Consultancy: Strengthening C4D Evidence Base - Communication for Development, Program Division- NYHQ- REQ # 527025

The purpose of this consultancy is to provide support to the C4D Section in New York HQ in the finalization of research products based on work under the above research partnerships, coordination with the partners on finalization of products, and dissemination of resulting evidence base through mechanisms like the Global Committee on Social Norms (a committee of UNICEF staff being established by C4D and Child Protection) as well as through knowledge management tasks such as webinars, dissemination of products, etc.

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Background & Rationale

Communication for Development and related community engagement strategies are central to achieving each of the five goals of UNICEF’s new Strategic Plan 2018-2021. Communication for Development (C4D) is a cross-cutting, evidence-based and participatory process to promote measurable behaviour and social change that is integral to development programs and humanitarian work. C4D’s primary purpose in supporting achievement of Strategic Plan (SP) results and outcomes fall into four broad areas: positive behaviour and social change; engagement and empowerment of children and communities; effective communication and community engagement in humanitarian action and creation of an enabling environment for social and behaviour change.

Research, measurement, evidence generation, and use of evidence-informed programming are key strategies that enable C4D to advance these result areas.  The C4D Section in NYHQ has a number of partnerships with leading academic institutions and external experts to generate evidence about what works in social and behavior change, with a focus on social norms change, community engagement and adolescent and youth participation. In addition to the management of these partnerships, the C4D evidence agenda includes mechanism such as reference groups etc to ensure the evidence generated is disseminated to UNICEF staff and informs program guidance.

The C4D Section seeks a consultant to help finalize and disseminate research findings to advance the  evidence generation agenda related to three ongoing streams of research on social norms and engagement/participation.

1. 1. A Partnership Cooperation Agreement (PCA) with UCSD’s Center for Gender Equity and Health to strengthen the evidence base in support of social and behaviour change interventions to end child marriage. Under this PCA, secondary analysis of national data sets will be used to understand the relationship between child marriage, gender equity, and key communication factors.  The PCA will produce a series of manuscripts and white papers which will be used to develop technical assistance to UNICEF field offices.
   2.  A partnership with Drexel University to develop a measurement framework for tracking changes in social norms related to FGM. Validation studies of the framework are currently being initiated in two countries that fall under the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme to Eliminate Female Genital Mutilation. Following validation of the framework, it will be rolled-out to other countries under the Joint Programme.  The results of these studies will also be used to inform adaptation of the framework to other child protection issues such as violence against children, child marriage, parenting and gender socialization etc. 
   3. A collaboration with Western Sydney University and Wellcome Trust on separate but related areas of work related to adolescent and youth engagement. These collaborations will produce both ground-breaking landscape evidence reviews and on-the-ground, participatory research findings to advance understandings of the ‘needs’ of young people; understandings of how young people can be more central to the design and implementation of research studies intended to benefit them; and understandings of how digital and other forms of youth-driven media can be leveraged to better engage adolescent and young people for social change.

Purpose of the Consultancy

The purpose of this consultancy is to provide support to the C4D Section in New York HQ in finalizing research products based on work under the above research partnerships, coordination with the partners on the products, and dissemination of resulting evidence base through mechanisms like the Global Committee on Social Norms (a committee of UNICEF staff being established by C4D and Child Protection) and through knowledge management tasks such as webinars, dissemination of products, etc. 

Tasks

Under the primary supervision of the C4D Communication Specialist who is the focal point for Child Protection, and the secondary supervision of the C4D Senior Advisor who is the focal point for young people’s participatory research and engagement, the consultant will undertake the following (note that due to the inter-related nature of the research on child marriage and FGM, the tasks for these two research streams are presented together)

1. Ensure completion of research products on Child Protection and Social Norms in coordination with research partners  Drexel University (FGM) and UCSD (Child Marriage). This will include managing the partnerships and providing technical oversight and inputs. Specific tasks may include but are not limited to:

• Provide oversight, technical reviews and inputs to the completion and dissemination of the ACT Framework on measuring FGM and ensure quality and alignment with UNICEF approaches, including participating in regular biweekly calls on the validation process; preparing content and providing technical inputs to one in-country experts consultation for each of the two validation countries (Guinea and Ethiopia), preparing content and providing technical inputs for one international expert consultation in New York
• Develop a four-page brief summarizing the ACT Framework
• Provide technical oversight to Drexel University in the drafting of a compendium of participatory tools for researching social norms change.
• Finalize 3 research briefs on child marriage developed in collaboration with UCSD for publication and provide technical oversight and inputs on the preparation of 2 scholarly manuscripts.  Develop and implement dissemination plan; support the design and preparation of in-country roll out workshops in one country in ESARO and one country in ROSA.  
• Facilitate technical feedback processes from UNICEF teams (C4D, Joint Programme teams) and provide technical direction to research partners based on this feedback
• Track key milestones and follow up actions for on time completion of the partnership and support administrative aspects as needed
• Ensure coordination and collaboration with the Child Protection teams in HQ and the field as needed to facilitate uptake and use of evidence.
• Support knowledge sharing related to the research agendas between country and regional offices related to Child marriage, FGM and C4D through periodic updates for the C4D newsletters; preparing at least one web story and 1 case study brief; and preparation of webinars.
• Liaise with other offices and teams working on social norms to identify opportunities for synergy between those efforts and the research partnerships.

