International Consultant - Child Marriage Assessment

CLOSING DATE:    08/March/2022   
POST TITLE:    International Consultant – Child Marriage Assessment 
NUMBER OF POSITION(S):    1 (One)
CATEGORY:    Individual Consultant Contract (ICC)
DUTY STATION:    Home-based with travel to Kabul - Afghanistan 
DURATION:    2 (Two) months 

Purpose of the Consultancy    

This consultancy aims to produce a national data collection and analysis on Child Marriage in Afghanistan, Capturing trends in child marriage and new emerging contributing factors. The Consultant is expected to provide concrete strategic programmatic approaches and programme design recommendations based on a human rights-based approach. The analysis is expected to take a provenance-specific lens that captures different factors based on different geographical locations. All tools and data collection will be in line with safe and ethical data collection on GBV as well as with the strict adherence to GBV guiding principles and the survivor-centered approach.

Scope of Work:     

The Consultant will have to develop and submit an assessment on child marriage and child marriage programming in Afghanistan. The report should cover the following objectives: 
•    The conceptual framework for drivers of child marriage in Afghanistan includes unpacking drivers, root causes, and interlinked sectors 
•    Identify the perceived benefits and disadvantages of child marriage that communities hold
•    Identify the drivers and the implications of new defacto authorities in Afghanistan on child marriage prevention and response 
•    Identify any documented trends, and perceive risks related to child marriage since August 2021 
•    Identify contributing factors to changes in the rates of child marriage
•    Identify potential good practices in child marriage programming in Islamic Countries
•    Propose recommendations and entry points for child marriage programming in Afghanistan for 2022 and 2023 
•    Document best practices in preventing child marriage in different sectors such as education and health care services. 

Questions: 

The following questions are expected to be answered within this brief: 
•    What are the situation and trends of Child Marriage in Afghanistan?
•    What are the key drivers of child marriage in Afghanistan?
•    What are the perceived benefits and disadvantages of child marriage from the community's viewpoint?
•    What is the key impact of child marriage? From a socio-ecological perspective.
•    How have the recent changes in the country and the current defacto authorities affected the implementation of child marriage programs/activities?
•    What is the perceived description of child marriage since August 15, 2021?
•    What are the factors contributing to increasing or decreasing cases of child marriage? "with a provenance analysis lens."
a.    With the ability to highlight positive practices on how organizations successfully address early and forced marriages at the district/localized levels. 
•    How did UNFPA and UNICEF country offices and other actors, including CSO's, reprogram child marriage activities?  
•    Provide recommendations on how to adapt strategies for child marriage programming during this year.
•    What is the level of interaction that national counterparts and stakeholders have with UNFPA and UNICEF country offices in addressing child marriage?
b.    Including CPAN networks and reviewing engagements with Community leaders such as Shura's, as well as smaller grassroots CSOs, and local NGOs.
•    What are the different levels of responses to child marriage in Afghanistan prior to Aug 2021? Who are the key actors in child marriage response? What services related to prevention of and response to child marriage existed prior to August 2021, and what was the effect on the availability of and accessibility to these services? What programs and services should be sustained? 
•    Is there any emerging good practices in providing a response to child marriage that are identified? 
        
Methodology: 

The Consultant will conduct the analysis in Afghanistan considering different provincial levels. The following data collection methods are expected to be used to collect information: 
•    Desk review; 
•    Key informant interviews with service providers, local CSOs/partner organizations, women's groups, CPAN networks, adolescent boys and girls, etc. The interview is expected to be conducted nationwide depending on the location of the I.P.s of the organizations; 
•    FGDs and surveys. Adopting suitable approaches, whether FGDs or paper surveys or online surveys for WhatsApp polls or other virtual modalities with community male and female leaders, adolescent girl's religious leaders, and youth/SRHR focused organizations; 
•    In-depth interviews with HCT, ICCT, AND UNCT members involved in Child Marriage programming including UNFPA, UNICEF, ILO, UNHCR, and international organziation working on child protection and GBV; 
•    One-on-one semi-structured interviews with youth specialist/youth officer, Child Protection or GBV Specialist/ Gender Officer/ Humanitarian Officer in UNFPA and UNICEF country offices, as well as in identified CSO's/INGO.  

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered:

Monitoring & Progress Control:

•    The Consultant to do regular check-in calls and email on the progress or challenges while conducting the study for follow up with the UNFPA-UNICEF team following the above-mentioned deliverables and deadlines 

Supervisory Arrangements:

•    Youth Community Mobilization Specialist in close coordination with GBViE specialist. 

Place Where Services Are To Be Delivered:

•    This assignment is home-based, requiring travel to Afghanistan during fieldwork. UNFPA will coordinate the Consultant's travel. The Consultant will be working with 2 national consultants to ensure reach on the ground for data collection and provide the required translation

International Consultant Profile:    

Required Expertise, Qualifications, and Competencies, Including Language Requirements:

Education:

Advanced university degree or equivalent in public health, social sciences or other relevant field related to violence against children and women, especially in emergency context. 

Work Experience:

Minimum 7 years of progressive humanitarian experience, at least 2 of which should be field-based or in an emergency context.

Technical Knowledge: 

•    Strong knowledge of GBV in emergencies programming;  
•    Experience working with conflict-affected communities, including with children and communities; 
•    Experience working with other sectors on integration; 
•    Advanced training in qualitative methods and analysis
•    Ability to collect, collate, and analyze data efficiently and effectively; 
•    The analytical, methodical, and precise style of writing; 
•    Excellent interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills; 
•    Communicates effectively to varied audiences, including during formal public speaking; 
•    Sets high standards for quality of work and consistently achieves project goals; 
•    Able to work effectively in a multicultural environment; 
•    Demonstrates leadership or supervisory skills; coordinates group activities; experience in a leadership or supervisory role is an asset.  
•    Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships; 
•    Translates strategic direction into plans and objectives; 
•    Quickly builds rapport with individuals and groups; maintains an effective network of individuals across organizational departments; 
•    Previous experience with online content development preferred; 
•    Previous experience with UNFPA or UNICEF preferred. 

Language Proficiency:  
Fluency in English required. Dari or Pashto is an asset.

Inputs / Services To Be Provided By UNFPA Or Implementing Partner (E.G., Support Services, Office Space, And Equipment), If Applicable:
●    UNFPA and UNICEF will provide the Consultant with all background information to conduct the desk review and the provision of contact details to stakeholders to lead the KIIs.
●    There will be no travel arrangement provided for the Consultant to commence the assignment. The Consultant may work with national consultants and volunteers to facilitate this assignment at their own expense. Therefore, expected travel costs must be included as a budget item in the financial proposal. 

How to Apply:

Qualified candidates are requested to submit: 
•    Cover letter/application form;  
•    Update copy of your CV
•    A signed and scanned copy of the United Nations P-11 Form
•    Examples of previous, relevant work as applicable 
•    Proposed methodology/approach to managing the project. 
•    At least 3 Professional Referees  
•    The application (containing all above documents) should be transmitted via email to UNFPA-Afghanistan at the email address recruitment.afg@unfpa.org  
•    Email Subject: International Consultant - Child Marriage Assessment.

Late submissions, incomplete packages, or submissions with an incorrect email subject heading will not be considered.

All the above documents must be sent by email to: recruitment.afg@unfpa.org