National Consultant to support programming and policy development for Roma children, 6 months, Athens Greece

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, results

The Roma are one of Europe’s largest and most disadvantaged minority groups. While some have escaped from poverty, millions live in slums and lack the basic services they need, from healthcare and education to electricity and clean water. Discrimination against Roma communities is commonplace, fueling their exclusion. Far from spurring support for their social inclusion, their poverty and poor living conditions often reinforce the stereotyped views of the public and affect policy-making. And far from receiving the support that is their right, Roma children face discrimination that denies them the essentials for a safe, healthy and educated childhood.

There is a general absence of adequate information on Roma populations in Greece relating to topics key to the rights of the child, including education, health and nutrition, and living conditions, resulting to Roma children being particularly vulnerable as they too often remain out of sight of Greek authorities. Roma settlements are often isolated and with poor sanitation and hygiene conditions, and Roma communities face multiple and inter-related segregation, educational deprivation, forced evictions and systemic discrimination, leading to poverty and exclusion.

Only a small percentage of Roma children in Greece complete primary, secondary and tertiary education, with Greece routinely ranking particularly poorly among European countries with Roma populations. Access to school and school attendance face several barriers, such as isolated settlement with no access to public transport, preventing school access and decreasing school attendance, cultural norms on education, and systemic segregation in schools.

The Government of Greece has made steps to address the needs of this marginalized population through the Action Plan for the Social Integration of the Roma population (2017-2021). The current Action Plan is focused on key areas of education, employment, healthcare and housing in geographical areas where there are concentrated numbers of the Roma population. However policies initiated and implemented tend to be generic and fail to adequately distinguish between the large socio-economic differences present, and the diversity in the education level of the targeted populations

In 2019, the EU adopted a resolution on a Strategic Framework for National Roma Inclusion Strategies. This has been followed by the development of a survey in 2020, led by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, to collect and compare data in eight EU member states (and two accession countries). The survey will collect information about Roma socio-economic conditions and their experiences of discrimination, harassment and violence, including those motivated by racism, and serve as a baseline for the post-2020 inclusion agenda, with results expected in mid-2021. More recently, the European Commission adopted a EU Roma strategic framework for equality, inclusion and participation 2020-2030, a new 10-year plan, including a proposal for a Council Recommendation, to support Roma in the EU, for the next 10 years. With this framework in place, all EU governments should now start (or continue) to develop strong national Roma strategic frameworks.

How can you make a difference?

With a view of improving understanding of the needs and vulnerabilities of Roma in Greece, supporting state actors in the design of adequate policies and programming, and strengthening the effectiveness of UNICEF support to this population group, the Consultant will undertake the following key tasks:

• Analyze and document results achieved through Roma focused interventions implemented by UNICEF and other relevant actors in the region through the review of reports, documents and interviews with UNICEF country offices and other partners involved.
• Map actors engaged in and/or delivering services to Roma populations and especially children.
• Support the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs in the finalization of the children-dedicated sections of the national strategy on the Roma, currently under development.
• Organize a series of webinars and knowledge exchange sessions at national and regional level targeted to relevant state authorities and CSOs, to discuss on the effectiveness of different programming approaches in supporting Roma children’s rights and focusing on social protection, health (including nutrition), education, and child protection (including violence against children and early marriage), and to increase understanding of the principles and provisions of relevant global, regional and national frameworks affecting Roma children’s rights.
• Provide technical advice to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (Office of the Cabinet of the Secretary General for Social Solidarity and Fight Against Poverty) and other actors as relevant on the design of effective interventions, including actions in relation to community empowerment and engagement, to address the impact of poverty, deprivation and social exclusion amongst Roma children.
• Identify entry points and contribute to the development of a UNICEF GCO Program Guidance for the improvement of health, wellbeing and learning of Roma children, in cooperation with the relevant CO specialists and officers, including technical support for the tailoring of existing UNICEF interventions to cater for Roma children and for making programs and interventions accessible and inclusive of Roma children.
• Contribute to the development of strategies on the inclusion of Roma children to school in cooperation with the Education team of UNICEF.

