Child Protection System Strengthening in Emergencies-Vacancy,UN Children's Fund,USA

post:Child Protection System Strengthening in Emergencies
Job
from UN Children's Fund
Country:    United States of America

City:    Home based
Organisation:    UN Children's Fund

Job years of experience:    5-10 years

Job type:    Consultancy
Terms of Reference Multi-Site Review of Child Protection Systems Strengthening in Emergency Contexts

I. BACKGROUND

Increasingly, child protection actors have shifted away from single-issue programming, instead promoting the development of national child protection systems that seek to prevent and respond to diverse forms of violence, exploitation, and abuse. Despite the widespread support for this approach, there is ongoing research and debate as to how best to adopt a systems approach in child protection programming. This is particularly true within emergency contexts, in light of the distinct risks and challenges associated with these environments, as well as opportunities they present to potentially “build back better”, and establish new structures that more adequately promote the protection and well-being of children in times of emergency. In light of the number of international organizations that operate in both humanitarian and development mandates, adopting consistent and effective approaches to child protection systems strengthening becomes all the more important.

During the summer of 2012, the Child Protection in Crisis (CPC) Network, on behalf of the Child Protection Working Group (CPWG), undertook a multi-sited research study investigating efforts to strengthen child protection systems in emergency contexts. Building on the CPWG prior work in the area of systems strengthening, this study sought to identify emerging good practices and lessons learned regarding factors that may contribute to, or hinder the strengthening of, well-functioning child protection systems in the aftermath of complex emergencies, and throughout the recovery and reconstruction process.

This study was guided by the following primary research questions: 1) What changes to national child protection systems have resulted from emergency responses? 2) How do children and families perceive - and experience - changes in the child protection services and supports available to them before, during, and after an emergency response?
3) To what extent have nationally initiated activities sought to strengthen endogenous components of the system?
In order to explore these issues, six countries were selected as case studies for examination, including: Cote d’Ivoire, Haiti, the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), the Philippines, South Sudan, and Yemen. Field research was conducted in Cote d’Ivoire, Haiti, South Sudan, and Yemen, while a desk review and phone interviews were used in the cases of the Philippines and the OPT. Within each context, the study sought to examine child protection systems at three primary levels: 1) government actors; 2) national and international NGOs; and 3) community members.

Initial findings from this research were shared with the CPWG in October 2012, but an in-depth report of this study has not yet been drafted. With the support of UNICEF, a final report of the 2012 study will be prepared, including a detailed data analysis, as well as key findings and recommendations. The report will be jointly published by the CPC Network and UNICEF.

II. PURPOSE

The purpose of this consultancy is to prepare a final report of the 2012 CPC Network study on child protection systems strengthening in emergencies, analyzing findings, identifying challenges and lessons learned, and recommending elements and strategies to promote and inform systems strengthening in emergencies contexts. This will provide an evidence base to inform guidance and policy formulation.

III. PROJECT OBJECTIVES
Objective 1: Finalize data analysis and report of occupied Palestinian territory (OPT)

Description: This phase of the project would focus on completing additional research and data analysis pertaining to the context of the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT). Currently, a desk review and phone interviews have been conducted, however there is a need for additional phone interviews to be completed in order to elicit feedback from key child protection actors who have not yet contributed to the study. Once the data collection has been completed, this portion of the project would also include a systematic analysis of all data from the oPt as well as a write up of a final report.

Output: a final report documenting systems strengthening through emergency responses in oPt.

Corresponding Activities: Additional phone interviews, data analysis, writing up oPt country report.

Timeline: June-July 2013

Description Number of Days One researcher to conduct additional phone interviews, finalize the data analysis, and write up a final report on the data from OPT. 40 days

Objective 2: Finalize data analysis and write report for all fragile states (Cote d’Ivoire, Haiti, OPT, South Sudan, and Yemen)

Description: This phase of the project would focus on producing a final report containing a thorough analysis of the data collected in the five states examined throughout the first phase of the project, including: Cote d’Ivoire, Haiti, OPT, South Sudan and Yemen. While an initial data analysis has been conducted, there is a need to conduct a more comprehensive analysis of the data across these countries, and to write up a report that synthesizes and critically examines these findings. An independent consultant would be hired to conduct the data analysis and write up a final report. Existing transcripts produced from the research conducted during the summer 2012 would be used as a basis for this analysis. In addition to a final report that would be prepared for dissemination to the CPWG, CPC Network, UNICEF and other partners prepare the manuscript for academic publication.

Output: a final report documenting systems strengthening across all countries where data has already been collected as well as an academic manuscript

Corresponding Activities: Data analysis, writing up final report

Timeline: July - August 2013

Description Number of Days Stipend for one consultant to analyze the data from Cote d’Ivoire, Haiti, OPT, South Sudan, and Yemen, and write up a final report. 30 days

    Start date: 15 June 2013 End date: 31 August 2013

    Timeframe:

Deliverables Duration (Estimated # of days) Deadline oPt final analysis and report 40 July 15 Draft report 30 August 15 Final report with recommendations August 31 TOTAL August 31

    Key competences, technical background, and experience required: a) Advance degree in Social Sciences, Monitoring and Evaluation, or a relevant field. b) 5-7 years of experience of working in a relevant field including experience in humanitarian programmes. c) Proven assessment, analysis skills, qualitative and quantitative research skills (at a minimum in Masters degree programme). d) Knowledge of the current literature on humanitarian action. e) Experience in working with UNICEF is desirable.
    f) Strong writing skills in English.

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:

Qualified candidates are requested to submit a cover letter, CV, and signed P11 form (which can be downloaded at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_53129.html) to pdconsultants@unicef.org with subject line “Child Protection System Strengthening in Emergencies” by 7 June 2013, 5:00pm EST. Please indicate your ability, availability and daily rate to undertake the terms of reference above.

Applications submitted without a daily (or monthly) rate will not be considered.

NOTE: This is an extension of the application deadline to expand the candidate pool. Previous applicants need not re-apply as their original application will be duly considered.
Job ID: #579629
Closing date: 07 Jun 2013

http://reliefweb.int/job/579629/child-protection-system-strengthening-emergencies