National consultant to support in documenting best practices in addressing VAC/SGBV under the Spotlight Initiative, 40 days, Dushanbe, Tajikistan

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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, support

The European Union and the United Nations have launched the Spotlight Initiative, a multi-year programme aimed at addressing all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG), and harmful practices. It follows a transformative and evidence-based approach, addressing unequal power relations between men and women and focusing on gender equality and women’s empowerment, as well as ending impunity for VAWG. In line with the principles of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Initiative follows a human rights-based approach and takes into consideration the specific needs of women and girls who experience multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and uphold the principle of “leaving no one behind.”

The Spotlight Initiative aims to support transformative change on the ground to end violence against women and girls, in numerous countries globally, including Tajikistan. The initiative comes with the highest level of commitment globally and will be governed by the UN Deputy Secretary General and the Vice President of the EU Commission.

Spotlight initiative Programme in Tajikistan is focused on sexual and gender-based violence in Asia, including in Tajikistan. The Global Theory of Change is comprehensive in nature, with a view to driving transformative change along 6 Pillars/Outcomes:

1) Legislation and Policies;

2) Institutional strengthening;

3) Prevention of violence;

4) Available, accessible, and acceptable, quality services;

5) Quality and reliable data and

6) Supporting women’s movements and relevant civil society organizations.

The program supports the multilateral relationship with the UN in the pursuit of the goal of gender equality and a world free of gender-based violence. The UN Resident Coordinator and the Heads of UN Recipient Organizations (RUNOs), which are (UN Women, UNFPA, UNDP and UNICEF) jointly accountable to the Government and the people of Tajikistan for the delivery of strategic results of the Country Programme.

In many countries of the Central Asia region, the education sector is mandated to equip children and young people with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they need to live safe and healthy lives under target 4.7 of the Education 2030/Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) agenda. This agenda constitutes the grounds for school-based healthy lifestyle education, which has been introduced under different names and covering different ranges of topics in most countries in the region. During recent years, the importance of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education has been recognized as an integral component of healthy lifestyle education programmes. Elements of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education have been integrated in curricula across the region, with considerable differences among countries regarding approaches, content and scale of such programmes.

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF in Tajikistan as a recipient UN agency based on its comparative advantages and expertise in Tajikistan is contributing to eliminated VAC/SGBV through implementation of activities under pillars II, III and IV. Pillar II: UNICEF has provided support to Ombudsmans Office to replicate child reporting and complaining mechanisms with five different ministries and agencies to receive, address and refer VAC/SGBV reports coming from children. In line with this activity, UNICEF has supported Working Group under the Ombudsmans Office to review legislation to enable children appeal to state institutions directly. In addition, legal services have been provided to children-survivors of sexual violence under this pillar by UNICEF. Pillar III: UNICEF has conducted KABP Study under this pillar to identify knowledge, attitudes, behaviours and practices of population and public servants toward SGBV and existing harmful practices, including early marriage. Based on the KABP study Communication Strategy has been elaborated to address those norms. UNICEF has promoted positive parenting and worked with communities to establish reporting mechanisms for children and strengthened student councils and other peer-to-peer platforms to advocate and engage youth to design prevention approaches of ending violence against girl and SGBV and resilience of girls to violence. This included building 21st century skills (as well as of life skills), notably at risk groups, in order to provide for their successful transition from school to work life as a prevention measure to be resilient to VAG and SGBV. Pillar IV: UNICEF has provided psychosocial support under the adolescent’s mental health to girls’ survivors of SGBV or facing intersecting forms of discrimination. This was especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In order to inform future programmes to prevent and respond to VAWG, UNICEF is seeking a consultant who will document good practices, , challenges, lessons learnt and elaborate forward looking strategies to strengthen interventions to eliminate VAWG.

Scope of Work: Under direct supervision by the Reports Specialist and technical support from the Child Protection Officer, Justice for Children, and all other sections engaged in Spotlight implementation, the consultant is expected to perform and accomplish the following tasks:

Work Assignment (40 w/ds during July -Nov. 2023): Tasks/Milestone/Deliverables/Outputs/Timeline:

1. Conduct technical consultation meetings and interviews (coordinated by UNICEF program focal points) with UNICEF Spotlight and Coordination Team, non-governmental organizations, UNICEF Implementing Partners, on best practices, challenges, and lessons learnt from the UNICEF component of Spotlight Initiative/ Del 1. Report on the results of the technical meetings with all the stakeholders is produced and endorsed by UNICEF, 14 days (July -August 2023)

2. Conduct desktop reviews of Spotlight Annual Reports, developed materials (including visibility and communication), including but not limited to partner reports, Human Interest Stories, best practices, and lessons learnt/Del. 2. Report on the results of the desk review of Spotlight Initiative Programme with highlighting and collecting Human Interest Stories, best practices and lessons learnt have been produced, 12 days (July- September 2023)

3. Based on technical consultation meetings and desk review produce a brief report and presentation on UNICEF interventions with key achievements and successes to be shared with all the partners and potential donors. Del.3. Based on the technical consultation meetings and desk review, report highlighting UNICEF Spotlight successes and achievements (Spotlight visibility format is utilised) have been produced and endorsed by UNICEF, 8 days (September -October 2023)

4. Provide recommendations on future UNICEF strategic vision/direction on preventing and responding to EVAWG/Del.4. Based on the revised materials recommendations reflecting the strategic vision/direction for future UNICEF interventions on preventing and responding to EVAWG have been provided. 5 days (October-November 2023)

5. Final report and presentation to UNICEF PMT/Produce a final report and presentation 1 day (November 2023)

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* for the consultancy in TJS per deliverable, stating also the timeframe for completion of deliverable and/or daily rate in TJS.
4. Examples of previous, relevant work related to the deliverables.

*Costs indicated are estimated. Final rate shall follow the “best value for money” principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible fee. Consultants will be asked to stipulate all-inclusive fees, including lump sum travel and subsistence costs, as applicable.

Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

Proposals can be sent to: dushanbe@unicef.org with subject line “National consultancy to support UNICEF Tajikistan in documenting best practices, challenges and ways forward in addressing VAC/SGBV under the Spotlight Initiative ” by 26 July, 2023.

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

• Advanced university degree in the fields of journalism, social science, law, public policy, gender - equality and any other relevant major with focus on preparation of public awareness materials and analytical documents, article and any types of documentation. PhD level in relevant field is an asset.
• At least 8 years of relevant professional experience in the area of public awareness, analytics, gender- equality analytical work, elaboration of promotional and documentation materials.
• Strong knowledge of EVAWG and gender equality. Expertise in development of analytical documents, promotional materials is required. Knowledge of the region and context is an asset.
• Fluency in English is required and Tajik/Russian is an asset.

Required skills:

• Strong coordination skills, analytical and conceptual thinking.
• Ability to work with large teams, multi faced topics and guide policy discussions.
• Exceptional writing in English, communication, and presentation skills with stakeholders.
• Ability to work under pressure and commitment to work to tight timeframe.

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.