National Consultancy: Strengthening Child Helplines, Islamabad, Pakistan

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 hero!

Pakistan was the sixth country in the world to sign and ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child less than one year after it was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989. However, children and adolescents living in Pakistan still face acute challenges.

UNICEF supports the Government of Pakistan to accelerate progress for children, work to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and help children realize their rights under the Convention on the Rights of Children. This will be made through, among others things, strong partnerships with provincial authorities, teachers and health professionals, frontline workers and social mobilizers, communities, and families, and of course, the children and adolescents themselves.

In particular, UNICEF will work so that:

• Every child survives and thrives -- being in good health, immunized, protected from polio, and accessing nutritious food.
• Every child learns.
• Every child is protected from violence and exploitation and registered at birth.
• Every child lives in a safe and clean environment, with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.

To learn more about UNICEF’s work in Pakistan, please visit the country website www.unicef.org/pakistan and videos on YouTube and Vimeo

Child Protection helplines are a critical resource for children and families in need of assistance and support in cases of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. Helplines provide a means for reporting concerns, seeking advice, and accessing services, and are often the first point of contact for those seeking help. The Government of Pakistan has a toll-free child protection helpline 1121 in all provinces and territories, and Zainab Alert - Zainab Alert, Response and Recovery Agency (ZARRA) helpline 1099 for missing and abducted children. There are also several other government helplines run by different ministries and NGOs for gender-based violence, mental health etc. Under UNICEF’s technical assistance on the design of a case management system, Child Protection helpline guidelines have been developed and trainings delivered. However, there are no clear coordination and collaboration mechanisms between different helplines and hotlines designated for the protection of women and children. Guidance is needed to establish a coordination mechanism as to promote integrated and coordinated service provision and referrals by the existing helplines and hotlines that are already in operation, as well as to improve the responses to users of helplines.

You can make a difference by executing the following tasks and deliverables as per timelines as under:

Scope of work:

1. Map and review government and NGO-run helplines for child protection and other child-related areas in Islamabad Capital Territory:

• Structure and operation of child protection helplines, including staffing, training and protocols for responding to calls
• Accessibility including hours of operation, languages supported and promotion of the helpline to communities
• Quality and consistency of responses to calls, including the level of expertise and empathy demonstrated by helpline staff, and accuracy of advice given etc
• Coordination and integration of helplines with other child protection and GBV services, including referral pathways and follow-up procedures, as well as CP IMS where applicable.
• Use of technology and innovation to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the helplines, such as dedicated helpline IMS
• Quality of existing helpline guidelines and training packages against global practices

2. Present recommendations to UNICEF, Ministry of Human Rights and Child Protection Advisory Committee.
3. Conduct a training needs assessment among key helpline staff and develop a learning strategy and learning package based on the findings of the assessment.
4. Deliver training to existing helpline staff.

The consultant will use a mixture of methodologies to complete the assignment including, but not limited to, (a) analysis of existing data and reports on child protection helplines; (b) desk review of existing guidelines etc; (c) surveys of helpline staff to assess their perceptions of helplines and identify areas for improvement; and (d) FGDs with key stakeholders including government and NGOs in selected locations; e) case studies.

Tasks:

1. Prepare an inception report detailing the proposed methodology, tools and timeline
2. Undertake a mapping and review government and NGO-run helplines for child protection and other child-related areas in Islamabad Capital Territory, that considers:

• Structure and operation of child protection helplines, including staffing, training and protocols for responding to calls
• Accessibility including hours of operation, languages supported and promotion of the helpline to communities
• Quality and consistency of responses to calls, including the level of expertise and empathy demonstrated by helpline staff, and accuracy of advice given etc.
• Coordination and integration of helplines with other child protection and GBV services, including referral pathways and follow-up procedures, as well as CP IMS where applicable.
• Use of technology and innovation to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the helplines, such as dedicated helpline IMS
• Quality of existing helpline guidelines and training packages against global practices
• Other pertinent aspects/features
• Identify case studies of successful child protection helpline models, or elements of helpline models that are proving successful.

3. Consultation with key government partners and other stakeholders on the draft finding and finalise based on the feedback.
4. Presentation of the final report (findings and recommendations) to MoHR.
5. Conduct a training needs assessment among key helpline staff and develop a learning strategy and update the available learning package based on the findings of the assessment.
6. Deliver training to existing helpline staff.

Deliverables:

1. Inception report (overview, methodology, tools and timeline) to be delivered in 2 days.
2. Draft analytical report of findings, including set of key recommendations for improving the effectiveness, efficiency and accessibility of child protection helplines to be delivered in 20 days.
3. Consultation and submission of final report incorporating all feedback to be delivered in 4 days.
4. Presentation to the Ministry of Human Rights
5. Training assessment, learning strategy and updated/tested training materials to be delivered in 10 days.
6. Training report, including pre/post learning outcomes to be delivered in 5 days.

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

• Advanced degree in social sciences or a related technical field
  • *A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
• A minimum of 6 years relevant professional and progressive experience in the field of child protection.
• In-depth knowledge of child protection systems, laws, and policies, with a strong understanding of international best practices.
• Proven expertise in providing technical advice and support to government agencies, particularly in the areas of child protection.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate and build relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with the capacity to develop strategic roadmaps and provide innovative solutions.
• Familiarity with the local context and challenges related to child protection governance.
• Fluency in English required. Knowledge of a local language is an asset.

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:

• Estimated Duration: 42 spread over period of 4 months
• Applicants must submit a financial quotation indicating a monthly fee as part of the application against each deliverable.
• Islamabad/ with in-country brief travel.
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• 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.