International Consultant – Remote Assessment of partners on Protection Against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

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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,

Background and Justification

  The prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) has, for decades, been at the core of UNICEF mandate. UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy for sexual exploitation and abuse perpetrated by employees, personnel and sub-contractors of UNICEF and implementing partners.

In December 2018, under the Championship of UNICEF Executive Director (ED) Henrietta Fore, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Principals laid out in a Plan for Accelerating PSEA at Country-Level. The plan outlines three main priorities:

1) safe, accessible and dignified reporting that is gender and child sensitive;

2) quality Sextual Exploitation and Abuse survivor assistance; and

3) enhanced accountability, including through prompt and respectful investigations.

To demonstrate UNICEF commitment to advance the agenda on PSEA, ED Fore allocated US$11 million in 2018 to support 16 countries,[1] where crises have created a spike in vulnerability. A Results Monitoring Framework has been developed and rolled-out at country level to measure progress and results at country and global level.

Following the endorsement of the United Nations Protocol On Allegations Of Sexual Exploitation And Abuse Involving Implementing Partners (hereinafter referred to the UN Protocol) in February 2018, UNICEF has incorporated prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse standards in the General Terms and Conditions of partnership agreements with civil society organizations.

The most significant changes in the General Terms and Conditions are as follows:

  • Article 4.0 clarifies that if the implementing partner is using further tiers of sub-contractors (e.g. sub-sub-contractors), they are required to adhere to the agreement;
  • Article 11.2(b) provides that sexual exploitation and abuse, or child safeguarding violations perpetrated by implementing partner workers, or a failure of the implementing partner to properly address such issues, each constitutes grounds for immediate termination of the agreement;
  • Article 13.0 lists policy obligations concerning protection from sexual exploitation and abuse, child safeguarding and fraud;
  • Article 14.0 defines sexual exploitation and abuse and child safeguarding violations, and prescribes expectations of zero tolerance, preventative measures (including training), obligations to report to UNICEF, and investigation obligations; and
  • Article 16.0 extends assessments from ones relating to finances alone, to ones assessing capacity to address sexual exploitation and abuse or child safeguarding violations.

Considering the above, UNICEF has developed a procedure and related tools to support UNICEF Offices and their Implementing Partners to abide by the requirements of the UN Protocol and the General Terms and Conditions of their partnership agreements with UNICEF.

Scope of Work

1. Goal and Objective

UNICEF Lesotho is conducting PSEA risk assessments for its implementing partners, and thereafter working with Implementing partners to jointly strengthen prevention of and response to sexual exploitation and abuse through strengthening prevention, reporting, referral and investigation capacities. Through these measures, UNICEF together with Implementing Partners aims to create a safer and more protective environment for every child.

2. Activities and Tasks:

The PSEA Assessment is intended to give UNICEF and its partners a baseline for tracking progress of partners organizational capacities on PSEA. Consultant is expected to complete the assessment together with the UNICEF implementing partner before UNICEF enters into a partnership. The Assessment, when completed in collaboration with the partner, provides a shared understanding of the partner organizational strengths and areas of improvement on PSEA moving forward.

After completing the UNICEF PSEA Toolkit Training Package (to ensure that the Consultant has a complete understanding of the PSEA Toolkit and the PSEA Assessment), and using the standard UNICEF PSEA Assessment questionnaire and the related instructions for completing the questionnaire, the Consultant collaboratively conducts 6 PSEA Assessments of national CSO (Civil Society Organization) implementing partners of UNICEF. The PSEA Assessment is documented in the provided template, and supporting evidence is collected and filed against each Core Standard.

3. Work relationships:  The consultant will report directly to UNICEF Operations Manager and will schedule about 6 appointments remotely with the partners to be assessed.

4. Outputs/Deliverables:

 

Deliverables

Duration

(Estimated # of days or months)

Timeline/Deadline

Schedule of payment

6 Assessment reports signed by consultant and each partner

 

 

 

15.07.2020

50% upon submission of  draft reports

Approved Action plan

 

 

 

25.07.2020

50% final report

 

 

 

 

 

Desired profile

 An advanced university degree (Masters and above) in one of the following areas is required:

  1. International development, human rights, psychology, sociology, international law, or another relevant social science field;
  2. A minimum of 5 years of relevant professional work experience in child protection, prevention or protection against sexual exploitation and abuse, or gender-based violence is required, including very good knowledge of the technical area;
  3. Experience in conducting trainings is an asset;
  4. Experience working in multi-cultural settings is an asset.
  5. Experience in capacity building and systems strengthening is an asset.
  6. Very good organizational and facilitation skills required. 
  7. Proficiency in English is required.

 

Administrative issues

  • The selected Individual consultant will be governed by and subject to UNICEF General Terms and Conditions;
  • The Individual consultant will work on their own computer(s) and use their own office resources and materials in the execution of this assignment;
  • The Individual consultant, under ordinary circumstances, shall not engage any sub consultants for any part of the assignment, The Individual consultan fees must be all inclusive of all administrative costs; and
  • The Individual consultant is expected to be available and fully in charge of supporting all activities and operations of the consultancy for the full duration of the contract.

How to Apply

Qualified candidates are requested to complete an application including profile to the respective advertisement on https://www.unicef.org/about/employ/ Please indicate your abilityavailability and financial proposal/quote to complete the terms of reference above.

Rates must include all expenses related to the assignment (e.g. consultancy fees).

Applications submitted without a fee/rate will not be considered.

If you have not been contacted within 2 months of the closing date please accept that your application was unsuccessful. Regret emails will be sent only to shortlisted/contacted candidates.

The functional competencies required for this post are…

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

UNICEF 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:

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.

Advertised: South Africa Standard Time
Applications close: South Africa Standard Time

Apply here!

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