INTERNATIONAL DEMOGRAPHIC DIVIDEND CONSULTANT, PORT MORESBY, PAPUA NEW GUINEA

 

Individual Consultant International Demographic Dividend

Duration: 75 Working days in the period from 15 November 2022 to 30 March 2023

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Purpose of Consultancy:

Papua New Guinea is a country with a high total fertility rate and a resultant growing working-age population. About 60 percent of the PNG population is below 25 years old. It has a high maternal mortality ratio of 171 per 100,000 live births, among the highest in the world. It has a low contraceptive prevalence rate of 24.1 percent, a high unmet need for family planning at 30 percent, low coverage of skilled birth attendance, and a high HIV epidemic prevalence at 0.8 percent. 

Having an age structure with fewer dependents, which fertility decline helps to create, is a precondition of a demographic dividend. The demographic dividend is a window of opportunity for economic growth which begins with demographic shifts in a population’s age structure, mainly when – because of fertility declines – the share of the working-age population (aged 15 to 64) is larger than the non-working-age share of the population (under 15 and 65 and over). These demographic shifts result in lower numbers of dependents (children and older adults), meaning that working-age adults can be more productive, spearheading economic growth and other social developments. 

While in Papua New Guinea, the window of demographic dividend has not started yet as the total fertility rate is still high at around 4.2 children per woman, the provincial differences, however, show promising opportunities in terms of promoting sexual and reproductive health rights through the use of contraceptive methods, in terms of educating and employing women and youth, among other things, which are essential for the country to achieve and reap the benefits from the demographic dividend. These differences must be identified and studied carefully to determine which provinces have the potential of achieving the demographic dividend and which provinces lagged behind.  In both cases, it is important that interventions, plans, and programs are appropriately designed.  

The ratification of the Organic Law on Provincial Governments and Local-level Governments in 1998, requires the devolution of several planning tasks to the provinces. Thus, before any plan could be efficiently prepared, it is important for the local planners to understand the provincial situation based on data.  

This activity necessitates the services of a Demographic Dividend Consultant who will closely collaborate with the NSO and UNFPA to analyze the demographic dividend status in the provinces in PNG.                

 

The Individual Consultant Demographic Dividend will be responsible for the following:

With the guidance of the UNFPA Chief Technical Adviser (CTA), the Consultant will:

● Work with NSO on the generation of an index/indices that would identify the provincial ranking in terms of achieving the demographic dividend by using relevant indicators (explore the possibility of using the UN-ESCAP Indicator Framework to Assess Progress on Harnessing the Demographic Dividend with a Gender Dimension - 39 indicators).  The arrangement to be adopted in working with NSO should ensure knowledge transfer to NSO. 

● Prepare the Provincial Demographic Dividend Analysis for PNG;

● Document the procedures followed in the generation of the indicators and indices, including how the statistical analysis and tools were used in the generation, ensuring that the NSO will be able to replicate the procedures in similar exercises in the future;  

● Conduct capacity building for NSO staff both on-the-job and classroom training sessions; 

● Perform other job-related duties as assigned by the UNFPA Representative and/or Deputy Representative required to ensure the success of the above-mentioned activities; and

● Perform other duties as required.

 

Duration and working schedule:

The contract will cover 75 Working days in a period from 15 November 2022 to 30 March 2023.  Payments are calculated on the basis of a daily rate.

 

Place where services are to be delivered:

• The Individual Consultant Demographic Dividend will work from Home (60 working days); and In-person visits (15 working days) at National Statistical Office, Port Moresby, PNG. 

 

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:

Qualification

• At least a Master's degree in Statistics, Demography, Population Studies, Economics, or equivalent qualification in a relevant, directly related discipline.

 

Professional experience

• At least ten (10) years of professional experience in the preparation of demographic analysis from censuses/surveys;
• Has working knowledge of statistical tools/analysis that can be used to generate the necessary indices and relevant indicators; 
• Experience in capacity strengthening and development, and skills transfer to local counterpart. 

 

Competencies

 

• Values: 
  • Exemplifying integrity
  • Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system
  • Embracing cultural diversity
  • Embracing change
• Core Competencies: 
  • Achieving results
  • Being accountable
  • Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen
  • Thinking analytically and strategically
  • Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships, 
  • Communicating for impact

 

Languages: 

• Fluency in oral and written English is required.

  

Other Desirable Skills:

•  Prior experience in the Pacific and/or PNG is strongly preferred;

 

Submission of applications:

Interested applicants should submit their applications of interest to:

The UNFPA Representative, UNFPA,  Level 14, Kina Haus, Douglas Street, PO Box 1041, Port Moresby on Email: png-recruitment@unfpa.org no later than 24 October 2022.

This should include:

Letter of Interest, CV, and UN Personal History Form