2. Support uptake of evidence and dissemination of knowledge products through the Global Committee for Social Norms..

• • Coordinate among Global Committee members to establish a common vision for social norms research application among the committee.
  • Assist in the identification, collation, finalization  and up-take of evidence-based tools on social norms that will become part of a “social norms resource pack” developed with inputs from the Global CommitteeSupport the C4D section in its Secretarial function of the Global Committee to ensure coordination of research efforts.

3. Ensure completion of research products on adolescent and youth engagement in coordination with partners at Western Sydney University and Wellcome Trust. This will include managing the partnerships and providing technical oversight and inputs. Specific tasks may include but are not limited to:
   • Co-develop a Request for Proposals (RfP) for a youth-led participatory research project to be implemented in three countries (UK, Thailand, Malawi). Promote the RfP to potential partners. Review and rate the agencies proposals and input into selection.
   • Technically guide work between external partners (including Wellcome and Western Sydney) and in focal countries (Malawi, Thailand) to ensure alignment with the aims and objectives of the initiative throughout the research process. This will require coordination with regional and country offices and possible on-the-ground monitoring at key points in the process. 
   • Identify and initiate partnerships with media partners (community radio and children’s television and digital platforms) to support the adolescent and youth engagement
   • Review and contribute to literature reviews, reports and support coordination for dissemination of results in collaboration with UNICEF’s Innocenti research centre.
   • Prepare final report with insights from all intermediary reports developed by research partner, to include the following at minimum a) Literature review of global trends b) report on what matters to children c) Report on role/potential of platforms in children’s lives d) model for participatory research 

Schedule of deliverables

Due to the scope of each research project, it is expected that the consultant will initially spend 4 days a week on the child protection projects (child marriage and FGM) and 1 day a week on the adolescent research.  From January until the end of the contract, the consultant will be expected to spend 2-3 days a week on the child protection work and 2-3 days a week on the adolescent participation work, with the exact balance agreed between the supervisor and the consultant.    

This assignment is for 210 working days from October 28, 2019 to Oct. 10, 2020. Payments will be made on monthly instalments based on satisfactory performance and achievement of the following milestones

Milestones and Key Deliverables:

Task I:

• Ensure finalization and distribution of 4 page summary on ACT Framework (by Jan, 2020)
• Finalize Participatory Research Tool kit for researching social norms (by Jan, 2020)
• Complete and disseminate 3 research briefs, as part of collaboration with USCD (by April 2020)
• support 2 regional level consultations on child marriage research findings (by April 2020)
• Support 1 full day meeting between UCSD and C4D/CM teams in NY (By Jan 2020)
• Support expert meetings on FGM, CM and/or adolescents in NYC (max 3) (by July 2020)
• Produce and support at least one webinar each on FGM, CM, and Adolescents (by July 2020)

Task  II:

• Report from meetings of the Global Committee (Reports should be completed within 1 week of each meeting) (by end of contract)
• Ensure finalization of research products related to the Global Committee for Social Norms and prepare them for inclusion in the “social norms resource package” (by April, 2020)

Task  III:

• Co-develop a Request for Proposals (RfP)
• Technically guide work and country-level activities in focal countries (Malawi, Thailand) (by April 2020)
• Research reports completed and disseminated in collaboration with UNICEF’s Innocenti research centre (through end of contract)

Duty Station

A combination of off-site (home office) and on-site work at NYHQ, with some travel to field (see travel line above)

Key competences, technical background, and experience required

• Advanced degree in social/behavioral sciences with professional experience on communication for development, behavior change communication or related areas. PhD highly desirable.
• At least 5 years of proven experience in C4D, social and behavior change communication, or related approaches.  Experience in research and programming related to child Protection, violence, social norms, adolescent engagement and/or gender an asset.
• Prior experience in project management and/or research project coordination, especially in the field of international development. Specific experience managing social and behavior change research a plus.
• Experience of working with UN agencies is desirable.
• Excellent writing and communication skills. Proficiency in French is an asset. 

PAYMENT SCHEDULE

Payments made monthly in upon receipt of a monthly report showing progress towards deliverables.

UNICEF is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

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.

Remarks

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.  

At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.

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

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 : Here

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.