Consultancy, Case Studies of Good Practice for Supporting Children Affected by Human Mobility in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico, LAC Regional Office, Panama City, Panama [4 months]

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The UNICEF Latin America and Caribbean Regional Office is based in in Panama, operating in 36 territories, including 24 country offices.

UNICEF works to put the rights and well-being of the most disadvantaged children at the heart of the social, political, and economic agenda, in line with our equity focus, working across our organization and with our partners in government, civil society and the private sector to support shifts in public policy, fuel social engagement, and increase investment for children.

For information of the work of our organization in the LAC Region, please visit our website: UNICEF LAC Region

For every child, justice

Children are on the move throughout Latin America and the Caribbean and UNICEF is working with them in communities of origin, when they are in transit, reach their destination and when they return. Programmes are implemented with government and other partners to address violence, to support registration, with reception centres, care facilities, education and health care, legal support, psychosocial support, social security and to facilitate cross border collaboration, among others. The responses have been along the migration routes and within country responses. It includes Nexus programming crossing the development and humanitarian contexts.

An evaluation of the interventions related to the protection of children and adolescents affected by human mobility processes in the northern triangle of Central America {NTCA) and Mexico was finalized in 2021. It stated that “UNICEF interventions developed within the framework of COM [children on the move] in NTCA countries and Mexico respond to the protection needs of children at risk or vulnerable, due to mobility situations. They align with the recommendations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child and SDGs 3, 4, 5, 10 and 16. In addition, (i) they respond to national priorities, (ii) they are consistent with the commitments made by States in the framework of the Regional Conference on Migration; (iii) respond to COM’s UNICEF’s Six Policies Asks; (iv) are aligned with the joint results framework {2017) of the NTCA COs (country offices), (v) from different approaches and according to their contexts, in all cases they are aligned with the objectives of the country programs. (UNICEF.2021).

“The evaluation detected a very wide range of good practices which facilitated the achievement of objectives. Practices, generalizable to the four countries, including: (i) the flexibility of global COM favourable for the adaptation of interventions to their contexts, and expand their scope; (ii) the strategy of strengthening protection systems and including children in migration situations, with a municipal or community approach guaranteeing local relevance; and, (iii) the parallel and complementary implementation of interventions that respond to a logic of working from above (upstream) and from below (downstream), based on the strategic advocacy that created favourable environments for implementation and appropriation” (UNICEF/Nexus, 2021).”

In order to deepen the understandings identified in this previous work (UNICEF/Nexus, 2021), it is proposed to document four good and promising practices related to the protection and care of children on the move.

How can you make a difference?

Purpose of the Assignment

Under the direct supervision of the Child Protection Specialist [Migration], and overall guidance of the LAC Regional Adviser, Child Protection, the purpose of this assignment is to prepare a compendium of case studies on UNICEF programmes for care and protection on children on the move in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico. These case studies will be of a UNICEF intervention and may also be joint or have an articulate link with a UNHCR programme. The document will be used to share experiences within the region and globally, both within and outside of UNICEF. The audience will include a technical child protection audience, however, primarily will be for a non-technical child protection audience.

A case study systematizes over a period of time one or several experiences or processes, their critical moments, actors and context in order to explore their causes, and to understand why the experience/s or process/sunder experience(s) or process(es) under study developed as it did, obtained the results it did, and what aspects deserve particular attention in the future. In this way external actors can understand what happened and learn from that experience or process (IDB.2011).

Each case study will focus on one specific programming intervention that was implemented in the countries included in this TORs to support children on the move. It will be a ‘good’ or ‘promising’ practice as recognized in the evaluation, and also as recognized by the UNICEF teams or UNHCR-UNICEF teams in the field. Recognizing the systems approach, the case studies will have some articulation of the context and the connections with other services and actors. The expectation is that the compendium will have at least four case studies and cover more than one type of intervention. Within the types of interventions transitory/ alternative care and psychosocial support will be two of them. The methodology for the selection and organisation of the case studies should consider if the case study is organised by intervention or by country. Each case study should be evidenced based and, as appropriate, include reference to the frameworks/ theories under which it was developed. It will include comments/ inputs from those who benefited from the intervention, particularly children and adolescents. The compendium would also include an introduction and conclusion.

Each Case Studies Report At Least Should Include The Following Sections

In the description and narrative is important to identify the importance of the intervention for child migrants and their family.

