National Consultant to Development of National Social Protection Policy and Social Protection Strategy

Contract

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2. Objective of the assignment/Output of the Consultancy

This consultancy aims to support the design and adoption of national social protection policy and strategy that will support Guinea-Bissau’s coordinated response to poverty and vulnerability, thus contributing to poverty reduction efforts. The national consultant will support the international consultant in various elements of the consultation and drafting process of the National Social Protection Policy (NSPP) and the National Social Protection Strategy (NSPS) for 2024-2028 and identify the institutions that should be engaged in the conceptualization, validation and implementation of social protection Policy and Strategy.

Funding from the SDG pool is being used as catalytic funding to support the development of a national social protection system with the exacerbation of poverty and vulnerabilities of families with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and under the auspices of the Ministry of Women, Family and Social Solidarity in collaboration with UNICEF, WFP and UNFPA. This effort will focus initially on: (i) to support the Government of Guinea-Bissau on the policy level with the development of a social protection policy and strategy (ii) design of a financing framework and the outline of a registry system (iii) testing delivery mechanisms through the implementation of a pilot non-contributory emergency social protection scheme.

The national consultant will work alongside with an international consultant to develop a National Social Protection Policy (NSPP) including the National Social Protection Strategy document (NSPS) for the period 2024-2028. Specifically, the national consultant will:

a. Collect relevant documentation for the development of the National Social Protection Policy and Strategy of Guinea Bissau as reflected in the constitution of Republic of Guinea-Bissau and in accordance with the Labour Act, 14/86, Social Protection Law (Law nº 4/2007, Social Protection Framework Law) and law nº 3/2012, Official Bulletin of the National Social Security Institute - the functioning of Social Security

b. Undertake a desk review of documents and use to develop the first draft of the revision of existing diagnostic study on social protection

c. Undertake a mapping exercise of all stakeholders involved in the social protection field in Guinea Bissau and develop a matrix of all social protection interventions in country, including information about target groups, information systems, available funding, location of beneficiaries, functioning.

d. Contribute to the analysis of strengths, opportunities and gaps in existing national policies and strategies through social protection programmes.

e. Set up meetings for the international consultant with relevant government officials, local authorities, civil society organizations, community leaders, development partners and other stakeholders for all required consultations

f. Lead the organization of consultation workshops at national and regional level with key stakeholders, to agree on an outline as well as components of the National Social Protection Policy and Strategy,

g. Facilitate the work of the international consultant in all the processes of the development of the National Social Protection Policy and Strategy and in the design of coherent social protection services management, monitoring and evaluation systems, including social accountability systems.

3. Guiding Principles

The National Social Protection Policy and Strategy will be articulated with other sectoral policies and will align with the Guinea-Bissau PND and international commitments (SDGs, AU Agenda 2063, etc.). The development of the National Social Protection Policy and Strategy covering the period of 2024-2028 will be based on principles that underpin the effective conduct of such a process, namely: national ownership, equity and inclusion and equity, human Rights, gender-responsiveness, risk-informed and results oriented as well as evidence-Based.

3.1 National ownership

The National Social Protection Policy and Strategy for 2024-2028 development process will be led by the Ministry of Women, Family and Social Solidarity (MWFSS). The MWFSS will provide guidance and facilitate the integration and consideration of all stakeholders in the social protection sector. The MWFSS will assume a coordination role amongst all the technical Ministries of social sectors and Technical and Financial Partners (TFP), that will lead the implementation of the NSPP and NSPS with the view of ploughing back lessons learned for continuous improvements in the quality and implementation of the policy.

3.2 Human Rights

The development process will draw from a human-rights approach drawing out the commitments to rights holders who are mainly the most vulnerable groups and duty bearers with obligations to meeting these rights, in particular all the actors in charge of social protection. The policy process will be oriented so as to identify the shortcomings that limit the actions of these two categories of actors to enable them to have the capacity to claim their rights, for the first, and to fulfill their obligations, for the second.

