By continuing to browse this site, you agree to our use of cookies. Read our privacy policy

Consultant for Violence against Children (VAC)

Belgrade

  • Organization: UNICEF - United Nations Children’s Fund
  • Location: Belgrade
  • Grade: Consultancy - International Consultant - Internationally recruited Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Social Affairs
    • Children's rights (health and protection)
    • Gender-based violence
  • Closing Date: Closed

UNICEF Serbia is seeking consultant for development and implementation of Violence against Children (VAC) Surveillance System in Serbia. Duration of the assignment is in the period from August 2017 to June 2018, with a total number of 45 working days.

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

 

The Republic of Serbia has made significant progress with respect to defining a child protection framework to prevent violence against children (VAC) since 2000. Despite clear progress made at the policy level and implementation of new policies into practice, there is still evident lack in efficient response to violence, related to insufficient understanding of the “violence phenomena” - in terms of what causes violence and what are the most effective mechanisms to prevent and combat various forms of VAC. One of the barriers for more effective response to violence is certainly lack of data on violence against children since Serbia still hasn’t developed an integrated and comprehensive data management on victims of violence. The institutions dealing with violence apply different parameters which makes it even harder to analyze available information. Lack in comparability of data on violence provided by different sectors reflects in only basic evidence and guidance for each sector. Hence there are no integrated strategies nor comprehensive interventions when it comes to violence prevention or implementation of protection measures for children survivors of violence.

 

In terms of quantitative data on violence against children, the most relevant is still the data from the social welfare system, which documents increase in number of children that are victims of violence and neglect. In the period 2011 - 2015, there is a trend of increased reporting of violence in all age categories.  The reported cases of violence against children in 2015 has increased by 92% compared to 2011.  Nevertheless, many child survivors of domestic and other types of violence are not registered through current mechanisms and do not receive adequate recognition and protection, especially if they come from vulnerable groups at high risk of maltreatment or suffer newly recognized forms of violence such as digital violence or bullying.

 

The social welfare system in Serbia is, due to its central role in child protection, in need for a more comprehensive and robust data collection system that would allow greater understanding on the magnitude of the problem in Serbia and that could be used to generate knowledge on the nature of violence and its consequences. Data collection is essential to inform prevention, identification, reporting, referral, investigation, treatment, judicial involvement and follow up of cases and prevention of re-victimization of children.

 

At this moment, the Republic Institute for Social Protection as the lead national administrator of the VAC system is preparing the ground for improving the data collection system in order to be able to measure the incidence of child abuse and neglect, monitor trends and provide a baseline for assessing the needs of services. In addition, the data would help set priorities and allocate the available resources for primary, secondary and tertiary prevention of child maltreatment as well as feed into evaluating the effectiveness of CAN prevention practices and interventions.

 

The scope of this contract is to provide technical support in upgrading the social welfare VAC data collection system so it allows for comparability (i.e. monitoring indicators relevant to international / EU treaties and policies) but also creates a ground for more comprehensive integrated data management in line with the country context specifics. More specifically, it shall support adaptation of the Child Abuse & Neglect via Minimum Data Set (CAN-MDS) surveillance system developed as part of the DAPHNE III Programme ‘’Coordinated Response to CAN via Minimum Data Set’’ by the Institute for Child Health from Greece (who is responsible for the software). The CAN-MDS system is based on UNCRC and ISO standards and it proves to be successfully used by continually increasing number of EU countries. The contract shall be realized in close coordination with the Republic Institute for Social Protection.

 

The purpose of the assignment is to contribute to building of a comprehensive VAC data management system in Serbia through capacity building of the Republic Institute for Social Protection for sustainable and efficient maintenance of regular social welfare system collection and reporting mechanism which is aligned with international standards.

