UN WOMEN Jobs - 50786- National Consultant – Beneficiary Analysis of the

National Consultant – Beneficiary Analysis of the St. Lucia Public Assistance Programme

Advertised on behalf of

UN WOMEN

Location :

(Open to CARICOM Nationals only), SAINT LUCIA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

17-Nov-2014

Application Deadline :

03-Nov-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

National Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

17 November 2014 - 20 March 2015

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

To ensure enhanced coordination and a comprehensive level of support to the countries of the Eastern Caribbean, the UN Women Multi-Country Office for the Caribbean and the UNICEF Office for the Eastern Caribbean Area, and other UN agencies have come together under a Joint Programme (2013-2015) which seeks to enhance equity, income equality and reduce poverty by rolling out social protection floor initiatives and child and gender responsive social protection reform in Barbados and the OECS. The specific objectives of the programme are:

Support national governments in establishing and implementing social protection floors for preventing and alleviating poverty, vulnerability and social exclusion in Barbados and the OECS;
Improve national social protection legal and policy framework for Barbados and the OECS;
Strengthen national capacities in child and gender responsive social protection; monitoring and evaluation systems for social protection and; active labour market programmes in Barbados and the OECS.

A striking feature of the social assistance landscape is the number and variety of programs involved in the provision of social assistance in each country reviewed. These include cash transfers, near-cash programs (e.g., food stamps and voucher), in-kind transfers and services, active labour market programs, community-based programs, social care services and targeted housing programs. All these social assistance programs that serve, or could serve a risk management function; however, while there is considerable scope for the strengthening of social safety nets, at the same time, there are significant challenges to providing an effective social safety net.

In 2009 – 2010, UNICEF and UN Women in partnership with the World Bank supported the governments of six countries in the OECS sub-region to conduct national social safety net assessments. These assessments have triggered social protection reform in the sub-region. The main recommendations from the assessment were oriented at transforming social safety nets into an efficient and effective Social Protection System that rationalises the use of resources and clearly defines the interrelations between every intervention.

In Saint Lucia, which is one of the countries in the OECS sub-region undergoing a social protection reform process, rationalisation and harmonisation of the various social safety net programmes is a high priority. A draft Social Protection Policy has been prepared and plans are underway to harmonise the Public Assistance Programme, (PAP) which provides cash transfers to poor and indigent persons and the Koudmen Ste. Lisi programme which provides mainly psycho-social support to indigent persons. It is envisaged that a Programme Document and Operations Manual will be developed to serve as key guiding documents for the harmonised Public Assistance Programme.

As part of its technical support to the Ministry of Social Transformation, Local Government and Community Empowerment in Saint Lucia, UN Women will be supporting the conducting of a Gender Aware Beneficiary Analysis (GABA) of the Public Assistance Programme (PAP), the results of which are intended to inform the harmonisation of the PAP and Koudmen Ste. Lisi programmes.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objectives

The Gender Aware Beneficiary Analysis (GABA) is mainly intended to provide data and information on the gender dimensions of the procedural and operational limitations that beneficiaries experience in accessing the services of the Public Assistance Programme (PAP). Effective approaches and good practices currently employed in the service delivery systems of the PAP will also be highlighted in the analysis. The beneficiary analysis will also support the Government of Saint Lucia and UN Women in exploring opportunities and bottlenecks for women to access decent work and graduate off the PAP.

The GABA will identify and map the entire cycle of the beneficiaries’ interface with the PAP in order to rigorously assess the gender dimensions of the bottlenecks in policies and operations of the programme. The GABA will clarify beneficiaries’ experiences in engaging with the PAP, starting from the application stage and/or the initial point at which the beneficiaries interact with the programme.

Gender-based vulnerabilities and disparities result in men and women experiencing poverty differently. Consequently, the differential experiences of male and female beneficiaries will be a key component of the methodology of the GABA. Furthermore, the disproportionate burden that women bear in caring for children and other dependents implies that their experiences in accessing the PAP may differ from those of some men who may not have these responsibilities.

A major objective of any social safety net program is to assist persons who are able, to transition to work. The GABA will assist the Ministry of Social Transformation in probing further into beneficiaries’ experiences with accessing and using the cash support being provided and other social protection and “back to work” programmes being offered. Beneficiaries’ perspectives on the quantum of the support itself, and whether the use of this support in combination with other resources, is sufficient in meeting their needs and in enabling them with transitioning to work. Discussions with women beneficiaries will also include questions related to what further support they require to access decent work and graduating off the PAP.

It is acknowledged that the majority of PAP beneficiaries are elderly men, even though this might not have been intended target group of the programme. The GABA methodology will take this into account and target those beneficiaries who are of working age. Furthermore the nature and type of employment beneficiaries were in prior to their enrolment in the PAP and their constraints and opportunities in finding employment will also be explored, with the gender-related differences examined.