3.3 Inclusion and Equity

The development of National Social Protection Policy and Strategy for 2024-2028 will follow an inclusive and participatory process. Each stage of the process will see the involvement of all the actors in the field of social protection. Appropriate mechanisms will be developed to ensure everyone's participation in order to guarantee a common understanding and ownership of the changes sought through the development of the National Social Protection Policy and Strategy. This inclusion must take into account the needs and specificities of the most vulnerable targets and minorities so that no one is left behind.

In the process of developing the National Social Protection Policy and Strategy an equity approach will guide: (i) identification and targeting of the range of disadvantaged groups living in Guinea Bissau, especially children and women from low income households, pregnant women, lactating mothers, children under-5, children and adults living with disabilities, the elderly , the homeless, especially vulnerable groups such as persons living with HIV, etc. with a view to achieving their rights (ii) identifying and addressing the causes of inequity with a focus on accelerating the pace of progress and (iii) evidence generation.

3.4 Risk-informed and results-oriented

This approach leads to considering the reduction of natural risks and socio-economic risks as an integral part of developing a shock responsive Social Protection Policy and Strategy process that takes into account (i) the identification of risks related to disasters, climate change, conflicts, epidemics and other socio-economic shocks, (ii) the analysis of the profile of people likely to be affected by these shocks and the analysis of the impact on their vulnerability and (iii) the analysis of the roles and responsibilities of the various actors in risk management and resilience. In this regard, a resulted-oriented approach will infuse the process ensuring that concrete changes in health, education, nutrition and livelihood outputs and outcomes are in evidence and capable of being measured with a revamped shock-responsive social protection system that effectively addresses the well-being and poverty profile of the most vulnerable groups.

3.5 Gender-responsive

The policy formulation process will be gender sensitive as will the actual policy and its implementation. The development of the National Social Protection Policy (NSPP) will aim to understand the gaps in the situation of accessibility to services between women and men, the causes of these inequalities and discriminations as well as how these groups are affected and should benefit from social protection schemes.

3.6 Evidence-based

This principle consists of a systematic effort to bring the best data (qualitative or quantitative) to support the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the social protection policy and strategy. It underlies both the use and the generation of data in the policy formulation cycle. Based on this principle, the National Social Protection Policy (NSPP) and National Social Protection Strategy (NSPS) will be developed and implemented based on the most recent evidence to confirm the relevance of the problems highlighted as well as the choices of the solutions envisaged.

This data will include (i) data on the state of vulnerable groups and their situation, (ii) data on the beliefs, values, principles, and preferences that guide their lives and that are likely to influence their opinion of the services they will receive under the implementation of the national social protection policy, and (iii) data on the benefits, risks and other elements associated with the types of programs to be implemented under the National Social Protection Policy and Strategy.

4. Duration of Consultation

The consultant shall work within UNICEF for a period of eleven (11) months. The effort of developing the National Social Protection Policy and National Social Protection Strategy will occur concomitantly.

5. Methodology

The policy and strategy formulation process will draw upon three activities within the methodology, notably: (i) Desk review that identifies best practice and updates the existing diagnostic study on social protection; (ii) Consultations, Key-informant interviews and Focus Group discussions to glean multiple perspectives in the development of the policy and strategy documents and ensure ownership of the process and outcome; (iii) Document preparation that ensures a quality product that stands up to international scrutiny.

6. Payment

The consultancy will be subject to the rules and procedures in force at UNICEF. The daily fees are established on the basis of the financial offer made by the successful candidates after the analysis of the files and the fee schedule of the individual national consultants of UNICEF at the respective level. The payments will be based upon the completion of deliverables according to the schedule highlighted in the table below and upon approval by UNICEF.

7. Consultancy Supervision

The consultation will be under the supervision of the Representative and will work closely with the Deputy Representative and Social Policy Specialist and/or Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist. The consultant will work collaboratively with the international consultant developing the NSPP and NSPS, and closely with the Director General of Social Solidarity (DGSS) of Ministry of Women, Family and Social Solidarity (MWFSS), the Ministry Economy, Planning and Regional Integration (MoE) and the leads of other aspects of the Social Protection system under development by WFP and UNFPA.

