UNDP Jobs - 38626- Consultant - Estimation of Inequalities and Multid

Consultant - Estimation of Inequalities and Multidimensional Poverty

Location :

Home-based

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

22-Jul-2013

Application Deadline :

15-Jul-13 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

25 days within 3 months

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

The UNDP’s Human Development Report Office (HDRO) produces annually the global Human Development Report that seeks to significantly impact global public debates, influence policy-makers and gain respect among leading academics and activists. The HDRO also contributes strategically to advocacy of human development through other products and publications and supports the quality and impact of regional, national and sub-national HDRs.

HDRO produces several composite indices aimed at assessment of the level of human development, inequality in its distribution across population and gender groups, and assessment of non-income poverty. Among them the Human Development Index is the most prominent. Since 2010 the Human Development Report Office has been using micro-data from internationally comparable nationally representative surveys for estimating the inequality in each dimension of the Human Development Index, as well as to assess the level of multi-dimensional poverty in developing countries. HDRO uses data from international surveys from developing countries - Demographic and health survey (DHS) and Multiple indicators cluster survey (MICS), and for developed countries - EU SILC and some international databases with national household surveys.

Duties and Responsibilities

Inequality in education and living standards of the HDI is estimated by the Atkinson inequality measure from the underlying distributions – years of education of the adult population and income distribution. Demographic and health survey (DHS) and Multiple indicators cluster survey (MICS) collect data on assets but not on income or consumption. Harttgen and Klasen (2010) combined an asset index approach proposed by Filmer and Pritchett (2001) and Sahn and Stifel (2003) with an income simulation approach proposed by Harttgen and Vollmer (2009) to generate income distribution. Such a distribution can be used for estimation of inequality. Multidimensional poverty index has been introduced in the 2010 HDR based on works by Sabina Alkire and James foster (2007, 2010). It is based on the dual cut-off counting methodology where first the deprivation cut-off in each indicator is defined and then the cut-off defining multidimensional poverty is applied to the aggregated deprivation score in order to count the multidimensional poor.

The consultant will produce estimates of:

Inequalities in income end education for high and medium income countries, members of OECD and EU using the latest data available;
Inequalities in income for a number of developing countries using data from the most recent DHS and MICS surveys (since 2009) and the methodology as described;
Multidimensional poverty index (MPI) and its components (headcount, intensity, inequality), as well as other related estimates (population vulnerable to poverty, population in extreme poverty, etc.). This work will be based on DHS and MICS survey data (since 2003.) A few national surveys designed according to DHS or MICS standards may be used too.

Key deliverables:

Estimates of inequalities in income and education distributions (before October 15);
Multidimensional poverty (before October 15);
STATA do files produced for this estimation (before October 15).

Competencies

Experience of working in networks;
Excellent communication skills;
Knowledge of - and experience with - national and international statistical institutions;
Understanding of how research is undertaken within the UN system is desirable;
Familiarity with human development approach;
Experience with DHS, MICS, EUSILC and LIS data;
Highest standards of integrity, discretion and loyalty.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced university degree in Economics, Statistics, or Quantitative Sociology with an international specialization;
Full command of STATA and Excel.

Experience:

Minimum of 5 year professional experience;
Other experience relevant to the assignment.

Language:

Fluency in English (written and verbal);
Knowledge of French and Spanish is an advantage.

Interested individual consultants must submit (attach) the following information to demonstrate their qualifications:

Proposal/cover letter explaining why they are a suitable candidate for the assignment;
Personal CV showing relevant experience;
Please send your financial proposal [lumpsum/fee for this assignment (in USD)] to hdro.procurement@undp.org
Please indicate "Estimation of inequalities and multidimensional poverty" on the subject line of your email.

FC: 04800