Child Poverty, Inclusive Growth and Social Protection -Employment,career opportunity in USA

Job Title : Child Poverty, Inclusive Growth and Social Protection – Mapping of country level activity and needs
Organization: UN Children's Fund
Country: United States of America
Deadline: 10th Oct 2013

Terms of Reference
Child Poverty, Inclusive Growth and Social Protection – Mapping of country level activity and needs
***Background:
UNICEF’s central mission has always been to reaching the most deprived and most vulnerable children. Such a focus on equity rests on the normative and moral justifications of the Convention on the Rights of the Child but is also a necessary condition for ensuring long-term growth prospects, which hinge on today’s children being the economic and social engine of future prosperity and well-being.
Evidence of a growing inequity alongside growth in inequality exists across a wide range of countries, despite positive economic growth and progress against targets for many child-related MDGs. Inequality can be captured by disparities in income, health, education and other outcomes, whereas inequity suggests that there is some structural ‘unfairness’: either today’s income inequality is reducing opportunities to become more equal, or there are cultural, political or other reasons for unfairness based on discrimination or other factors. UNICEF’s recent analysis in 2011 found wide differentials in children’s access to basic needs and resources such as health, education, clean water and that these deprivations are disproportionately concentrated among the poorest and most marginalized populations within countries.

***Consultancy Work
UNICEF Social Inclusion Policy and Budgeting (SIPB) Section, helps to frame and co-ordinate a range of social policy work at Headquarters, Regional and Country Offices on cross-cutting issues around social inclusion. The Child Poverty and Social Protection team within SIPB has been recently formed to co-ordinate work across these two important areas of social inclusion practice and policy. In order to develop work planning for the 2014-2017 Strategic Plan period, the Child Poverty and Social Protection team would like to collect information from Country Office and Regional Office UNICEF social policy staff on current activities that link child poverty and social protection areas of work.
The consultant will use two methods to collect country-level activity data on child poverty and social protection work. The first method will be to use textual analysis of UNICEF country level ‘Annual Reports’ to identify those country offices who report undertaking such work and to describe the content of this work as far as possible. The second method will be to follow up such a textual analysis of reports with a telephone based interview survey. To do so, the consultant would develop and pilot a short mapping questionnaire that will be conducted through telephone and email contact with UNICEF field staff during October and November 2013 and produce a report of findings to be completed by 31st December 2013. This operational research will consider evidence on current and past practice on issues relating to child poverty and social protection by Social Policy Officers in UNICEF country offices. The main areas of consideration relate to priority areas relating to social inclusion under the 2014-2017 Strategic Plan.
• Child Poverty
o How far Government partners (such as statistical agencies and Ministries of Planning) report child poverty in national reports on monetary poverty. How far Government partners report child poverty in other forms and in other reports.
o A description of UNICEF work on child poverty profiling in the country in the past. Plans for future work 2014-2017; Assessment of in-house and Govt partner capacity needs; Assessment of other agencies roles and capacities.
o A description of UNICEF work on ‘anti-poverty’ programming and policy work with the Government

• Social Protection & Child Poverty
o How far Government partners employ simulation and other techniques to assess poverty impacts of social protection policies before and after policy implementation. How far such work focuses on children’s monetary and non-monetary outcomes for poverty.

• Inclusive Growth
o Have UNICEF been involved in Government (and other) discussions of poverty reducing/inequality reducing/inclusive growth to date? How have UNICEF staff been involved in developing Poverty Reduction Strategy Documents, National Development Reports, Growth Strategies and similar reports. Where such involvement has occurred, how far have children’s needs and development been incorporated into growth analysis and projections? What are the plans for future work by CO? What are the capacity constraints in CO and in partners in relation to such work?
The consultant will develop a questionnaire in consultation with the Economic and Social Policy Specialists for Child Poverty and Social Protection in the SIPB Section. This questionnaire will be piloted with Social Policy Regional Advisors and two C.Os before a final revised version is used across all C.O.s in a selection of UNICEF Regions (two to three are likely). The consultant will then write up the results in a summary matrix and in a full written report. All telephone and email interview records will be archived by the consultant. A presentation of the findings will be made to the SIPB Section and Regional Advisors in December 2013.
***Expected results: (measurable results)

Under the guidance of the Chief of the Child Poverty and Social Protection Unit, SIPB, , the consultant will provide draft and finalized questionnaires, the results of piloting of these questionnaires, the results from the full survey of Country Office and Regional Office Social Policy Officers in the form of i) a summary matrix of headline results, ii) a full written report and iii) a presentation to SIPB and Regional Advisors. The consultant will work under the direct joint supervision of the Policy Specialist on Social Protection and Policy Specialist on Child Poverty Analysis.

