National Consultancy to support for planning and implementation of a country-level self-assessment of the administrative data system on children in alternative care, 70 w/ds, Dushanbe, Tajik

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,

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programmes, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfil their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

Background & Rationale

Despite its importance, high-quality and reliable information for reporting and decision-making on issues involving children living in alternative care[1] is still lacking in many countries. In light of this, there is a need to develop tools and provide guidance to help countries strengthen their routine data collection systems to monitor the safety and well-being of children in such arrangements and for administrative record-keeping. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in exploring ways to better utilize existing administrative data for monitoring and reporting. Strengthening the quality and coverage of such records is therefore an important and useful investment. To begin addressing this, a first step for any country entails gaining an improved understanding of the existing administrative data system and its functioning, as well as assessing opportunities and investments needed to strengthen available information systems.

The Data and Analytics Section of UNICEF headquarters has developed a diagnostic toolkit that countries can use to assess the capacity of their statistical systems to collect, collate, analyze and disseminate administrative data on children living in alternative care. The toolkit consists of a set of documents, which together inform the country-level self-assessment exercise. These documents include:

• Introduction – the rationale and methodology of the toolkit together with instructions on how to do the self-assessment and a glossary providing definitions of the terms used in the other documents
• Sectoral questionnaire – a questionnaire to be completed by representatives of each of the sectors involved in data collection, collation, analysis and dissemination on alternative care
• National questionnaire – a questionnaire to be completed by national level stakeholders involved in data collection, collation, analysis and dissemination on alternative care, taking into account the information provided in the sectoral questionnaires
• Core set of indicators and metadata – a document giving an overview of the minimum recommended core set of indicators and disaggregation variables on which data should be collected in a mature data system on alternative care, along with corresponding indicator metadata
• Workshop implementation guidance – a document providing information about how to effectively organize and facilitate a self-assessment workshop in which the questionnaires are answered by relevant key stakeholders. This includes a PowerPoint template for use during the workshop as well as two meeting report templates.

[1] ‘Alternative care’ in this context refers to residential care, family-based care (foster care and kinship care) and adoption.

How can you make a difference?

The consultant will prepare, organize, facilitate and report on the implementation of the toolkit in the country, using the documents and materials outlined above developed by UNICEF.

DUTY STATION/DURATION:

Duration: 70 working days between June 2023 - November 2023

Duty station: Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Supervisor: M&E Specialist

The consultant is expected to undertake the following activities:

1.1. Conduct desk research and prepare written summary of the existing national definitions of alternative care, adoption in Tajikistan and prepare a brief mapping of the existing administrative data system on alternative care in the country. This will help reveal the relevant stakeholders able to provide different insights who can be invited to complete the sectoral questionnaires and/or participate in the national-level workshop.

1.2. Customize the sectoral and national questionnaires (both Russian and English) to the country context as needed. To give room for adaptation to different contexts, the questionnaires use generic labels and language, and it is expected that these may need to be customized to the specific country context. For example, using ‘guardianship care’ instead of ‘foster care’, as relevant. Customization might also involve using specific terms for relevant authorities, and for processes.

1.3. Facilitate completion of the sectoral questionnaires through a modality and process to be decided on in consultation with the UNICEF Tajikistan and relevant stakeholders.

1.4. Plan, organize and prepare for the series of self-assessment workshops to complete the national and sectoral questionnaires, using the existing Workshop Implementation Guidance. Key tasks at this stage will involve preparing a draft list of relevant stakeholders to be invited as participants for the workshop; identifying and securing a date and venue for the one-day workshop; facilitating translation of the questionnaires and supporting materials into the local language (if necessary); adapting the existing sample workshop agenda to adjust times and details as needed; adapting the existing PowerPoint template by adding content relevant to the country context; developing slides to present each of the questions and response scenarios in the questionnaire during the workshop; and organizing the printing of relevant materials for workshop participants.

1.5. Facilitate and conduct the self-assessment workshops by guiding participants through completing the national and sectoral questionnaires, building consensus on the appropriate response and recording the response to each question in the existing Excel version of the questionnaires, making note of any applicable comments or feedback shared by participants.

1.6. Prepare and draft follow-up reports after completion of the self-assessment workshops, using existing report templates. This will include the preparation of two reports: one report to summarize stakeholder feedback on the workshop and reflect on the process of planning and implementing the assessment to distill key lessons and insights that can guide further improvement of the toolkit and a second report to summarize the main results of the sectoral and national questionnaires and overall outcomes of the self-assessment.

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

• Education: An advanced university degree in social sciences, development studies, public health, statistics, demography or other social science field.
• Work experience: At least 5 years of relevant professional experience in the area of data and statistics, alternative care, planning, or other relevant field at analytical, management and operational levels.
• Competencies: Strong coordination skills, analytical and conceptual thinking. Ability to work with large teams and guide policy discussions. Excellent writing, communication, and presentation skills with stakeholders. Ability to work under pressure and commitment to work to tight timeframe.
• Languages: Strong command of the Tajik, Russian and English, both spoken and written

Qualified candidates are requested to submit:

1. Cover letter/application/CV.
2. A technical proposal with proposed approach to managing the consultancy deliverables, showing understanding of tasks. Special attention should be paid to organizing the process of co-development and capacity building.
3. Financial quote (separate from technical proposal in TJS) for the consultancy in per deliverable, also stating the timeframe for completion of deliverable and/or daily rate as well as travel and subsistence costs, as applicable.
4. Examples of previous, relevant work related to the deliverables.
5. Applications without a financial quote will not be considered.

Applications must be received in the system by 26 May 2023 on UNICEF website.

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:

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.