National Individual Consultant to support undertaking of an assessment of national system’s readiness to respond to shocks, including activating emergency cash support with UNICEF in Uzbekis

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, support.

BACKGROUND

According to the UNICEF guidance, ‘Social protection policies and programmes are most often designed to address typical risks faced by individuals and households along their lifecycle. ‘Shock responsive’ social protection aims to extend the types of risks covered to include additional challenges which often impact many households at once such as natural hazards, economic crises, and conflict that also play a critical role in determining life outcomes’(p.3).

Shock responsive social protection (SRSP) aims to contribute to efforts to enhance the capacity of shock-affected families and care givers to access goods and services essential for their wellbeing and that of their children. This outcome is intended to be achieved, among other things, through supporting governments to respond via adequate and appropriate cash transfer and social support programmes, as well as enabling them through establishing appropriate social welfare workforce, to meet their heightened needs caused by the larger shock.

In Uzbekistan, UNICEF supporting the government to undertake reforms in social protection system, including the measures to strengthen preparedness of the national social protection system to respond to shocks. For instance, in 2019 UNICEF Uzbekistan undertook assessment of preparedness of the national cash transfer programmes to respond to shocks. UNICEF also supported the development and national roll out of the national Information System “Single Registry of Social Protection”, which allowed the government to quickly expand its cash benefits to reach more people (‘horizontal expansion’) and with increased cash (‘vertical expansion’) during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-2021.

Currently UNICEF is cooperating with relevant national line ministries to develop a comprehensive legislative and regulatory framework to outline the role of social protection in times of emergencies. This includes: (1) Undertaking an assessment of the national system’s readiness to activate emergency cash support protocols to reach affected households, (2) Developing a legal package, based on international experience of expanding social protection as part of a national humanitarian response; (4) Developing and implementing a digital module within the Single Registry, which will allow launching and end-to-end administration of ad hoc cash transfers in response to shocks. The module will also have functionality in registering, undertaking needs assessment and referring individuals and families to social service providers; and (4) Establishing a network of makhalla (a traditional local community-based self-government body)- and district-level social workers, who should become a part of routine system of social service provision, but also will be the social workforce mobilized during shocks to provide social services to the affected population.

OBJECTIVES

UNICEF Uzbekistan is seeking a national individual consultant to support and work together with the UNICEF International consultant to meet the common objective of:

1. Conducting an assessment of national social protection system’s readiness to respond to shocks, including activating emergency cash support.
2. Developing a list of legislation and amendments required for the social protection system to be able to scale up cash assistance as part of a national humanitarian response.

SCOPE AND FOCUS of the assignment:

• Undertaking stakeholder analysis and their role in Shock Responsive Social Protection
• Identifying the Most Relative Regulatory Framework in the area of Shock Responsive Social protection
• Engaging with the identified stakeholders to obtain needed information and ensure their active participation and contribution for quality assessment output
• Facilitate the meetings of international consultant with identified national stakeholders
• Participate in in-depth review of the legal system to explore legislation and amendments required for the social protection system to be able to scale up cash assistance as part of national humanitarian response
• Contribute to organizing 3-day Workshop in participation of key stakeholders to undertake joint assessment and validation of findings and recommendations.

TASKS, DELIVERABLES AND ESTIMATED TIMEFRAME:

It is expected that the consultant will deliver the following tasks and deliverables in 35 working days during the period of 01 June – 31 July 2023:

Phase 1: Analysis - 25 Days

1. A report with stakeholder analysis and their role in Shock Responsive Social protection
2. A list of relevant Regulatory Frameworks (laws, by-laws, protocols, SOPs etc) in the area of Shock Responsive Social protection
3. A Report with:
   • A description of work accomplished and the list of documents and/or information obtained as a result of engagement with identified stakeholders
   • A short summary of meetings held within the framework of assignment
   • A list of key stakeholders/partners who provided the information and/or documents
4. A report with detailed description of work accomplished to participate in in-depth review of the legal system to explore legislation and amendments required for the social protection system to be able to scale up cash assistance as part of national humanitarian response

Phase 2: 3-days Workshop in participation of key stakeholders to undertake joint assessment and validation of findings and recommendations - 10 days

1. A list of confirmed participants representing all stakeholders identified in the stakeholder analysis
2. Co-facilitation of the 3-days Workshop
3. A Report with a description of the pre-agreed and accomplished work within the framework of organizing a 3-days Workshop

MANAGEMENT

The assignment will be carried out under overall supervision of the Chief of Social Policy, while UNICEF Social Policy Officer will be a direct contact person for monitoring and coordinating the assignment within UNICEF. The consultant will be required to support and work with the international consultant hired by UNICEF Uzbekistan, Ministry of Economy and Finance, and Ministry of Emergencies and other identified government institutions in the execution of this assignment.

RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS AND PAYMENT

The consultant will be paid a daily fee negotiated between UNICEF and the consultant based on an initial offer of the consultant to be submitted with the application. The fee will be paid against the deliverables as defined by the current ToR. The deliverables will be refined during the course of work.

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 on payments made under this contract. UNICEF will not issue a statement of earnings.

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

Education:

University degree in law

Experience:

• At least 5 years of professional work experience in legislative drafting • Professional work experience in developing legislation concerning child rights is desirable. • Excellent knowledge of the national legislation, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other international instruments on child rights;

Language:

Fluency in Uzbek, Russian and English; (verified by review of CV/profile and interview).

Other requirements:

• Professional work experience in developing legislation concerning child rights is desirable. • Excellent knowledge of the national legislation, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other international instruments on child rights; • Knowledge of Social protection and emergencies is an asset • Previous experience in working with UN and/or international development organizations in a similar role is an asset. Professional skills • Excellent writing skills; • Excellent analytical and negotiating skills; • Excellent team working skills and respect for diversity; • Computer skills, including internet navigation, and various office applications; • Ability to work through networking and in partnership.

Procedures and Working Conditions

The consultant will submit reports upon completion of deliverables with all quality as specified in the TOR. This will be done in consultation with Social Policy sections. Once all deliverables developed and submitted along with report and invoice, payment will be made.

No travel is envisaged under this assignment. In case of travel, expenses will be covered according to the UNICEF’s procedures. Consultant is responsible to pay to relevant government authority taxes or duties deductible from the earnings from this assignment. UNICEF undertakes no liability for taxes, duty or other contribution payable by the consultant on payments made under this contract. While contract would be in USD, however, all invoices and payments would be in local currency via bank transfer.

Reservations

UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if deliverable(s) incomplete, not finalized or for failure to meet deadlines. UNICEF will reserve copyright of all developed materials and own primary data collected through this assignment. The materials cannot be published or disseminated without prior written permission of UNICEF. UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future. The contractor must respect the confidentiality of the information handled during the assignment. Documents and information provided must be used only for the tasks related to these terms of reference.

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.

UNICEF undertakes no liability for taxes, duty or other contribution payable by the consultant on payments made under this contract.

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.