National Consultant to support Romania achieve its target within the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children

In order to support Romania to achieve its target within the Global Partnership a timely manner, UNICEF is seeking a consultant to assist the Working Group for the Global Partnership to End Violence against Children.

Summary

• Purpose: Consultancy to support Romania achieve its target within the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children
• Location: Bucharest
• Duration : 11 months, with possibility for extension
• Start date: September 10, 2018
• Reporting to: Communication for Social Change Officer

   

  Background

  Violence against children (VAC) has been of increasing concern in the world throughout the last decades. In Romania, as in every other country, violence against children takes a range of forms (psychological abuse, physical violence, sexual abuse, verbal violence, various forms of exploitation, neglect etc.) and can occur in a number of settings (family, school, community, public spaces, work environments, residential institutions and other closed settings, health care facilities etc.).

  While over 15,380 cases of violence against were registered in Romania at the end of 2017 (see www.copii.ro), only very few are usually prosecuted. It is estimated that the actual number of cases of violence against children is many times higher, i.a. due to under-reporting. Further, studies show that there is a high tolerance towards violence against children.

  At the same time, social norms reproduce unequal gender power relations at other various levels: girls and women represent 90% of the victims of sexual assault, and show a higher vulnerability to trafficking, especially for sexual exploitation. However, there are more boys than girls in the child protection system (53% boys vs. 47% girls). There is also empirical evidence stressing the fact that girls from rural areas, Roma communities, poor families or girls living with disabilities are more vulnerable to gender discrimination, violence and exclusion than boys.

  Some progress has been noted in recent years: Romania ratified the Istanbul Convention on Preventing Violence against Women and Domestic Violence and has aligned its legislation with the Convention. One of the four pillars of the 2014-2020 National Strategy for Child Rights focuses on violence against children. Debates on violence against children are taking place in the media, and information campaigns, mostly by civil society and UNICEF, seem to have raised at least the awareness of the general public.

  The challenge has been to translate this increasing political and public commitment into concrete progress for children. Legislation needs not only to be strengthened but also to be accompanied by standards, norms, methodologies, human and financial resources, and mechanisms that will ensure its adequate and even implementation throughout Romania. Children (and often their families) need to be empowered and awareness raised to change social norms around violence against children. Demand needs to be strengthened for services and the reporting of cases needs to be encouraged and facilitated. New and better integrated services are required, and they should be closely coordinated across sectors and levels of administration and service providers.

   

  Current context

  Marking an important step forward, in 2016, Romania became a so-called “pathfinding country” for the Global Partnership to End Violence (“Global Partnership”) against Children. The Global Partnership brings together governments, foundations, the UN, civil society, the academia, the private sector and young people to achieve the new global target to end abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence and torture against children (Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16.2). There are 20 pathfinder countries of this Global Partnership, committed to providing comprehensive, coordinated and multi-sectoral services for preventing and responding to violence.

  As a pathfinding country, Romania has committed to three to five years of accelerated action to strengthen the national legislation to protect children against all forms of violence and exploitation, bring all sectors together in a movement to end violence, and provide children with a meaningful role in this movement. Romania will also support global efforts to address violence against children by exchanging relevant expertise and carrying out advocacy actions.

  For further information about the Global Partnership to End Violence against Children, please visit: http://www.end-violence.org/.

  In Romania, the leading actor for the Global Partnership is the Ministry of Labour and Social Justice, through the National Authority for Child Rights and Adoption (ANPDCA). The Focal Point for the Global Partnership is the Head of ANPDCA. Besides, a significant role is played by the National Agency for Equal Chances (ANES), Save the Children, World Vision and the Federation of NGOs for Child Protection (FONPC) representing the civil society, and UNICEF, as an international organization. These players are also part of the Working Group for the Global Partnership.

