International Consultant to lead team and conduct the situational analysis of Youth in Mongolia

UNFPA Mongolia is seeking an International Consultant to lead a team of four national consultants, each responsible for different domains: Health and Well-being, Education, Employment, and Political and Civic Engagement of youth. This team will conduct a thorough situational analysis to comprehend the diverse challenges faced by Mongolia’s youth population. 

The situational analysis aims to establish a comprehensive understanding of youth development in Mongolia, aligning with the Global Youth Development Index. It seeks to identify key disparities affecting youth, assess present conditions, and anticipate future scenarios for youth progress.

This analysis will serve as a vital resource for the United Nations Country Team (UNCT), government entities, and development partners to guide and prioritize their planning, management, and advocacy efforts to support youth development. Specifically, the focus will be on enhancing support for the most vulnerable and marginalized youth groups, which are often overlooked in health, social, economic, educational, and cultural policies, and initiatives.

The United Nations Youth Strategy, known as Youth2030, was launched by the Secretary-General to empower young people worldwide. This strategy aims to fully engage young individuals in realizing their potential and participating actively in various global agendas, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The strategy is a commitment by the UN to enhance its engagement with youth and incorporate their insights and ideas into its work, supported by a high-level steering committee led by the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth.

Mongolia’s youth, defined as those aged 15-34, make up approximately 28% of the total population as of 2023 and are pivotal in shaping the country's future. The government’s Vision 2050 aims to transform Mongolia into a leading Asian country by mid-century through comprehensive reforms. The Vision, structured in three phases until 2050, aligns with global trends and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Additionally, the Government of Mongolia has enacted the Law on Promotion of Youth Development and established a high-level governance structure, the 'National Youth Council,' to oversee youth development initiatives.

Youth are recognized as a driving force for change in achieving the SDGs in Mongolia, a recognition that is integrated into the cross-cutting priorities of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for 2023-2027. 

The Youth Development Index update for 2023 indicates that Mongolia is making progress in youth health and political participation. However, challenges remain in education, employment, and opportunities. The Index serves as a strong international tool to follow the youth development.

The insights and recommendations from the youth situational analysis will help refine policies, enhance programmatic actions, and ensure that Mongolia's developmental strategies align with the needs and potential of its young population..

Given the context provided above, the situational analysis is structured around the following specific objectives:

Specific Objectives

Specific Objective 1: Health and Well-being of Youth: To assess the current situation and impact of risk behaviors on the health outcomes of youth aged 15 to 34 years, focusing on how alcohol use, unsafe sex, addiction to IT gadgets, and drug use contribute to both immediate health issues and long-term health consequences, and to develop targeted interventions aimed at promoting healthier practices among this demographic to reduce the prevalence of premature death and chronic health conditions later in life.

Specific Objective 2: Education of Youth: To assess the current education status of youth 15-34 year and identify the socio-economic barriers to accessing quality education, skills building opportunities for vulnerable youth groups, including girls, street children, rural youth, and those with disabilities, and to identify effective strategies that enhance educational participation and improve quality education and skills for youth.

Specific Objective 3: Employment and Opportunity for Youth: To assess the current situation of youth employment programs, including internships, micro-loans, and entrepreneurship initiatives, in enhancing job security and career development opportunities for young people, particularly in regions/provinces severely impacted by economic instability and high youth unemployment rates.

Specific Objective 4: Political Participation of Youth: To assess youth political participation and its impact on their social and economic inclusion and to identify the most effective mechanisms for enhancing youth engagement in political processes to reduce social exclusion and intergenerational tensions.

Specific Objective 5: Civic Participation of Youth: To assess the youth’s engagement in civic initiatives and activities on social integration and conflict prevention among youth, by looking at  the correlation between the levels of youth participation in civic processes and the incidence of social exclusion and violence within diverse communities.

Refer to the attached concept note for more details on the five key domains of youth development as outlined in the Youth Development Index.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Team Leader

The Lead Consultant will work with four National Consultants to carry out the situational analysis and be responsible for

• Design and Oversight: Develop the study design protocol and research matrix and tools.
• Data Collection Leadership: Lead the desk review, secondary data analysis, and primary data collection, working closely with the national consultants for documents available only in Mongolian language.
• Analysis: Lead the analysis and guide the national consultants in contributing to this process.
• Reporting: Direct the report  development and ensure contributions from the national consultants align with the international standards.
• Prepare  Fact Sheet: Develop  a fact sheet on main findings with inputs from the national consultants.
• Dissemination: Lead the dissemination of findings to a wide range of stakeholders.

1. Inception Report: The study design protocol, along with the study matrix, should be submitted by June 24, 2024. UNFPA will provide the outline for the inception report.
2. Draft Report: This is to be submitted by August 5, 2024.
3. Final Report including the Fact sheet and Presentation: These are due on August 12, 2024.
4. Facilitation of the Dissemination Meeting: Scheduled for August 20, 2024.

Competencies:

1. High-level knowledge of youth issues and existing policies in the Asia region.
2. Extensive experience in conducting qualitative research.
3. Proficiency in project management to oversee and coordinate the various aspects of the analysis.

Education:

1. A Master’s degree or higher degree in social sciences, public administration, or related fields, preferably with a focus on public/social policy and youth development. 

Experience:

1. A minimum of 10 years of experience in conducting survey research and analysis.
2. Experience of conducting a national situation analysis of key development agenda, such as National Youth Situation Analysis.
3. At least 5 years of experience in international development; prior experience and knowledge of Mongolia will be considered an asset.

Language:

1. Fluency in English (reading, writing, speaking) is essential.

It is anticipated that the consultancy will be governed by an individual consultancy contract under standard UNFPA/UNDP terms and conditions. UNFPA will pay a consultancy fee according to the current UNFPA approved schedule of rates at a level to be negotiated.

Schedule of payment:

1. The first installment of 50% of consultancy fees will be provided upon the acceptance of the inception report;
2. The final installment of 50% of the consultancy fees, will be provided upon completion of all work, submission of the final deliverable, and acceptance by UNFPA.

UNFPA reserves the right to withhold up to 30% of the total fee in case the deliverables are not submitted on schedule or do not meet the required standard. Copyright and ownership of all documents produced will remain with UNFPA.

 Logistical arrangements

The UNFPA Country Office will be responsible for arranging all logistical matters related to the field visits if any, workshop, including venue, stationery and refreshments. The CO can also provide support in organizing meetings with key government agencies and other stakeholders.