The Position:

The consultancy serves two primary purposes:

1. To conduct a scoping review examining the existing body of evidence, as well as the cumulative and mediated effects of climate change on child marriage in Bangladesh.

2. To facilitate discussions on the intersection of child marriage and climate change at the thematic session during the national conference on child marriage.

1. Bangladesh is recognized for its extreme climate vulnerability to climate change and has the fourth highest rate of child marriage globally, despite its significant social progress in other areas. In that context, Bangladesh is prominently featured in scoping and systematic reviews that explores the links between climate change and child, early, and forced marriage. For instance, a 2023 systematic review of the global evidence base highlighted that out of 24 studies, 8 were based in Bangladesh. These studies reveal significant gaps, primarily due to the significant reliance on somewhat limited secondary data concerning both climate variable and child marriage.

The majority of rigorous studies pass standards of rigor for inclusion in systematic reviews typically focus on extreme weather events as shocks and their impacts on child marriage. This focus is largely dictated by the availability of data but consequently overlooks several critical areas that require further exploration.

Research gaps and areas of inquiry:

– Impacts of climate change on child marriage: Various conceptual models and frameworks suggest that the cumulative effects of climate change may have enduring social impacts that directly and indirectly affect child marriage. These effects accumulate incrementally over time. It is critical to recognize that the influence of climate change extends beyond sudden onset shocks, affecting child marriage through long depletion of livelihoods options, impacts on poverty, displacement and migration, health impacts during early childhood and young adulthood, prospect for education, and social and political stability.

– Mediated Effects of Child Marriage could include:
● Livelihoods– There is growing evidence that coastal effects such as sea level rise, soil and water salinity, and erosion have long-term impacts on livelihoods.
● Migration and Urbanization—Migration as a coping mechanism or diversification of livelihood opportunities.
● Poverty and Displacement—The broader socioeconomic impacts of displacement.
● Health: How climate impacts mediate health outcomes
● Prospects for education—The link between climate change, displacement, and access to education.
● Social and Political instability—How environmental stress contributes to instability.
● Violence and Insecurity-The increase in violence and insecurity due to climatic stressors.

Methodological note:
To explore these pathways, it is essential to link national surveys such as the DHS and MICS with climate data available through global databases such as the Local Climatological Data (1…). This approach will facilitate the exploration of the long term effects of climate change by utilizing these extensive data sources over extended periods. Although such integrative efforts have been limited so far, there is substantial potential for future research in this area.

2. In October 2024, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in partnership with UNICEF and the Government of Bangladesh, will convene the country’s first-ever national conference on accelerating the reduction of child marriage in Bangladesh. This conference will bring together government leaders, civil society organizations, private sector and development partners, academia, young people, representatives from various UN agencies and convene substantive discussions centered on latest data, evidence, and innovative, and effectives programmes targeting the acceleration of reduction of child marriage.

The agenda will feature critical discussions on the role of education sector in ending child marriage, the utilization of social protection schemes, Sexual and reproductive health and rights services and information and adolescent empowerment programmes. Collaboration and engagement strategies with civil society organizations, the impact of megatrends such as migration, climate change, and urbanization on child marriage will also be explored. Furthermore, the conference will delve into the examination of social norms and behavioral change, and the roles of laws and legal frameworks in ending child marriage.

Through this conference, UNFPA aims to enhance the visibility of child marriage in the political and societal discourse, contribute to national effort promoting evidence-based programming, and broaden the scope and breadth of knowledge. It intends to provide a dynamic platform for dialogue and to secure political, financial, and societal
support for ending child marriage. Climate change will be one of the key themes.

The consultant will work under the supervision of the Programme Specialist, A&Y.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

You would be responsible for:

Roles and responsibility as part of Task 1:
1. Literature review- Conduct a comprehensive literature review to identify and analyse existing research on the effects of climate change and their relationship to child marriage and identify gaps;
2. Data collation and analysis; Synthesis secondary data and analyse data trends
3. Report writing: Compile findings into a scoping review, summarising key data, trends, and insights and provide evidence based recommendations for policy and research interventions

Roles and responsibility as part of Task 2:
1. Strategic planning: Develop and define strategic objectives for the conference sessions, in particular the session on climate change. design an agenda that includes plenary sessions, breakout groups tailored to achieve the conference objectives.
2. Agenda setting and expert selection.
3. Implementation of thematic discussion on climate change and child marriage
4. Preparation of recommendations into COP process through participating NGOs and Governments

Qualifications and Experience:

• PHD degree in Sociology, Demography, Economics,
• A minimum of 20 years of proven experience in conducting research related to demographic, social policy, public health, child marriage, and climate change.
• Exceptional organisational and leadership skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Strong analytical skills with a capacity to interpret complex data and translate tasks simultaneously.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with proficiency in crafting clear and persuasive content.
• Ability to engage effectively with diverse groups including government entities, NGOs, academics and community representatives.

Grade: P4

Duration and working schedule:

This consultancy will be for 40 working days and will commence in June 2024 and will end on November 30, 2024.

Task 1- 20 working days
Task 2- 20 working days

Place where services are to be delivered:

The services are to be delivered to the UNFPA Country Office. All versions of the final documents should be delivered in electronic format, using Microsoft Word.

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy etc.):

All versions of the final documents should be delivered in electronic format, proofread, and spell-checked using the appropriate software, together with one hard copy to the UNFPA Office if possible. The quality of the deliverables will be evaluated by the Programme Specialist, A&Y.

Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:

The consultant will work closely with the Programme Analyst – Adolescent and Youth/Child Marriage, the Programme Officer-Adolescents and Child Marriage of A&Y Unit, Climate change analyst, in carrying out the duties detailed above.
The consultant will provide written updates on a regular basis and organise online meetings to share work updates, needs and challenges as needed.

Expected travel:

The consultant is expected to travel to Bangladesh and UNFPA will pay travel and DSA as per standard UN policy and procedure.

Inputs/services to be provided by UNFPA:

The Consultant will be responsible for arranging his/her own computer and other working aid equipment.

Payment Instruction:

As per the UNFPA policy and procedure, and as per a contract based on the payment by deliverables, the payments for this consultancy will be made as follows:
● 30% upon delivery of inception report that include agenda of the conference and the framework of the scoping review
● 70% upon submission of the final deliverables

Compensation and Benefits:

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA’s workforce – click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts.

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.