TERMS OF REFERENCE UNICEF KIRA
Programmeme/Project Title: Youth and Adolescent Development Program
Adolescent Development, Protection and Peacebuilding Consultancy/Services Title: Advisor – Project Manager
Consultancy Mode: National International
Type of Contract : Consultant Individual Contractor Institutional
Mode of Selection : Competitive Single Source Duration of Contract : From: January, 15th – July, 15th 2016 (6 months)
Objective/purpose of the consultancy/services UNICEF Kyrgyz Republic Country Office is seeking an individual consultant to manage the designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating of the Youth and Adolescent Development Program.
Background
Over half of the population in Kyrgyzstan is under the age of 25, and almost a third is between the ages of 15 and 25. Youth in Kyrgyzstan live in an environment where poverty is widespread, economic opportunities are limited, both the quality and availability of public services is poor, corruption is pervasive and there are limited opportunities to make their voices heard in either public or private domains. This makes 31% of young people “afraid of the future or uncertain about tomorrow’’ and 23% dissatisfied with the situation in the country.1
Labor migration to urban areas or to other countries –usually Russia and Kazakhstan– is often the only feasible strategy for young people to alleviate poverty and contribute to economic growth. However, labor migration also creates social problems of various kinds. For those who stay, options are few. Youth unemployment is high,2 and in some parts of the country, suicide rates are alarmingly high and rising.3 The concept of citizenship is poorly developed among young people, and democratic values are not held strongly. Identity formation based on ethnicity, religion, clan and/or region is becoming more prominent (especially among young people) and has widened the gap between ethnicities in the country, as well as with citizens from neighboring countries. This has deepened societal fault lines and increased the risk of conflict.
Local formal and informal education leaves little room for development of functional literacy and civic competencies such as critical thinking, self-reflection, communication and peaceful conflict prevention.4 The deterioration of education facilities and standards, the lack of structured employment, the high rate of school dropout and the limited social opportunities create conditions for disorderly behavior, such as petty crime, fights, and alcohol abuse. This environment combined with the limited number of integrating mechanisms –such as shared education, employment or joint social events– make young people susceptible to political and religious radicalization and to adopting risky and sometimes illegal behaviors. The Peace Building National Priorities Assessment, recently conducted by UN in Kyrgyzstan, describes the high prevalence of violence in families and schools, particularly against children and the youth. Violence is viewed as socially acceptable, which undermines the creation of a favorable environment for peace.5
1 Youth and Public Policy in Kyrgyzstan: p 25
2 According to IMF 2012 data youth make up 50% of all unemployed population.
3 Forty-six suicides among youth were registered during a five-months period in 2013. However, it is believed that the suicide rate is considerable understated.
4 More than 80% of the country’s students displayed reading skills below a level at which they “begin to demonstrate competencies (…..) that will enable them to participate effectively and productively in life”. Stated in the Youth and Public Policy in Kyrgyzstan, p 27 Women are often unacknowledged due to the prevalence of masculinity-based norms in society. ‘Youth’ is not a homogenous group, but one characterized by differences between young men and women. These differences have their roots in patriarchal cultural beliefs that encourage stakeholders to frame youth issues from the perspective of young men, rather than their female counterparts. Issues such as the lack of participation of young women in youth initiative groups and youth wings of political parties; gender-based discrimination in the labour market and in society as a whole; and gender-based violence –particularly in the context of early marriages, bride kidnapping, sexual violence, and trafficking– are not properly reflected in national youth policy or in youth movement agendas. The resulting situation is one where young women and girls face multiple forms of discrimination and become further marginalized in society, which greatly hinders the healthy development of communities in many ways.
