UNDP Jobs - 73359- International Consultant (Assessment and Developme

International Consultant (Assessment and Development of Guidelines on Sexual Violence Toward Minors)

Location :

UNDP/GF Project, Home based and Kabul, AFGHANISTAN

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

27-Jul-17 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

3 months (with maximum 35 working days)

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

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

UNDP Global Mission Statement

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 170 countries and territories, working with governments and people on their own solutions to global and national development challenges to help empower lives and build resilient nations.

UNDP is a lead agency in UNAIDS for addressing the dimensions of HIV and AIDS relating to human rights, gender and sexual diversity. In addition, UNDP contributes to public health and development partnerships through collaborations with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the ‘Global Fund’), Roll Back Malaria, Stop TB Partnerships, and special programmes on human reproduction and infectious diseases that disproportionately affect poor populations.

As a member of the country-level UN Joint Team on AIDS, UNDP operates strictly in support, and within the framework of national health plans and disease specific national strategies, under the programmatic leadership of national health authorities and respecting the critical role of local civil society organizations (CSOs). Promoting national ownership, developing capacity and strengthening national systems is the over-riding objective of UNDP’s engagement.

UNDP Global Fund Partnership

As part of its wider engagement with the United Nations, the Global Fund has partnered with UNDP since 2003 to ensure that grants are implemented and services are delivered in countries facing complex challenges. The partnership focuses on three closely linked areas of work: implementation support, capacity development, and policy engagement. For implementation support UNDP serves as an interim Principal Recipient (PR) (currently in 25 countries) in a variety of settings including countries that face capacity constraints, complex emergencies, poor governance environments, political upheaval, or donor sanctions. It does so upon request by the Global Fund and/or the Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) and when no national entity is able to assume the role at the time. UNDP’s role as PR is an interim arrangement until national entities can assume full responsibility for implementation and capacity of national partners (Government and CSOs) is also strengthened to ensure long-term sustainability of health outcomes.

Global Fund Programmes in Afghanistan

In July 2014, UNDP was selected by the Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) of Afghanistan as the Principal Recipient of four Global Fund Grants: HIV, Tuberculosis (TB), Malaria and Health System Strengthening (HSS). The goal of the Global Fund-funded HIV programme, which started on 1 July 2016, is aligned with the goal of the National Strategic Plan (NSP): Investing in the Response to HIV, 2016-2020, namely to maintain prevalence of HIV below 0.1 percent among general population and below 5 percent among key population at high risk in the country. Afghanistan has a low and concentrated HIV epidemic and HIV is a public health concern among the key affected and vulnerable populations. One of the programme objectives is to maintain and scale-up prevention interventions among key populations at high risk and vulnerable groups.

Sexual Violence Towards Minors

According to the Committee on the Rights of the Child, vulnerability to HIV and AIDS is most acute for “children living in situations of armed conflict, child soldiers, economically and sexually exploited children, and disabled, migrant, minority, indigenous, and street children.”[1] Further, children who are exposed to violence and abuse can increase their vulnerability to HIV.[2] In order to effectively address issues concerning HIV, the rights of children need to fully respected through comprehensive and holistic programmes, which have been adapted to the national context.[3], [4]

For children in Afghanistan, the current political, social, military and economic transition continues to increase their vulnerability to and risk of violence, including sexual exploitation, and HIV and AIDs.[5] While the Government of Afghanistan has undertaken various efforts to protect children, including ratifying the Convention on the Rights of the Child and enacting national laws and policies, in addition to creating institutions, sufficient progress in this area remains allowing for key entry points for strengthening existing mechanisms, programmes and policies, while collaborating for the development of new strategies to address sexual violence towards minors.

In the Afghanistan context, sexual exploitation commonly includes child marriage, selling/trading of girls for marriage to settle feudal debts, as well as forced prostitution/sexual slavery of both girls and boys. Given the social and political sensitivities within the country, few organizations have been able to publicly work on these matters.

For example, UNICEF addresses child marriage through several projects, including some local advocacy campaigns on ending child marriage, supporting Child Protection Action Networks(CPANs) to report and respond cases of child marriage and the WHO Afghanistan GBV Treatment project includes modules specifically targeting clinical assessment and treatment of minors in primary health facilities. The Ministry of Women’s Affairs and the Afghan Human Rights Commission collect whatever GBV data is available, and while there are statistics on child marriage (through age at time of registration of marriage), GBV against minors including sexual exploitation is hugely under-reported due to several factors, including social conventions, discriminatory practices and distrust towards government institutions.[6]

The AIHRC and Save the Children-Sweden, reported a lack of information surrounding the issue of sexual violence against minors, including only 29 percent of the child sexual abuse cases actually being registered.[7] As a result, the issue is often misunderstood and inadequately addressed in programming responses. For example, a UNICEF situational analysis of women and children in Afghanistan stated: ”There is inadequate attention afforded to child protection in the national planning strategies of Afghanistan and a consistent, holistic and multi-sectoral approach to child protection is lacking. The absence of a coordinated policy, financial resources and lack of will among senior policy-makers and officials are serious impediments to protecting children from violence, abuse and exploitation.”[8]

[1] Committee on the Rights of the Child, General Comment No. 3, HIV/AIDS and the right of the child, U.N. Doc. CRC/GC/2003/3 (2003), para. 30.

