New Generation, Equity-focused Situation Analysis of children and Women in Guyana (Nationals of Guyana only)

Contract

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Background

Guyana is located on the northeast coast of South America and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, Suriname, Brazil, and Venezuela. It has a landmass of 215,000 square kilometres and is divided into 10 administrative regions. Guyana is a sparsely populated country totalling 746,955, with 50.2 per cent males and 49.8 per cent females, inhabitants, of whom 89 per cent live mostly along a narrow coastal strip (Guyana Bureau of Statistics 2014). Besides, 35.5 per cent of the population is under 15 and young people 15-19 represent about 8.9 per cent. The Coastland regions, which include the capital city has a population size of 89.1 per cent. The population of the Hinterland regions, comprising more than two-thirds of the land area, is 10.9 per cent. The population in the hinterland of Guyana is over 80per cent Amerindian descent and Amerindians account for 9.2per cent of the population. Guyana’s child population is 293,915 or 39.35 per cent of the total populations and of the child population, 4248 children are living with disabilities.

Guyana is a middle-income country with a per-capita income of US$5,194 (World Bank 2019) and a Gross Domestic Product growth from 3.42 in 2018 to 3.82 in 2019. Though Guyana’s Human Development Index ranking has improved, Guyana is still ranked at 123rd out of 189 countries. Without concerted efforts to accelerate and consolidate social gains, Guyana risks missing a unique opportunity to fast-track inclusive economic growth resulting from the oil discovery and demographic dividend.

In 2019, the Governments invested about 14.5per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the social sector programmes to ensure basic social services for all, including children; Investment in social assistance (core and complementary). The discovery of large oil reserves is predicted to lead to significant economic growth. Since that time, ExxonMobil has announced more than 15 discoveries, with potentially 6 billion barrels available as recoverable resources. Since the declaration of first-oil on December 20, 2019, it is projected that the revenue from oil exports has the potential to double the GDP and non-tax revenue over the next five years. This presents both a unique opportunity and challenge for the country and UNICEF cooperation.

However, according to Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper 2011-2015 poverty rates for regions 1, 7, 8 and 9 (in 2006) were 80 per cent, 61 per cent, 94 per cent and 74 per cent, respectively. Second, in the rural hinterlands (also where most of the indigenous populations live) the poverty rate in 2006 was 74 per cent and extreme poverty was 54 per cent, in comparison where urban and coastal areas where the rates were 19 per cent and 7 per cent, respectively. The remoteness and isolation of many Guyanese communities have further created pockets of poverty; high levels of unemployment, exposure of children, who are involved in child labour in the mining industry, to Mercury, and low access to technology, electricity and health and other services and essential commodities.

According to preliminary data from MICS-6 under 5 mortality (25 per cent) is still a national challenge that needs urgent attention. However, over 60 per cent of these children die within the first month of birth. Twenty-three (23) children of every 1000 live births are still dying in the first month of life. Besides, neonatal mortality is highest where the mothers only have primary education. About 18.3 per cent of children in Guyana is still involved in what is globally defined as child labour and about 10 per cent of all children in Guyana remain without birth certificates. Violent discipline remains a challenge with 70 per cent of all parents in Guyana still practising violent disciplinary methods. Even though there have been some interventions and advocacy, some 10 per cent of women still feel that violence against women is justified under some circumstances. Forty-eight (48 per cent) of all young people still lack adequate knowledge of HIV prevention. The percentage of children in first grade primary school who attended preschool during the previous year increased by 20 percentage points from 65 per cent to 85 per cent, and more children reach the final grade, increase from 71 per cent to 96 per cent (MICS 2014).

Data on people with disabilities are essential for the development and design of informed policies and programmes. CENSUS 2012 data gives us a prevalence of 13.1% or 81,305 persons with one (1) or more disabilities which differ in severity. Beside the CENSUS data, there is also data from persons in the Financial Assistance for individuals with a disability program from the Ministry of Social Protection of the Government of Guyana

The most recent Situation Analysis on children and women in Guyana was conducted in the year 2016 and served as the baseline for the current UNICEF Programme of Cooperation with the Government of Guyana (2017-2021). A new Situation Analysis (SitAn), covering the last 5 years, is now being planned in partnership with the Government of Guyana. The Analysis will consider trends, policies, and social budgets relating to the rights and welfare of children and women, especially of those groups with multiple deprivations. It will provide solid up-to-date, mixed-method data for Guyana’s new Government and will also inform the GoG-UNICEF’s planning for the new Country Programme of Co-operation.

Purpose and objectives

The purpose of the consultancy is to conduct new generation equity-focused, gender-sensitive and risk-informed analysis on the situation of children and women in Guyana. This analysis be based on The Core Guidance: New Generation Situation Analysis, UNICEF Toolkit: New Generation Situation Analysis.

Further, the Situation Analysis will:

1. provide comprehensive trend analyses on the situation of girls, boys, and women, especially the most deprived and excluded, disaggregated by demographic and socioeconomic quintiles and ages.

2. confirm the reasons and factors behind the situation of the most excluded population by conducting causal analysis, determinant analysis for identifying main bottlenecks and barriers to access and use of social services.

3. analyse the extent to which gender inequalities and the fulfilment/non-fulfilment of the rights of women affect overall inequalities and deprivations, including those affecting children

4. assess current emergency risks in the context of the Venezuelan migrant situation; disaster risks, climate change, environmental degradation, man-made disasters, and other potential shocks; the likelihood of their occurrence, the underlying vulnerabilities and the capacities and coping mechanisms of families, communities, and local and national institutions.

5. Identify business-related risks and opportunities that impact child rights deprivations.

6. Based on information available, synthesize findings on public finance and fiscal space in the country for children. (Public finance for children is an ongoing priority for Government of Guyana and UNICEF. The SitAn is expected to inform advocacy for increased resources for children, in all sectors.)

7. Explain to what extent the enabling environment supports the realization of the rights of all children and women and how evidence-based interventions and services address deprivations that can inform the prioritization of national policies, laws, strategies, plans, and budgets.

8. Analyse the situation of children and adolescents with disability to provide recommendations covering among other things service and programme provision, governance in the disability sector and policy/legislation and the employability of with disability.

9. Analyze the extent to which interventions and services proven to address deprivations are prioritized in national policies, laws, strategies, plans, and budgets, and supported by UNICEF and partners. This would include an analysis of the enabling policy and normative environment for the realization of the rights of all children including the promotion of positive social norms and behaviors, transformation of gender norms, children with disabilities, organization and coverage of services, institutional capacities at national, sub-national and community levels, and proper fiscal space for children, etc.

Please access the complete Terms of Reference for this consultancy New Generation, Equity-focused Situation Analysis.pdf

All candidates must submit a technical and financial proposal together with their application.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

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.

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.