Starting from 2010 UNICEF adjusted its programming in Kyrgyzstan by engaging in peacebuilding responses and addressing conflict drivers at the community and policy levels. In trying to address these issues, UNICEF has increased its focus on peace education and the issues faced by young people and adolescents. Youth and adolescents have been seen as agents of peacebuilding and, more generally, as a valuable resource for development. Kyrgyzstan’s UNICEF Country Programme Action Plan (CPAP) for 2012-16 focuses on promoting children’s and young people’s role in peacebuilding and increasing their mediation potential. Kyrgyzstan Country Office has a specific program on youth and adolescence focusing on youth life skills and participation.
UNICEF in Kyrgyzstan is seeking to hire an Individual Contractor to support smooth implementation of the Youth and Adolescent Programme in temporary absence of Head of the Programme.
Scope of work and key tasks:
1. Manage projects under UK Conflict Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) and UN Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) in implementation, reporting and fund allocation;
2. Manage the quality assurance of youth-friendly centers, define and operationalize their sustainability Strategies, focusing on vulnerable young people, together with the government and civil society counterparts;
3. Be responsible for research planning, implementation and reporting as per the Programme Monitoring and Evaluation frameworks;
4. Manage the Programme initiatives on professionalization of youth work and promotion of multilingualism and diversity together with the government and civil society partners, building on UNICEF mandates in education and youth empowerment. Coordinate the fund allocation and reporting;
5. Provide coordination support, monitor and make technical inputs to projects on professional orientation and internship; Raise awareness about the programme results among the partners and wider public; Coordinate development of standards and strategies for integration to the policy frameworks;
6. Provide coordination and monitoring support, and make technical inputs to projects under PBF Immediate Response Facility: on cross-border cooperation and gender in peace Initiatives; Liaise with the partners among UN Agencies, civil society organizations and the Government to ensure synergies; Communicate project results and progress through the Secretariat of the Peacebuilding Fund and the National Steering Committee;
7. Support consultation and reporting on the development of policy papers regarding youth work and youth policy under the respective governmental institutions on national and local level;
8. Lead the youth and adolescent development section in fundraising and resource mobilization activities focusing on young people’s participation, protection, employability and peacebuilding;
9. Act as a focal point for Country Programme Evaluation in the field of youth and adolescents; 5 UNICEF, in partnership with the Ombudsman Office, the Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Education, undertook two nation-wide studies on the prevalence and dynamics of child abuse in families (2010) and violence in schools in the Kyrgyz Republic (2011). The findings of the studies disclosed a dismal picture of the prevalence of child abuse and violence countrywide. 73 per cent of children suffer from abuse and violence in their families and 83.5 per cent of children experience different forms of violence in schools. 10. In consultation with local partners working in the sectors of youth and adolescence development, and based on the findings of UNICEF situation analysis, mid-term review and other research, contribute to UNICEF’s new CPAP development, as well as assisting with regular short term and long term planning;
11. Regularly attend, monitor and evaluate project activities in order to identify and report on any delays or changes related to implementation plans, discuss with the local teams how to overcome them and to modify plans accordingly;
12. Capacity building and utilization of new knowledge and research into both the program design, as well as into projects implemented jointly with the counterparts;
13. Work with UN Youth Group members to formulate sector priorities through the use of analysis, then develop objectives and activities that directly support realization of the strategic priorities;
14. Identify and establish contact with all relevant stakeholders, including representatives of rights holders and ensure utilization of participatory and community based approaches in sectoral needs assessments, analysis, planning, monitoring and response;
15. Be the focal point for Communication for Development activities regarding the youth and adolescent development section in Northern Kyrgyzstan;
16. Draft work-plans, reports, technical inputs and other relevant documents for the Youth and Adolescent Development section as required;
17. Represent UNICEF in relevant meetings, seminars, trainings and conferences when required;
18. Provide other support necessary if needed for smooth implementation of the Youth and Adolescent Development Program
Reporting and supervision The Contractor will be based in Bishkek and will work under the direct supervision of Communication/Youth and Adolescent Development Officer who is based in Osh Zone Office of UNICEF in the Kyrgyz Republic.
