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Home-based: Consultant for Central Asia Ministerial Meeting on Comprehensive School Safety: Research, Facilitation, and Reporting (35 working days; with travel as needed) - ECARO

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Job no: 572205

Contract type: Consultant

Duty Station: Geneva

Level: Consultancy

Location: Switzerland

Categories: Communication, Knowledge Management, Research, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation

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, an advocate.

Purpose of Activity/Assignment

Central Asian countries face various hazards, including natural disasters, technological hazards, and climate-related challenges. These hazards, including earthquakes, floods, extreme weather events, and conflicts, pose significant risks to children, families, and communities across the region. Of particular concern are the safety and resilience of education institutions, as many schools are in areas prone to natural disasters, especially seismic zones. Inadequate structural integrity and poor management of education processes exacerbate the vulnerability of schools, potentially leading to significant damage and risks for students, teachers, and educational assets. A UNICEF-commissioned study in Kyrgyzstan highlighted alarming statistics, with up to 89% of preschools and 81% of schools found to be structurally unsafe, failing to meet legislative safety requirements. Such findings underscore the urgent need for comprehensive measures to ensure the safety of education environments.

Recognizing the critical importance of safe learning spaces, UNICEF, alongside members of the Global Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience in the Education Sector (GADRRRES), launched the updated Comprehensive School Safety Framework (CSSF) in 2021. The CSSF provides strategic guidance to governments, partners, and stakeholders, emphasizing a holistic approach to risk reduction and resilience building in the education sector.

Amidst ongoing challenges and the evolving landscape of hazards, the upcoming Central Asia Ministerial Meeting on Progress with Implementation of the CSSF aims to showcase the CSSF 2022-2030 in the region, reflect on progress made in school safety and resilience, and advocate for coordinated efforts towards school safety and resilience. The meeting will also provide a platform for key stakeholders to showcase best practices, share experiences, and advocate for concerted efforts towards school safety and resilience in the region.

In this context, UNICEF is seeking to hire a consultant to support the endeavor by conducting background research, preparing pre-meeting brief(s), serving as a rapporteur during meeting sessions.

Scope of Work

The scope of work for this consultancy encompasses conducting comprehensive background research, preparing pre-meeting conference background document, serving as a rapporteur during the meeting, and finalizing the meeting report. These activities are integral to facilitating informed discussions, capturing valuable insights, and producing tangible outputs that contribute to advancing the implementation of the Comprehensive School Safety Framework in Central Asia.

1. Rapid Situation Analysis and Background Research:

The consultant will conduct a rapid situation analysis to gather relevant data, statistics, and reports pertaining to school safety and resilience in Central Asia (including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan). This rapid analysis will involve reviewing existing policies, strategies, and legislation related to school safety in each country and analyzing relevant government initiatives and projects aimed at improving school safety and resilience. The aim will be to identify key challenges, gaps, and best practices in each country, drawing insights from relevant studies, assessments, and evaluations conducted by governments, organizations such as UNICEF, UNESCO, UNDRR and the World Bank.

2. Preparation of the Conference Background Document:

Based on the findings from the rapid situation analysis and background research, the consultant will prepare Conference Background Document including situation analysis, overview of the current state of school safety in Central Asia, highlighting priority areas for action and collaboration. The pre-meeting brief(s) will serve as a resource to ensure that all participants are well-informed and adequately prepared for productive discussions during the Ministerial Meeting. Apart from summarizing the key findings from the background research, the pre-meeting brief will also highlight some policy and programming recommendations.

3. Rapporteur for Meeting:

During the Ministerial Meeting, the consultant will assume the role of the lead rapporteur, tasked with capturing key discussions, decisions, and recommendations from the meeting. This responsibility will entail active participation in the meeting, note-taking, and summarization of key points made in each session. Following the conclusion of the meeting, the consultant will compile the meeting notes into a formal report. The meeting report will serve as an official record of the discussions and outcomes of the Ministerial Meeting, informing future planning and decision-making processes.

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks / MilestoneDeliverables / OutputsTimeline / Deadline

Conduct rapid situation analysis covering:

Rapid situation analysis conducted in consultation with UNICEF Regional/Country Offices and other stakeholders

By 02 September 2024

Conference Background Document

By 02 September 2024

Prepare comprehensive report of the meeting covering:

Formal Report of the Meeting as approved by UNICEF

By 04 October 2024

Estimated Duration of the Contract

35 working days between June and October 2024.

Consultant's Work Place and Official Travel

The Consultant will be remote/home-based.

As part of this assignment, some international travels are foreseen. The consultant will arrange her/his travel as and when they take place, and related costs will be reimbursed per UNICEF travel policy.

Travel Clause

• All UNICEF rules and regulations related to travel of Consultants apply.
• All travels shall be undertaken only upon the prior written approval by UNICEF.
• The consultant must be fit to travel, be in a possession of the valid UN BSAFE certificate, obligatory inoculation(s) and have a valid own travel/medical insurance and an immunization/vaccination card.

Estimated Cost of the Consultancy & Payment Schedule

Payment will be made on submission of an invoice and satisfactory completion of the above-mentioned deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs are incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines. All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future.

Please submit a professional fee (in USD) based on 35 working days to undertake this assignment, without travel fees as these will be reimbursed as and when they take place.

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

• Master's degree in Education, Public Policy, Social Sciences or relevant disciplines.
• At least eight (8) years’ experience in policy development, strategic planning and research in the education sector is required.
• Experience and familiarity with concepts, frameworks, and best practices related to school safety and resilience, including risk assessment, disaster preparedness, climate change and mitigation strategies is an asset.
• Demonstrable previous working experience in conducting research, analysis and facilitating policy and strategic planning dialogues.
• Proven ability to build consensus among a broad range of stakeholders including development partners and government.
• Previous experience in education sector review/development in Central Asia would be an advantage.
• Proven ability to work under tight timelines.
• Excellent inter-personal and written communication skills in English language.
• Communication skills in Russian language will be an advantage but not a requirement.
• Fluency in English is required.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS), and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most marginalized children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family 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:

Please include a full CV, a Cover Letter including a methodology to undertake the rapid analysis, as well as a sample of previous similar work in your application. Additionally, indicate your availability and professional fee (in USD) to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a professional fee will not be considered. 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.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

Advertised: W. Europe Daylight Time

Deadline: W. Europe Daylight Time