UNDP Jobs - 75630- International Consultant on Roma and Gender Issues

International Consultant on Roma and Gender Issues

Location :

Home based with travel to FYR Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

11-Nov-17 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

estimated November 2017- January 2018

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

approximately 30 working days

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 Istanbul Regional Hub is implementing sub-regional project “Regional Roma Survey” in Western Balkan countries and territory: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo (all references to Kosovo shall be understood in the context of UN SC 1244/1999) and Turkey.

The overall project objective is to narrow the gap in multi-dimensional poverty and access to socio-economic rights between marginalized Roma and non-Roma Populations in Western Balkans and Turkey by 2020, by contributing to fact-based decision making and to more informed and focused policy debate on Roma inclusion.

This will be achieved through collecting and making available comprehensive quantitative and qualitative data as the basis for evidence based policy making, and to guide related budgetary allocations for interventions aimed at narrowing the gap between marginalized and non-visible (those with no personal documentation) Roma and non-Roma in various aspects of wellbeing, including but not limited to income, education, employment, health, housing, and access to civil registration/ personal documentation.

The project will make the quantitative and qualitative data available to stakeholders influencing Roma Inclusion policies and programmes (international organizations active in supporting and promoting Roma inclusion policies and programmes; national government bodies responsible for Roma inclusion strategies and national statistical offices in the Western Balkans and Turkey; national and regional research institutions; civil society organisations), resulting in greater ability of a range of stakeholders to assess the different possibilities of Roma and non-Roma populations to access their socio-economic rights. This will contribute to a more informed and focused policy debate regionally and in the individual countries covered by the project. The final beneficiaries will be the more marginalized sections of the Roma community in the Western Balkans and Turkey, who will ultimately benefit from the use of reliable data to design better focused and targeted inclusion policies.

The project builds on UNDP’s first major data collection exercise on Roma living standards carried out in 2004 which provided baseline data for the Decade of Roma Inclusion. It also builds on the second round of the regional Roma survey carried out in 2011, in partnership with the European Union (2011 Regional Roma Survey implemented in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Moldavia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia - http://www.eurasia.undp.org/content/rbec/en/home/ourwork/sustainable-development/development-planning-and-inclusive-sustainable-growth/roma-in-central-and-southeast-europe/roma-data.html) World Bank, and in coordination with the EU’s Fundamental Rights Agency. These two previous surveys have provided unique and invaluable data, which have been used to measure progress in Roma inclusion policies over time, both within individual countries and between countries.

The third round of the survey will will expand the data sets and include a greater focus on the lack of personal documentation experienced by many Roma in the Western Balkans, All quantitative data collected will be disagreggated by gender, allowing for gender focused analysis and comparisons. In addition, quantitative survey will include set of question on time use (disagreggated by gender); sources of income women have on their disposal and intra-household financial decision making. This is a new set of questions, compared to 2011 survey which will allow for more detailed analysis of position of Roma and non-Roma women living in their proximity.

The quantitative data will be supplemented by qualitative studies on key aspects of Roma exclusion, such as the obstacles to integration of returning Roma migrants from EU member states; barriers to accessing personal documents; barriers to the employment of Roma and experience of labour market discrimination; gender roles and the experience of gender-based violence and early marriages; and the extent to which Roma communities experience environmental deprivation, i.e. live and work in hazardous and/or unhealthy environments.

The UNDP IRH would like to engage consultant to collect qualitative information for case studies on the topics of violence against women and factors resulting in early marriages/cohabitation in selected countries, analyse gender disaggregated data which will be produced by quantitative survey gender equality issues data collection and conduct gender analysis of qualitative and quantitative data . The consultant will work from UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub under the direct supervision of the UNDP IRH Regional Social Inclusion Advisor. She/ he will work closely with UNDP IRH Gender Equality Team and selected Country Offices.

The overall objective of this consultancy is the analysis of socio-economic position of Roma compared to Roma men and non -Roma women and men living nearby Roma with a specific focus on gendered use of time, violence against women and factors resulting in early marriages/cohabitation.

Specific objectives are:

data collection for case studies on the topics of violence against women and factors resulting in early marriages/cohabitation in selected countries: FYR Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania.
Analysis and presentation of data produced by quantitative survey disagreggated by gender and ethnicity on core socio economic indicators
analysis of quantitative data (resulting from the survey) on Roma women time use, access to finance within households, expectations of family members from girls and boys in terms of education and entering into marriage;
analysing quantitative date and case studies in order to make more detailed inferences about factors influencing the position of Roma women in their households/communities, violence and early marriages/cohabitation.

Duties and Responsibilities

Designing and fielding qualitative information (focus group discussions and structured interviews) exploring the situation of Roma women who survived violence and those in early marriages/cohabitation; in selected countries. Qualitative analysis will be prepared in the form of case studies (each of approximately 5 pages) for each selected country. This includes:

Designing approach to qualitative data collection: identification of interlocutors and design of protocols for structured interviews and focus group discussions (with service providers, police, shelters, representatives of non-governmental organisations, women who survived violence and are in early marriages/ cohabitation.
Conducting structured interviews and focus group discussions with service providers (i.e. centers for social work, police, shelters (run either by state actors or NGOs), women who survived violence and those who are in early marriages/cohabitation in selected countries
Preparing 3 case studies (each approx. 5 pages) analysing findings from each selected country.

