Consultancy: Senior Consultancy: Technical Support to develop a Guidance Tool on Preventing Child Labour and Protecting Children’s Rights in the Deeper Value Chain,CP - PD, Requisition # 502809

To support the engagement with the private sector on addressing the protection of children’s rights in deeper value chain tiers – including where the informal economy feeds into formal supply chains – UNICEF is looking for an international consultant to develop a technical guidance tool aimed at equipping companies – at various levels along the value chain – with practical options to prevent child labour and protect children’s rights in deep tiers of the supply chain. The tool will address the scope of responsibility of companies for children’s rights in deep supply chain tiers, from a legal, political and CSR perspective, and include case studies from a variety of key industries and key value chains. The tool will help UNICEF and companies along the supply chain to implement targeted activities to address child rights concerns in their supply chains.

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you.

For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

 PURPOSE , OBJECTIVES & SCOPE OF WORK 

PURPOSE

To support the engagement with the private sector on addressing the protection of children's rights in deeper value chain tiers – including where the informal economy feeds into formal supply chains – UNICEF is looking for an international consultant to develop a technical guidance tool aimed at equipping companies – at various levels along the value chain – with practical options to prevent child labour and protect children's rights in deep tiers of the supply chain. The tool will address the scope of responsibility of companies for children's rights in deep supply chain tiers, from a legal, political and CSR perspective, and include case studies from a variety of key industries and key value chains. The tool will help UNICEF and companies along the supply chain to implement targeted activities to address child rights concerns in their supply chains. 

The objective of the guidance tool is to build comprehensive understanding of the ways in which children's rights are affected in the tiers of supply chains where companies typically have limited control or influence over labour and production practices, in particular where informal production feeds into the supply chain, and provide guidance for companies on the steps they can take to mitigate adverse impacts on children's right, in particular the prevention of child labour. 

SCOPE OF WORK

The guidance tool will cover a variety of industries and value chains and include a selection of case studies, to be selected in consultation with UNICEF.  As the guidance tool will need to be oriented to clear communications for various corporate entities along the supply chain, it is expected to take a modular approach. 

The specific objectives of the guidance tool include: 

• To build an understanding of the legal, policy and corporate social responsibility landscape in relation to children's rights across tiers in value chains.
• To identify the specific ways in which business activities potentially and actually impact children's rights both directly (e.g. child labour) and indirectly (e.g. working conditions for parents) in low tiers of the supply chain. This includes an analysis of the root causes of child rights concerns.
• To outline key steps and action relating to protecting child rights in deep tiers of supply chains, including company recognition of child rights concerns, commitment to address them, and tracing of supplies and products. In particular, this will include guidance on how companies – at both the local and international levels – can use 'leverage and influence' as laid out in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. 
• To prepare five industry-specific case studies and collect information on effective responses and set forth the steps companies at the local and international levels can take to mitigate adverse consequences, including remedial action, ensuring decent work for adult family members and caregivers, and more generally strengthen the protection of children's rights in the lower tiers of supply chains. 

The consultant(s) will: 

• Propose a methodology and workplan to complete the assignment, including a timeframe for consultations with UNICEF at the various stages of the assignment.
• Undertake desk research on children's rights in low supply chains tiers, outlining industry impact on children and their communities, the legal/regulatory framework on human and children's rights, labour standards, and corporate social responsibility implications for companies concerning child rights violations in the deeper supply chain.
• Undertake interviews/surveys with selected, key stakeholders to verify desk research findings, further refine research questions, and collect examples and interesting experiences and practices. Stakeholders include companies, CSR agencies and organizations, as well as UN agencies and non-governmental organizations.
• Prepare a technical guidance tool not exceeding 50 pages, corresponding to the above objectives and a list of consulted resources and literature. This guidance tool will take a modular approach by addressing the complimentary yet separate responsibilities of the various corporate actors along supply chains in different industries to prevent child labour and improve respect for children's rights. 

The consultant will report to the CSR Manager (PFP Geneva) and Child Labour Advisor (CP, New York). 

UNICEF RESPONSIBILITIES

UNICEF Child Protection Section and the UNICEF PFP/CSR Manager will provide technical inputs and make available contacts with relevant UNICEF offices, partners, companies and external experts. 

EXPECTED DELIVERABLES AND TIME LINE 

The selected international consultant is expected to start on 15 February 2017. The time frame to produce all deliverables is expected to consist of an estimated 60 working days over a 4 month period. The exact schedule of the activities will be agreed between the selected consultant and UNICEF, based on the below timeline. The deadline for the delivery of all final deliverables to UNICEF is 15 May 2017.

KEY SKILLS, TECHNICAL BACKGROUND, AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED 

MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS:

Consultant(s) either individual or provided by institution should meet the following qualifications:

Consultants should hold a master's degree in law, social or political science, or related field or have equivalent experience. A strong research background is required, including field research, along with a minimum of 8-10 years of experience in either child protection, child labour or private sector engagement on labour and other human rights issues. Applicants must have a proven record of excellent writing and analytical skills in English.

DURATION:  February –  May 2017.

The estimated duration of the consultancy is 60 working days, within the period February 2017 and May 2017.

*Travel

Please note, for travel to countries - it will be decided based on agreements with UNICEF and contractor. For agreed country visits, the contractor will be responsible in administering its own travel.  Travel expenses will be reimbursed separately upon presentation of receipts based on actual cost or as per UN rates (http://icsc.un.org/rootindex.asp) whichever is lower.

Travel expenses shall be calculated based on economy class travel, regardless of the length of travel and ii) costs for accommodation, meals and incidentals shall not exceed applicable daily subsistence allowance (DSA) rates, as promulgated by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC). The following travels are proposed:

• one 3-day mission to Geneva, Switzerland or New York,
• two 4 day mission to field locations.

Number of travelers, duration and dates of travel and travel locations will be agreed with UNICEF and the contractor prior to being arranged, undertaken and expensed.

Any variation in reimbursable travel should be authorized in writing by UNICEF through the Contract Manager. 

**Payment Provisions

UNICEF's policy is to pay for the performance of contractual services rendered or to effect payment

upon the achievement of specific milestones described in the contract. UNICEF's policy is not to grant advance payments except in unusual situations where the potential contractor, whether a private firm, NGO or a government or other entity, specifies in the bid that there are special circumstances warranting an advance payment. UNICEF will normally require a bank guarantee or other suitable security arrangement.

Any request for an advance payment is to be justified and documented, and must be submitted with

the financial bid. The justification shall explain the need for the advance payment, itemize the

amount requested and provide a time schedule for utilization of said amount. Information about

your financial status must be submitted, such as audited financial statements at 31 December of the

previous year and include this documentation with your financial bid. Further information may be

requested by UNICEF  at the time of finalizing contract negotiations with the awarded bidder.

To view our competency framework, please click here. 

Please indicate your ability, availability and daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above (including travel and daily subsistence allowance, if applicable).  Applications submitted without a daily/monthly rate will not be considered.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation.