Consultancy Title: Mapping and Analysis of Adolescent and Youth Programming in Humanitarian Context

This consultancy will be led by UNHCR, OCHA and UNICEF, in close consultation with key partners leading the relevant sectors, and the UN:NGO youth group, given the multi-agency nature of the work to be undertaken and the value of the outputs to all humanitarian agencies working in the sectors covered by this consultancy.

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LOCATION/DURATION:

Duration: 5 months

Location: UNICEF MENARO, Amman, Jordan

On-site working days: 4 months

Off-site working days: 1 month

Field Missions/Travel: Field missions to countries involved in the Syria and Iraq refugee response

Estimated Start Date: 6 August, 2017

Estimated end Date:   6 January, 2018*

This consultancy will be led by UNHCR, OCHA and UNICEF, in close consultation with key partners leading the relevant sectors, and the UN:NGO youth group, given the multi-agency nature of the work to be undertaken and the value of the outputs to all humanitarian agencies working in the sectors covered by this consultancy.

BACKGROUND:

Young people now and in the future will continue to be a significant proportion of the Middle East and North Africa population in both the development and humanitarian context.  Young people between the ages of 10-24 represent 28 per cent of the total MENA population (~124 million people) and 84 million are adolescents (10-19 years). Adolescents and youth also comprise a signification proportion in the humanitarian context. In Syria alone, 33 per cent are estimated to be young people (10-24 years old) and 23 per cent are adolescents (10-19 years old). Of the 6 million Syrian adolescents and youth, more than 2.7 million are in need of humanitarian assistance.

The Regional Framework of Joint Strategic Actions for Young people in the Arab states/ Middle East and North Africa Region was developed through a consultative process in 2015. One of the agreed joint actions of the framework was the advocacy and support to scale up interventions reaching adolescents and youth and to ensure age and sex disaggregated data across sectors in humanitarian programming. To address this joint action, in 2016, UNHCR, OCHA and UNICEF initiated two stock-taking exercises: 1) Mapping of adolescent and youth interventions inside Syria; 2) Mapping of adolescent and youth programming in the refugee response to Syria crisis. The mapping exercises focused on the five main sectors that reach adolescents and youth: Education, Protection, Food Security, Livelihoods, Social cohesion and Health.

The mapping of adolescent and youth interventions inside Syria conducted in 2016 served as a baseline for interventions under the Syria Humanitarian Response Programme (HRP) and supported the identification of the challenges and opportunities in reaching adolescents and youth through different sectors. It was revealed that out of twenty eight partners/ agencies responded to the mapping questionnaire, 74% had interventions reaching adolescents and youth. Of those, almost 40% had programmes specifically designed for adolescents and youth. Also, while 28% of organizations engaged adolescents and youth in either planning, assessment, implementation or monitoring, only 14% fully engaged them in programming from designing to implementation and M &E. A lack of clear vision for all adolescents and youth inside Syria across sectors and hubs had been identified as a key challenge in effective adolescent and youth programming.    

The mapping of adolescent and youth programming in the refugee response to Syria crisis has facilitated an improved understanding of the extent to which the Regional Resilience and Refugee Plan (3RP) response in Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt and Iraq serves the needs of adolescents and youth. The mapping has also helped to inform and scale up the 3RP programming for adolescents and youth in 2017, and generate information about the existing programmes (by sectors, beneficiaries, level of engagement, age-group), associated challenges, and the issues that needed to be addressed in order to improve measurement and programming in this area. Out of ninety-five adolescent and youth interventions identified through the mapping activities, most interventions were implemented under the education and protection sectors (55 % combined) and only 7% of mapped interventions engaged adolescents and youth in all stages of programming. The main recommendations identified include capacity building of implementing partners, improving the availability of disaggregated by age and sex data, and strengthening of intra- and inter sectoral collaboration and coordination.

Thus, in order to address some of the recommendations of the HRP and 3RP mapping analysis of 2016 and based on an identified need among partners (UN Inter-Agency Technical Task Team on Young People and UN:NGO Youth partners) and sectors (Education, Protection, Food Security, Livelihoods, Social cohesion and Health), UNICEF, UNHCR and UNOCHA are seeking the services of a qualified consultant to conduct a rapid update  of the mapping analysis of adolescent and youth programming in the humanitarian context in the Middle East and North Africa Region.

