Local Consultant to support the conduct of the study on children in street situations, Prishtina - Kosovo, Monitoring and Evaluation, Remotely

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

Title: Local Consultant to support the conduct of the study on children in street situations Duty Station: Prishtina / Kosovo Contract duration: 6 months Working days: 30 days

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

One of the priorities of the UNICEF Kosovo programme 2021-25, is to enhance the child protection system in Kosovo by strengthening institutional capacities to provide quality social services with a focus on vulnerable girls and boys.

Despite the overall progress made in realizing children’s rights in Kosovo, achievements have been uneven. A large proportion of children still face multiple deprivations with striking inequalities among different groups. Violations of children’s fundamental rights remain a critical challenge and is demonstrated through different forms of neglect, abuse and exploration which often pushes children to streets and engagement in different types of work and hazardous conditions.

There are no available updated data on the exact number of children in street situations in Kosovo including a comprehensive evidence on their overall situation and the specific challenges they face. However, according to the 2019 report on children in street situation published by the Ombudsperson Institution in Kosovo (OPI) which focuses on the data reported by the Kosovo Police, there were 215 children in street situation identified and supported during 2016, with a slight decline to 200 children during 2017, and 50 children between the period January-April 2018. According to the OPI report, children in many cases are accompanied by parents, relatives or other persons, and in few cases, they may be alone coming from areas such as: Fushe Kosova, Lipjan, Ferizaj and a portion of children in street situation comes from the Republic of Albania.

Findings from the OPI report, highlight that Terre des hommes (Tdh) organization has reported to have identified more than 175 children in street situation in Prishtina and Prizren from June 2018 to December 2018. It has been stated that this number also includes children who are siblings of children in street situations. From the police reports it is indicated that most of the children identified in street situation have been engaged in begging-type activities or asking for money, not excluding the cases of children working in the street, having been trafficked, mistreated, and/or abandoned.

To this end, UNICEF Kosovo currently plans to conduct a study on the situation of children in the street that aims to understand the key drivers, barriers that children face, including the system level bottlenecks and opportunities to strengthen protection of children in street situation and ensure they are connected with the adequate services and are provided with the needed support for their full integration in the society.

The study will be leaded by an international consultant who will work closely with the national consultant and in close collaboration with relevant partners from Kosovo institutions, civil society organizations, private sector and others as relevant. To ensure ownership of the process, a study reference group will be established which will act as a reference team of experts to provide technical support and review of the design of the study and the final report.

Scope of Work:

Under the overall supervision of the Child Rights Monitoring Specialist and the Social Policy Specialist, the Local Consultant will provide technical expertise through working closely with and supporting the International Consultant on the design and implementation of the study on children in street situation in Kosovo. The study will follow a mixed methodology for data collection and should be based on a comprehensive desk review analysis which will further inform the implementation process and data collection and analysis. The below tasks and deliverables are to be implemented in close collaboration with the International Consultant who will provide full-time support for the implementation of the study. Within the scope of the work, the key expected outputs are to be achieved by this consultancy: - Conducting desk review: A thorough desk review should focus on selecting, compiling, sharing with International Consultant, and providing technical support on reviewing available data sources, international practices, legal frameworks that include relevant legislation, national strategies and policies and other relevant documents identified during the inception stage. - Study design: Technical support, coordination and facilitation with International Consultant and UNICEF for the design of the methodology for data collection and analysis that will allow for collection of all relevant data with representatives from relevant institutions, service providers, parents/caretakers, children in street situation and other relevant groups as appropriate. The study design and the proposed methodology will be presented to the reference group. - Data collection and analysis: Technical support to the International Consultant to develop the guidance and data collection tools, as well as facilitate data collection from the field and conduct quantitative and qualitative data analysis. Engagement of all relevant partners throughout the process is critical to ensure ownership which should be informed by a stakeholder mapping conducting as part of the desk review. - Report Writing: Technical support to the International Consultant on drafting and reviewing the narrative report based on the triangulation of information from desk review and data collection exercise and conclusions that are based on sound evidence and development of clear recommendations to inform interventions and transformative actions for strengthening monitoring, policy development and service provision for children in street situation. The draft report will be presented to the reference group. - Report Validation: Facilitation of the review and validation of the final draft report by ensuring provision of inputs and contribution of relevant multiple stakeholders. The validated report reflects the main findings and recommendations that should consist and constitute the final report of the study on the situation of the street children in Kosovo.

