National Senior Consultant for Assessment of the Alternative Care System in Rwanda, Kigali, 60 Working Days (Rwandan Only) at United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF): (Deadline 21 April 2024)

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, Advocate.

To learn more about UNICEF career and the work in Rwanda, please visit the country website https://unicef.sharepoint.com/sites/RWA/ or watch this video about UNICEF work in Rwanda: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7B91m5Yzoc and UNICEF Careers | UNICEF Careers.

How can you make a difference?

1. Background: 

Following the enactment of the National Child Care Reform Strategy in 2012 that focused on transitioning children from institutional care to community-based care, and second phase of the Tubarerere Mu Muryango (TMM) (2019-2024) that prioritized deinstitutionalization of children with disabilities, Rwanda has seen robust progress in its deinstitutionalization efforts, as part of the broader alternative care landscape in Rwanda. The National Child Development Agency (NCDA) plays the leading role in formulating policy and action for children with inadequate or without parental care, or those at-risk of family separation. As the focus shifts to look at the future of care reform and building of sustainable long-term alternative care structures, there is a recognized need to take stock of the current reform landscape to develop a comprehensive, integrated national framework for alternative care in Rwanda.

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

The purpose of this assignment is to conduct an assessment of the current alternative care system in Rwanda. This assessment should map and analyze the legal and policy framework, as well as the practice, implementation mechanisms (national, district and community levels), coordination and service provision in the alternative care space in Rwanda. In addition, it is important that the assessment also identifies the needs of children in the alternative care system to be able to develop a responsive alternative care framework derived from the needs of children, and that works to prevent family separation as well within the community. Based on this assessment, an integrated alternative framework would be developed that aims to ensure children with inadequate or with no parental care, and children at-risk of separation from their families, have access to strong alternative care options that serve the best interest of every child. By analyzing the current framework and practice of care and supporting structures and processes available to children and families, the intended outcome of the assessment is to support the development of national guidelines for alternative care, leading to a review/updating of the national strategy on child care reform to be inclusive of alternative care broadly.

The following key aspects should be considered as part of the assignment:

• What are the available alternative care options, (including strengths, capacities and gaps) for all children (including children with disabilities) under the law, policy and practice including their implementation mechanisms.
• An understanding of the needs of children in the alternative care system, to be able to build a responsive mechanism that is based on children’s needs. The national mechanisms available to support the alternative care process, including coordination mechanisms between key stakeholders, and how they are activated.
• If there is a required revision of the National Strategy on Care Reform to align with developments within the alternative care system.
• To understand how the alternative care is embedded within the overall child protection system, and assess the level of involvement and accountability of key government Institutions, including NCDA, other Government line Ministries, and the courts. in the gatekeeping mechanisms including for placement and exit processes.
• Available prevention strategies and support services (including strengths, capacities and gaps) to help families stay together whenever possible, including poverty alleviation, parenting support, and community-based interventions.
• Assessment of strategies to support children’s transition into and out of alternative care into permanency including reintegration with their biological families when feasible.

Key Tasks: 

The specific objectives and expected results of the assignment as given below:

• To assess the current alternative care landscape across Rwanda, including supporting structures, to have a better understanding of available structure, processes and guiding frameworks.
• To understand the needs of children in the alternative care system and make sure the framework is responsive to those needs.
• To conduct a strength and gap analysis, including accessibility barriers, on required reforms based on needs of children and families and available support resources, to be able to provide a detailed roadmap with milestones for future reform.
• Develop operational guidelines for use by relevant stakeholders and the Government on alternative care processes.
• Develop recommendations for the revision/update of the National Care Reform Strategy.

Key Deliverables:

• Deliver an inception Report with clear proposed outline for each deliverable.
• Deliver Assessment Report with Recommendations.
• Final report validated report.
• Deliver Draft Alternative Care Guidelines.
• Deliver final 5 validated alternative care guidelines.

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

• Master’s degree in social sciences, Development Studies, International Relations, Human Rights
• A minimum of 8 years of experience in relevant fields.
• Experience in conducting assessments of national systems.
• Experience in child protection, child rights, and/or care reform.
• Understanding of Rwandan legislation and the child rights landscape.
• Experience in drafting high-level policy briefs.

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.