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UNICEF has been operating in Zimbabwe since 1982. We are a team of passionate professionals committed to the protection and fulfillment of children’s rights.
The current UNICEF-Government of Zimbabwe Country Programme of Cooperation (2016-2020, extended to 2021) aims to support Zimbabwe to sustain and build upon the gains achieved for children during the 2012-2015 Country Programme of Cooperation. The programme focuses on improving the quality of social services, increasing access to services, and helping to build national and sub-national capacities to provide low-cost, high-impact interventions for all children, especially the most vulnerable.
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UNICEF Zimbabwe is seeking to hire an innovative individual consultant to provide an Evaluative Review of UNICEF Zimbabwe Country Programme 2016-2021.
Consultancy Terms of Reference
Section
Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation
Purpose
The purpose of the Evaluative Review is to review UNICEF Zimbabwe Country Office’s achievements in the current Country Programme (2016-2021) in supporting the rights and wellbeing of children in the country, to identify and document lessons learned to inform the implementation of the new Country Programme (2022-2026), and to strengthen accountability of UNICEF to national and international stakeholders
Location
Harare based
Duration
30 days
Start and end dates
15 October 2021 to 3 December 2021
Reporting to
Chief Planning Monitoring and Evaluation
Background
1. Introduction
In accordance with UNICEF’s 2018 Evaluation Policy 2018, every UNICEF Country Programme must be evaluated at least once every two country programme cycles. In 2021, UNICEF Zimbabwe Country Office (ZCO) formally deferred conducting a full Country Programme Evaluation (CPE) to the next programme cycle. This decision was informed by the advent of COVID-19 which affected the ability to implement the CPE. However, the value of reviewing the current Country Programme is recognized to take stock of the lessons, good practices and challenges faced from the current cycle, to inform programming in the next Country Programme cycle. Therefore, instead of a full CPE, ZCO is conducting an Evaluative Review, which will have a narrower scope than a CPE, but still aims to provide significant inputs and learning to contribute to the implementation of the new Country Programme.
UNICEF Zimbabwe is conducting an evaluative review of its Country Programme 2016-2021 to review achievements, progress and lessons to support accountbaility of UNICEF and to inform the next Country Programme 2022-2026.
Under the oversight of the Chief of Planning Monitoring and Evaluation (PME), the Evaluative Review will be managed in close collaboration with UNICEF Regional Office, in collaboration with Government of Zimbabwe and other development partners.
This terms of reference (ToR) present a brief description of the Zimbabwe national context, UNICEF Zimbabwe’s Country Programme 2016-2021; the objectives, scope and key questions of the Evaluative Review; approach and methodology; stakeholder involvement; roles and responsibilities; deliverables; and requisite qualifications for potential candidates.
2. National Context
Zimbabwe has a population of approximately 15 million inhabitants, of which 53.6 per cent are under the age of 20 years. While the country made progress on reducing maternal and under-5 mortality and increasing primary school enrolment, it continues to face challenges in meeting several Sustainable Development Goal targets.
Zimbabwe underwent a political transition in 2017 and a new Government was elected in 2018. The National Development Strategy 1: 2021–2025 was developed with the aim of achieving middle-income-country status by 2030. A reform on devolution and decentralization was initiated to promote inclusive local governance and service delivery.
The country continues to face weak economic growth, with per capita real gross domestic product averaging negative 2.1 per cent over the past five years. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic exacerbated the economic situation, with the economy estimated to have declined by a further negative 10 per cent in 2020. Moreover, low social sector investments combined with macroeconomic instability have deepen inequality and poverty. The Gini coefficient has increased from 44.7 (2017) to 50.4 (2019). Over 70 per cent of the population live in poverty and 61.3 per cent of children experience multidimensional poverty, which is worse in rural areas, high-density and peri-urban informal settlements and among those living with disabilities. The situation has been exacerbated by climate-induced shocks from successive droughts, floods and cyclones, including cyclone Idai in 2019, and health emergencies, such as cholera outbreaks and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Zimbabwe has made significant progress on various fronts related to social services in the past few years, as documented by the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2019. Maternal mortality was reduced by more than half, dropping from 960 per 100,000 live births in 2010 to 462 in 2019. Likewise, under-five mortality declined from 75 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2014 to 65 in 2019. Net primary school enrolment rates were at over 93.6% in 2019; and over 80.3% of children between 12 to 23 months of age were fully vaccinated by their first birthday. However, some critical gaps still exist: the neonatal mortality rate has remained practically unchanged since 1988, at 32 deaths per 1,000 live births, representing 47.7 per cent of all under-five mortality. Nutritional deficiency is a leading cause of the health burden in Zimbabwe with one in three children malnourished. Only 37 per cent of young children engage in early stimulation and responsive care with a household member. Adult HIV prevalence is at 12.9 per cent. The situation related to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) is regressing - between 2000 and 2020, services for basic drinking water and basic sanitation declined from 72 to 63 per cent and from 46 to 36 per cent respectively. Around 68 per cent of pre-primary aged children (3-5 years) and 47 per cent of adolescents (13-18 years) are not in school. And one third of girls experience sexual violence before their 18th birthday. In addition, there have been negative impacts from the economic adjustment process, worsened by climate-induced shocks such as successive droughts, floods, and cyclones such as the Cyclone Idai in 2019, and the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
3. UNICEF Zimbabwe Country Programme 2016-2021
The UNICEF Zimbabwe Country Programme 2016–2020 – with a one-year extension to 2021 – (referred to as ZCP hereon) was developed to contribute to the Zimbabwe United Nations Development Assistance Framework (ZUNDAF), 2016-2021, and the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim Asset), 2013-2018.
