Technical Consultant for Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion Studies contributing to Education Sector Analysis and Planning in the Pacific Islands countries, 12 months.

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, education. 

We operate in the Pacific, specifically in the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. These 14 Pacific islands countries are home to 2.3 million people, including 1.2 million children and youth. They inhabit more than 660 islands and atolls that stretch across 17.2 million square kilometers of the Pacific Ocean. This area is comparable to the combined size of the United States of America and Canada. Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu are classified as Fragile States according to World Bank/OECD criteria. 

All 14 Pacific Island countries and territories have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. However, only a third are on track with reporting obligations. You can explore the different areas of our work at the link provided here: www.unicef.org/pacificislands.

Background of Assignment:  

UNICEF Pacific is actively supporting Pacific Island countries and territories with the development of evidence based, gender responsive, risk informed education sector plans for quality, inclusive education. A GEDSI education is part of a comprehensive response to ensure that all children, adolescents and young people have continuous, safe and equal access to learning in all contexts. It is an approach that seeks to address and respond to the diverse needs of all learners.  

This terms of reference outlines the expected support in 6 countries (Fiji, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) to undertake a mixed methodology study and complete a report per country on GEDSI as part of sector analysis with findings and recommendations to inform the next education sector plan in each country, and/or to strengthen existing and/or planned education programmes in countries that already have recent education sector plan developed. Each country has specific lenses of emphasis for their own study although gender, disability and remote student groups are identified by all as multiple and overlapping factors that have an enormous impact on a child, adolescent and young person’s access, participation, retention, and learning outcomes.  

How can you make a difference?  

The Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) TA is expected to contribute to the education sector analysis and development of new national education sector plans by bringing perspectives on gender, equity, disability and social inclusion into the analysis and development process in the Pacific Islands countries. 

Levels of awareness vary considerably within each country, and it is the GEDSI TA’s responsibility to prepare an analysis of GEDSI issues that will support preparation of each new education sector plan and/or its implementation and support each Ministry/Department to ensure that GEDSI issues are reflected in goals, outcomes and strategies across each plan and identifies approaches to implementation. 

Specific tasks  

To conduct a detailed GEDSI study for each country that covers the following elements (as feasible based on available data/documentation (see details in the Annex), all with an equity-focused gender, disability and inclusion lens, and covering the full education sector (early childhood, primary and secondary, including learning pathways and “pre-tertiary” TVET) as well as transitions to further study, work and life after schooling that are impacted by wider social influences: 

• Assessment of the enabling environment; 
• Assessment of data and evidence;  
• Assessment of the education sector;  
• Assessment of the specific challenges, barriers and opportunities for gender equality, disability and inclusion in education and transitions thereafter;  
• Assessment of the institutional capacity to address gender equality, disability and inclusion in education; and  
• Assessment of service delivery for children and adolescents with disabilities.  

The GEDSI study will involve analysing existing documents (including relevant plans/reform strategies) and quantitative and qualitative data at national and Pacific regional levels (including on Pacific Data Hub, UNICEF sitans, PacREF documents, MICS EAGLE, etc.) as well as primary data collected through interviews with diverse stakeholders, including those with expertise on gender, disability and inclusion. 

The GEDSI study should be designed under the leadership of and with full ownership of each country, and in full coordination with the Education Sector Analysis (ESA) and planning processes. Every attempt should be made to engage with partners and stakeholders with GEDSI related elements in their work that more broadly contribute to the education sector. The GEDSI study for each country should serve as a standalone document but should also be designed for comprehensive coverage of GEDSI issues across the ESA and to be integrated therein.  

In addition to the above elements, specific research tasks or approaches are to be carried out for each country as part of the study, based on their specific areas of interest (as outlined below).  

For each country, the process is expected to start with inception phase with desk review, initial consultations and inception report outlining the agreed methodology and timeline. As throughout the process, this would be fully led and owned by the government agency, as would the subsequent steps to implement the study, expected to include:  

• detailed analysis of existing data and analysis as well as additional data collection as outlined in the inception report;  
• development of a draft report drawing on and validated through in-country consultations with the national agency, partners and stakeholders;  
• preparation of a final report, presentation and brief, including key barriers and opportunities for GEDSI as well as co-designed country-specific recommended actions with a clear rationale for their prioritization in the education sector plan and the feasibility of their implementation; and the review of the draft ESA/ESP (once available) to ensure GEDSI issues are comprehensively addressed throughout. 

Proposed start date 1 April 2024 upon the issuance of the contract.  

Supervision will be provided by the Education Specialist from the Pacific Multi-Country Office in Suva.  

Please refer to the ToR  TOR MCP – Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) Studies.pdf for further information on the deliverables and the timelines. 

GUIDANCE FOR APPLICANTS:  

This vacancy is for an individual consultant only. Candidates are requested to submit a brief technical proposal (2-page) and CV. The technical/financial proposal should specifically identify which country/countries are included.  

The financial proposal should reflect a lump sum amount for all the deliverables and should show a break down for the following:  

• Monthly/Daily consultancy fees – based on the deliverables in the Terms of Reference above. 
• Travel (economy air ticket where air travel is applicable) to take up assignment plus field mission travel.  
• Living allowance/per diem where travel is required.  
• Miscellaneous- to cover visa, health insurance (including medical evacuation for international consultants), communications, and other costs. 

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

Education:   

• Master’s degree in social sciences, education, gender, psychology. 

Experience, Skills and Language:   

• Working with and advocating for GEDIS issues in education. 
• Proven experience and expertise in inclusive education, policy and practice (at least 8 years).  
• Demonstrated experience working with Ministries of Education, other relevant ministries and development partners.  
• Strong writing and analytical skills and GEDSI report writing experience.  
• Proven experience in developing GEDSI strategies and interventions in the education field, including M&E of the same.  
• Proven ability to work with a team of experts and stakeholders, including government and non-government bodies.  
• Previous relevant work experience in Pacific contexts will be well regarded.  
• Experience in working with UNICEF, other UN agency or regional organization preferred.  
• Excellent spoken and written English language skills.  

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. 

Remarks:   

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.  

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.  

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