International consultant to Conduct Situation Analysis (SitAn) of Children and Adolescents in Tajikistan, 55 w/ds, Dushanbe, Tajikistan

UNICEF Tajikistan CO is seeking the services of an individual international consultant to lead the consultations and deliberations with key stakeholders and develop the SitAn report using the most recent evidence, while paying due consideration to the latest recommendations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda, UNICEF Strategic Plan for 2022-2025, UNICEF Gender Action Plan 2022-2025, and main national priorities, including the National Development Strategy until 2030 and Mid-term Development Programme 2021-2025, UNSDCF 2023-26, Human Rights Strategy and sectoral strategies and programmes.

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, 

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, advocacy, and operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

• Develop a comprehensive national agenda;
• Develop permanent bodies or mechanisms to promote coordination, monitoring and evaluation of activities throughout all sectors of government.
• Ensure that all legislation is fully compatible with the Convention and, if applicable the Optional Protocols, by incorporating the provisions into domestic law or ensuring that they take precedence in cases of conflict with national legislation.
• Make children visible in policy development processes throughout government by introducing child impact assessments.
• Analyse government spending to determine the portion of public funds spent on children and to ensure that these resources are being used effectively;
• Ensure that sufficient data are collected and used to improve the situation of all children in each jurisdiction.
• Raise awareness and disseminate information on the Convention and the Optional Protocols by providing training to all those involved in government policymaking and working with or for children.
• Involve civil society – including children themselves – in the process of implementing and raising awareness of child rights.

How can you make a difference? 

In view of the above, UNICEF Tajikistan CO is seeking the services of an individual international consultant to lead the consultations and deliberations with key stakeholders and develop the SitAn report using the most recent evidence, while paying due consideration to the latest recommendations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda, UNICEF Strategic Plan for 2022-2025, UNICEF Gender Action Plan 2022-2025, and main national priorities, including the National Development Strategy until 2030 and Mid-term Development Programme 2021-2025, UNSDCF 2023-26, Human Rights Strategy and sectoral strategies and programmes.

Duration: 55 working days between 15 November 2024 - 31 August 2025 

Supervisor: Child Rights Monitoring Specialist, UNICEF Tajikistan. 

The main objectives of a rights- based, equity focused SitAn in Tajikistan are the following:

• Develop a deep understanding of the situation of children and adolescents (including relevant groups of young people in particularly vulnerable situations) by analysing the policies and strategies, social and economic trends affecting them with a special attention to disaggregated data (by age, gender, urban/rural, ethnicity, socio-economic status and other relevant factors) and unpacking national and/or subnational averages.
• Present an analysis of why inequities exist, identify and analyse the barriers and bottlenecks that prevent children and especially the most disadvantaged children and families from benefiting from social services across sectors and enjoying their rights; present contextualised recommendations and strategies on how the bottlenecks and barriers can be removed; on what could be done by key stakeholders to attain/ sustain inclusive social development that guarantees equal inclusion and participation of all groups of children and adolescents
• Provide national government partners, development partners and non-government partners (NGOs, community-based organisations, civil society, media and business sector) with comprehensive equity-sensitive and evidence-based analysis on children and adolescents to be used in their planning and evidence-based decision-making, identification of strategic programming responses and interventions to address the most urgent issues affecting children and adolescents.
• Contribute to the (re)formulation of key national strategies so that the priorities for the most disadvantaged children and adolescents are integrated into the socio-economic development agenda.
• Identify critical data gaps and contribute to the generation of evidence that can improve the monitoring of the rights of children and adolescents, especially the most vulnerable groups.
• Assess the current or potential presence of emergency risks (disaster risks 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.
• Analyse to what extent there is an enabling environment for the realisation of the rights of all children and adolescents, and analyse how evidence-based interventions and services needed to address deprivations are prioritised in national policies, laws, strategies, plans and budgets.
• Capture new or emerging area of concerns regarding children and adolescents, such as environmental issues including risks of climate change affecting them, mental health issues etc.
• Analyse the role/impact of business sector on child and adolescents’ rights fulfilment as well as public financial management.
  The Situation Analysis is relevant to a wider audience which includes government bodies, all development partners (including UNICEF), civil society, ombudspersons, children and adolescents, academia, private sector actors, media and others. The process of developing the Situation Analysis, therefore, anticipates engagement with the government and key stakeholders, including children and young people. It serves as an opportunity to promote meaningful dialogue between the main child rights actors in the country on children’s and adolescents’ issues.

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

• Education: Advanced degree in social sciences, international development or related fields relevant for the assignment.
• Work experience: At least 8 years of relevant experience in development of analytical reports and policy documents related to children and adolescents; Experience with UNICEF on writing the SitAn on children, especially in the ECA region, is highly desirable.
• Recognized researcher with proven experience in public policy, social policy and policy analysis, public finance and child/human rights
• Proven experience in quantitative and qualitative data analysis, policy (and finance) analysis (including experience in the consistent use of age and sex-disaggregated and gender sensitive data) and report preparation
• Strong analytical skills – references to previous work or institutions.
• Excellent knowledge of statistics, social service systems, development agenda.
• Previous experience with UNICEF is an advantage.
• Knowledge of human rights-based approach to programming.
• Experience in facilitating consultations with government representatives, NGOs, academia, children, adolescents and other stakeholders.
• Languages: Excellent writing skills in English. Fluency in English; Fluency in the Tajik or Russian is desirable.

Qualified candidates are requested to submit:

• CV and cover letter
• Technical proposal with proposed methodology/approach to managing the assignment, showing understanding of tasks and work plan (no price information should be contained in the technical proposal).
• Financial proposal (separate package) specifying consultancy fee, per day of work, requested for the tasks described in the Terms of Reference in USD -  Annex 3 at the link
• Short sample or links to related work previously conducted by the consultant.
• Min. three referees (preferably the most recent)
• Applications without technical and financial proposals will not be considered. 

Applications must be received in the system by 5 November 2024 on UNICEF website.

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 committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

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.