Consultancy – Financing for Shock-Responsive Social Protection Review, EAPRO, Bangkok, Thailand

The Social Policy and Economic Analysis Section, UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office (EAPRO) is seeking an individual consultant to carry out a desk review of the existing evidence and literature available about risk financing – general framework – for shock responsive social protection (SRSP) – specific framework – globally and in East Asia and the Pacific (EAP) in particular.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child,

UNICEF works to ensure the rights of all children in the East Asia and Pacific Region.  This means the rights of every child living in this country, irrespective of their nationality, gender, religion or ethnicity, to:

• survival – to basic healthcare, peace and security;
• development – to a good education, a loving home and adequate nutrition;
• protection – from abuse, neglect, trafficking, child labour and other forms of exploitation; and
• participation – to express opinions, be listened to and take part in making any decisions that affect them

How can you make a difference?

The Social Policy and Economic Analysis Section, UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office (EAPRO) is seeking an individual consultant to carry out a desk review of the existing evidence and literature available about risk financing – general framework – for shock responsive social protection (SRSP) – specific framework – globally and in East Asia and the Pacific (EAP) in particular.

The review will have a particular focus on (but not limited to) Disaster Risk Financing (DRF). The DRF enables Governments to understand how much a scale up mechanism could cost (in this case social protection schemes), and develop appropriate strategies, with clarity on who pays, to finance the response (i.e. how to position funding in advance so as to trigger assistance quickly).

The purpose of developing a desk review on ‘Financing for Shock Responsive Social Protection’ is to summarize the literature available about Financing SRSP globally and in the specific case of East Asia and the Pacific (EAP). The review will shed light upon the linkages between risk financing and social protection for disaster response. Given the novelty of the shock responsive social protection agenda globally and in EAP, the desk review will point out the existing gaps around using and/or leveraging risk financing instruments (including DRF and Forecast based Financing, FbF) for SRSP as well as suggest additional research needed to fill the gap.

This analytical product will inform an internal UNICEF regional workshop to be held in Bangkok aimed at i) defining and discussing regional priorities and opportunities for UNICEF to tap in around financing for SRSP; and ii) draft Terms of Reference for a regional study on DRF for SRSP.

Work Assignment:

Under the supervision of Regional Adviser, Social Policy and Economic Analysis, the consultant will broadly perform tasks in the 2 working areas as highlighted below:

1. Undertake literature review on existing DRF instruments and strategies leveraged for social protection globally

• Under the guidance of the Regional Adviser for Social Policy and Economic Analysis

2. Undertake literature review on DRF instruments and strategies most suited for SRSP in East Asia and the Pacific

• Under the guidance of the Regional Adviser for Social Policy and Economic Analysis

End Product:

The payment will be made based on submission of satisfactory deliverables and the final report in relation to the above-mentioned assignments.

1. A Final Desk Review Report (15 to 20 pages excluding annexes) containing the findings from the literature review and recommendations in respect of future and continuing activities in DRF necessary in order to keep social protection relevant for shock response in East Asia and the Pacific. The report will be structured as per below:

1. General overview of the 2 concepts (SRSP and DRF) and their interlinkages
2. Global experience in both fields (‘what we know’ and ‘what we know it works’)
3. Specific context for East Asia and the Pacific (DRF and SRSP)
4. Opportunities and Challenges for leveraging DRF for SRSP in EAP
5. List of References
6. List of key informants on DRF, SRSP
7. Annexes

2. Annotated bibliography compiling all the references found during the review. The purpose of the annotation is to inform UNICEF of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited in the review.
3. A digital repository (i.e. online) containing electronic versions of all the bibliographic sources consulted during the review (and included in Deliverable b).
4. List of key informants in the subject of this consultancy. Identifying potential stakeholders from i) academia, ii) International Finance Institutions (WB, ADB, IDB, etc.), iii) private sector, and iv) development partners who could take part in a UNICEF regional workshop.

Estimated Duration of Contract:  15 working days within 2 months (1 May – 30 June 2019)

Official travel: Home-based assignment.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Master’s degree in social sciences, public policy or related field.
• Minimum 8 years of relevant work experience in social protection,poverty reduction or risk financing.
• Previous experience in preparation of research papers and analytical reports.
• Demonstrated capacity to synthesize complex information.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated capacity for achievement of deadlines.
• Familiarity with the work of UNICEF in social protection and shock responsive social protection is an asset.
• Knowledge of East Asia and Pacific Region is an asset.

Interested candidates are requested to submit CV or P-11, full contact information of minimum 2 references, availability, and proposed daily professional fee in USD by 29 April 2019. 

 FORM P11.doc

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

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

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UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.