) interventions for Typhoon Odette affected communities.

Scope of Work:

Working under the supervision of the UNICEF Child Protection Specialist, the consultant will support the UNICEF Country Office and Child Protection team in strategy development to strengthen existing services and systems to respond to the child protection risks and needs of children, adolescents, and caregivers/parents. Support is needed in reporting of results of and challenges to existing coordination mechanisms in the UN and at the national and sub-national level. Also, support UNICEF CP team in coordinating the child protection response within NCPWG and RSCPWG of CARAGA through provision of expertise and support to partners. The consultant will have the following tasks:

1. Support in development and implementation of comprehensive response plan focusing on Child-Friendly Spaces (CFS) and multi-sectorial MHPSS implementation, based on the rapid assessment and Inter-Agency Response Plan priorities and in consultation with relevant UN and other agencies. The CFS and MHPSS plan should include:

1.1 mapping of existing CFS and MHPSS services/projects/activities, with the aim to ensure the coverage of needs at all levels and strengthen Intersectional Referral Pathways within UNICEF and between organizations and service providers such as Women and Children Protection Units.

1.2 identification of capacity gaps within social services, and;

1.3 recommendations on institutionalization and sustainability of provision of MHPSS to children, parents and caregivers in the situation of emergency and beyond, such as introducing new MHPSS interventions to respond to the varying and complex needs of children and families, continuing, and improving quality and reach of ongoing MHPSS activities and programming across sectors. Recommendations should be based on the experience of implementing CFS and MHPSS interventions in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the typhoon response.

2. Support UNICEF CP team in implementing the CFS and MHPSS components of child protection programme, including provision of technical support and guidance to implementing partners, monitoring of implementation of the interventions in line with the comprehensive multi-sectorial UNICEF PCO response plan.

3. Support UNICEF CP team in identifying and implementing strategies and mechanisms to scale up the child protection response to the emergency, including addressing as relevant: the MHPSS and wellbeing of children and their families, family separation, gender-based violence, other protection concerns for children.

4. Support UNICEF CP team in coordinating the child protection response within NCPWG and RSCPWG through provision of expertise and support to partners in developing and putting in place enhanced mechanisms for protection of children from increased risk of violence in emergencies, operational procedures for identification and referral of unaccompanied and separated children, prevention of sexual violence against children.

5. Provide technical support and assistance to UNICEF child protection staff and partners, including government and NGOs, to scale up the child protection components of emergency response programmes, including development or amendment of projects and partnerships.

6. Provide oversight for the management of procurement and distribution of supplies related to child protection interventions and end-user monitoring.

7. Identify opportunities to work with other sectors (social protection, education, WASH) to strengthen overall protection for children and women by integrating activities within emergency response programmes.

8. Regularly provide inputs to UNICEF and OCHA Situational Reports (SitRep) under Child Protection – reflecting the needs, responses and gaps including sex and disaggregated and disability data in a timely manner including other reporting requirements; and other tools to monitor the response.

9. Regularly represent UNICEF in cluster coordination meetings in Region VIII/Southern Leyte, working closely with government partners, relevant UN agencies and Child Protection partners; and advocate UNICEF and its interests in national coordination spaces and in public engagements as discussed and cleared.

10. Provide technical support for ongoing CP Needs Assessment. Screen for and monitor protection needs and gaps in and around CFS and identify protection gaps. Identify and support partners to ensure mobile CFS services to children in communities.

11. Provide support and work through community structures to ensure social cohesion and resilience building for children and their families.

12. Report child protection issues and respond in accordance with the Child Protection Case Management Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), where applicable.

13. Channel any reports of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) allegations and related information and coordinate the response according to relevant procedures.

14. Integrate Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) messaging in all child protection activities.

Deliverables

1. Draft and finalize in consultation with UNICEF, other relevant UN agencies, government and other CP partners CFS and MHPSS response plan with elements described in activity 1 in the scope of work. (Second Week upon start of engagement)

2. Submission of monthly progress report outlining (with relevant support documents) key actions taken related to activity 2 in the outlined scope of work.

3. Submission of key highlights, issues and agreements made during the RCPWG meetings to be presented to the NCPWG.

4. Submission of inputs to UNICEF, OCHA Situational Reports (SitReps), and other related reports with disaggregated and disability data.

5. Monthly update CP needs, responses and gaps presentation and share with UNICEF, and other relevant UN agencies, government partners and CP partners.

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Social Sciences, Psychology, or Health *A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 5 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
• A minimum of Five (5) years of relevant professional experience in emergency coordination.
• Excellent knowledge and skills in coordination for child protection in emergencies, including mental health and psychosocial support during emergencies.
• Knowledge and skills in MHPSS for children is an asset.
• Excellent planning and organizational skills.
• Excellent analytical and writing skills.
• Strong communication skills - both spoken and written.
• Good team player enjoys being part of a multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary team.
• Fluency in English and Pilipino.
• Fluency in the local languages an asset.
• Experience working with UN/international organizations is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

HOW TO APPLY

Qualified candidates are requested to complete an online candidate profile in http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/ by 22 February 2022. Only applications sent through the e-recruitment portal under Job Number: 548148 will be considered.

All candidates are requested to submit a COVER LETTER, and the duly filled P11 Form which can be downloaded from our website at P11 Form.docx (sharepoint.com) indicating three (3) previous supervisors. Please indicate your availability and daily/monthly rate to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a daily/monthly rate will not be considered.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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.