Analysis of quantitative data on following core indicators: poverty; employment; education; health; time use; access to finance within households; expectations of family members from girls and boys in terms educations and entering into marriage. The analysis will be prepared in the form of tables.

Report presenting analysis of quantitative data and case studies with detailed inferences about factors influencing the position of Roma women in their households/communities, violence and early marriages/cohabitation. The report will have approximately 45 pages, including graphs and pictures.

Deliverables/ Outputs Estimated no of w/d Target Due Dates

Deliverable 1: Fieldwork and protocols design, Conducting focus group discussion and structured interviews in selected countries, Case studies write up; estimated working input: 12 w/days (of which 6 fieldwork); Missions: 2 days in FYR Macedonia, 2 days in Albania and 2 days in Montenegro; deadline: 30-November 2017
Deliverable 2: Table presenting and brief analysis of following core indicators: poverty; employment; education; health; time use; access to finance within households; expectations of family members from girls and boys in terms educations and entering into marriage; estimated working input: 6 w/days; deadline: 20 December 2017
Deliverable 3: Report presenting analysis of quantitative data and case studies with detailed inferences about factors influencing the position of Roma women in their households/communities, violence and early marriages/cohabitation;estimated working input: 12 w/days; deadline: 20 January 2018

Review and Approvals Required:

Regional Project Manager

Payment schedule

50 % upon submission of 3 case studies based on fieldwork (Deliverable 1)
50 % upon submission of Tables presenting Indicators and approval of the report (Deliverables 2 and 3)

Competencies

Functional competencies:

Good research, analytical and problem-solving skills. Conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results;
Excellent communication and group facilitation skills.
Excellent and effective written and oral skills; ability to persuade people with varying points of view and to present information in a concise and accurate manner, ability to clearly communicate links between the organizations. Flexible and prepared to pursue goals through teamwork;
Proven ability to plan, to work under pressure and use time efficiently. Identifies priority activities and adjust them as required.

Corporate competencies:

Sensitive to gender issues and issues of concern to vulnerable groups;
Ability to works collaboratively and solicits input by valuing others ideas and expertise;
Willing to take responsibility, acts professionally at all times, and make sure tasks are fully completed.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications/Education:

Master's degree in Gender Studies, Social Sciences or other relevant development field;
A first level university degree in relevant areas combined with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience:

Minimum of 5 years of relevant international work experience in the areas related to gender issues and Roma issues
Experience in the Western Balkans in the above areas will be considered an asset;
Prior experience in performing qualitative and quantitative analysis in social sciences;
Demonstrated experience in conducting focus group discussions and structured interviews.

Language skills:

Excellent writing, editing, and oral communication skills in English and Serbian or Bosnian or Montenegrin or Macedonian.

Evaluation of Applicants:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on a cumulative analysis taking into consideration the combination of the applicants’ qualifications and financial proposal.

The award of the contract should 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.

Only candidates who will get at least 70% of points in desk review will be invited for interviews and only those who will get 70% of points in technical evaluation will be considered for financial evaluation.

Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation – max. 35 points:

Criteria A (experience in the areas related to gender issues) max points: 5;
Criteria B (experience in Roma issues) max points: 5;
Criteria C (experience in performing qualitative and quantitative analysis in social sciences) max points: 5;
Criteria D (experience in conducting focus group discussions and structured interviews) max points: 5;
Criteria E (relevance of education) max points: 2.5;
Criteria F (language) max points: 2.5;
Criteria G (interview –technical knowledge, familiarity with the region and motivation and communication skills) max points: 10.

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation – max. 15 points.

Application procedures:

Qualified candidates are requested to apply online via this website. The application should contain:

Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position and Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application.
Filled P11 form including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees (blank form can be downloaded from http://www.eurasia.undp.org/content/dam/rbec/docs/P11_modified_for_SCs_and_ICs.doc); please upload the P11 instead of your CV.
Financial Proposal* - specifying a) total lump sum amount for the tasks specified in this announcement and b) mission related costs (there should be one mission with transport between countries) including i) travel costs (i.e. flight tickets to and ground transportation cost inside the country) and ii) per diem for following missions: 2 days in FYR Macedonia, 2 days in Albania and 2 days in Montenegro. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials

*Please note that the financial proposal is all-inclusive and shall take into account various expenses incurred by the consultant/contractor during the contract period (e.g. fee, health insurance, vaccination, personal security needs and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services...). All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. Candidates are requested to apply price for an economy class ticket on the most direct routes and per diems not exceeding maximum UN daily allowance rates (http://icsc.un.org/rootindex.asp).

Payments will be made only upon confirmation of UNDP on delivering on the contract obligations in a satisfactory manner. Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director. Consultants are also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under dss.un.org.

General Terms and conditions as well as other related documents can be found under: http://on.undp.org/t7fJs.
Qualified women and members of minorities are encouraged to apply. Due to large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.