National consultancy to support the diagnostic assessment and strategic planning of data and evidence for SDG and child rights commitments in Tajikistan (for Tajik nationals only)

Consultant Programme & Policy Monitoring & Evaluation

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,

In 2016 the Government of Tajikistan has committed to nationalize and implementing 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and developed the National Development Strategy for the period up to 2030 (NDS). The 2017 Concluding Observations of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child to Tajikistan highlight the need for improving collection of disaggregated data on children and its use for designing targeted policies. The National Strategy for the Development of Statistics until 2030 indicates statistics on children as one of priority areas for improving volume and quality of data. Over the last several years UNICEF Tajikistan has been supporting the Agency on Statistics of the Republic of Tajikistan (Tajstat) in enhancing national statistical capacity to collect and analyse data on child related SDGs and children's vulnerabilities through two year rolling joint workplans. The SDG localization and improvement of quality and use of enormous administrative data related to children remains one of the key priority areas. There is also a need to assess the availability and quality of child related data ecosystems including administrative data to identify opportunities and gaps for evidence-based planning and budgeting in view of the SDGs and child rights commitments.

How can you make a difference?

This assignment aims to provide technical support in a diagnostic assessment of the data for children landscape in the country and develop a strategic Data for Children Action Plan for the best data investments on children for the coming four years. The diagnostic assessment of data ecosystem will examine demand, supply and use of data to identify gaps and needs for capacity development, and opportunities for translating data potential into results for children taking into account the nationalized SDG and child rights commitments.

The National Consultancy will specifically focus on providing support to the International Consultant in producing and presenting the following in a comprehensive and coherent way:

1. A diagnostic assessment of the data landscape and the key issues to be addressed in the frame of the child-related SDGs and child rights commitment.

2. Recommendations and action points on the immediate and longer-term priorities in view of child-related SDG child protection and vulnerability indicators.

   DESCRIPTION OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

The National Consultant will work under close technical guidance from International Consultant, overall guidance from the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist/Child Rights Monitoring and in collaboration with the focal point in the Agency on Statistics (Tajstat). The work involves three phases, as outlined below:

Phase 1 Design: Identifying key areas for data diagnostic

1. Under direct technical guidance of the International Consultant and in collaboration with the UNICEF Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist/Child Rights Monitoring and other programme staff, external partners including the Tajstat, the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MEDT) and Ministry of Finance (MoF) to support the development of a clear understanding and scope of the priority areas of work for Data for children in line with SDGs and child rights. This analysis should be based on the initial desk review of existing literature and data with a special focus on relevant government strategic planning and reporting materials. The National Consultant will prepare a compilation of relevant literature and statistics and conduct the interviews with key UNICEF staff, Tajstat and MEDT.
2. Based on these interviews and reviews, to support the International consultant in developing a conceptual framework and methodology for the data landscape diagnostic including the a) provisional outline of key areas for diagnostic assessment and list of child related SDGs and vulnerability indicators, b) adjusted questionnaires and interview guides based on d core admin data systems for children.

Phase 2 Assessment: Mapping the country’s data landscape and assessing the quality of data

3. To support the International Consultant in mapping the data landscape in the identified priority areas covering both development activities and development-humanitarian nexus based on the framework and provisional outline developed in Phase 1 and to conduct a series of interviews and consultation meetings with the key internal and external stakeholders identified in Phase 1. This should include identifying the major needs, existing initiatives, and new opportunities in data for children work in those areas.

Phase 3 Action Planning: Developing the D4C strategic action plan document

4. To support the international consultant in developing a strategic action plan to guide the country’s and more specifically UNICEF’s data for children actions and investments based on the results of data diagnostic.

• Facilitate the validation process of the D4C Action Plan with relevant UNICEF staff and key external partners.

_____________________________________________________

[1] DIY toolkit can be accessed at https://data.unicef.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Data-for-Children-Do-It-Yourself-Toolkit.pdf

[2]DQF can be accessed at https://data.unicef.org/resources/data-quality-framework/#:~:text=The%20Data%20Quality%20Framework%20is,confidence%20in%20our%20data%20products.

