National Individual Contractor to provide Technical Support for Integrated VAC Programming, Damascus, Syria, 11.5 months

This opening expired 1 year ago. Do not try to apply for this job.

UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund

Open positions at UNICEF
Logo of UNICEF

Application deadline 1 year ago: Saturday 8 Oct 2022 at 20:55 UTC

Open application form

Contract

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, Education

BACKGROUND (RATIONALE):

UNICEF is committed to play its role in ending violence against children (VAC). In both the Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 19) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), countries committed to end violence against children. The SDGs call for the end of abuse, exploitation and all forms of violence and torture against children by 2030. UNICEF works with governments and partners worldwide to prevent and respond to violence against children in all contexts. UNICEF therefore collaborates with governments across sectors – including health, education, the justice system, and other social services – and with partners in business, civil society, faith-based organizations and the media to prevent and respond to violence against children. At the national and local levels, UNICEF’s efforts strengthen laws and policies to improve public service delivery for children and families in their homes, communities and schools. UNICEF also supports parents and caregivers through parenting initiatives, while working with young people themselves to ensure their voices shape UNICEF programming. UNICEF also works with communities to tackle harmful behaviours and social norms, advocating for social change that promotes safe environments. By improving data availability and building evidence, UNICEF aims to help raise awareness, and enhance political will to take action and protect children against violence.

Context:

Like in any most other countries, girls and boys in the Syrian Arab Republic continue to experience violence including physical, emotional, sexual and domestic violence (HNO 2022). Tackling violence against children in Syria requires a holistic and multifaceted response targeting the social norms, local systems, student-, parent- and teacher capacity and the scale-up of prevention and response services. It requires addressing underlying causes and changing attitudes, norms and practices among individuals and communities that condone, accept and lead to acts of physical and psychological violence. In school settings, school administrators, teachers, educators and students need to adopt a positive school and classroom management style to ensure that students learn in a fear-free environment and are protected from bullying. Conflict management modalities must likewise be introduced to families and communities surrounding the schools. They require platforms through which community leaders, family representatives, teachers, students and government officials can consult and co-engage. By changing behaviors and influencing social norms, it is possible to ignite change and promote a culture of harmonious relationships and a protective environment for children at home, and in the community.

It is UNICEF’s unique comparative advantage to implement VAC interventions through the combined strengths of programme sections such as Adolescent Development and Participation Section (ADAP), Child Protection (CP), Education, Health, and the Division of Social and Behavioral Change (SBC), thereby tackling the diverse dimensions of violence. As UNICEF sections reach out to parents, youth groups, community leaders as well as teachers and school principals, it becomes possible to launch partnerships towards joint goals and objectives. This requires a social norms orientation, i.e. a programme design that is sensitive to how social norms function and change; and that supports project activities that work to reduce norms sustaining the acceptability of violence. For UNICEF, two types of violence against children merit particular attention. (1) Violent discipline (in schools and in homes); and (2) peer victimisation (violence of children against other children, including bullying).

REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL SERVICES:

In order to launch a VAC integrated approach across Sectors, UNICEF stands in need of Syrian national professionals who specialize in the field of Psychology, Communication and Violence Prevention, who understand the cultural norms that condone VAC, and who is able to contribute towards UNICEF’s VAC in the area of research, programme design and capacity development.

The contractor sought will support UNICEF’s launch of an integrated and intersectoral strategy led by the Deputy Representative to mitigate and prevent Violence Against Children (VAC). The Individual Contractor will support ADAP, CP, Education and SBC sections in their efforts to facilitate social and behavioral change in the areas of corporal discipline, psychological aggression and peer victimization, and to transform social norms that condone VAC. Mitigating violence in formal and nonformal school (MVIS) will serve as a ‘launching pad’ for the VAC initiative. CP and ADAP contributions that affect drivers of VAC prevalent simultaneously within and between schools, families and communities will be built simultaneously and the programme evolves.

How can you make a difference?

OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT (PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT):

This TOR will cover the contract of a Technical Individual Contractor who will advise and provide technical support to Chiefs of Sections (ADAP, CP, Education, SBC) on integrated VAC programming that mobilizes cooperation and participation of families, communities, schools and government stakeholders.

LOCATION (GEOGRAPHIC AREA/ DUTY STATION) & DURATION: Damascus

On-site working days: 11.5 months period, on full-time basis

Field Missions/Travel: yes (TBD)

SUPERVISOR:

The individual contractor will be supervised and report to the UNICEF NOC Education Section Specialist) with regular de-briefing with the UNICEF Deputy Representative, Chiefs of Sections and Social Norms Consultant about the progress of the assignment. The individual contractor will work on daily basis with UNICEF Education Section. The NOC Education Section Specialist will interact with the chosen candidate through e-mail correspondence and through face to face meetings.

DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT (TASKS, SMART DELIVERABLES, DEADLINES):

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS (IF APPLICABLE):

Reporting is due per deliverable. Training reports are due at the end of each training event.

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 (unless it is a full time Individual Contract, where the contractor is eligible for Paid Time Off and paid UN official Holidays) or 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

PAYMENT SCHEDULE:

Monthly installments will be paid against an accepted Progress Report as per the 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/Individual Contractor.

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

Education:

  • An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: education, economics, psychology, sociology or another relevant technical field.

Experience:

  • A minimum of eight years of professional experience in child and adolescent psychology, communications, conflict management, development of monitoring and evaluation tools, training and capacity development, research in education and psychology is required.
  • Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
  • Familiarity/ background with emergency is considered as an asset.

Language:

  • Fluency in English in addition to Arabic is required.

Qualified candidates are requested to submit:

  1. Cover letter/application.
  2. Financial quote as lump sum for professional fees
  3. CV
  4. Examples of previous, relevant work as applicable
  5. At least 3 Referees which come from direct supervisors.

Applications should be submitted through UNICEF’s Talent Management System (TMS).

Shortlisted applicants may be invited for further technical assessment. Final recommendation will be made based on “best value for money”, i.e. the hiring section/office shall normally select the individual who quoted the lowest fee from among the candidates who are assessed as suitable for achieving all tasks on time, as per the criteria stipulated in this ToR, and based on the outcome of the evaluation/assessment conducted.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: https://uni.cf/UNICEFValues

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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 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.

This position is not considered an elevated risk role. However, UNICEF reserves the right to conduct further vetting/ assessment within the scope of child safeguarding as appropriate.

UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/

Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unicef.org

Recent jobs in Medical & Health in Damascus

Recent jobs in Teaching & Training in Damascus

Recent jobs in Programme & Policy in Damascus