Qualification/level requirements Academic qualifications–masters in development studies or a related field; At least 2 years of professional experience in the Central Asian, particularly in the context of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan; Experience of coordinating protection and peacebuilding interventions with various stakeholders (UN, governments, civil society, I/NGOs etc.); Field experience in mobilization and capacity building of civil society organizations in the area of youth and adolescents development, participation and protection in complex context; Experience in knowledge generation and sharing in the field of youth and adolescence development; Experience in fundraising and resource mobilization for development purposes; Experience in applying UNICEF MoRES (Monitoring of Results for Equity Systems) framework in designing and implementation of Programmes; Ability to work independently and as part of a team; Ability to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment; Sets high standards for quality of work and consistently achieves project goals; Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English. Good knowledge of Russian required.
Deliverables Consultant will submit monthly reports outlining towards achievement of below work plan activities:
The work plan regularly reviewed and updated for effective implementation of the youth and adolescent development program; Programme results with regard to projects under UK Conflict Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) and UN Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) are managed, programme funds are duly utilized and progress/results are timely reported; Professionalization of youth work is piloted and well-framed both at the local and policy levels; (implementation and M&E activities); Diversity and multilingualism projects are coordinated (implementation and M&E activities); Sustainability strategy for youth centers further defined and operationalized; quality of their services assured (implementation and M&E activities); Programme monitoring and evaluation is designed, updated and implemented; Capacity building needs of national partners assessed and addressed; Project progress and completion reports to donors and other stakeholders are provided in duly manner; Office communication and relations with the key donors of the youth programmes are coordinated and inputs are provided; Country Programme Evaluation of in the area of Youth and Adolescent is coordinated; Monthly reports on the progress and results delivered;
Duty station and Official Travel Involved
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan with frequent travels to the country regions.
The consultant will be paid daily subsistence allowance (DSA) for Bishkek with the daily rate reduced by 50%. Full DSA will be paid in case of official in-country field travels in accordance with the daily rates established for specific country regions as promulgated by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC).
For field travels the consultant will be expected to submit, within ten days of completion of a specific travel, a voucher for reimbursement of travel expenses to the appropriate Operations / Human Resources manager. Reimbursements shall only be processed if travel was duly authorized by an authorized supervisor or Head of Office, in writing and prior to the travel. Consultants are responsible for assuming costs for obtaining visas and travel insurance.
Travel paid for by UNICEF in advance, and travel costs reimbursed after travel, shall be based on economy class travel, regardless of the length of travel, subject to exceptional approval of business class travel by the Head of Office/ Division Director, for example for medicals reasons when certified by UN Medical Services in New York.
Duration
6 months
Estimated cost (optional)
Total estimated size of the contract is USD 20,000 (without DSA)which gives an approximate monthly remuneration of USD 3,330. UNICEF will effect monthly schedule of payment linked to [monthly] provision of progress reports and submission of ‘deliverable’ as indicated in the above section Deliverables.
Source of funding/PBA reference (date of expiration of the PBA):
Source of funding/Grant reference (date of expiration of the Grant):
SC 140028 (30.06.2016)
Note: In all cases, consultants may only be paid their fees upon satisfactory completion of services. In such cases where payment of fees is to be made in a lump sum, this may only be payable upon completion of the services to UNICEF’s satisfaction and certification to that effect, and any advance on the lump sum may not exceed 30% of the fees. In such cases where payment of fees is to be made in installments, the final installment may not be less than ten per cent (10%) of the total value of the contract, and will only be payable upon completion of the services to UNICEF’s satisfaction and certification to that effect.
The current contract does not cover overtime compensation, medical insurance, taxes coverage, no annual and sick leaves are assumed.
Drafted: Gulzhigit Ermatov, Youth and Adolescent Development Officer Reviewed: Aizhan Barakanova, Operations Manager a.i. Approved: Raoul de Torcy, Deputy Representative Endorsed: Yukie Mokuo, Representative Date: 18/11/2015