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International Consultant to Review Child Marriage and other Harmful Practices, UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia, Nepal

Kathmandu

  • Organization: UNICEF - United Nations Children’s Fund
  • Location: Kathmandu
  • Grade: Senior level - P-5, International Professional - Internationally recruited position
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Human Rights
    • Children's rights (health and protection)
    • Sexual and reproductive health
  • Closing Date: Closed

The objective of the assignment is to conduct a desk review of potential intersections between different types of child marriage and child marriage overall and other harmful practices, and as warranted to develop a ToR for potential further in-country research on the impact of ending child marriage on other harmful practices and on the impact of programming to end child marriage on other harmful practices.

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.

Rationale:

Child marriage affects millions of young women and girls globally. Over 700 women alive today were married as children. While child marriage predominantly affects girls, boys are also affected: 156 million men alive today worldwide were married as children. Child marriage is a human rights violation with profound negative consequences, restricting children’s choices, changing their course in life, and putting them at significant risk of abuse and violence.  Member states have recognized the urgent need to end child marriage in international normative commitments and in the Sustainable Development Goals, which call for the elimination of all harmful practices including child, early and forced marriage by 2030 in Target 5.3.

Rates of child marriage are highest in sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia.  Among women aged 20-24, 59 percent in Bangladesh, 37 percent in Nepal, 33 percent in Afghanistan, 27 percent in India and 22 percent in Pakistan were married before 18 (UNICEF 2016, NHFS 2015-2016).  Rates of child marriage have declined in the region in particular for girls under the age of 15 (World Bank 2017).  However the number of girls married as children in South Asia remains very high: India alone has the largest number of girls married as children of any country worldwide.  Given the limited scale of initiatives to address child marriage in the region and globally, the decline in child marriage over time is likely to be a result of economic growth and poverty reduction rather than policy or programmatic interventions (see study on drivers of child marriage in South Asia, forthcoming).

UNFPA and UNICEF are committed to stepping up investments towards ending child marriage. In its Strategic Plan 2018–2021, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) committed to supporting governments and civil society to address determinants as well as adolescent and youth SRH and to strengthen responses for the elimination of harmful practices, including child, early and forced marriages. Ending child, early and forced marriages is a targeted priority of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Gender Action Plan 2018–2021 and an explicit results area in the UNICEF Strategic Plan 2018–2021, under Goal 3. The UNICEF Gender Action Plan also includes a focus on quality and dignified maternity care, with a priority being the empowerment and well-being of pregnant adolescent girls.

UNICEF and UNFPA’s Global Programme to Accelerate Action to End Child Marriage (2015-2018) aims to enhance investments in and support for married and unmarried girls and provide evidence for the corresponding benefits; engage key actors – including young people as agents of change – in catalyzing shifts towards positive gender norms; increase political support, resources, positive policies and frameworks; and improve the data and evidence base. During the implementation of this programme it has become evident that: child marriage as a harmful practice exemplifies itself in different types of marriages (e.g. baad, badaal, cousin marriages, self-initiated marriages, elopements, arranged marriages etc) and that by working on ending child marriage this also has a potential impact on other harmful practices (e.g. menstruation practices, child labour, trafficking, gender biased sex selection, among others), which can be positive or negative, due to, perhaps, challenges that occur as a result of the current social structures, current status of empowerment of young people, and the sharing of knowledge  on harmful practices and their impact with parents and the community.  Research on the relationship between child marriage and other harmful practices was identified as an evidence gap by in region, seen as important to inform programme design.

Purpose:

The objective of the assignment is to conduct a desk review of potential intersections between different types of child marriage and child marriage overall and other harmful practices, and as warranted to develop a ToR for potential further in-country research on the impact of ending child marriage on other harmful practices and on the impact of programming to end child marriage on other harmful practices.

Key Assignments and Tasks:

A desk review, of publishable quality on the potential relationship between child marriage and programming to end child marriage and other harmful practices in South Asia. This will include:

  • A list of types of child marriage, with definitions and including how it is practiced and where
  • Harmful practices that seem to be effected by child marriage
  • Child marriage programming interventions and/or approaches that potentially impact other harmful practices

A draft ToR or proposal to take forward a comprehensive study on the relationship between child marriage and other harmful practices, including the impact of interventions to end child marriage on these related harmful practices, in specific country settings.

Key Deliverables:

  1. Draft methodology on how this desk review is to be implemented. This should include a tentative list of the type of child marriages in the region and the harmful practices that may be affected by child marriage – 4 days; 13 August 2019
  2. Draft Report – 26 days, 27 September 2019
  3. Final report and TOR Webinar to share findings – 10 days, 31 October 2019

Working Conditions:

The consultant is expected to independently source both the quantitative and qualitative material for the literature review, although some resources may be provided by the regional advisors. It is recognized that the academic literature and programme evaluations in these areas are limited and that the consultant will also have to draw on other grey literature.

The consultant will be introduced to child marriage focal points in both UNICEF and UNFPA to conduct interviews and required to obtain more information on the programming to end child marriage, the harmful practice in the countries and on the types of marriage.

The consultant will be home based. The consultant will provide her/his own computer and software required to complete the work activities outlined in this TOR. It is expected that the consultant has internet and is able to communicate with the country offices via Skype, telephone or other communication devise. No travel is expected within the context of this assignment.

Minimum Requirements:

Education:

A master’s degree in anthropology, sociology, or other social science field. 

Work Experience:

  • At least 8 years of proven experience in literature reviews and research on child protection, harmful practices or other related fields
  • At least 5 years’ experience in working on or supporting programmes to end child marriage
  • Proven understanding of harmful practices that affect girls and boys
  • Strong track record of peer reviewed publications desirable
  • Knowledge of and experience working in programming countries, and in South Asia desirable

Competencies:

  • Analysing, Applying Technical Expertise, Communication
  • Fluent in Microsoft word
  • Ability to communicate using Skype
  • Ability to source and search journals and grey literature

Language Proficiency:

The consultant must be fluent in written and spoken in English. Knowledge of South Asian languages is desirable.

Duration: 5 August  to 15 November 2019 (40 days)

Note: Please quote your daily rate while submitting the application. In addition to the rate, please also submit proof of written work, and a high level sketch of the methodology you are going to put forward. Application without the required information will not be entertained.

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.

This vacancy is now closed.
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