Background

UNCT in Bosnia and Herzegovina is conducting activities that will lead towards development of United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (former United Nations Development Assistance Framework) after the existing UNDAF expires. At the same time, UNCT is implementing a project that aims to capacitate and prepare private and public sector partners in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the SDGs implementation, thus directly supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina’s efforts to contribute to the largest global agenda that exists today – Agenda 2030.

UNFPA and UNICEF, UN entities that are directly engaged with youth, are focused on positioning youth issues prominently in the new UNSDCF development process, by doing three things: a) gathering evidence on youth needs in the country; b) cross-referencing global, regional and national plans and policies to identify strategic directions and gaps; and c) developing concrete, long-term solutions for youth needs.

To that end, on behalf of UNCT, UNFPA and UNICEF  a Youth Expert who will work closely together with a National UN Volunteer (Youth Officer), that will generate necessary inputs, synthesize knowledge and provide backstopping for strategic youth positioning within UNSDCF, and with a strong emphasis on utilizing innovative approaches to involving youth in SDG process. Following this breakdown, Youth Expert will provide direct inputs for the UNSDCF, and from there also generate a UNCT joint project on youth that will tackle some of the most pressing issues identified throughout this exercise. 

Both UNFPA and UNICEF bring into this process strong partnerships, knowledge and networks across national, entities’ and local levels, all geared towards delivering sustainable, long-term solutions into youth and their potentials.

This ToR describes the role, tasks and responsibilities of UNFPA consultant.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall coordination of UNFPA and UNICEF, and under the direct supervision of the UNFPA Representative, the consultant will be responsible for developing a long-term, comprehensive approach to youth issues in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Consultant will work in close relation to UNV Youth Officer) and is  responsible for the delivery of the final product, which is inputs for the UNSDCF and UNCT Joint Project proposal.

This entire process rests on the assumption that partner agencies have gathered enough credible evidence from which to generate proposed ways forward, all the while triangulating that roadmap with global, regional/national, and local policies.

Overall, Youth Expert is expected to deliver the following:

• Situation analysis of youth in Bosnia and Herzegovina prepared
• UN Youth Strategy developed
• Co-management modalities conceptualized
• Joint Programme on Youth conceptualized

A more detailed breakdown of tasks and responsibilities is listed below, and reflects duties and expectations from expert consultant:

1. Youth Expert will develop overall methodology to be used in the process:

• Define the scope and depth of the desk research that will gather necessary evidence and key data points that explain the overall position of youth in BiH
• Define mandatory research sources to be used in the review (for example – FES Study on Youth in SEE, including BiH)
• Specify the format of the desk research (word, excel table), type of report (for example - overview, synthesis), including minimum and maximum number of pages
• Specify consultative sessions with stakeholder groups that will augment findings from the desk research:

i. In order to fully develop a grounded strategy that relies on insights, knowledge and capacities of all relevant stakeholders, Youth Expert will define consultative sessions with stakeholder groups where the starting point for the discussion will be the summarized findings from desk research conducted by youth specialist
ii. To that end, Youth Expert will define at least three, and maximum of six stakeholder groups to be consulted in BiH, and they should include at least:
1. Representatives of entities’ govts, line ministries and related bodies working on youth issues
2. Civil society organizations, faith-based organizations and the media
3. Youth associations, including youth leaders and representatives
iii. Youth Expert will define draft questionnaires and interview/focus group guides to be used in the process

• Youth Expert will also create the timeline for development of inputs for new UNSCDF and Joint Program documents, including a detailed list of steps/activities to be undertaken by specialists and UN agencies all the while focusing on innovative approaches to including youth in Agenda 2030  implementation and monitoring

2. Youth Expert will oversee the development of the desk research and (once developed) produce a synthesis report that contains the following, at the minimum:

a. A cumulative description of an average young person in BiH (socioeconomic indicators, yes, but additional insights and information that relates to their aggregate needs and wants; fears and grievances; plans and hopes)
b. Main trends relating to the overall position of youth in Bosnia and Herzegovina (is it improving?; is it deteriorating? – all compared against indicators extracted from the desk review)
c. Main gaps, challenges and issues relating to the position of youth in Bosnia and Herzegovina (as opposed to the existing policies, and available socio-metric information)
d. Extrapolated assessment of whether the existing policies and strategies at the global, regional/national and local levels are responding to these identified needs.

• Once the synthesis report is completed, Youth Expert will lead the validation of the synthesis report before proceeding further;
• After validation and with additional inputs from the UN agencies relating to the actual mechanics of the UNSDCF development process, Youth Expert will prepare inputs for the positioning of youth issues within the UNSCDF

a. Based on these refined inputs, Youth Expert will develop a general thematic framework for the new, comprehensive youth intervention in BiH by the UN system in the form of a Joint Program (JP) on youth and SDGs. At the same time Youth Expert will solicit inputs from UN agencies and stakeholders and combine them with youth specialist’s inputs into a draft JP, to be submitted to UNFPA and UNICEF senior management for review
Youth Expert will make sure to streamline two core approaches when delivering on the tasks:

1. Innovation
While it is expected that the overall design of the methodology, including the delivery, will follow the usual best practices and established procedures, it is strongly encouraged that the team strives to develop innovative approaches to youth issues in BiH. Areas in which innovation would be highly appreciated are:

• Gender Equality
• Conducive socio-economic environment
• Education
• Health and wellbeing
• Safety and security
• Civic participation
• Access to ICT

Innovation requirements relates to the overall design process; but also to the innovative solutions that approach existing problems and issues from a novel, previously overlook or underappreciated angle. However, innovation for the sake of innovation will be discouraged as we are striving to really add value.
We also underline how cross-sector cooperation underlies the three key mechanisms that are driving social innovation:

• Exchange of ideas and values (open platforms)
• Shifts in roles and relationships (transformation of norms and practices)
• Integration of private capital with public and philanthropic support (diversified funding)

2. SDGs
At the same time, the team must pay attention to the fact that this entire intervention must be directly rooted, and related, to Sustainable Development Goals, and associated targets and indicators. That is not to say that envisaged youth interventions must be limited in their design to provisions already defined within SDGs, but rather that they must use them as the starting point for further exploration and upgrade.

Delivery dates:

Competencies

Competencies:

• Focuses on impact and results and responds positively to feedback;
• Approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.

Values:

• Demonstrates integrity and fairness by modelling UN values and ethical standards;
• Demonstrates professional competence and is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results;
• Displays cultural, gender, nationality, religion and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Required Skills and Experience

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements: 

• Master degree in one of the following fields (social work, psychology, law, political science, public administration, international relations, and international development) with 10 years of relevant working experience (in youth related projects and strategic planning initiatives/projects at national level);
• Bachelor degree with additional two years of experience may be taken into the consideration in lieu of the Master’s degree;
• Direct experience in working on issues concerning youth leadership and engagement is considered a strong advantage;
• Knowledge of both BiH and UN administrative structure and previous experience with governmental counterparts particularly within youth sectors and related areas is considered an advantage;
• Previous experience in working with UN agencies would be an advantage;
• Excellent skills in English and local languages;
• Proficiency in current office software applications.