Overview of assignment of tasks and activities:

Tasks/sub-activities:

1. Support in the preparation of an inception report on how the design and validation process for the national social policy and strategy- Deliverables Inception report prepared - Period September 2022.
2. Collect relevant documentation for the development of the National Social Protection Policy and Strategy of Guinea Bissau as reflected in the constitution of Republic of Guinea-Bissau and in accordance with the Labour Act, 14/86, Social Protection Law (Law nº 4/2007, Social Protection Framework Law) and law nº 3/2012, Official Bulletin of the National Social Security Institute - the functioning of Social Security and all other relevant policies and strategies linked relevant to the development of a social protection system - Deliverables List of policy, strategy, programme and project documentation obtained with relevance to social protection schemes for vulnerable groups from national authorities, CSOs and international development partners - Period Mid-November 2022.
3. Undertake a desk review of documents, including identification of gaps and possible opportunities in social protection - Deliverables Desk review of policy documents highlighting information gaps and opportunities in social protection - Period Mid-November 2022.
4. Undertake a mapping exercise of all stakeholders involved in the social protection field in Guinea Bissau and and develop a matrix of all social protection interventions in country, including information about target groups, information systems, available funding, location of beneficiaries, functioning - Deliverables Mapping and matrix of current social protection programmes in Guinea Bissau - Period Mid-November 2022.
5. Contribute to the analysis of strengths, opportunities and gaps in existing national policies and strategies through social protection programme - Deliverables Mapping and matrix of current social protection programmes in Guinea Bissau - Period Mid-November 2022.
6. Set up meetings for the international consultant with relevant government officials, local authorities, civil society organizations, community leaders, development partners and other stakeholders for all required consultations - Deliverables List of key stakeholders consulted. Presentations for the workshop to set the scene on Social Protection. Workshop report. - Period December 2022.
7. Organise a workshop to present the elements of a social protection system, situation in Guinea Bissau and potential nature of the policy and strategy - Deliverables List of key stakeholders consulted. Presentations for the workshop to set the scene on Social Protection. Workshop report. - Period December 2022.
8. On the basis of the proposed policy options and the methodology provided by the international consultant, cost the draft policy options and identify financing for the policy and strategy - Deliverables Draft costed strategy document around the policy provisions - Deliverables End February 2023.
9. Organisation of a review and validation workshop of the draft document - Deliverables - Draft Policy Document. Draft Strategy document. Workshop report - Deliverables April 2023.
10. Finalization of policy and strategy documents following validation workshop - Deliverables - Final Draft Policy Document, Strategy document

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

A university degree (Minimum Masters) in Social Sciences, Economics, particularly in fields relevant to consulting. Holding a PhD would be a considerable advantage.

Experience and qualifications

• Have at least 5 years of experience in the field of social protection.
• Have a proven knowledge of the field of social protection and at least five (5) years of experience in strategic planning, monitoring, and evaluation of social protection programs.
• Have proven expertise in strategic planning based on gender, equity, results and human rights.
• Have good oral and written communication skills in Portuguese and French/English, teamwork, and facilitation of participatory processes.
• Have at least recent experience in developing national policies or strategies for social protection or similar benefits.

Languages

Excellent ability to communicate in Portuguese. However, fluency in English or French is a plus.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Administrative details:

Office based

Transport organized by the office

Internet access required

Application:

Applications must include a technical proposal and a financial proposal.

The technical proposal will consist of:

• A note on understanding the Terms of Reference (TOR);
• A presentation of the methodological approach to be used to carry out the tasks.
• A work plan and a detailed timetable.
• The Curriculum Vitae including, among other things, the experience acquired in similar studies with at least 3 references.
• Any other relevant information that could be useful in assessing its ability to carry out this consultation.

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.

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).

ToR National Consultant NSPP.pdf