UNICEF seeks to Consultancy – Documenting results achieved under the regional initiative on social inclusion of children with disabilities and Roma (Home-based)

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1. Background and justification

In South Eastern Europe, approximately 1.7 million (almost half) of the Roma population are children. Roma children in these countries are among the poorest and most excluded members of society. They lack access to adequate housing, health care, education and social services. A significant number are not registered at birth, making it harder to access basic services such as health and education. Wide-spread discrimination and physical segregation keep Roma on the margins of society and help perpetuate the cycle of poverty and exclusion from one generation to the next.^[1]

It is estimated that in Central and Eastern Europe, there are 5.1 million children with disabilities, of which 70 per cent are not counted in social registers, making them invisible.Children with disabilities live a life of isolation, often staying in state institutions their whole life or staying within the family home, unable to fully participate in their community. They face constant, pervasive and violent discrimination from the general population, from professionals, and often from their own families, and are excluded from cultural and social life.

To address negative attitudes and harmful beliefs and norms towards children with disabilities and Roma children UNICEF ECARO is implementing since 2016 a regional initiative on social inclusion. Under this Regional initiative, UNICEF works to change negative social norms and perceptions towards Roma children and youth in Albania, Bulgaria, and Kosovo (UNSCR 1244), as well as children and young people with disabilities in Georgia and Tajikistan. The five implementing offices focus on ways to break long-established public perceptions and discriminatory practices that keep the region’s more excluded children from their right to be healthy, learn and participate. They have involved children and adolescents with disabilities and from Roma communities in challenging stigmatizing and discriminatory community beliefs and practices and the negative attitudes of professionals have been addressed and their capacities to create and promote an inclusive environment for every child have been strengthened. Partnerships with media have been established to raise public awareness on exclusion of children with disabilities and Roma children, but also to promote positive practices of inclusion.

Each implementing office has developed monitoring and evaluation frameworks, where expected results have been identified (in terms of changes in attitudes, knowledge, practices, access to services etc.), along with indicators and means of verification to measure change. Being in the last year of the regional initiative implementation, UNICEF ECARO intends to document results achieved so far and to assist the five UNICEF offices in defining the way forward to support inclusion of children with disabilities and Roma children.

 

2. Purpose and objectives

ECARO is looking for a consultant, who under the general guidance of the Regional C4D Advisor and the Regional C4D Specialist will conduct a documentation of results achieved in the framework of the regional initiative on social inclusion of children with disabilities and Roma children in Albania, Bulgaria, Georgia, Kosovo (UNSCR 1244) and Tajikistan.

 

3. Scope of work

The consultant will conduct a documentation of results achieved; analyse specific reports and materials produced in the framework of the regional initiative, aggregating results achieved in Albania, Bulgaria, Georgia, Kosovo (UNSCR 1244) and Tajikistan. The consultant will review reports, documents and will conduct Skype calls with each UNICEF office involved in the regional initiative implementation and their key counterparts to identify and document key achievements. The consultant will define results by groups of beneficiaries, highlighting the total teach of implemented actions, the number of children and families with improved access to quality services, changes in the quality of the interaction between community services, decision makers and the vulnerable families. The consultant will also make an estimation of potential number of beneficiaries.

 

4. Key deliverables, timeframe and tasks

The consultancy is expected to be fully completed in 25 days. The consultant is expected to implement the tasks below and achieve proposed deliverables in close consultation and coordination with ECARO.

The consultant may be asked to submit several drafts of expected documents, for the Regional Office review and inputs. Received feedback will be reflected in the documents, before submitting the next draft.

Tasks	Deliverables	Number of days	Expected timeline
Desk review. Review relevant documents and reports related to implementation of the regional initiative in Albania, Bulgaria, Georgia, Kosovo (UNSCR 1244) and Tajikistan. Development and submission of a methodological approach, workplan and timeline for documentation of results.	Report containing a description of methodological approach, workplan and timeline	5 days	By 25 August 2018
Data collection and documentation. Review additional documents, organise and conduct interviews/discussions over Skype/phone with UNICEF ECARO and the five implementing offices, and their key counterparts. Collect evidence on implemented activities, approaches used, results achieved, number of beneficiaries reached etc.	Up-dates	8 days	By 10 September 2018
Develop a report (15-20 pages) and a summary (2-3 pages), capturing the key results achieved and number and type of beneficiaries reached during the implementation of the social inclusion initiative in Albania, Bulgaria, Georgia, Kosovo (UNSCR 1244) and Tajikistan. The report will contain a generic part, describing the regional initiative and the (aggregated) results achieved, along with short presentation of results and actions in each country. The consultant may be asked to submit several drafts for UNICEF RO review and comments. All comments will be reflected in the next version of the report.	Report Summary	12 days	By 21 September – 1st draft   By 10 October 2018 – final report
Total time		25 days

 

Performance indicators for evaluation of results:

The performance of work will be evaluated based on the following indicators:

Completion of tasks specified in ToR.

 

Responsibilities

UNICEF’s responsibilities include timely provision of all required information, guidance and feedback on all deliverables. Selected consultant is expected to produce products as per defined tasks and deliverables, and revise them based on feedback to be provided by UNICEF and country offices.

 

Reporting requirements

Content of the documents to be produced should correspond to the requirements defined by deliverables and to be submitted electronically in English.

 

Qualifications/specialized knowledge / experience required to complete the task.

• Minimum 5 years of experience in conducting systematic reviews, assessments, documentations.
• A post-graduate degree in social sciences.
• Proven experience in working on designing, implementing, evaluating and documenting communication for development initiatives.
• Previous experience implementing communication for development initiatives focusing on children with disabilities and Roma children will be an asset.
• Excellent command of English. Excellent analytical and writing skills.
• Demonstrated ability to produce high quality results in a timely manner.
• Proven familiarity and experience working with the UN (ideally with UNICEF) is preferred.

 

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.