Senior consultant to Conduct an assessment and develop operational manual of Social Protection categorical grants (including disability grant, old age grant and child grant), Kigali – Rwanda, 3 months, remotely ( For Internationals Only) UNICEF at United Nations Children’s Fund: (Deadline 7 December 2022)

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1. Background:

Rwanda’s interest in the transition of its social protection system towards a lifecycle approach was first set out in the Social Protection Policy of 2005 in the management of more or less predictable events related to the human condition and to lifecycle, defined as “social risk.”  This concept is reiterated in the Social Protection Policy (2020) which notes that improving the effectiveness of a social protection system “tends to lead social protection systems to be shaped to address the root causes of poverty by addressing the risks and challenges associated with different stages of the lifecycle” (page 22.) Specifically, Rwanda’s Vision 2050 recognises the following universal, lifecycle entitlements for all Rwandans (i) A child benefit that will enable all families to meet their children’s basic needs, and all children have a good start in life (ii) Disability benefits, supporting all persons with disabilities and their caregivers to meet their basic needs and guarantees minimum income security and (iii) Income security in old age, through either a contributory or tax-financed pension that together provide all older persons with old age benefits.

Rwanda’s flagship social protection programme – the Vision Umurenge Programme (VUP) – launched in 2008 was built on direct income support transfers to the household through public works and a direct support component for households where no-one can work.  In Fiscal Year 2019/20 VUP introduced it’s first direct income support grant targeted at individuals rather than households in the Nutrition Sensitive Direct Support grant, paid to poor women during pregnancy and up to the child’s second birthday.   In 2021 the VUP Programme design was amended to include provision for an old age grant, a disability grant and a child grant targeted on individuals rather than households on a non-contributory basis. Collectively these are referred to as “categorical grants” although they will, in the first instance be poverty targeted.   This assignment is intended to develop guidelines for the operationalization of these three grants outlined in the VUP Programme Document which was approved by Cabinet on 11^th November 2022.

2. Justification:

Rwanda’s headline target for its social protection sector is to “Eradicate extreme poverty by June 2024” as set out in the National Strategy for Transformation (2017-2024).   The impact of Covid-19 has placed the achievement of this target in doubt, however Rwanda continues to push forward with evolutions in its social protection sector achieve this target.

These categorical grants will be components of VUP. VUP therefore needs operational guidelines for how these categorical grants can be implemented to make them effective instruments to address the poverty needs and vulnerabilities of people within each target group.   The assignment also needs to ensure that remaining members of poor or extremely poor households not covered by categorical grants can continue to receive sufficient social protection benefits which will allow them to improve their living standards and exit poverty “leave no-one behind.”

3. Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

The consultant will work with the Local Administrative Entities Development Agency (LODA) which owns VUP, with the Ministry of Local Government (MINALOC) where social protection policy is set and managed, with UNICEF, which is funding the assignment, with technical advisors providing support in this area and other agencies and development partners contributing to the social protection sector.  The consultant will be expected to understand the environment within which these grants will be implemented and the capacity of those implementing them.  Discussions with Local Government are therefore required.

Phase 1

The consultant will carry out a desk review of current literature, considering existing Government policy in this area, the outline approach set out in the revised VUP Programme Document and supporting documents which will inform the development of the operational guidelines.   This part of the assignment will incorporate relevant experience from other countries which have or are in the process of transitioning to a lifecycle approach to social protection.  The outputs from this phase will be an inception report which will include reasoned advice to Government on the introduction of categorical grants, and a workplan for the assignment.

Phase 2

The assignment will then carry out primary research to define the needs of each target group and how their needs can be best addressed.  This part of the assignment will address the following issues in operational guidelines which set out the methodology for planning and implementing the Grants:

• Establishment of the purpose of each categorical grant and arising from this appropriate transfers values for each categorical grant.  This work should explore through international experience and local evidence whether a single transfer grant for each grant is sufficient or whether a “sliding scale” of transfers values is needed within each target group, e.g. to address different levels of disability or different needs as increases;
• Establishment of effective targeting systems to identify eligible people within each target group.  This part of the work will take into account existing and evolving systems which are used to manage social protection clients including inter alia LODA’s “Monitoring and Evaluation Information System” and the “Social Registry” which is under development and a new system also under development which is being developed by the National Council for People with Disabilities;
• Establishment of payment systems.  This part of the work will take into account the physical capabilities of the target groups for each categorical grant to ensure that they receive their due entitlement;
• A proposal for how direct income support paid to households and direct income support paid to individuals within these target groups will be managed simultaneously. This part of the work will take into account the different household demographics to ensure that households are not overpaid but nor are they left in need.
• Submission of draft operational guidelines. To be completed by 15^th February 2023As noted above VUP targets primarily households.  However, the Government of Rwanda has other programmes which target individuals – for example Genocide Survivors and demobilised soldiers – and whilst these programmes are not directly covered by the assignment the consultant needs to ensure that the recommendations from this assignment do not create perverse incentives in other programmes.The output from this phase will be operational guidelines for each of these three categorical grants, in a format which is consistent with the structure of VUP’s other operational guidelines and which can be integrated into consolidated guidelines for “Direct Income Support” under VUP. The consultant will present and discuss drafts with key stakeholders prior to completing Phase 2.Phase 3

  Under this phase of the assignment the consultant will present the final draft to Government stakeholders and will respond to comments to finalize the outputs.  The final output will include the operational guidelines but will also contain relevant observations and recommendations for the future evolution of the lifecycle approach in Rwanda.

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks/Milestone:

Phase 1: Preparation of an inception phase

Phase 2: Drafting of operational guidelines

Phase 3: Finalization of operational guidelines

Deliverables/Outputs:

Payment 1: 25%

• Submission of inception report (including desk review, methodology and workplan). To be completed by 31^st December 2022.

Payment 2: 45%

• Submission of draft operational guidelines. To be completed by 15^th February 2023

Payment 3: 30%

• Final PowerPoint presentation. To be completed by 28^th February 2023
• Final guidelines incorporating stakeholder feedback. To be completed by 28^th February 2023
• Report with observations and recommendations for the future evolution of the lifecycle approach in Rwanda. To be completed by 28^th February 2023

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Economics, Rural Development, Development studies, Management, Development Policy, Business Administration, and International development
• At least 15 years of relevant work experience in policy design and analysis in the fields of social protection, social development, and strategy development.
• Knowledge of social protection systems and in particular the lifecycle approach
• Detailed knowledge of the social protection sector in Rwanda
• Excellent knowledge of the implementation of social protection programmes in Rwanda, ideally including VUP
• Experience of developing procedural manuals and documenting business processes
• Good understanding of Rwandan context is an asset
• Strong analytical and writing skills
• Ability to produce deliverables in due time and with quality standards
• Proficiency in English English is required. Knowledge of French 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/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.

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