Formulated through dialogue with the Government and development and implementing partners, the country programme aimed to support Zimbabwe to sustain and build upon the gains achieved for children during the previous programme, while contributing to strengthening resilience. The country programme has focused on improving service quality and access, and building national and subnational capacity to provide high impact interventions to reach all children, including the most vulnerable. UNICEF also supported Zimbabwe to strengthen the capacity for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction and response, particularly focusing on the effects on children and families.
UNICEF ZCO articulated its support for the UNDAF 2016-2020 (with a one year extension to 2021) through formulating 7 outcome areas wihtin the ZCP 2016–2020 – with a one-year extension to 2021 – in support of the UNDAF pillars on Food and Nutrition Security, Governance & Public Administration, Gender Equality and Social Services and Protection outcomes. UNICEF’s outcome results in the current CP are as follows:
- Eighty per cent of pregnant women, newborns, children and adolescents have equitable access to and utilize high-impact, cost-effective and quality health interventions and practice healthy behaviours by 2020
- Infants, young children and mothers have increased and equitable use of nutritional services and improved nutrition and care practices, with a focus on stunting
- By 2020, at least 80 per cent of children, pregnant women and adolescents have equitable use of proven HIV prevention and treatment interventions
- By 2020, Zimbabweans have increased and equitable use of safe drinking water, sanitation and improved hygiene practices
- By 2020, all boys and girls have increased and more equitable access to, and completion of, quality, inclusive education, with improved learning outcomes
- By 2020, more children in Zimbabwe, especially adolescent girls and children without appropriate family care, are protected from violence, abuse and exploitation and benefit from improved response systems
- Improved policy environment and systems for disadvantaged and excluded children, guided by improved knowledge and data
The following strategies were employed to achieve programme goals:
- Capacity development;
- Evidence generation, policy dialogue and advocacy;
- Partnerships;
- South-South and triangular cooperation;
- Identification and promotion of innovation;
- Support to integration and cross-sectoral linkages (i.e. coordinating implementation of different sectoral interventions in the same geographic locations)
- To enhance programmatic synergies for children and families at community level;;
- Service delivery.
The Government of Zimbabwe is the main implementation partner of ZCP with some support from locally based civil society organisations.
The ZCP (2016-2021) was estimated as requiring USD 598,000,000, of which USD 567,000,000 of which were to be Other Resources-Regular and USD 31,000,000 was to be Regular Resources. In the final year of the ZCP there are currently 121 staff, all located in Harare.
In 2018, a Strategic Moment of Reflection of the ZCP was undertaken. Key recommendations included the following:
- The programme structure and outcomes as well as output results remain valid for the Zimbabwe country office and there is no need for any major adjustments at this stage.
- In line with the anticipated reduction in resources, and programme environment, there were few adjustments required in the strategies and targets set for the country programme. These were enshrined in the updated PSNs.
- A few emerging areas require further emphasis in the final part of the ZCP
- Disability: finalise the National Disability policy and a strategy that will guide the work of UNICEF and other stakeholders in this area.
- Early Childhood Development: develop an integrated ECD (iECD) strategy and intervention for UNICEF in Zimbabwe based on the lessons learnt from the current interventions
- Climate, Environment, and Energy: continued work on three key pillars: advocacy and accountability: climate change adaptation through resilient development; climate change mitigation:
- Adolescents: re-energize community engagement and sustained solutions to the problem faced by adolescents and youth age 10-24, especially those underserved and marginalized.
