LOCAL CONSULTANT – REVISION AND ROLL OUT OF NEEDS BASED SOCIAL ENTITLEMENTS SCHEMES UNDER THE JOINT UN PROJECT "SOCIAL PROTECTION OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITY” in Tbilisi, Georgia

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.

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.

1. BACKGROUND:

The main data source on the number of persons with disabilities in Georgia are administrative reports on recipients of disability pension, which significantly underestimates the number of people experiencing various forms of disability. There were 125,898 persons with disabilities (PwDs) registered as recipients of disability pensions in 2019, of which 49,916 women and 10,969 children. This constitutes about 3% of the total population of Georgia which is well below the WHO global prevalence estimates. The official figure is particularly low for children and contradicts the figure from the latest national census. The lack of data on the incidence of different types of disabilities makes it impossible to discern the real extent of the problems and accordingly, the specific needs of PwDs and their families. The Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) conducted by the National Statistics Office of Georgia in 2018, with support from UNICEF,[1] indicates that the percentage of children age 5-17 years with functional difficulty in at least one domain is 9.5%, children age 2-4 is 1.8%, adult women is 8.9% and adult men is 6.8%.

Georgia relies on the outdated medical model for determining the disability status. The legislation[2] outlines the diagnoses qualifying children and adults for disability status and does not take into consideration the overall developmental health of a person. The assessment process is conducted only by physicians and seeks to identify only health-related needs.[3] Similarly, the current assessment system ignores some developmental disabilities of infants and deprives them from accessing disability benefits. Moreover, the assessment process does not consider the needs for utilization of assistive technologies and social services or barriers to participation.

Despite some recent progress, the majority of PwDs, especially adults, do not have access to essential support services. This problem is particularly acute in rural locations where some municipalities have no social services for PwDs at all.

PwDs are covered by state medical insurance, but women and young persons with disabilities, especially those with mental health-related disabilities, do not have access to disability-sensitive health and social services.

UNICEF Georgia is supporting the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Affairs (MoIDOTPLHSA) to pilot a social model of disability assessment and status determination system which incorporates functional and social profile assessment in conjunction with the medical diagnosis. The social model envisages the crucial role of society/government in ensuring that PwD's functional limitations are being addressed and the environmental barriers are removed to ensure full inclusion of PwD into society. It was piloted in one region of the country and the preliminary results have already been taken into consideration in rolling out the model to another region of the country with support from a different organization.

As part of the joint UN project "Social Protection of Persons with Disability", UNICEF plans to test the system in one more region of Georgia, develop mechanisms to ensure sustainable roll-out of the model, and support the Ministry to develop new social entitlement planning (cash, services, adaptive technologies) for children with disabilities based on the results of their assessment through the new model.

2. TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

UNICEF is seeking to hire a local consultant for the following tasks and deliverables:

Tasks

• Support UNICEF's international consultant on the implementation of activities on the approaches for revision of social entitlements for children with disabilities and coordinate UNICEF's work on disabilities;
• Together with the international consultant develop a concept note on planning social entitlements for children with disabilities
• Support UNICEF and participate in the development of the module of social needs assessment tool related to the needs of children with disabilities.
• Support UNICEF and relevant governmental agencies in the activities to roll out of the needs-based planning of social entitlements starting from the pilot and ending with full implementation based on the elaborated concept note on planning social entitlements for children with disabilities

Deliverables:

• Regular provision of the technical advice, coordination activities, accessing information and data from GoG stakeholders, consultations with stakeholders, research and support in the development of the content ;
• Concept note on new modality of planning social entitlements for children with disabilities in the social model of disability assessment;
• A module in the social needs assessment tool related to the social needs assessment of children with disabilities;
• Regular provision of the technical advice, coordination activities and support in the implementation;

3. TIME/DURATION OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The consultant will be hired for up to 50 days in the period 1 November 2020- 1st of May 2021. Start date may be postponed depending on the COVID-19 pandemic evolvement and imposed prevention and response measures.

4. REMUNERATION AND ENTITLEMENT

The consultant will be paid a daily negotiated fee against contribution to the list in the section 2 reported at the end of each month and written approval by the Supervisor.

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 by the manager on payments made under this contract. UNICEF will not issue a statement of earnings.

5. HEALTH INSURANCE

UNICEF does not provide or arrange health insurance coverage for this position. The consultant will be required to provide a proof of health insurance for the duration of the contract.

6. QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

• University degree in public policy, social policy, social sciences or other relevant fields;
• At least 10 years of professional experience in the area of inclusion, accessibility and/or the promotion of the rights of people with disabilities;
• Experience in projects/programs planning/implementation on disability issues.
• In-depth knowledge of international standards and global policies related to disability (UN Convention on the Rights of a Child, UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, etc.);
• Relevant experience with UN Agencies would be appreciated
• Fluency in English;
• Excellent analytical skills;
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, partnership building;
• Excellent planning and organizational skills; and
• Excellent writing skills

7. PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

The performance of the consultant will be evaluated against the following criteria: timeliness, responsibility, initiative, communication, and quality of the products delivered; also drive for results and a willingness to work within a team environment will be essential and will contribute to the performance evaluation.

8. Supervision

The consultant will work under the supervision of the UNICEF Social Policy Specialist.

9. APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

The application must include:

• Cover letter describing in details applicants experience concerning items listed in qualification requirements of this position;

• Curriculum vitae showing the existence of requested qualifications, experience and skills;

• Financial Proposal of the daily consultancy fee
• Names and contact details (email and tel. number) of three professional references relevant to the assignment.

[1] See the report at: https://www.geostat.ge/ka/modules/categories/625/mravalindikatoruli-klasteruli-gamokvleva

[2] Law of Medical-Social Expertise and Ministerial Orders #1/N and #62/N

[3] https://matsne.gov.ge/ka/document/view/15772?publication=11 Article 10

For every Child, you demonstrate

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The functional competencies required for this post are...

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

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.