Senior consultant to conduct a mid-point assessment of project performance and generate other documentation for knowledge sharing, challenges, and future engagements, Kigali Rwanda, 20 days (Home based) – For Nationals & Internationals based in Rwanda at UNICEF – United Nations Children’s Fund: (Deadline 22 July 2023)

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, Development

To learn more about UNICEF 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

How can you make a difference?

Background:

Coverage of ECD services in Rwanda remains low in Rwanda due to limited funding, limited infrastructure and compatible ECD spaces, as well as lower levels of community and family awareness, among other challenges. The latest Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) 2019/20 has reported that only 24% of children aged 24-59 months are attending organized early learning programmes, which increased from 13% (NISR, DHS 2014/15). The Government intends to scale up children’s access to ECD services to 45% by 2024. While the proportion of children who are developmentally on track in terms of literacy-numeracy, physical, social-emotional, and learning domains has increased from 63% (DHS 2014/15) to 76% (DHS 2019/20), nearly one-fourth (24%) of children are at risk of not attaining their developmental potential if no further interventions are made by the Government or other key stakeholders. Children under 5 years of age still experience inadequate care. Data shows that 28% of children under 5 are either left alone or left in the care of another child younger than 10 years. Home environments do not offer much support for early learning and stimulation for young children as only 36% of children aged 0-59 months engage with an adult household member in four or more activities that promote learning and school readiness. Only 2% of children under age 5 have access to three or more children’s books in the household (DHS, 2019/20).

UNICEF in partnership with the National Child Development Agency (NCDA) received funding from ELMA Philanthropies to strengthen ECD programming in Rwanda through three broad areas of intervention namely: (i) support the GoR in its efforts to develop an integrated ECD financing framework to accelerate progress towards the National Strategy for Transformation (NST1) and SDG implementation (output 1); (ii) strengthen institutional capacities (human, systems, and tools) to plan, budget, monitor, and accelerate the delivery of integrated ECD services (output 2); and (iii) strengthen the enabling environment to promote more public and private investments in ECD services. It was agreed in this partnership to conduct result assessments for understanding the progress and these analyses (midpoints and end points assessments) will provide critical information on the contribution of this programme to strengthen ECD financing and access to ECD services.

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

The purpose of this assignment is mainly:

1. Review progress in the implementation of the project work plan at the end of Year 1 and identify challenges or bottlenecks
2. Facilitate consultations with partners to understand how the interventions identified/implemented in Year 1 have contributed to strengthening the ECD financing framework in Rwanda
3. Document recent developments in the ECD policy and institutional context
4. Inform any adjustments required in the work plan for Year 2 to ensure the attainment of project results.

Scope of Work:

The midpoint assessment will focus on assessing the programme performance in Year 1 based on its result framework and programme targets, looking at the programme relevance and effectiveness with the view to ascertaining the programme is on the right track and able to achieve the intended results.

The mid-point assessment will be carried out in the last month of Year 1 to take stock of progress and inform of any adjustments required in the work plan for Year 2.

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks/Milestone:

• Develop a simple Inception Report with a Methodology
• Present a draft report to key stakeholders following desk review and consultations
• Mid-point assessment of the project including recommendations on adjustments to be made in year 2 final report

Deliverables/Outputs & Payments:

Payment 1: 20%

1. Inception Report

Payment 2: 40%

2. Mid-point assessment report (draft) and PowerPoint presentation

Payment 3: 40%

3. Mid-point assessment report (final)

Duration and Duty Location

This  consultancy will be for 20 working days within 2 months, and the Consultant must be living in Rwanda . The consultancy is home based.

Selection Criteria

Applications shall be assessed based on their technical and financial proposals. Maximum scores for technical and financial applications will be 75% and 25%, respectively.

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Social Sciences, Development Studies, Economics and any other related discipline.
• Must have proven experience in producing analytical write-ups on development programmes or projects.
• At least 10 years of working experience in the analysis of social issues, preferably on children and in national and international environments (previous experience with mid-term reviews of institutional strengthening programmes).
• Demonstrate knowledge and experience with the application of the Human Rights-based Approach to Programming (HRBAP), an understanding of gender analysis and other relevant frameworks, ability to conduct equity-focused research and analysis.
• Strong facilitation skills and excellent English language writing skills.
• Knowledge of Kinyarwanda will be an added advantage.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

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 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: 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy 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. Consultants 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.

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