NATIONAL CONSULTANT - ASSESSMENT OF THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON CHILDREN in Tbilisi, Georgia

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Application deadline 3 years ago: Friday 25 Sep 2020 at 14:00 UTC

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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.

For every child, an education

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 emergency has both immediate and long term economic and social impacts. As the most consequential crisis of the decade, it will assuredly leave its mark on the global and local economies. The crisis disproportionately affects the livelihoods of the most vulnerable, especially those who were vulnerable even before the pandemic. Food insecurity, health risks, and poverty become a daily fear for thousands of families around the globe.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, the Government of Georgia has been taking active measures to ensure the protection of the rights of vulnerable groups. A significant part of the Government's anti-crisis plan was dedicated to the care for citizens, including financial support. The Government announced several types of temporary cash transfers to mitigate the adverse social effects of the COVID-19 crisis. Following the post-crisis period, the Government of Georgia has recognized the need to carry out a large-scale research project to analyze the pandemic response measures undertaken so far, assess their effectiveness, and recommend refinements where needed. The Government has requested support from international organizations and development partners to carry out this work. Within the framework of this collaboration, UNICEF is commissioning an assessment of the impact of COVID-19, as well as, measures taken by the Government to support the health, development and protection of children, especially children in vulnerable conditions, during the pandemic.

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds and poses long-term challenges in multiple areas of global and national governance, the Government of Georgia has recognized the need to carry out a large-scale research project to analyze how Georgia managed the pandemic-related crisis, identify areas for improvement, assess the actions of state institutions and provide recommendations on how to enhance their capacities for more effective management of the projected next waves of the pandemic. Looking beyond the COVID-19 challenge, the research will also recommend longer-term structural adjustments to build the resilience of Georgian institutions, economy and society to future crises.

THE GOALS OF THE ASSIGNMENT ARE TO SUPPORT THE GOVERNMENT OF GEORGIA TO ASSESS:

  1. Children, including in large-scale state/non-state institutions
  2. What is/was the impact of the pandemic on the realization of:
  • Children's right to private and family life
  • Children's right to equal access to education
  • Right to internet (this is an emerging area and would coincide with the right to education)
  • Children's right to live in a safe environment, including in a non-violent environment
  • Children's right to development
  • Children's right to information
  • How accessible were the state - support programs for children during the pandemic?
  • Children in the quarantine spaces: safety of children in quarantine, protective family environment during quarantine, psychosocial support and play while in quarantine.
  • Challenges faced by street children
  • What are the consequences of COVID-19 for children whose families' economic situation has deteriorated as a result of the virus?
  • What State actions were taken to protect the children's rights?
  • What actions should State take to better respond to children's needs in time of future waves?
  • How did the State protect the rights of children living and working in the street

METHODOLOGY OF THE ASSESSMENT

To accomplish the above-mentioned, the consultant is expected to collect quantitative data from the line ministries/state institutions/key stakeholders and conduct a desk review. In case needed, in-depth qualitative interviews with decision-makers from the Administration of the Government, line ministries, and state institutions might be considered. Qualitative data would need to be collected through regional focus group discussions with children (right holders).

DURATION AND DELIVERABLES

The duration of the consultancy is 25 days within a 3-month period. The final deliverables are:

  • Assessment report with recommendations
  • Assessment summary report (in English and Georgian)
  • Assessment PPT presentation (in English and Georgian)

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIANCE

The consultant should meet the following requirements:

  • An advanced university degree in Human Rights, International Development, Economics, Social Policy, or related discipline required;
  • Demonstrated experience in conducting assessments, including projection and impact assessments;
  • Excellent research, analytical, writing and communication skills;
  • Demonstrated expertise on gender- and child-sensitive social protection concepts, theories and practices;
  • Familiarity with international norms and standards for humanitarian action;
  • Familiarity with the work of the United Nations an asset; and
  • Fluency in verbal and written English and Georgian.

CONDITIONS OF WORK

  • The consultant will work under the supervision of the Social Policy Specialist in close collaboration with the Social Policy Officer
  • UNICEF will provide support to secure online meetings with relevant stakeholders.
  • The consultant will provide their own computer and communications equipment.
  • All remuneration must be within the contract agreement.
  • No work may commence unless the contract is signed by both UNICEF and the consultant

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR EVALUATION OF RESULTS

  • Weekly information update on work progress to the supervisor
  • Timely delivery of draft documents according to the schedule agreed upon
  • Satisfactory quality of the documents

REMUNERATION AND ENTITLEMENT

The consultant will be paid a daily negotiated fee against provision of deliverables and written approval by the supervisor. The payment will be in lump sum, after submitting the final versions of the deliverables.

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.

All travel costs associated with the assignment must be included in the daily fee.

HEALTH INSURANCE

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

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Consultant is required to clearly identify any potential ethical issue, as well as the processes for ethical review and oversight of the research/data collection process in their proposal. UNICEF Procedure for Ethical Standards in Research, Evaluation, Data Collection and Analysis can be found at: https://www.unicef.org/supply/files/ATTACHMENT_IV-UNICEF_Procedure_for_Ethical_Standards.PDF and should be consistently applied throughout the research process. The procedure contains the minimum standards and required procedures for research, evaluation and data collection and analysis undertaken or commissioned by UNICEF (including activities undertaken by individual and institutional contractors, and partners) involving human subjects or the analysis of sensitive secondary data.

APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

The application must include:

  • Proposal including timeline on the vision of the implementation of the assignment activities by the Consultant
  • Curriculum vitae;
  • Proposal of the daily gross consultancy fee; and
  • Names and contact details (email and tel. number) of three professional references who applicant worked with in the domains of the assignment.
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.

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:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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.

Added 3 years ago - Updated 3 years ago - Source: unicef.org