Start Date: June 2018     

End Date: August  2017

Number of working days/months Up to 45 working days

 

Work Assignment Overview

The Consultant is responsible for providing technical support through close cooperation with the Republic Institute for Social Protection (RISP) and under the supervision of UNICEF.   The majority of the tasks shall be completed of-site, while up to 3 in situ visits are also foreseen (one during the initial phase of adapting the CAN MDS system, one for the purpose of implementing training of trainers and one during the final assessment phase). RISP will ensure adequate human resources (focal point and core team of professionals directly responsible for data management) who will directly facilitate all related tasks and regularly closely cooperate with the contractor.  RISP team will provide all necessary information to the contractor during the initial phase on the national system / context which is relevant to the task. Coordination and cooperation will be conducted through established communication lines.  RISP and UNICEF will closely coordinate in providing:

-              Facilities for  in situ visits (working meetings), including for realization of the training for trainers (venue, technical equipment,  accommodation/travel costs for trainees, refreshment);

-              Translation into Serbian of all relevant outputs (documents, manuals, instructions), including printing of working materials for the training of trainers;

Translation into English of key documents / information of relevance for adaption of the CAN MDS software as needed.

Task 1: Adapting the CAN MDS system in collaboration with Republic Institute for Social Protection so it is ready for piloting  (up to 25 days)

-              Assessment of the country (social welfare) system specifics, potentials and needs within the context of CAN-MDS adaptation

-              Preparing instructions for cultural and country-specific adaptation of the system, including adaptation of the toolkit (master operators’ manual, data collection protocol, training modules, etc.) and necessary e-application adjustments

-              Providing inputs to development of nationally customized pilot implementation plan

-              Designing methodology for monitoring and assessment (evaluation) of piloting process and results

Deliverable(s) 1: Review of the country system specifics; Draft instructions for country-specific adaptation of the system (including the toolkit and e-application adjustments); Methodology for monitoring and assessment/evaluation of piloting including overview of inputs provided as they relate to development of pilot implementation plan

Timeframe: 3 months (August – October 2017)

Task 2: Capacity building of trainers for using the specific adapted CAN-MDS system e.g. collecting and sharing CAN data via the new system  (up to 8 days)

-              Training design, including development of necessary trainings materials/manuals and evaluation methodology

-              Implementation of one training of trainers for core group of system operators from the Republic Institute for Social Protection so they are also capacitated to further train end-users

Deliverable (s) 2: Training plan (agenda, working materials / manuals); Training report (including evaluation)

Timeframe: 2 months (November – December 2017)

Task 3: Monitoring and assessment of piloting of CAN-MDS system and providing technical assistance in finalization of the tool so it is ready for full application  (up to 12 days)

-              Provide on-going monitoring, supervision and advise to the Republic Institute for Social Protection during the process of piloting of adapted CAN-MDS system with selected numbers of field-sites/end-users

-              Conduct final assessment of  applicability / usability including making any further adaptations so the tool is ready for full and regular operation

Deliverable(s) 3: Final adapted toolkit and e-application; Final implementation report

Timeframe: 6 months (January – June 2018)

 

Travel requirements: Yes

Total up to three visits; DSA for up to three visits, max 9 days

 

Minimum Qualifications required:             

PhD Child protection / VAC;  Software development

 

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

•             Proven expertise  in the area of violence prevention and protection, with particular focus on VAC, international standards, monitoring and reporting

•             Proven expertise in development and implementation of software for CAN –MDS data base (e-application),

•             Experience in supporting national data sets development/adaptations, through provision of all necessary information for preparing the national system (including instructions for cultural and country-specifics   adaptation of toolkits and e-application, adaptation of training material, pilot testing of the system).

•             Proven expertise in designing and delivering capacity building programmes in a consultative process

•             Fluency in spoken and written English, knowledge of Serbian is an asset

 

The application must include the following:

  1. Daily rate in RSD (all travel related costs: transport, accommodation, DSA etc. to be included in the daily rate, if applicable)
  2. Total travel costs in RSD (up to three visits and  DSA for up to three visits max 9 days total)
  3. CV 

 

Important note: Incomplete applications will not be taken into consideration.

 

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. 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.

 

This vacancy is now closed.
However, we have found similar vacancies for you: