Consultancy support on protection,Job from UN Children's Fund,USA

Post:Consultancy support on protection, care and support of children and families living with HIV
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Terms of Reference Consultancy support on protection, care and support of children and families living with HIV

    Summary UNICEF is looking to hire a social policy consultant for a period of 6 months to lead and manage a number of initiatives on protection, care and support and contribute to the work supporting an
AIDS-Free Generation. The consultant will report to the (acting) Senior Adviser Children affected by AIDS.
    Background UNICEF is working to achieve an AIDS-free Generation - which means that all children are born free of HIV infection, remain HIV-free from birth through adolescence, and that children and families living with and affected by HIV have access to timely and sustained treatment, care and support. Making smart investments based on sound evidence of what works, and a shared sense of responsibility to protect the rights of all children, can save millions of lives and achieve an AIDS-free generation. This is an ambitious, but reachable goal and a high-level result of UNICEF’s Medium Term Strategic Plan (MTSP) for 2014-2017.
    To accelerate results for pregnant women, children, and adolescents, UNICEF will focus its efforts on two interrelated work streams, organized around the First and Second Decades of Life of a child’s life. To improve prevention treatment, care and support across both decades will require strong linkages and integration with social protection, nutrition, health, water sanitation and hygiene, education, gender and rights, adolescent development and participation, child protection, and emergencies are essential for achieving these goals.
    UNICEF is a presently co-convenor with the World Bank on Social Protection, Care and Support within the UNAIDS division of labour. In this role, UNICEF has developed a number of key policy documents in this area including Taking Evidence to Impact: Making a Difference for Vulnerable Children living in a World with HIV and AIDS and developed guidance on HIV and social protection. Taking Evidence to Impact sets out evidence-based approaches for working with children affected by AIDS and sets out new programmatic priorities for children and AIDS including HIV sensitive social protection, child protection systems and helping redefining most vulnerable children affected by HIV and AIDS. UNICEF is also playing a lead role in strengthening the evidence on protection, care and support of families and children affected by AIDS and taking forward a number of priorities identified by the UNAIDS protection, care and support working group. This includes a UNICEF’s partnership with the Economic Policy Research Institute in South Africa building evidence and guidance in relation to cash transfers and HIV outcomes. UNICEF is also working in partnership with the International Children’s Palliative Care network to develop to support research in 3 countries on needs and gaps on children’s palliative care. Findings from both these studies will not only inform UNICEF’s country level work, but also inform other developmental partners working in this area. UNICEF convenes a number of inter-agency working groups on children and AIDS and social protection (including civil society organisations, academic research institutes and other bilateral and multilateral organizations). These inter-agency working groups have been effective in improving aid harmonisation and effectiveness of programmes for children and AIDS.
    Scope of work A short-term consultant is required for a period of up to 6 months to manage two separate projects in relation to care and support and to provide more general technical support to the HIV section on protection, care and support. Responsibilities will include:
 • Manage and coordinate UNICEF’s contract with the Economic Policy Research Institute to build evidence and guidance in relation social protection and HIV including finalization of policy papers and work with ESAR social protection and HIV advisers to keep country led research processes on track.
• Manage and coordinate UNICEF partnership with International Children’s Palliative Care network (ICPCN) on children’s palliative care needs and gaps supporting regular calls with ICPCN quality assuring country level and global analysis
• Support ICPCN to develop follow up funding proposal for children’s palliative care • Support the acting senior adviser on children and AIDS in UNICEF’s convening of inter-agency work, particularly in relation to social protection, care and support meetings
 • Represent UNICEF in meetings on social determinants of health and HIV convened by social protection and health section
• Support the dissemination of key research products including support for the International Conference on Sexually Transmitted Infections and AIDS (ICASA) 2013 meeting in Cape Town
 • Provide inputs as requested into key advocacy documents including 2013 Stocktaking Report • Provide inputs as requested into the section’s work on PMTCT particularly in relation to community engagement in the roll out of the Global Plan and efforts to simplify treatment options.

    Deliverables a. Policy notes on HIV-sensitive social protection finalized including comments from the social protection working group – August 2013 b. Finalized children’s palliative care needs assessment and report shared with UK National committee and True Colours Foundation – September 2013 c. Children’s palliative care funding proposal developed with ICPCN - November 2013 d. Advocacy plan developed on care and support for ICASA 2013 in conjunction with senior adviser and regional HIV colleagues.

    Time frame A consultant will be contracted for up to 6 months starting from 1 July 2013 up to 31 December 2013. Duty Station: Consultant will work out of the New York HQ office
    Key competences, technical background, and experience required Relevant higher degree including sociology, anthropology, development planning, political science public health, development economics
    Over 10 years’ experience in international development with a range of multilateral, bilateral agencies. Significant country level experience Experience in social protection, social policy and HIV policy and programming Experience of working on the social determinants of health an advantage Excellent writing and communication skills Excellent interpersonal skills and experience of managing partnerships with a variety of development partners

General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants / Individual Contractors

    Legal Status The individual engaged by UNICEF under this contract as a consultant or individual contractors (the “Contractor”) is engaged in a personal capacity and not as representatives of a Government or of any other entity external to the United Nations. The Contractor is neither a "staff member" under the Staff Regulations of the United Nations and UNICEF policies and procedures nor an "official" for the purpose of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, 1946. The Contractor may, however, be afforded the status of "Experts on Mission" in the sense of Section 22 of Article VI of the Convention and the Contractor is required by UNICEF to travel in order to fulfill the requirements of this contract, the Contractor may be issued a United Nations Certificate in accordance with Section 26 of Article VII of the Convention.

    Obligations The Contractor shall complete the assignment set out in the Terms of Reference for this contract with due diligence, efficiency and economy, in accordance with generally accepted professional techniques and practices.

The Contractor must respect the impartiality and independence of UNICEF and the United Nations and in connection with this contract must neither seek nor accept instructions from anyone other than UNICEF. During the term of this contract the Contractor must refrain from any conduct that would adversely reflect on UNICEF or the United Nations and must not engage in any activity that is incompatible with the administrative instructions and policies and procedures of UNICEF. The Contractor must exercise the utmost discretion in all matters relating to this contract.

In particular, but without limiting the foregoing, the Contractor (a) will conduct him- or herself in a manner consistent with the Standards of Conduct in the International Civil Service; and (b) will comply with the administrative instructions and policies and procedures of UNICE relating to fraud and corruption; information disclosure; use of electronic communication assets; harassment, sexual harassment and abuse of authority; and the requirements set forth in the Secretary General's Bulletin on Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse.

Unless otherwise authorized by the appropriate official in the office concerned, the Contractor must not communicate at any time to the media or to any institution, person, Government or other entity external to UNICEF any information that has not been made public and which has become known to the Contractor by reason of his or her association with UNICEF or the United Nations. The Contractor may not use such information without the written authorization of UNICEF, and shall under no circumstances use such information for his or her private advantage or that of others. These obligations do not lapse upon termination of this contact.

    Title rights

UNICEF shall be entitled to all property rights, including but not limited to patents, copyrights and trademarks, with regard to material created by the Contractor which bears a direct relation to, or is made in order to perform, this contract. At the request of UNICEF, the Contractor shall assist in securing such property rights and transferring them to UNICEF in compliance with the requirements of the law governing such rights.

    Travel

If UNICEF determines that the Contractor needs to travel in order to perform this contract, that travel shall be specified in the contract and the Contractor’s travel costs shall be set out in the contract, on the following basis: (a) UNICEF will pay for travel in economy class via the most direct and economical route; provided however that in exceptional circumstances, such as for medical reasons, travel in business class may be approved by UNICEF on a case-by-case basis.
(b) UNICEF will reimburse the Contractor for out-of-pocket expenses associated with such travel by paying an amount equivalent to the daily subsistence allowance that would be paid to staff members undertaking similar travel for official purposes.

    Statement of good health Before commencing work, the Contractor must deliver to UNICEF a certified self-statement of good health and to take full responsibility for the accuracy of that statement. In addition, the Contractor must include in this statement of good health (a) confirmation that he or she has been informed regarding inoculations required for him or her to receive, at his or her own cost and from his or her own medical practitioner or other party, for travel to the country or countries to which travel is authorized; and (b) a statement he or she is covered by medical/health insurance and that, if required to travel beyond commuting distance from his or her usual place or residence to UNICEF (other than to duty station(s) with hardship ratings “H” and “A”, a list of which has been provided to the Contractor) the Contractor’s medical/health insurance covers medical evacuations. The Contractor will be responsible for assuming all costs that may be occurred in relation to the statement of good health.

    Insurance The Contractor is fully responsible for arranging, at his or her own expense, such life, health and other forms of insurance covering the term of this contract as he or she considers appropriate taking into account, among other things, the requirements of paragraph 5 above. The Contractor is not eligible to participate in the life or health insurance schemes available to UNICEF and United Nations staff members. The responsibility of UNICEF and the United Nations is limited solely to the payment of compensation under the conditions described in paragraph 7 below.

    Service incurred death, injury or illness If the Contractor is travelling with UNICEF’s prior approval and at UNICEF's expense in order to perform his or her obligations under this contract, or is performing his or her obligations under this contract in a UNICEF or United Nations office with UNICEF’s approval, the Contractor (or his or her dependents as appropriate), shall be entitled to compensation from UNICEF in the event of death, injury or illness attributable to the fact that the Contractor was travelling with UNICEF’s prior approval and at UNICEF's expense in order to perform his or her obligations under this contractor, or was performing his or her obligations under this contract in a UNICEF or United Nations office with UNICEF’s approval. Such compensation will be paid through a third party insurance provider retained by UNICEF and shall be capped at the amounts set out in the Administrative Instruction on Individual Consultants and Contractors. Under no circumstances will UNICEF be liable for any other or greater payments to the Contractor (or his or her dependents as appropriate).

    Arbitration (a) Any dispute arising out of or, in connection with, this contract shall be resolved through amicable negotiation between the parties.
    (b) If the parties are not able to reach agreement after attempting amicable negotiation for a period of thirty (30) days after one party has notified the other of such a dispute, either party may submit the matter to arbitration in accordance with the UNCITRAL procedures within fifteen (15) days thereafter. If neither party submits the matter for arbitration within the specified time the dispute will be deemed resolved to the full satisfaction of both parties. Such arbitration shall take place in New York before a single arbitrator agreed to by both parties; provided however that should the parties be unable to agree on a single arbitrator within thirty days of the request for arbitration, the arbitrator shall be designated by the United Nations Legal Counsel. The decision rendered in the arbitration shall constitute final adjudication of the dispute.

    Penalties for Underperformance
Payment of fees to the Contractor under this contractor, including each installment or periodic payment (if any), is subject to the Contractor’s full and complete performance of his or her obligations under this contract with regard to such payment to UNICEF’s satisfaction, and UNICEF’s certification to that effect.

    Termination of Contract This contract may be terminated by either party before its specified termination date by giving notice in writing to the other party. The period of notice shall be five (5) business days (in the UNICEF office engaging the Contractor) in the case of contracts for a total period of less than two (2) months and ten (10) business days (in the UNICEF office engaging the Contractor) in the case of contracts for a longer period; provided however that in the event of termination on the grounds of impropriety or other misconduct by the Contractor (including but not limited to breach by the Contractor of relevant UNICEF policies, procedures, and administrative instructions), UNICEF shall be entitled to terminate the contract without notice. If this contract is terminated in accordance with this paragraph 10, the Contractor shall be paid on a pro rata basis determined by UNICEF for the actual amount of work performed to UNICEF’s satisfaction at the time of termination. UNICEF will also pay any outstanding reimbursement claims related to travel by the Contractor. Any additional costs incurred by UNICEF resulting from the termination of the contract by either party may be withheld from any amount otherwise due to the Contractor under this paragraph 10.

    Taxation UNICEF and the United Nations accept no liability for any taxes, duty or other contribution payable by the consultant and individual contractor on payments made under this contract. Neither UNICEF nor the United Nations will issue a statement of earnings to the consultant and individual contractor

How to apply:

Deadline for submissions: 29 May 2013

Qualified candidates are requested to send their submissions to pdconsultants@unicef.org with subject line Consultancy: Support on protection, care and support of children and families living with HIV

Applications must include:
 • Cover letter
 • Maximum 3-page curriculum vitae (CV);
 • Signed P11 form (which can be retrieved at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_53129.html)
 • An indication of ability, availability and a quote for daily rate to undertake the terms of reference above, (in US$). Applications submitted without a daily rate will not be considered. NOTE: Files should not exceed 5.0MB limit
Job ID: #576293
Closing date: 29 May 2013

http://reliefweb.int/job/576293/consultancy-support-protection-care-and-support-children-and-families-living-hiv