National Transfer Accounts-National Time Transfer Accounts, Port Moresby, PAPUA NEW GUINEA COUNTRY OFFICE

Duty Station:                             Home based and Port Moresby

Individual Consultant National Transfer Accounts-National Time Transfer Accounts

Duration:                                    60 Working days from 15 April to 10 August 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 per cent 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 per cent, a high unmet need for family planning at 30 per cent, low coverage of skilled birth attendance and a high HIV epidemic prevalence at 0.8 per cent.

UNFPA plays an important role in the provision and analysis of population and sexual and reproductive health as a foundation for evidence-based development programming. In this regard, the National Transfer Accounts (NTA) emerges as a solid tool providing a complete accounting by age on how economic resources are produced and consumed, and how each country relies on government programs, family systems, and financial markets to achieve the final distribution of these economic resources. The NTA provides a unique and invaluable framework for investigating how changes in population age structure will influence national development, economic security, generational equity, gender equality, public finances, and many other important public policy issues.

The National Time Transfer Accounts (NTTA), on the other hand, include age- and gender-specific data on the production, consumption and transfers of services that are produced through unpaid work and not captured in National Accounts. Unpaid work refers mainly to the household economy, where services such as childcare and housework are provided for no pay, mostly by women and are not captured in a national accounts system which reports on the market economy where goods and services are produced and traded for money. NTTA estimates would be relevant in the context of Papua New Guinea where female labor force participation rate is only at 46.4 percent in 2019. 

Following three regional workshops on the National Transfer Account (NTA) in Asia hosted by UNFPA Asia and Pacific Regional Office and the East-West Center together with HelpAge International held in 2014 (Bangkok), 2015 (Pattaya), and 2017 (Chiang Mai), the UNFPA Asia and the Pacific Regional Office with co-organizers organized a virtual meeting on ‘Effective Use of Evidence from the National Transfer Accounts for Population Policy Development’ held on 5-7 October, 2021 targeting NTA practitioners, academicians, and government officials as well as policy planners.  Senior Officials of the National Statistical Office (NSO) and the Department of the National Planning and Monitoring (DNPM) and their technical staff participated in these virtual meetings which offered an opportunity to update state of the art knowledge of NTA implications for policy development. 

Hence, the services of an International Consultant who will work with the Government of PNG, in particular with the DNPM and NSO, on the NTA and NTTA estimates is needed. Since NTA and NTTA are new concepts for PNG, an international Consultant will be hired to provide technical assistance to the government.        

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

With the overall guidance of the Country Representative and Deputy Representative the Consultant will:

● Prepare the inception report, and provide support to the DNPM and NSO in producing the drafts and final version of the NTA and NTTA estimates;

● Hold capacity building sessions for the DNPM and NSO on NTA and NTTA estimates for knowledge transfer; and

● Hold a consultative workshop together with DNPM and NSO on the draft NTA and NTTA estimates and analysis with key stakeholders, including Government.; and

● Provide technical guidance to DNPM and NSO in the draft presentation of the NTA and NTTA estimates, meeting/workshop materials, action points/minutes of the meeting, and prepare the draft report (outcome) of the consultation.

● Perform other duties as required.

 

Duration and working schedule:

The contract will cover the period of 60 Working days from 15 April to 10 August 2023.  Payments are calculated on the basis of a daily rate.

 

Place where services are to be delivered:

• The Individual Consultant National Transfer Accounts-National Time Transfer Accounts will work from Home (40 working days); and In-person visit (20 working days) - National Statistical Office, Port Moresby, PNG.

 

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:

Qualifications

• PhD in Economics, Demography or Population Studies;
• Training on and experience working on the National Transfer Accounts is required; knowledge of National Time Transfer Accounts and its application is preferred;
• Training on demography or population studies in the last five years is desirable;
• Must be able to remain focused under pressure, with a commitment to working hard and long hours; and
• Must be meticulous - have a keen eye for details, looking for excellence/perfection in all technical matters. 

 

Experience:

• At least five years of solid and recent experience in preparing estimates of National Transfer Accounts and two years for National Time Transfer Accounts. Having published NTA and NTTA estimates and analysis will be an advantage;
• Experience in working on population-climate change/environmental issues interlinkages will be an asset;
• At least five years of work experience in coordination with government entities and civil society organizations, the conduct of workshops/consultations, and preparation of reports;
• Experience working with the UN/UNFPA will be an asset.

 

Other Skills for the Consultant:          

• A high level of proficiency in Microsoft Office (MS Word, Excel, and MS PowerPoint) is required.

 

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 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 31 March 2023.

This should include:

Letter of Interest, CV, and UN Personal History Form