  During the first meetings of the Working Group for the Global Partnership (December 2016 - March 2017), stakeholders were proposing the following strategic directions/priorities for Romania’s commitment as Pathfinding Country:

• Strengthen norms and values that support non-violent, respectful, nurturing, positive and gender equitable relationships for all children and adolescents (which actually overlaps with one of the four objectives of the National strategy for promotion and protection of children’s rights);
• Improve access to integrated community-based support services for all children who need them – including for reporting violence – to reduce the long-term impact of violence;

• Strengthen measures to prevent and combat violence against children, to plan strategies and interventions, measure their impact and continuously improve them to ensure success, including improving data collection and strengthening monitoring systems.

   

  With support from UNICEF, in 2017-2018, The National Authority for the Protection of Child Rights and Adoption carried out the Country’s Self-Assessment Report on the current situation and measures related to violence against children and drafted a Roadmap to achieve its goal as a Champion Country. While these were necessary steps under the INSPIRE standards and strategies to end violence against children, UNICEF has also provided support and technical assistance to the National Authority for the Protection of Child Rights and Adoption to prepare the country report and participation to the Global Summit of the Global partnership held in Stockholm in February 2018.

   

   Purpose of the Consultancy

  In order to support Romania to achieve its target within the Global Partnership a timely manner, UNICEF is seeking a consultant to assist the Working Group for the Global Partnership to End Violence against Children.

  The major duties and responsibilities of the Consultant will be to:

• Facilitate the activity of the Working Group by i.a. convening quarterly meetings;
• Ensure support to the working group to develop operational plans for the above defined Road Map and to actively and constantly promote these plans among the national stakeholders and international members of the Global Partnership;
• Provide necessary assistance to the working group for the implementation of the operational plans;
• Regularly monitor the implementation of the operational plans and remind stakeholders of due actions;
• Draft periodical reports on Romania’s progress to achieve its goals under the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children and other materials related to Romania’s participation and progress as a pathfinding country in the Global partnership to End Violence Against Children.

• Provide input and technical assistance in the development and implementing of the strategy to strenghten the social service workforce in Romania with respect to their capacity to acknowledge, adress and respond to violence against children. Act as focal point in the area of child protection and violence against children for the organization of the Regional Conference on Strenthening Social Service Workforce to be held in November 2018 in Bucharest;

   

  Timeframe of consultancy: 10 September 2018 – 31 July 2019, with the possibility to extend the contract. An estimate number of 10 days/month work is expected during this period.

   

  Qualifications of the consultant:

• Minimum of Master’s degree (or equivalent degree) in governance related field (or equivalent work experience) including: Social Science, Public Policy, Public administration.

   

  Experience:

• At least 7 years of experience working in the social sector in relation with the development of national policies and legislation
• Previous experience in contributing to the development and operationalization of legislation in social sector
• Experience of drafting research papers, methodologies, analytical documents, policy papers and notes, project and program documents, studies, etc. is an asset.
• Knowledge of child rights policy framework and legislation
• Ability to analyze and write analytical documents
• Ability to work in a team and to negotiate with partners
• Fluency in Romanian and English

   

  General conditions

  Working conditions: Consultant will work in the ANPDCA premises, with travel to project sites and counterparts’ offices.

  Reporting: Consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Communication for Social Change Officer and will work closely with the Child Protection Specialist, under indirect supervision of the Deputy Representative as programme coordinator, and other UNICEF colleagues and consultants, as well as with counterparts, partners and experts.

  Fee: This contract includes no other benefits apart from the overall fee. Travel costs to project sites and attending project meetings (situations when consultant is authorized to have access to UNICEF transport) will be covered by UNICEF outside of this contract. Payments will be made monthly, based on the number of days/hours actually worked and on activity report signed by supervisor.

  Note: consultant will sign health statement prior to taking the assignment and the designation form will be completed. The Consultant will be responsible for paying income taxes and any other due taxes as per applicable national legislation.

   

  To view our competency framework, please click here. 

How to apply

 Your online application should contain the following separate attachments:

• Curriculum Vitae
• Financial Offer. Please indicate your availability and daily rate (in RON) to undertake the terms of reference above (including travel and daily subsistence allowance, if applicable). Please see the suggested Financial template_Individual consultant.docx. Applications submitted without a daily rate will not be considered. The Consultant will be responsible for paying income taxes and any other due taxes as per applicable national legislation.  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

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.