Given the multi-agency nature of the work to be undertaken and the value of the outputs to all humanitarian agencies working in the sectors covered by this consultancy, the consultancy will be led by UNICEF, UNHCR and UNOCHA in close consultation with agencies leading the relevant sectors and the UN:NGO youth group.

GOAL:

The overall goal of the consultancy is to continue to improve the knowledge and understanding of the extent to which the current HRP and 3RP responses serves youth and adolescents in key sectors, build capacity of partners, share information on existing promising practices and support sectors[1] in addressing issues needed to improve measurement and programming, and to pursue meaningful engagement in programming.

TASKS:

The specific tasks of the consultancy:

1. Update the tools and methodologies based on the lessons learned in 2016. As the 2016 mapping exercise was an in-depth exercise, the 2017 update will be a rapid update and build on the lessons learned in 2016.
2. Using the updated tools and methodologies, update the HRP and 3RP mapping and analyze adolescent and youth interventions implemented in relevant sectors[2].
3. Support an analysis of the planned budget and indicators (disaggregated by age and sex) for adolescent and youth interventions in the 2017/18 HRP and 3RP documents to support improved tracking of results for adolescents and youth.
4. Based on the needs analysis, build the capacity of partners by developing and conducting one day training modules on adolescent and youth engagement in humanitarian settings.
5. Support sectors based on the need analysis in consolidating promising practices in adolescent and youth programming, with specific focus on meaningful engagement practices.
6. Support national and regional level meetings/workshops/consultations (By Aug-Sept) and share the above mapping analysis and promote dissemination of evidence and sharing of experiences of adolescent and youth programming and systematic engagement across sectors.

KEY DELIVERABLES and TIMELINES:

TRAVEL CONSIDERATIONS: Mission travel

For individual contractors and consultants, all travel arrangements to commence the assignment, including insurance and visas, will be managed and paid by the individual.  Therefore, expected travel costs must be included as a budget item in the financial proposal. 

Should “mission travel” be required, UNICEF will manage and pay for travel via Travel Authorization.  However, this will be subject to the following prerequisites:  Medical Clearance, Security Clearance through the Travel Request Information Process (TRIP) system, the Basic and Advanced Security in the Field Trainings, Travel Visa, and liability waiver. Trip prerequisites will be met at the expense of the consultant.

Mission travel expected for national and regional level meetings/workshops/consultations (Dates and locations to be confirmed following the rapid assessment).

Mission travel to countries for rapid assessment based on feedback from Inter sector coordinators

Travel cost shall be calculated based on economy class travel, regardless of the length of travel.  Costs for accommodation, meals and incidentals shall not exceed applicable daily subsistence allowance (DSA) rates, as promulgated by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC at http://icsc.un.org).  The consultant must travel on UNICEF approved airlines.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

1. Education: University degree in social sciences, economics or related field
2. Work experience: 5-8 years of professional experience at international level, including field experience with expertise in measurement, assessment and / or monitoring of adolescent and youth programmes in humanitarian settings
3. Prior working experience in Middle East is an advantage
4. Experience and skills in working with various partners and across sectors
5. Experience in protection, education, food security, health and / or livelihoods cluster programming is an advantage;
6. Experience in humanitarian and refugee settings is an advantage
7. Language: Excellent English oral and written communication skills
8. Arabic language skills is an advantage

Payment Schedule:

12.       PROPOSED PAYMENT SCHEDULE : By Deliverable

Overtime, weekend and official holidays will not be compensated, nor will any holiday/leave time be granted. The payment will be linked to the tasks and deliverables.

EVALUATION PROCESS:

Desk review with shortlisted candidates requested to submit:

1. Cover letter.
2. Technical proposal ( including tools, methodologies and approaches) must be submitted along with the application  
3. Financial quote as lump sum for professional fees, and lump sum for travel/administrative/per diems, if applicable.
4. CV.
5. At least 2 Referees
6. P 11 form - which can be downloaded from our website at: http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_53129.html

Late submissions, incomplete packets, or submissions with an incorrect email subject heading will not be considered.

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.