Consultancy to Conduct a Formative Assessment of a Cash Plus Pilot Project, UNICEF Belize, 3 months (Only Belizean Nationals May Apply)

UNICEF Belize is looking for a motivated consultant to conduct the formative assessment of a CASH Plus Pilot Project in Belize.

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, hope.

1.1. Country Context

Belize is a country of origin, destination, transit and return. According to the latest national Census (Statistical Institute of Belize-SIB, 2022), Belize counts approximately 45,000 migrants, and 14.2% of Belize’s population was born abroad.[1] According to the SIB, migrants are primarily persons who are outside their country of nationality and are unable or unwilling to return to that country because of persecution or fear of persecution. The majority of migrants who settled in Belize are from the neighbouring countries. According to the migration report (SIB, 2021), 36% and 16% of immigrants in Belize were born in Guatemala and Honduras, respectively.

 1.2 Social-economic, political context

Belize is confronted with high levels of poverty, and the COVID-19 added further strain on children and families, especially the most vulnerable, including migrant populations. In 2018, 60% of the children aged 0-14 years were recorded as living in monetary poverty (SIB, 2021). Further, poverty in rural areas is significant, with lower education levels of household heads, lower participation of women in the paid labour market and larger proportion of ethnic minorities. The COVID-19 has further impacted poverty and deprivations due to disruption of services, lack of access in rural areas where the vulnerable migrant populations additionally face language barriers.

1.3 Situation of girls, boys and adolescents

In spite of high levels of poverty, social protection remains low, especially for children, including the most vulnerable. In 2018, only 4% of children were covered by a social protection programme, (BOOST programme), which remains insufficient in relation to the needs of over 170,000 children^[2]. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the GOB implemented a temporary emergency programme, providing cash assistance to nearly 36,000 children in Belize.

Children are a particularly vulnerable group of migrant and displaced populations, and even more under irregular conditions. Migrant children face a combination of risks:

• Financial: migrant population are among the most vulnerable and can face additional financial barriers to access some services;
• Geographic and Language: access to services can be challenging in rural/ hard-to-reach areas; where populations are more difficult to reach and where there are language and isolation challenges.
• Education: given that schools remained closed due to COVID-19, children in migrant communities may have had limited access to distance learning and technology;
• Child Protection: Birth registration is one of the main challenges for migrant families and children, as well as access to key services by rural women and girls;
• WASH: Access to clean drinking water is challenging in many parts of Belize. Only 30% of Belize’s schools meet the standard of one toilet per 25 girls; only 33% meet the standard of 50 boys per toilet.
• Social Protection: Social protection coverage for children is low in Belize. Only 3.9% of the children’s population was covered by the main social protection programme BOOST prior to the COVID-19 crisis; and less than 10% of the children 0-4 years old in Belize have health.

1.4. Link with national Priorities

The Cash Plus Pilot Project builds on previous efforts initiated by the GOB and partners to address migration and support migrant children and host communities in line with the Government’s Amnesty Programme, which aims to offer Permanent Residence status and possible citizenship. The focus of the latest Amnesty Programme 2022-2023 includes managing migration, national security, economic development, and humanitarian assistance.

The Cash Plus Pilot Project aligns with the National Medium-Term Development Strategy (2022-2026) and contributes to the goal of poverty reduction.

Section ii. Presentation of the Cash Plus Pilot Project

 2.1.The Cash Plus Pilot Project details

The Cash Plus pilot Project aims to strengthen the protection of migrant children and adolescents’ rights through leveraging key partnerships and ensuring linkages between cash assistance and access to social services.  The overall Cash Plus Pilot Project has the following components:

• Develop sustainable mechanisms to strengthen cash assistance and access essential services to migrant children through a small-scale Cash Plus Project pilot for scale-up
• Support the GOB’s efforts in integrating migrant populations.

Acknowledging the lessons on cash assistance in addressing multi-dimensional phenomena, the Project is articulated around a cross sectoral and multi stakeholder approach. As such, the Project provided unconditional cash-transfer, along with access to life skill training, income generation activities and training, to address the multiple risks and vulnerabilities faced by migrant children.

How can you make a difference? 

Specific Objective

• Gather evidence and findings of the UNICEF Belize Cash Plus Pilot through the project implementation, looking at both the design and implementation process and the short-term results achieved with the aim of providing the necessary information for scaling up.
• Analyse the extent to which the Cash Plus pilot project has been appropriately designed, efficiently and effectively implemented (incl. establishment of key partnership, selection of payment mechanism, targeting and coverage, inclusion and exclusion errors, cash distribution mechanism, financial management, reporting compliance, data management, services provided, identification of risk and mitigation measures etc.) and its cost-effectiveness (e.g., analysis of administrative costs, etc.);
• Understand the changes it produced in the lives of migrant children at household and individual level;
• Understand how children, adolescents and families used the money provided (“Cash”) and used the services provided (“Plus”), their satisfaction, adequacy of the transfer level, and the extent to which the spending of the money translated (or not) into benefits for children and adolescents;
• Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the pilot; and identify opportunities and constraints that the Cash Plus pilot has faced and key lessons/recommendations to inform the next.
• Ascertain the project relevance and sustainability and the operational effectiveness and efficiency of the Cash Plus pilot including design, delivery, coordination/partnership, institutional capacity, and monitoring mechanisms.

TIMING

The contract will have a duration of 3 months.  The table in the TOR link below outlines the expected timing, working days and deliverables of the Cash Plus Pilot assessment. A chronogram will be established and agreed upon. 

•  TOR Cash Plus Pilot Project Assessment for TMS.pdf

IT System: The consultant will work with their own ICT equipment.

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s) in social studies and research, M&E, Public Policy and/or Administration, Social Sciences or other related field. 
• Minimum of three (03) years with a Master’s degree, or five (05) years with a Bachelor’s degree of professional work experience is required.
• At least three (03) years' progressively responsible experience in the design and implementation of similar assessments.
• Knowledge of social protection and cash transfer programmes
• Previous experience in managing research/assessments;
• Previous relevant experience with the United Nations, is an asset,
• Experience in interacting with/coordinated work between government institutions, international cooperation and civil society,
• Ability to write high quality technical documents
• Excellent spoken and written English
• Other qualifications/experiences as relevant to the areas of service identified in the TOR linked above. 

How to Apply

Prospective consultants should apply through UNICEF jobs website No later than 19th March 2023. The application package should include the following:

• A cover letter
• Detailed Curriculum Vitae
• An all-inclusive financial proposal with a detailed budget inclusive of estimated travel costs.

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.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

 UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

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 be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. 

Remarks:  

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

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.