The purpose of the current international consultancy is to support NASP and the IAWG in the design and operationalization of the Barnahus model in one or two locations, in line with international standards and promising practices, while ensuring that the model is embedded within the broader development of coordinated response services and the continuum of care for child victims and witnesses of violence in Uzbekistan.

Working arrangement: Home based with Travel to Tashkent

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                                                         TERMS OF REFERENCE

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

The protection of children from all forms of violence is a key priority of state policy in Uzbekistan. The Law “On the Protection of Children from All Forms of Violence” (adopted in 2024 and entered into force in 2025) establishes the legal framework for preventing and responding to violence against children, including through strengthened measures for protection, identification, reporting, referral, recovery and reintegration, in line with international standards.

The 2024–2030 Strategy on the Protection of Children from All Forms of Violence and its accompanying Plan of Action, adopted in December 2025 to operationalize the Law, provide the national policy framework for strengthening prevention and response services for child victims and witnesses of violence. This includes the progressive development and strengthening of a range of child protection and support services as part of a broader continuum of care spanning identification, reporting, referral, protection, recovery and reintegration. Within this broader reform agenda, the piloting of the Barnahus model in 2026 is envisaged as one of the new services to be established in Uzbekistan.

The introduction of the Barnahus model responds to important gaps in the current system. National legislation and practice do not yet provide sufficient safeguards to protect child victims and witnesses from secondary victimization. For example, there are no limits on the number of interviews a child may undergo; a child may be interviewed in the presence of an alleged offender; and medical examinations for investigative purposes may be conducted by forensic experts of the opposite gender. In addition, despite significant investments in recent years to strengthen the legislative and policy framework for the protection of women and children from violence, gaps remain in the availability, quality, coordination and integration of prevention and response services. Child protection case management is not yet systematically applied in cases of violence, and the social service and allied workforce require further strengthening for the identification, reporting, assessment, planning, provision and monitoring of cases.

Barnahus is a child-friendly, multidisciplinary and inter-agency model that brings together key services for child victims and witnesses of violence in a coordinated and safe environment, with the aim of reducing re-traumatization and ensuring access to justice, protection and recovery support. In Uzbekistan, Barnahus should be understood as part of the broader response services system and continuum of care for child victims and witnesses of violence, linked to child protection, health, social welfare and justice sector mechanisms.

The National Agency for Social Protection (NASP), the authorized state body responsible for child protection under the Law, will oversee the establishment of the Barnahus model. To this end, NASP is taking steps to establish an Inter-Agency Working Group (IAWG), composed of representatives of law enforcement, justice, health, education and social welfare sectors, to coordinate the design, establishment and operationalization of the Barnahus model in one or two pilot locations.

The purpose of the current international consultancy is to support NASP and the IAWG in the design and operationalization of the Barnahus model in one or two locations, in line with international standards and promising practices, while ensuring that the model is embedded within the broader development of coordinated response services and the continuum of care for child victims and witnesses of violence in Uzbekistan.

Scope of Work:

The international consultant will, in close coordination with UNICEF, NASP, the Ministry of Interior, the Prosecutor General’s Office, and members of the Inter-Agency Working Group, undertake the following tasks:

  1. Design a context-adapted operational model for the Barnahus centre, including governance, service delivery, and inter-agency coordination mechanisms, ensuring its linkage with the broader response services system and continuum of care for child victims and witnesses of violence.
  2. Develop a framework of quality standards, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and service delivery guidelines, aligned with international standards and good practice.
  3. Define the staffing structure, job descriptions, and qualification requirements for the Barnahus centre, and develop a child safeguarding policy and standardized documentation tools and templates for case management and service provision.
  4. Develop and deliver training for designated Barnahus personnel and relevant service providers to support the operationalization of the model.
  5. Develop communication and awareness-raising materials for service providers, justice professionals, children, and their parents or legal representatives.
  6. Develop supervision standards and tools, and provide introductory training for designated supervisors to support service quality and staff wellbeing.
  7. Develop a monitoring, evaluation, and learning framework to support pilot implementation, documentation of lessons learned, and future scale-up.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here:Download File TMC0001724 External ToR 2.pdf

Minimum requirements:

  • Masters degree in law, child rights, social policy, social work, psychology, or another relevant field.
  • At least 10 years of relevant professional experience in the areas of rule of law, access to justice for children, child protection, or related fields.
  • Excellent knowledge of international standards on child protection and access to justice for children.
  • Strong knowledge of international standards and good practices related to the Barnahus model.
  • Demonstrated experience in supporting the establishment or operationalization of the Barnahus model in other countries.
  • Excellent communication, facilitation, and presentation skills in English.
  • Familiarity with Uzbekistan’s legal system and child rights context is an asset.
  • Ability to work under tight deadlines and deliver high quality results in a timely manner.
  • Previous experience working with UNICEF and knowledge of Russian are assets.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

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UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

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Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal, TMS (Talent Management System):

Remarks:  

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