DUTY STATION/DURATION:

Estimated duration: (30 working days from 30 June till 30 November, 2022)

Duty station: Dushanbe

On-site working days: up to 20 days

Off-site working days: up to 10 days (remote)

Supervisor: M&E Specialist/Child Rights Monitoring

KEY DELIVERABLES/ TIMEFRAME / PAYMENT SCHEDULE

The assignment will be carried out in 30 days spread over a period starting from 30 June to 30 November 2022. The consultant will produce the following deliverables:

Tasks/Milestone

Deliverables/Outputs

Number of days

Timeline

Payment schedule

1

Support the development of a clear understanding and scope of the priority areas of work for Data for children in line with SDGs and child rights

Compile relevant literature and conduct desk Review

Prepare data collection and analysis tools and conduct initial stakeholder meetings

Prepare minutes/findings from the initial stakeholder consultations

Inputs to the Inception report (10-15 pages) approved by the International Consultant including:

• adjusted tools for the data landscape diagnostic (analysis tables and interview guides)
• priority areas and list of SDG, child protection and vulnerability indicators
• stakeholder mapping by demand/supply/use and by sector or thematic domain
• provisional outline of areas for assessment and data catalogue

10

20 July 2022

100%

2

Support in mapping the data landscape in the identified priority areas and conduct a series of interviews and consultation meetings with the key internal and external stakeholders

Prepare analytical outputs, summary and key findings of the key informant Interview and stakeholder consultations in consultation with the intentional consultant.

Technical inputs to the data landscape diagnostic report (20-30 pages or sufficient length to cover all agreed topics) approved by the international consultant

15 days

25 August 2022

3

Support the international consultant in developing a strategic action plan to guide the country’s and more specifically UNICEF’s data for children actions and investments based on the results of data diagnostic

Technical inputs to the strategic action plan including the data landscape diagnostic report approved by the International consultant

5 days

15 September 2022

The rough timeline of the whole process is described below. This timeline may vary depending on the external consultation, feedback and validation processes. To facilitate the feedback and validation processes the national consultant will closely work with the International Consultant, the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist/Child Rights Monitoring and the focal point in Tajstat. A temporary cross-programme working group will be established in the office that will help review progress at key moments of the assignment, alternatively progress will be reported at the Programme Management Team meetings. The National consultant will conduct bi-monthly technical coordination with Tajstat with involvement of M&E/CRM Specialist and involve/update the International Consultant. Overall quality supervision will be undertaken by UNICEF in consultation with Tajstat.

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

1) Education: Advanced university degree (master's or equivalent) in in international development, public policy, statistics, or other related fields.

2) Work experience: At least 5 years of experience in policy and planning work related to international development with a strong preference for experience working with data systems and specialists.

3) Competencies

• A constructive attitude, flexible approach to changing circumstances and desire to help the organization learn. Ability to work under pressure and commitment to work to tight timeframe.
• A solid understanding of UNICEF’s core areas of work.
• Excellent written and spoken language skills, presentation and facilitation skills.
• Proven ability to work in a multi-cultural environment, establish and maintain effective working relationships, and meet deadlines.

4) Technical knowledge

• Solid knowledge of the development context of Tajikistan, including the state operations; experience in cooperating with state institutions and inter-agency working groups;
• Strong knowledge of data collection and data processing methods and techniques, experience in conducting quantitative and qualitative research is a strong asset.
• Strong analytical and conceptual thinking, proven experience in preparing reports, instructions, guidelines, manuals, or other relevant materials at the national level for both governments and international organizations.

5) Language: Fluent knowledge of Tajik (or Russian) and English languages.

For more details, pls. see attached the TOR for this consultancy position: ToR D4C Action Plan Tajikistan_National_consultancy_final.docx

Qualified candidates are requested to submit:

1. Cover letter/application/CV.
2. A brief technical proposal with the proposed methodology/approach to managing the project, showing understanding of tasks, risks and mitigation measures.
3. Financial quote for the consultancy in TJS per deliverable, stating also the timeframe for completion of deliverable and/or daily rate (as well as travel and subsistence costs, as applicable).
4. Examples of previous, relevant professional written work.
5. At least two professional references

Travel costs and DSA will be covered in accordance with UN rules and regulations. No other remunerations apply. As a general principle, the fees payable to a consultant or individual contractor follow the “best value for money” principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible cost.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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.

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. The candidate may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid).

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Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unicef.org