[2] Committee on the Rights of the Child, General Comment No. 3, HIV/AIDS and the right of the child, U.N. Doc. CRC/GC/2003/3 (2003), para. 37, 6, 38

[3] Committee on the Rights of the Child, General Comment No. 3, HIV/AIDS and the right of the child, U.N. Doc. CRC/GC/2003/3 (2003), para. 6.

[4] Committee on the Rights of the Child, General Comment No. 3, HIV/AIDS and the right of the child, U.N. Doc. CRC/GC/2003/3 (2003), para. 38.

[5] Afghanistan has one of the youngest populations, with approximately 12.2 million under 15 years of age Central Statistics Organization Afghanistan Statistical Yearbook 2014-2015 (2015) available at http://cso.gov.af/en/

page/1500/4722/2014-2015

[6] UNICEF Afghanistan (2009) (a), p. 10

[7]

[8] UNICEF Children and Women in Afghanistan (November 2014) p. 44.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work and Deliverables

Under the overall supervision of the Programme Manager, the consultant will be responsible for the following:

Drafting, discussing and finalizing standard operating protocols and guidelines for inclusion of human rights and legal awareness concerning sexual violence against minors in the current HIV training packages for doctors, nurses and midwives, including reporting tool and monitoring mechanism;
Developing a standard training curriculum and manual for health care providers on human rights and legal awareness concerning sexual violence against minors tailored to Afghan context and legislation;
Mapping of the organizations (including NGOs) currently working on sexual violence against minors in Afghanistan;
Conduct consensus workshop to validate the guideline, training manual and standard operating protocol;
Developing of referral mechanisms of HIV preventions sites with Child Protection Action Networks, legal aid organizations and AIHRC for referral of GBV cases, including sexual violence against minors, for protection and legal assistance;
Delivering 2 Trainings of Trainers (ToT) in cooperation with Afghan Non-Government Organizations who are working in the technical area of health services and/or child rights. The NGOs have to be selected by the contractor with consent of UNDP.

Specific Objectives

Conduct a desk review of relevant academic literature and relevant government, non-government and international organization policies, programme materials, and reports related to sexual violence against minors, including HIV prevention and treatment services and referral mechanisms for GBV cases;
Consult with international and national stakeholders (UNDP, MoPH (DDR, NACP), UNICEF, WHO, MoLSAMD, MoWA, MoRR, AIHRC, MoI, MoJ, NGOs,on the inclusion of human rights and legal awareness concerning sexual violence against minors in the HIV national guidelines and protocols;
Integrate international evidence based knowledge and country/culture specific aspects into the aforementioned documents and draft guideline, SOP and training manual;
Facilitate a national consensus workshop for the endorsement on the inclusion of human rights and legal awareness concerning sexual violence against minors in the HIV national guidelines, training manual and standard operating protocols with MoPH, MoLSAMD, MoWA, MoRR, AIHRC, MoI, MoJ, and other relevant stakeholders;
Provide together with trainers of Afghan NGOs 3 days-trainings for trainers to health staff working in governmental and non-governmental service providers on the issue of HIV and sexual violence against minors.

Expected Output and Deliverables;

Deliverable 1: Develop/Revised/Updated standard operating protocols and guidelines for inclusion of human rights and legal awareness concerning sexual violence against minors in the current HIV training package for health care providers; 10 days (Kabul and home based); 25%
Deliverable 2: Update training manual and monitoring systems for human rights and legal awareness concerning sexual violence against minors; (home based) 5 days; 15%
Deliverable 3: Provide a thorough situation analysis about how the sexual violence against the minors is currently being addressed and propose to include relevant interventions to address it; (home based) 3 days; 10%
Deliverable 4: Develop a referral pathway for cases of violence against minors from health care system to the protection and legal assistance services; (home based) 3 days; 10%
Deliverable 5: Mapping of the organizations (including NGOs) currently working on sexual violence against minors in Afghanistan; (home based) 4 days; 10%
Deliverable 6: Conduct and consensus workshop and training of trainers for implementers who are working in the technical area of health services and/or child rights. 10 days (excluding travel days) in Kabul; 30%

Payment Modality

All above deliverables should be completed in 35 working days. The consultant should come upwith an appropriate schedule for the in country and homebased work.The 35 working days do not have to be consecutive; the consultant can align the working days as per the need of being in the country or working from home. UNDP will cover the cost of airfare and travel in the country as per UNDP travel policy for Individual Contract mechanism
Payments under the contract shall be delivery based and be made on receipt of specific milestone reports, and including a timesheet according to UNDP procurement formats for individual contractors approved by the Program Manager or Deputy Program Manager.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;

Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional competencies:

Strong analytical, negotiation and communication skills, including ability to produce high quality practical advisory reports and knowledge products;
Experience in integrating human rights components into existing protocols;
Professional and/or academic experience in one or more of the areas of the development or knowledge management field.

