Background

UNDP is the UN’s global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), a development agency on the ground in 177 countries and territories, seeks to help empower lives and build resilient nations, share and work toward solutions to achieve poverty reduction and the Millennium Development Goals, democratic governance, sustainable environment and energy, crisis prevention and recovery. Achieving sustainable human development will be little more than an aspirational notion without full involvement of youth, who after all, constitute the majority of the world’s present and are the world’s future. Young people and their aspirations should be central to the development agenda as we consider human rights including the sexual and reproductive rights of all individuals, in particular adolescents and youth, without any form of discrimination, coercion or violence based on sex, age, ethnic, racial, marital, migrant, HIV, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or other status.

UNDP supports stabilization, state-building, and governance and development priorities in Afghanistan. UNDP support, in partnership with the Government, the United Nations system, the donor community and other development stakeholders, has contributed to institutional development efforts leading to positive impact on the lives of Afghan citizens. Over the years UNDP support has spanned such milestone efforts as the adoption of the Constitution; Presidential, Parliamentary and Provincial Council elections; institutional development through capacity-building to the legislative, the judicial and executive arms of the state, and key ministries, Government agencies and commissions at the national and sub national levels. UNDP Programmes in Afghanistan have benefited from the very active support of donors. UNDP Afghanistan is committed to the highest standards of transparency and accountability and works in close coordination with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and the UN system as a whole to maximize the impact of its development efforts on the ground.

Cross Practice Unit is serving as focal unit for the broader coordination and inclusion of Youth activities in UNDP programmes under the New Deal guidelines and the Secretary-General of the United Nations Five-year Action Agenda which laid out five generational imperatives including the engagement of Youth in social, economic and political development. The Secretary-General, through the Policy Committee (Decision No. 2012/5 – Youth) mandated the UN Inter-Agency Network on Youth and Development (IANYD) to develop a UN System Wide Action Plan (SWAP) to deepen the youth focus of existing UN system programmes. The action plan will focus on the priority areas identified by the Secretary-General: employment, entrepreneurship, political inclusion, citizenship and protection of rights and education, including education on sexual and reproductive health.

The area of Youth engagement is a new area for UNDP Afghanistan, and it’s important to work in close collaboration with UN Inter-Agency Network on Youth and Development (IANYD), APRC and UNDP’s various units and projects, in particular Sub-national Governance and Development Unit which future projects involves the youth as a key partner for the implementation, and government of Afghanistan (Deputy Ministry of Youth Affairs).

The Consultant will help the Cross Practice Unit in the development of a new project document of Youth in the areas of civic education representation, enhancing youth participation throughout the electoral cycle and in civil society organizations, foster youth political participation, and creation of sustainable employment for youth with focus on the implementation of National Youth Policy and also the empowerment and participation of Youth at national and sub-national level. This will be a UNDP leading youth project in Afghanistan which will be in line with the National Youth Policy in Afghanistan as well as UNDP Global Youth Strategy. Throughout the consultation process with key stakeholders and partners apart from the discussions and findings, it is important to ensure the following key areas are well considered and focused in the project document such as:

• Mobilization, Networking and Capacity Development of youth in the area civic responsibilities, employment and active political representation to take part in the development process;
• Participation and inclusion of youth in decision making process at the national, provincial and community level
• Strengthening meaningful participation and role of Afghan youth in the Post-2015 Development agenda in decision making and also engagement of Afghan youth in the consultation and implementation process;
• Ensuring that the Prodoc is in line with and underpin the 6 thematic strategies of UNDP (Rule of Law, National Governance, Gender, Capacity Development, Poverty and Environment, & Sub-National Governance and Development);
• Response to GoIRA National Youth Policy in the operationalization of the areas of Participation and Capacity Development.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objective of the assignment:

The main objective of the assignment is to undertake in-depth study/consultations on the existing programming and efforts for youth and in light of that to develop a new project document to be focused more on the strategic priorities of UNDP for youth in Afghanistan and also be in a position to support the implementation of GoIRA National Youth Policy.

Scope of the assignment:

• Conduct a comprehensive review of documentation relevant to the strategic importance of UNDP on Youth at global and country level, and strategic plans and policy of Deputy Ministry of Youth Affairs (DMoYA);
• Conduct number of meetings and discussions in Kabul and regional level with DMoYA, Youth led organizations, Civil Society, UNDP Programme units, projects, and  other stakeholders and partners;
• Based on analysis of the findings from the reviews and interviews, develop a complete and comprehensive Project document. The new project document should include all necessary sections as per UNDP project document guidelines and template;
• Conduct debriefing with relevant stakeholders to present the project document outline and conduct Q&A sessions to provide additional information and explanation on the rationale, approach and proposed strategy as required.

Output of the assignment:

The consultants are expected to produce the followings:

• Produce draft outline of the project document within 8 days after the beginning of the consultancy mission
• Produce the first draft of the project document and submit it for review and inputs within 13 days after the approval of the outline by management, donors and government counterpart;
  
• Submit complete project document for final review within 10 days after receiving the inputs and feedback with all sections completed as per UNDP project document guideline, and incorporated all inputs, and feedback along with the resource mobilization strategy for the initiation of this project;
  
• 4 days home-based work to make necessary adjustment and revisions as necessary and based on final feedback provided by relevant stakeholders.

Competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards (human rights, peace, understanding between peoples and nations, tolerance, integrity, respect, results orientation (UNDP core ethics) impartiality;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates good oral and written communication skills;
• Ability to work both independently and in a team, and ability to deliver high quality work on tight timelines.

• Comfortable in working in dynamic environments that change frequently;
• Able to perform in a high-stress and difficult security environment, with austere living quarters;
• Ability to manage relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders and incorporate diverse points of view.
  

Required Skills and Experience

• Master degree or higher from a recognized university in International Development, Public Management, Governance or any other relevant field.
  

• Minimum 10 years of experience in the area of Youth, Civil Society, Governance project formulation and resources, and/or any other relevant area;  Specific experience of working with youth is strongly desired;
• Strong capacities of analysis (quantitative and qualitative) and strong ability to communicate and summarize this analysis in writing;
• Experience in conducting independent evaluations project formulation (if possible, within the UN system);
• Development knowledge  and experience working in fragile States particularly with Youth and civil society; 
  
• Relevant capacity development experiences working with the national government institutions on Youth. 

• Effective communications skills, both written and oral, in English with proven ability in report writing;
  
• Knowledge of Pashto/Dari will be an asset.

Evaluation Criteria

International Consultant- Project Formulation

The offer will be evaluated by using the Best Value for money approach (combined scoring method).  The Technical Proposal will be evaluated on 70%.  Whereas the Financial Proposal will be evaluated on 30%.

Below is the breakdown of technical proposal on 100% which will be brought to 70%.

• Criteria: Project formulation and resource mobilization (Weight: 20%. Maximum obtainable Points: 20);
• Criteria: Advanced university degree in relevant disciplines (e.g., international development, Political Science governance, and democracy) (Weight: 10%. Maximum obtainable Points: 10);
• Criteria: At least 10 years of international working experience in the field of project formulation, resources mobilization, programme and project management,,  and democracy and governance. (Weight: 45%. Maximum obtainable Points: 45);
• Criteria: Deep knowledge of the political, cultural, and economic contexts of Afghanistan including prior working experience in the country (Weight: 15%. Maximum obtainable Points: 15);
• Criteria: Excellent written and spoken English and presentational capacities. (Weight: 10%.Maximum obtainable Points: 10).