- UNICEF Zimbabwe Country Programme 2022-2026
The new UNICEF Country Programme Document (CPD) 2022-2026 was developed in 2020-2021, informed by the UNICEF Situation Analysis for Children in Zimbabwe document and he UN Common Country Assessment. While noting the current challenges faced by children in Zimbabwe, the new ZCP aimed at ‘contributing to sustainable socioeconomic development that provides all children, including adolescents, with opportunities to fulfil their potential, lead a healthy life, access quality learning and protection and meaningfully participate in society’, and will focus on the following seven main areas:
- Strengthening health systems for equitable and quality primary healthcare for all.
- Optimal nutrition, growth and development for children, adolescents, pregnant and lactating women.
- HIV prevention and care, through strong adolescent empowerment and participation.
- Climate-resilient and inclusive WASH services for children and their families.
- Ensuring quality learning and skills building opportunities for all girls, boys and adolescents.
- Comprehensive child protection, including for the most vulnerable and marginalized.
- Strengthening social inclusion, including through social protection for vulnerable children and young people.
ACTIVITIES & TASKS:
Consultancy Tasks and Deliverables
Timeline
Activity
Deliverable
Notes
Payment Schedule
Week 1
Preparatory phase
- Secondary data collection and desk review
- Preliminary stakeholder analysis
- Preparation for the inception phase
Reference Group is formed in advance of this timeline, concurrently as ToR is finalized.
UNICEF and other stakeholders are informed to secure cooperation for the effort.
Documentation and data are assembled by UNICEF for use by the individual consultant.
Week 2-3
Inception phase
- Preparation of draft inception report (see Annex 2 for the indicative table of contents) and data collection tools
- Engagement with stakeholders on inception report
- Finalization of inception report
- Draft inception report
Maximum of 10-pages
Recipients: members of the Reference Group
- Presentation of the draft inception report and instruments via video link
Recipients: members of the Reference Group; senior management of ZCO
3. Final inception report
(plus completed audit trail addressing all comments)
Maximum of 10-pages
Recipients: members of the Reference Group
30% upon completion of deliverables 1, 2 and 3
Week 3-5
Data collection phase
- Preparation for data collection, including piloting of instruments
- Remote data collection
4. Presentation of Preliminary Findings via video link – on emerging findings, conclusions and recommendations Recipients: members of the Reference Group; senior management of ZCO; any other key stakeholders who may be interested in attending
5. A complete first draft Evaluative Review report Recipients: members of the Reference Group
Presentations of key findings and recommendations need to be ready before the Annual review
30% upon completion of deliverables 4 and 5
Week 6
Drafting, validation and completion phase
- Data analysis and drafting
- Preparation of a PowerPoint presentation on emerging findings, conclusions and recommendations
- Engagement with stakeholders on draft report
- Finalization of report and summary PowerPoint presentation
6. A final Evaluative Review report (plus completed audit trail addressing all comments)
Maximum 25-pages, illustrated with data and infographics
Detailed recommendations on each theme should be presented in a separate concluding chapter
Equity and gender should also be included throughout the findings
Recipients: members of the Reference Group; senior management of ZCO; key stakeholders and implementing partners
7. PowerPoint presentation slide deck that summarizes the Evaluative Review findings
Dissemination and strategy as deliverables are received.
40% upon completion of deliverable 6 and 7
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
- Advanced university degree (Masters) in social sciences, statistics, development, monitoring and evaluation, or other relevant area.
- Minimum of eight years of experience in conducting similar or related strategic programme evaluations or evaluative reviews, including proven track record of evaluation or evaluative review of similar large multisectoral and multi-stakeholder country programmes supported by UN or UNICEF;A minimum of 4-8 years of experience with UNICEF and/or other relevant actors, including experience with child protection information systems in natural disaster and/or armed conflict contexts. Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
- Demonstrated expertise in evaluating institutional support systems including operations and the human resource function;
- Knowledge of programming theories and strategies employed in each of the programme outcome components;
- Experience in a Middle/Upper Income Country in Africa;
- Excellent command of English, with a proven ability to prepare high-quality reports;
- Strong quantitative and qualitative analytical skills;
- Knowledge and experience in evaluating programmes related to child rights and participation, equity, gender equality, health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene, social policy, child protection, education, adolescent development and participation, early childhood development, C4D/SBCC/Community engagement, local government systems strengthening;
- Competent evaluation specialists, gender and development specialists, researchers, and data specialists; and
- Demonstration of capacity to carry out the Evaluative Review and complete deliverables.
- Fluency in English (verbal and written). Good written and spoken skills in the language of the humanitarian operation and knowledge of another UN language an asset.
Competitive market rates will apply.
If interested and available to undertake the consultancy, please submit your application online and attach the required documents including the technical and an all-inclusive financial proposal (detailing professional fees, DSA, airfare etc. where necessary). This consultancy will not involve any international or local travel and it will be home based.
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
UNICEF Competency Framework - HomePage (sharepoint.com)
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:
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.
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Source:
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