The study will aim to provide a baseline on the situation of children in streets and answer some of the following key questions regarding the children in street situations (additional and/or refinement of the below questions are to be identified during the desk review and design process): - Understand issues related to mobility, family situations and access to health, education, and social services - Who are defined as children in street situation and what are the demographic characteristics of children in street situations including their age, gender, disability status, social stats etc.? - What is the family background and living conditions of the children in street situations? - What is the education and administrative status of children in street situations? - What are health issues and other social related vulnerabilities for the children in street situations? - The knowledge of and usage of the social services by the children in street situation and their families? - Income generation aspect and quality of life context? - What are the key bottlenecks that hinder prevention, protection, and integration of children in street situations? - How findings and recommendations will best inform and influence advocacy and key strategic interventions at central and local level public institutions to address systematic and immediate needs that children on street situation are facing.

Ethical considerations:

The study will be conducted in full accordance with the following international and regional guidelines for research ethics and methods, as well as personal data protection issues:

UNICEF Procedures for Ethical Standards in Research, Evaluation, Data Collection and Analysis; UNICEF Strategic Guidance Note on Institutionalizing Ethical Practice for UNICEF Research; General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a regional law of the European Union (EU) requiring institutions to protect personal data and the privacy of EU citizens inside and outside of the EU. The study design must take into consideration how ethical concerns shall be addressed to avoid stigma, discrimination, any form of harm to children and their parents, protection of confidentiality, protection of rights, ensuring the dignity and welfare of all respondents.

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks/Milestone: Compile materials, documents, legal framework, polices, studies, research and other relevant documents to inform the desk review of the study on the situation of street children in Kosovo.

Deliverables/Outputs: All relevant documents compiled.

Timeline May - June

Tasks/Milestone: Provide technical support to the international consultant on development of the inception report, a detailed workplan, timeframe and methodology for implementation of the study.

Deliverables/Outputs: Inputs provided to the inception report.

Timeline: May - June

Tasks/Milestone: Provide technical support to the international consultant on development of instruments and questionnaires for consultations and interviews with key informants.

Deliverables/Outputs: Data collection instruments and protocols developed

Timeline May - June

Tasks/Milestone: Arrangement of and conduct onsite visits together to conduct interviews and focus group discussions with key selected informants.

Deliverables/Outputs: Data collection completed.

Timeline:

Data collection completed

Tasks/Milestone: Support and conduct data analysis from the consultations, interviews and focus group discussions

Deliverables/Outputs: Data analysis finalized

Timeline: August

Tasks/Milestone:

Jointly with the International Consultant draft the narrative report on situation of children in street Deliverables/Outputs: Draft reported finalized and submitted for review

Timeline: August – September

Tasks/Milestone:

Support finalization of the finale report and validation of findings with main relevant stakeholders. Deliverables/Outputs: Revised and validated final report.

Timeline: September - October

Minimum Qualifications required:

Masters

Enter Disciplines

Masters and University degree in Law, Social Sciences, Social Work, International Relations, Government, Public Administration, or other relevant disciplines

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

▪ Advanced academic degree in child protection related issues, social science, public health, or another relevant subject.

▪ Knowledge and experience on Consultancies in the area of Child Protection, with specific focus on the street children.

▪ Working experience with the Governments, UN and

▪ international agencies, CSO’s, Human and Children’s Rights, Child Protection on thematic related to abused, neglected, and exploited children

▪ Technical expertise and experience on conducting interviews and focus groups with multiple informants

▪ Technical expertise of data analysis ad report writing

▪ Excellent inter-personal relations and consulting skills.

▪ Fluent in English language