The Ministry of Social Transformation intends to introduce co-responsibilities with the intent of the harmonized PAP/Koudmen Ste. Lisi Programme becoming a conditional cash transfer (CCT) programme. CCTs are broadly intended to improve the health and education of household members, and of children in particular. Unconditional cash transfers defines rights to a cash transfer which becomes an entitlement for people with specified characteristics who meet specific qualifying requirements such as passing a means test. The current PAP programme is an unconditional cash transfer. The Ministry of Social Transformation is exploring the introduction of co-responsibilities in various areas such as parenting skills. The GABA will explore, by seeking the perspectives of the beneficiaries of working age, the possible implication of the introduction of co-responsibilities on the operations of the PAP and in particular the possible differences in impact on women and men beneficiaries.

Finally, recommendations for procedural and operational reform of the PAP will be put forward, based on the results of the GABA.

The methodology utilised will be a mix of desktop research of previous beneficiary analysis carried out by the Ministry; as well as participatory discussions with beneficiaries and social workers monitoring the PAP and Koudmen Ste. Lisi Programme. The methodology will also ensure that the Ministry staff’s capacity is strengthened to conduct gender-responsive beneficiary analysis.

Duties and Responsibilities

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

Under the overall responsibility of the UN Women MCO Representative and her delegate, day to day supervision of the National Consultant will be under the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Social Transformation, Local Government and Community Empowerment. The UN Joint Programme’s International Consultant for Gender Responsive and Pro Child Social Protection Frameworks and Capacities, will be expected to provide technical inputs and guidance and work in close collaboration with the National Consultant to ensure technical robustness of the outputs of the assignment.

Deliverables and Specific Activities

Working in partnership with the UN Joint Programme’s International Consultant for Gender Responsive and Pro Child Social Protection Frameworks and Capacities, the National Consultant will:

Develop and review existing methodologies utilised by UN Women and other organisations in conducting gender-responsive beneficiary analysis (and other Gender-Responsive Budgeting tools).
Based on this review, develop a robust methodology for the Gender Aware Beneficiary Analysis (GABA). The components of the GABA will include focus groups and a Desktop Review of relevant policy, institutional, programme and operational documents relevant for the PAP. Methodology must also ensure strengthened capacity of Ministry staff to replicate this process in the future. Additional components of the methodology may be included based on contextual need and relevance for Saint Lucia’s Social Protection Reform process and the Ministry of Social Transformation.
In close consultation with the international consultant and UN Women, development and drafting of the GABA research tools and instruments, drawing from existing international tools and best practices.
Coordination of the execution of all the GABA components to ensure a completion of the exercise as outlined in the methodology to be developed.
Analysis of the data and information from the conduct of the GABA, with technical guidance from the international consultant.
Drafting of the Report for the Gender Aware Beneficiary Analysis of the Public Assistance Programme for Saint Lucia. This report must be limited to a set number of pages and in accordance with a report structure agreed to with the Government and UN Women.
Presentation of the Draft Report in a validation meeting with the Ministry of Social Transformation Officials and the Social Safety Net Reform Technical Committee.
Presentation of the Final Report in a Dissemination Meeting on the Results of the Gender Aware Beneficiary Analysis of the Public Assistance Programme for Saint Lucia.

Competencies

Core values

Demonstrates integrity and fairness;
Demonstrates professional competence and is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results;
Displays cultural, gender, religious, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional competencies:

Proven capacity to work with a broad range of partners, including statistical experts, government bodies, non-government organisations and academia in the Caribbean;
Ability to work independently and as part of a small team, manage competing priorities and performing well under pressure.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Post-graduate degree, at least a Master’s degree, in Economics; Social Policy; Public Administration; Social Research; Social Statistics; Gender Studies, Development Studies, or a related field of study.

Experience:

A minimum of six years of progressively responsible and relevant experience in the field of Gender and Development, Social Inclusion and/or Gender Equality issues of the Caribbean;
Proven expertise in the area of directly undertaking social research, and in particular qualitative social research at national and/or regional levels in the Caribbean;
Experience in supporting or contributing to national policy development.

Language:

Excellent command of written and spoken English including the ability to convey complex concepts and recommendations, in a clear and persuasive style tailored to match different audiences.

Note:

Must be a CARICOM National or have eligibility to work at a national level in CARICOM.
The consultant contracted will be required to sign a statement of confidentiality and freedom from any conflict of interest with potential future contractors with respect to the TORs and work that they will be delivering.

Location and Duration

The contract will run from 17 November 2014 until 20 March 2015. The assignment will be a mix of home-based and field based work, with periods of time based in the Ministry of Social Transformation.

Administrative Information

Payment: The consultancy fee will be negotiated before contracting. Each payment will be based on a predefined and formal agreement between UN Women and the consultant and will be disbursed based on satisfactory completion of agreed deliverables.

Hardware, software, and communication: The consultant must be equipped with a portable computer (laptop). The consultant must be reasonably accessible by email and telephone (preferably mobile). The use of reliable, internet-based communication (Skype or equivalent) is required.

Application for Consultancy

Please submit your application by 16:00 hours (AST) on 3 November 2014.

Applications must include:

A cover letter highlighting the specific post for which you are applying;
The completed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/about-us/employment;
Detailed curriculum vitae including a description of main achievements;
A price proposal quoted in United States dollars (US$) indicating daily rates;

Applications should be submitted by email to the attention of Melissa Bohne, UN Women (melissa.bohne@unwomen.org),