***1. Start date: October 2013 End date: 31st December 2013

***Cost and Timeframe: 3 Months

***Deliverables Duration
(Estimated # of days) Deadline
Results from Annual Report Analysis and Pilot & Finalising Questionnaire 14 30th October 2013
Survey of CO and RO Social Policy staff in two regions 24 30th November 2013
Summary Matrix of results and first draft of report 9 10th December 2013
Final Report and Presentation 12 31st December 2013

***Key competences, technical background, and experience required:

─ A Master’s degree in development economics, public policy, or other subject where knowledge of poverty and social protection in developing countries can be explicitly demonstrated.
_ A minimum of 3 years work in applied policy areas in developing countries.
_ Experience of working in country offices for a UN or other large international agency.
─ Substantial experience in interviewing and qualitative survey methodology – textual analysis and telephone interviewing especially preferred.
─ Knowledge of child poverty measurement preferred
─ Proven ability to work under tight deadlines and drive for results
─ Strong drafting and communication skills
─ Fluency in English & Spanish

***Duty Station, Duration and fees:

The consultancy is for a period of three months, full time, which will commence in October, 2013 and will continue to 31st December 2013. The consultant will work on-site (UNICEF New York Headquarters), although there is some flexibility to work part of the time off-site.

General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants / Individual Contractors

    Legal Status

The individual engaged by UNICEF under this contract as a consultant or individual contractors (the “Contractor”) is engaged in a personal capacity and not as representatives of a Government or of any other entity external to the United Nations. The Contractor is neither a “staff member” under the Staff Regulations of the United Nations and UNICEF policies and procedures nor an “official” for the purpose of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, 1946. The Contractor may, however, be afforded the status of “Experts on Mission” in the sense of Section 22 of Article VI of the Convention and the Contractor is required by UNICEF to travel in order to fulfill the requirements of this contract, the Contractor may be issued a United Nations Certificate in accordance with Section 26 of Article VII of the Convention.

    Obligations

The Contractor shall complete the assignment set out in the Terms of Reference for this contract with due diligence, efficiency and economy, in accordance with generally accepted professional techniques and practices.

The Contractor must respect the impartiality and independence of UNICEF and the United Nations and in connection with this contract must neither seek nor accept instructions from anyone other than UNICEF. During the term of this contract the Contractor must refrain from any conduct that would adversely reflect on UNICEF or the United Nations and must not engage in any activity that is incompatible with the administrative instructions and policies and procedures of UNICEF. The Contractor must exercise the utmost discretion in all matters relating to this contract.

In particular, but without limiting the foregoing, the Contractor (a) will conduct him- or herself in a manner consistent with the Standards of Conduct in the International Civil Service; and (b) will comply with the administrative instructions and policies and procedures of UNICE relating to fraud and corruption; information disclosure; use of electronic communication assets; harassment, sexual harassment and abuse of authority; and the requirements set forth in the Secretary General’s Bulletin on Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse.
Unless otherwise authorized by the appropriate official in the office concerned, the Contractor must not communicate at any time to the media or to any institution, person, Government or other entity external to UNICEF any information that has not been made public and which has become known to the Contractor by reason of his or her association with UNICEF or the United Nations. The Contractor may not use such information without the written authorization of UNICEF, and shall under no circumstances use such information for his or her private advantage or that of others. These obligations do not lapse upon termination of this contact.

    Title rights

UNICEF shall be entitled to all property rights, including but not limited to patents, copyrights and trademarks, with regard to material created by the Contractor which bears a direct relation to, or is made in order to perform, this contract. At the request of UNICEF, the Contractor shall assist in securing such property rights and transferring them to UNICEF in compliance with the requirements of the law governing such rights.

    Travel

If UNICEF determines that the Contractor needs to travel in order to perform this contract, that travel shall be specified in the contract and the Contractor’s travel costs shall be set out in the contract, on the following basis:
(a) UNICEF will pay for travel in economy class via the most direct and economical route; provided however that in exceptional circumstances, such as for medical reasons, travel in business class may be approved by UNICEF on a case-by-case basis.
(b) UNICEF will reimburse the Contractor for out-of-pocket expenses associated with such travel by paying an amount equivalent to the daily subsistence allowance that would be paid to staff members undertaking similar travel for official purposes.

    Statement of good health

Before commencing work, the Contractor must deliver to UNICEF a certified self-statement of good health and to take full responsibility for the accuracy of that statement. In addition, the Contractor must include in this statement of good health (a) confirmation that he or she has been informed regarding inoculations required for him or her to receive, at his or her own cost and from his or her own medical practitioner or other party, for travel to the country or countries to which travel is authorized; and (b) a statement he or she is covered by medical/health insurance and that, if required to travel beyond commuting distance from his or her usual place or residence to UNICEF (other than to duty station(s) with hardship ratings “H” and “A”, a list of which has been provided to the Contractor) the Contractor’s medical/health insurance covers medical evacuations. The Contractor will be responsible for assuming all costs that may be occurred in relation to the statement of good health.

    Insurance

The Contractor is fully responsible for arranging, at his or her own expense, such life, health and other forms of insurance covering the term of this contract as he or she considers appropriate taking into account, among other things, the requirements of paragraph 5 above. The Contractor is not eligible to participate in the life or health insurance schemes available to UNICEF and United Nations staff members. The responsibility of UNICEF and the United Nations is limited solely to the payment of compensation under the conditions described in paragraph 7 below.

    Service incurred death, injury or illness

If the Contractor is travelling with UNICEF’s prior approval and at UNICEF’s expense in order to perform his or her obligations under this contract, or is performing his or her obligations under this contract in a UNICEF or United Nations office with UNICEF’s approval, the Contractor (or his or her dependents as appropriate), shall be entitled to compensation from UNICEF in the event of death, injury or illness attributable to the fact that the Contractor was travelling with UNICEF’s prior approval and at UNICEF’s expense in order to perform his or her obligations under this contractor, or was performing his or her obligations under this contract in a UNICEF or United Nations office with UNICEF’s approval. Such compensation will be paid through a third party insurance provider retained by UNICEF and shall be capped at the amounts set out in the Administrative Instruction on Individual Consultants and Contractors. Under no circumstances will UNICEF be liable for any other or greater payments to the Contractor (or his or her dependents as appropriate).

    Arbitration

(a) Any dispute arising out of or, in connection with, this contract shall be resolved through amicable negotiation between the parties.
(b) If the parties are not able to reach agreement after attempting amicable negotiation for a period of thirty (30) days after one party has notified the other of such a dispute, either party may submit the matter to arbitration in accordance with the UNCITRAL procedures within fifteen (15) days thereafter. If neither party submits the matter for arbitration within the specified time the dispute will be deemed resolved to the full satisfaction of both parties. Such arbitration shall take place in New York before a single arbitrator agreed to by both parties; provided however that should the parties be unable to agree on a single arbitrator within thirty days of the request for arbitration, the arbitrator shall be designated by the United Nations Legal Counsel. The decision rendered in the arbitration shall constitute final adjudication of the dispute.

    Penalties for Underperformance

Payment of fees to the Contractor under this contractor, including each installment or periodic payment (if any), is subject to the Contractor’s full and complete performance of his or her obligations under this contract with regard to such payment to UNICEF’s satisfaction, and UNICEF’s certification to that effect.

    Termination of Contract

This contract may be terminated by either party before its specified termination date by giving notice in writing to the other party. The period of notice shall be five (5) business days (in the UNICEF office engaging the Contractor) in the case of contracts for a total period of less than two (2) months and ten (10) business days (in the UNICEF office engaging the Contractor) in the case of contracts for a longer period; provided however that in the event of termination on the grounds of impropriety or other misconduct by the Contractor (including but not limited to breach by the Contractor of relevant UNICEF policies, procedures, and administrative instructions), UNICEF shall be entitled to terminate the contract without notice. If this contract is terminated in accordance with this paragraph 10, the Contractor shall be paid on a pro rata basis determined by UNICEF for the actual amount of work performed to UNICEF’s satisfaction at the time of termination. UNICEF will also pay any outstanding reimbursement claims related to travel by the Contractor. Any additional costs incurred by UNICEF resulting from the termination of the contract by either party may be withheld from any amount otherwise due to the Contractor under this paragraph 10.

    Taxation

UNICEF and the United Nations accept no liability for any taxes, duty or other contribution payable by the consultant and individual contractor on payments made under this contract. Neither UNICEF nor the United Nations will issue a statement of earnings to the consultant and individual contractor

How to apply:

Qualified candidates are requested to submit a cover letter, CV and P 11 form (which can be downloaded from our website at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_53129.html) to pdconsultants@unicef.org with subject line “Child Poverty and Social Protection Consultancy/SIBP” by 10 October 2013, 5:00pm EST. Please indicate your ability, availability and daily/monthly rate to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a daily/monthly rate will not be considered.
Joint applications of two or more individuals will not be accepted.