Project and Resource Management:

Ability to produce high quality outputs in a timely manner while understanding and anticipating the evolving client needs;
Ability to focus on impact and results for the client, promoting and demonstrating an ethic of client service;
Strong organizational skills;
Ability to work independently, produce high quality outputs;
Sound judgment, strategic thinking and the ability to manage competing priorities.

Communications and Advocacy:

Strong ability to write clearly and convincingly, adapting style and content to different audiences and speak clearly and convincingly;
Strong presentation skills in meetings with the ability to adapt for different audiences;
Strong analytical, research and writing skills with demonstrated ability to think strategically;
Strong capacity to communicate clearly and quickly;
Strong inter-personal, negotiation and liaison skills.

Core Competencies:

Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity;
Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment;
Self-development, initiative-taking;
Acting as a team player and facilitating team work;
Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively
Creating synergies through self-control;
Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member;
Informed and transparent decision making.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications:

Education:

Advanced degree in law, human rights or other related field is required. Further degree (Master’s Degree) in public health would be an asset.

Experience:

Minimum of 7 years of professional experience working in human rights, public health, and/or HIV/AIDS with specific focus on working with violence against minors;
A good understanding of Afghanistan’s HIV/AIDS and legal systems;
Strong knowledge of and demonstrated practical experience in applying international human rights standards in health settings, including by technical partners such as WHO, UNAIDS, UNODC is a must;
Knowledge of Global Fund and UN/UNDP would be an asset.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in written and spoken English is required;
Second UN language is an asset.

Working Arrangements:

Institutional Arrangement

The consultant will have a combination of home based and at least 2 travels to Kabul. Work under the direct supervision of the Programme Manager of UNDP/Global Fund grants in Afghanistan;
The consultant will liaise with relevant government departments-DDR, NACP, Implementing Partners and WHO, UNAIDS, WB and others as needed.

Contract Duration

The contract duration will be 3 month with maximum 35 working days after signing of the contract. This will be split between home based and Kabul Afghanistan, specific schedule to be agreed between UNDP and selected Consultant.

Duty Station:

Home based with at least 2 travels to Kabul, Afghanistan.

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments:

The contractor shall submit a price proposal as below:

Daily Fee – The contractor shall propose a daily fee which should be inclusive of his/her professional fee, local communication cost and insurance (inclusive of medical health and medical evacuation). The number of working days for which the daily fee shall be payable under the contract is 35 working days;

Living Allowance (LA) – The contractor shall propose a LA at the Kabul applicable rate of USD 162 per night for his/her stay at the duty station. The number of nights for which the living allowance shall be payable under the contract is 16 nights. The contractor is NOT allowed to stay in a place of his/her choice other than the UNDSS approved places;
Travel & Visa – The contractor shall propose an estimated lump sum for home-Kabul-home travel and Afghanistan visa expenses.

The total professional fee, shall be converted into a lump sum contract and payments under the contract shall be made on submission and acceptance of deliverables by UNDP/Global Fund under the contract in accordance with the abovementioned schedule of payment.

Evaluation Method and Criteria

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

Cumulative Analysis

The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Technical Criteria weight 70%;

Financial Criteria weight 30%.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Technical Criteria (70 points):

Technical Proposal (30 Marks)

Technical Approach & Methodology (20 marks) – Explain the understanding of the objectives of the assignment, approach to the services, methodology for carrying out the activities and obtaining the expected output, and the degree of detail of such output. The Applicant should also explain the methodologies proposed to adopt and highlight the compatibility of those methodologies with the proposed approach;
Work Plan (10 marks) – The Applicant should propose the main activities of the assignment, their content and duration, phasing and interrelations, milestones (including interim approvals by the client), and delivery dates. The proposed work plan should be consistent with the technical approach and methodology, showing understanding of the TOR and ability to translate them into a feasible working plan.

Qualification and Experience (40 marks) [Evaluation of CV]:

Written Assessment & Work Sample (10 marks) – The short-listed applicants shall submit (upon request) a written evidence of their work that is relevant to the assignment. The applicant may also be requested to participate in a written assignment to assess their technical aptitude for the assignment;
General Qualification (10 marks);
Experience relevant to the assignment (20 marks).

Documents to be included when submitting the proposals:

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications in one single PDF document:

Duly accomplished confirmation of Interest and Submission of Financial Proposal Template using the template provided by UNDP (Annex II);
Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references.

Technical Proposal:

Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment;
A methodology, on how they will approach and complete the assignment and work plan as indicated above.