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Consultancy Title: Field-based Consultant in Minsk – Expert support for monitoring and reporting on programme implementation in the Minsk city (National, Belarus)

Section/Division/Duty Station: Child Protection section, UNICEF Belarus CO

Duration: October 2024 – October 2025 (about 12 months)

Home/ office Based: Remote/Home-based

About UNICEF

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world’s leading children’s rights organization would like to hear from you. Over 75 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children’s survival, protection and development. UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and abuse. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations, and governments.

BACKGROUND

Safe and Enabling Environment at School. The purpose of this consultancy is to coordinate implementation of UNICEF projects on promotion of safe environment in schools (SEES) and in prevention of violence against children (VAC) in digital space. VAC prevention is one of the global priorities for UNICEF and a crucial part of programme intervention in Belarus (including Country Development Programme for 2021-2025, National Plan of actions in child protection, State programme on health, etc.).

In Belarus, as in other countries, peer violence in schools, institutions and communities is widespread. In a 2017 UNICEF survey^[1], bullying by peers or older children was reported by 60.1% of 5th-7th graders from secondary schools and 82.1% of 5th-7th graders from residential care institutions. Furthermore, children, from all age groups and in every setting, lack knowledge on what constitutes violence against them, including but not limited to physical, psychological/emotional, sexual abuse and child neglect.

The nature of bullying has changed too with extensive use of the internet.  According to a UNICEF 2018 online safety survey[2], every third (30%) child and adolescent have been insulted or humiliated on the Internet, of them more than half (54%) did not discuss it with their parents.

UNICEF has partnered with key stakeholders to strengthen system responses and introduced “Safe and Enabling Environments in Schools” Programme that contributes to reduction of VAC, especially peer violence in 40 Belarusian schools located across the country. The SEES model envisages the engagement of parents and creation of enabling environments in the local communities where schools are located.

Online consultation platform for victims of cyberviolence, Kidspomogut.by

To address VAC in digital space in 2024 UNICEF together with the Minsk City Executive Committee re-launched a specialized web-site www. kidspomogut.by, a core component of which is online counselling service for children – victims and witnesses of online sexual exploitation or cyberviolence.

Considering that violence threatens not only children’s survival and health, but also their emotional well-being and future prospects, UNICEF Belarus supports the Government to develop comprehensive responses that focus on prevention of VAC and strengthening support services for child victims of violence and abuse.

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

The consultant will provide technical support for  the implementation of projects’ activities within contracts concluded with the Belarusian State Pedagogical University (BSPU) and facilitate discussions on cybersafety.

Scope of Work:

Support Child Protection team in implementing the projects aimed to strengthen VAC prevention mechanisms and promote psychological wellbeing in school settings and in a cyber space.

• Support with technical expertise to implementation of the SEES project: collect and analyze data, work out modality of interaction of key stakeholders on bullying prevention (cluster model) arrange technical meetings, and programme visits, facilitate preparation for and monitor implementation of the information campaign in piloting communities.
• Monitor information campaign to promote kidspomogut.by in Minsk city.

Supervision and collaboration with other sections:

The consultant will be working under direct supervision of Child Protection Specialist.

Travel Requirements:

Travel to regions for program visits and monitoring is expected at least 2 to 7 working days per month. Monthly travel plan will be discussed and agreed with the supervisor and relevant sections.

Support and Training:

It is expected that consultant will undergo orientation sessions with Child Protection and Communications Teams, as well as obliged to familiarize and know well such documents as Core Commitments for Children in Emergencies, Guidance on Social Media Use, Methodological Note on SBC Indicators

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables / Delivery Deadline:

Travel (if required as per TOR):

Local travels within Belarus are expected within this TOR

Qualifications

 Education:

• Bachelors University degree in Psychology, Social work, Pedagogical backgrounds, or relevant social sciences

Work experience/Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• More than 5 years of practical experience in project management and monitoring implementation at the local level
• Experience of facilitation of the dialog with the local authorities on the project implementation.
• Experience of work with UN entities in Belarus is an advantage;
• Availability to perform the ToR requirements and meet deadlines;
• Experience in interaction with state and international organizations, social service systems
• Strong managerial and organizational skills
• Fluency in local and Russian languages is a must, and a good knowledge of English will be a significant plus
• Strong skills in field monitoring, data collection, and data analysis. Experience in using monitoring and evaluation tools and methods.

Competency:

• Knowledge and understanding of child protection issues, child rights, and relevant international conventions and guidelines related to children’s right and wellbeing.
• Cultural sensitivity, flexibility, adaptability, and ability to work under challenging and rapidly changing circumstances.
• Upholding high ethical standards, particularly in relation to child protection and vulnerable populations.
• Proficiency in standard office software (e.g., Microsoft Word, Excel, Google Forms)

Requirements: 

Completed profile in UNICEF’s e-Recruitment system and

• Interested applicants should provide a letter of interest (Cover Letter) describing how they can contribute to the interventions listed under roles and responsibilities and why they should be selected for this position. In addition, they should share their latest CV/Resume and financial proposal to undertake this job.
• Samples of the related job/tasks done/portfolio.
• Upload copy of academic credentials
• Financial proposal should be submitted using the financial offer template  Financial Offer template_Field-based Consultant in Minsk.docx and must:
  • Reflect the costs per each deliverable and the total lump-sum for the whole assignment period (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference.
  • Include travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR. Consultants are responsible for arranging their own transportation arrangements. UNICEF can provide office vehicle for some duty travel missions with prior agreement as per monthly travel plan approved by the supervisor.
  • Include any other costs: health insurance, payment of an incidental expenditure (such as bank charges, insurances, etc.) and living costs as applicable.
• Indicate your availability.
• Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

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

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: 

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.