The Consultant will report to the UNICEF Social Policy Specialist in close coordination with the Education and Child Protection Specialists, and work in cooperation with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (Office of the Cabinet of the Secretary General for Social Solidarity and Fight Against Poverty).

Time frame: Six (6) months starting February2021. Completion date July 2021.

The following deliverables are expected:

Deliverables Description

Due date

1) Analysis report (max. 15 pages) of results achieved through Roma focused interventions implemented by UNICEF and other relevant actors in the region (desk review and interviews to capture relevant opportunities, challenges, good practices and recommendations on accessible and inclusive interventions), focusing on using existing analysis of results achieved from programming on Roma to design a gender-sensitive engagement framework for Greece.

28 February 2021

2) Actors and data mapping report.

28 February 2021

3) Recommendations on the children-dedicated sections of the national strategy on the Roma, currently under development by the MOLSA.

31 March 2021

4) Webinars and knowledge exchange sessions at national and regional level targeted to relevant state authorities and CSOs.

30 April 2021

5) Bilateral meetings and recommendations for the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (Office of the Cabinet of the Secretary General for Social Solidarity and Fight Against Poverty) and other stakeholders as relevant, including representatives of Roma communities and members of Roma task forces, on the design of effective interventions for Roma children, focusing on identifying and presenting what works, and addressing gender issues.

30 April 2021

6) Program Guidance document for UNICEF for the improvement of health, wellbeing and learning of Roma children, including 2-3 page How-To notes on making culturally adapted, gender-sensitive programs and interventions that are accessible and inclusive of Roma children, covering each of UNICEF’s thematic areas (education, early childhood development, child protection, health, social protection, youth engagement).

30 June 2021

7) One-day event on the development of strategies on the inclusion of Roma children to school.

Duty Station, Workplace and Travel

The consultant will be home-based, and will be required to support the conduct of focus group discussions, site visits, and stakeholder meetings. UNICEF will pay the daily subsistence allowance as per UN-approved rate, in case the Consultant needs to travel outside the region of Attica. The dates for the travel will be determined in consultation with the supervisors.

Remuneration and Payment Schedule

Payment schedule: Payment will be made based on submission of quality agreed deliverables in line with timeline outlined in the TOR. UNICEF will cover costs related to missions in line with internal guidelines, including travel based on the most direct and economical route.

UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs is incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines. All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future.

All regulations for Consultants and Individual Contractors, including General Terms and Conditions, do apply for this contract. 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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

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

• Advanced university degree in social sciences or relevant areas;
• At least 7 years of professional work experience in social policy, children's rights, minority rights, child protection and/or education in Greece, including in the provision of policy advice in the relevant areas;
• Practical experience in working with Roma populations and settings is highly desirable;
• Excellent writing skills;
• Excellent analytical, communication and negotiating skills;
• Excellent team working skills and respect for diversity;
• Computer skills, including internet navigation, and various office applications;
• Fluency in Greek and in English.

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

How to apply

Applicants are invited to:

1. Attach the Letter of interest, including a plan describing your approach to the assignment, your availability and proposed fees (daily /monthly). The financial offer should clearly indicate a) the amount for consultancy fees requested to carry out the aforementioned deliverables, b) the amount for the travel expenses required, c) any other expenses deemed necessary, d) the total amount of the financial offer. Please note that applications without a proposed fee will not be accepted
2. Attach CVs and/or Personal history form (downloadable from

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/P11.doc). Alternatively, if a candidate profile in the UNICEF e-Recruitment System is available, you may download it and submit it as part of application.

3. Submit a sample of similar work (in English)

UNICEF will shortlist the applications based on the following criteria:

• Technical evaluation (70%): Relevance of professional and academic background, assessment of plan describing approach to the assignment, assessment of sample of work
• Financial evaluation (30%): Cost effectiveness of financial proposal

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.