• Background and context description (situation, chronology)
• Cultural, social or political implications
• The problem (challenge)
• The response implemented (general perspective)
• How the response dealt with the challenge
• A specific description of the good or promissory practice for children on the move (a deep understanding of interactions, behaviours and actions implemented)
• Findings: progress and results obtained (evidence and changes) Conclusions.
• Lessons learned
• Recommendations

All deliverables must be in Spanish and English. The compendium is for a wide sharing with technical and nontechnical audiences and should be written in a style accessible by this audience.

A reference group will be defined by UNICEF to support the review of the reports and progress in this consultancy.

Specific Tasks

The Assignment Will Include

• A methodology for identifying the case studies and structuring the compendium. This should include the definition of what is considered as a good practice or a promising practice, the proposed outline of the compendium, and the proposed methodology to collect information. The methodology should consider key informant interviews including with UNICEF and/ or UNHCR staff and beneficiaries, as well as documents to be reviewed. The case studies should consider if it covers a theme in a country or a theme across countries, and potential theoretical frameworks. Each case study should include: Background and context description; cultural, social or political implications; discussion on the needs and response; results achieved, lessons learned and next steps.
• Draft Report. Once the practices that are considered good or promissory practices have been identified, gather the information as proposed in the methodology that places the practices in their context, considering as the positive changes that this practice has implied in the lives of children and adolescents, as well as any unintended consequences to complete a draft report.
• A final report that incorporates comments from the reference group.
• A webinar to share the cases and findings. This will be open to UNICEF and others. This space will be coordinated in its design and implementation with the regional UNICEF office.
  A reference group will be defined by UNICEF to support the review of the case studies and include representatives within and outside of UNICEF as well as representatives from the country offices.

  The draft and final report as well as the PowerPoint must be in Spanish and English.

  Expected Results
  

  • A draft report of 4 good practices related to protection and care children on the move in Central America.
  • A written final report and a webinar to share the cases studies and findings.

  Deliverables

  Methodology proposal.

  Duration: 5 working days, expected delivery date: 31 August 2022

  Draft case studies in Spanish and English.

  Duration: 35 working days, expected delivery date: 27 October 2022

  Final report, PowerPoint and webinar in Spanish and English.

  Duration: 13 working days, expected delivery date: 9 December 2022

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

  Education

  Advanced university degree in social sciences, international development or related fields; or directly related technical experience in combination with an academic background/ research.

  Experience
  

  • A minimum of 5 years professional working experience in the social sectors of international development cooperation or research with work in migration issues.
  • Proven experience in documenting good practices or similar process.
  • Practical work experience in Latin America and the Caribbean.

  Language Requirements: Fluency in English and Spanish is required.

  Other Skills And Attributes
  

  • Knowledge on children on the move interventions and programming, particularly in areas like psychosocial support, transitory/alternative care or violence including gender-based violence.
  • A good understanding of migration and migration responses in Latin America and the Caribbean, particularly as pertains to children.
  • Demonstrated excellent communication skills both verbal and written.
  • Demonstrated case study/report writing skills with examples of reports, guidelines or similar products previously elaborated.
  • Demonstrated ability to work virtually and establish virtual working relationships with many partners.
  • Able to work effectively in a multicultural environment.
  • Ability to clearly define objectives and plan activities.
  • Fluency with ICT tools such as email, Teams, Skype, Zoom.

  Supervision: The consultant will work under the supervision of Child Protection Specialist [Migration] and overall guidance the UNICEF LAC Regional Adviser, Child Protection.

  Workplace: This is a home-based remote consultancy. The consultant will need to provide his/her own premises, equipment, materials, tools and resources for this consultancy. The consultant will be required to have access to Teams/Skype/Zoom to facilitate the communication required during this assignment.

  Duration: this consultancy has an estimated duration of 4 months, and the expected start date is 8 August 2022.

  How to Apply: Application should be submitted online and should include: Resume, Cover Letter and Financial proposal. Qualified candidates are requested to submit daily and monthly fees in their financial proposal.

  For every Child, you demonstrate…

  UNICEF values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) and the following core competencies: Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness, Works Collaboratively with others, Builds and Maintains Partnerships, Innovates and Embraces Change, Thinks and Acts Strategically, Drive to achieve impactful results, and Manages ambiguity and complexity.

  To view our values and competency framework please visit the following links: Our Values and Our Competencies.

  UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply.

  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.

  UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/

  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.