Individual Consultancy: To strengthen Government Information system with community and civil society indicators

UNICEF, in collaboration with other international and national stakeholders, is supporting the Government of Mozambique to implement a holistic social and child protection system, including integrated case management that links community based and statutory structures. To streamline the existing social and child protection system and to develop evidence-based prevention and response interventions to violations of children’s rights, to determine and monitor patterns of vulnerabilities, there is a need to invest in routine collection and analyses of data on vulnerabilities, risks factors, violations and service delivery. No national system can operate without a systematic, regular and coherent way of measuring the efficiency of the services provided both by statutory and informal agents Addressing this challenge, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Action, with support from development partners, is developing an Information Management System (SI-MA – Sistema de Monitoria e Avaliacao), based on DHIS2, and is strengthening staff capacities to monitor and evaluate service delivery. UNICEF is looking for a consultant to strengthen the government-led information management system by integrating data generated by community and civil society actors and provide guidance on setting up a statistical department under the planning directorate of MGCAS

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Purpose of the Assignment: UNICEF, in collaboration with other international and national stakeholders, is supporting the Government of Mozambique to implement a holistic social and child protection system, including integrated case management that links community based and statutory structures.

To streamline the existing social and child protection system and to develop evidence-based prevention and response interventions to violations of children’s rights, to determine and monitor patterns of vulnerabilities, there is a need to invest in routine collection and analyses of data on vulnerabilities, risks factors, violations and service delivery.

No national system can operate without a systematic, regular and coherent way of measuring the efficiency of the services provided both by statutory and informal agents

Addressing this challenge, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Action, with support from development partners, is developing an Information Management System (SI-MA – Sistema de Monitoria e Avaliacao), based on DHIS2, and is strengthening staff capacities to monitor and evaluate service delivery.

UNICEF is looking for a consultant to strengthen the government-led information management system by integrating data generated by community and civil society actors and provide guidance on setting up a statistical department under the planning directorate of MGCAS

Section Submitting: Child Protection

 PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVE.

 To strengthen the government-led information management system by integrating data generated at community level and to provide guidance on setting up a statistical department under the planning directorate of MGCAS.

METHODOLOGY AND TECHNICAL APPROACH.

The Consultant will be based at MGCAS and the inception phase will be dedicated to develop and validate the methodology for each of the major elements of the Consultancy. Partners, both from other Government as well as development agencies, will be invited to engage in the process.  Experience of MISAU on working with community based indicators will be assessed as possible good practice.

 ACTIVITIES AND TASKS.

1. Conduct a comprehensive review of methods and tools that community-based stakeholders are using to manage information and to monitor support provided to vulnerable children. This should include, but not limited to: how the indicators of measurement are captured, how data is being collected, frequency, level (district, province, national), quality control, validation system, how and by who the information is used and monitored;
2. Conduct a mapping of other sources that provides direct/indirect information on child and social protection and child wellbeing (IOF, DHS, MICS, studies at provincial and district level and other relevant sources that could provide regular relevant information to MGCAS mandate);
3. Conduct a comprehensive review of SI-MA, its strategies, its indicators (and their definitions), background documents, tools, workflows as well as possibilities for expansion to community level;
4. Analyse the main barriers for integration of community data in a nascent SI-MA and indicate specific actions to address them;
5. Conduct a consultative process with relevant stakeholders to develop and validate a core list of indicators (with collectively agreed definition, (numerator/denominator), tools for collection, administrative level of collection, quality control) to determine and monitor patterns of vulnerabilities and effectiveness of community-based service delivery;
6. Validate the list of indicators, define collection, analysis and quality check methods and tools and conduct a Training of Trainers from MGCAS relevant staff to develop a core group of experts; and
7. Develop a workplan for further work on improvement of SIMA including but not limited to the dataflow from community to district level
8. Design the roles and responsibilities of a statistical department, composition of staff as well as technical guidance

DELIVERABLES AND PAYMENTS.

Payments will be processed upon acceptance of the corresponding deliverable and against an invoice that will reference the contract and deliverable numbers. Payments will be approved by the respective section chief.

Deliverable 1:

Delivery timeframe: Not later than end December 2019

Deliverable/product(s): Inception report with a defined methodology discussed and presented to MGCAS

Payment: 20%

Deliverable 2: 

Delivery timeframe: Not later than end February 2020

Deliverable/product(s):

• Assessment of methods and tools that community-based stakeholders and others are using to manage information
• Mapping of other data collection methods and sources concluded
• Review of SI-MA concluded
• Preliminary concept note on setting up a Statistical department under DPC

Payment: 30%

Deliverable 3:

Delivery timeframe: not later than mid April 2020

Deliverable/product(s):

• Core list of indicators developed and validated, including piloting
• Methods and tools for collection of indicators defined and validated
• Draft governance document for the Statistical department (to be defined during inception phase)

Payment: 30%

Deliverable 4:

Delivery timeframe: not later than end June 2020

Deliverable/product(s):

• Training of Trainers held
• Workplan for SIMA improvement developed, including if needed a ToR for TA

Payment: 20%

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

• Academic qualifications: An advanced degree related to social sciences, public policy, or another protection-related field, with additional training on M&E.

  Work experience:

  • At least six years of proven experience of working with information management systems (preferably related to social assistance, child protection, and/or child rights monitoring and indicator development with Government and development partners. Experience in developing links with and integration of community-based indicators into wider IMS is an asset.
  • Experience in organizational reviews and in the design of statistics staff roles and responsibilities

  Specific knowledge, competencies, and skills required:

  • Excellent knowledge of information gathering tools such as focus groups, in-depth interviews and familiarity with major surveys in Mozambique.
  • Proven knowledge of assessing and developing data collection tools, develop methods of verification and quality control.
  • An understanding of relevant international and regional child protection instruments including the Convention on the Rights of the Child and General Comments on its implementation as well as the Convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women;

  Language skills: Excellent written and verbal English and Portuguese or Spanish communication skills

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.

Remarks:

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