Country: Belarus
Closing date: 29 Aug 2018
Type of contract: International individual consultancy
Duration: September 2018 – July 2019
1. BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
The Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) is an international household survey programme developed and supported by UNICEF. MICS is designed to collect estimates of key indicators that are used to assess the situation of children and women. Over the past 20 years, MICS has evolved to respond to changing data needs, expanding from 28 indicators in the first round to more than 200 indicators in the current sixth round, and becoming a key source of data on child protection, early childhood education, and a major source of data on child health and nutrition. In addition to being a data collection tool to generate data for monitoring the progress towards national goals and global commitments for promoting the welfare of children, MICS provided valuable data for MDG monitoring as a major source of data for the UN Secretary General’s Final Millennium Development Goals Report.
Since the inception of MICS in the 1990s, over 300 surveys have been carried out in more than 100 countries. As part of the global effort to further develop national capacities to generate and analyse high quality and disaggregated data, UNICEF launched the sixth round of MICS in October 2016, with results of first surveys expected to be available by the end of 2017. This new round is in accordance with the list of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators endorsed by the UN Statistical Commission in 2016, following the global adoption of the 17 SDGs and 169 targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The final SDG indicator framework currently includes 230 global indicators, of which around 30 per cent are household survey-based. Today, MICS, covering almost half of the SDG indicators that are household survey-based, is well positioned to play a central role in this new Agenda alongside other key demographic, health and socio-economic surveys and to complement data from administrative sources and censuses. The MICS questionnaires have undergone rigorous methodological and validation work to broaden the scope of the tools and include new topics that reflect SDG indicators and emerging issues in the 2030 Agenda context, including: social transfers, foundational learning skills (children age 7-14), child and adult functioning, migration status, use of clean fuels and technology, and victimisation.
As governments develop national frameworks to monitor progress towards the SDGs and establish baselines, strategic planning and investments will be required to collect robust, more frequent, and timely data. This round of MICS presents a unique opportunity to support this process.
The UNICEF Country Office has already supported MICS surveys in 2005 and 2012. To foster reviewing the progress in realization of Child Rights, setting up and monitoring the attainment of the SDGs, assessing the achievement of results outlined in the Country Programme Document for 2016-2020 and enhance timely revealing of specific bottlenecks to be removed and providing recommendations on public programs improvement UNICEF Belarus Country Office (CO) supports a MICS6 in 2017-2019. To ensure that the implementation of the MICS survey runs smoothly, specific deadlines are met and that the implementing partner the National Statistical Committee of the Republic of Belarus (Belstat) receives the technical assistance necessary to produce statistically sound and reliable data, the UNICEF Belarus will hire a full-time international consultant to oversee the MICS process from preparatory work to release of results.
2. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES
Under the overall supervision of the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, the International MICS Consultant (IMC) will support and provide guidance to UNICEF Belarus and Belstat for the preparation, implementation and completion of the MICS. The IMC will advise Belstat, especially the Survey Coordinator and sampling and data processing experts, during survey planning, questionnaire design, sampling, training, fieldwork, data processing, data analysis, dissemination and archiving, ensuring that MICS6 protocols and recommendations and quality requirements are being followed at all times.
The IMC will be responsible for coordinating and supporting the work of other resource persons hired by UNICEF to provide technical assistance to the MICS process. The consultant will work in close collaboration with the survey team, the stakeholders, and Steering and Technical Committees and will represent UNICEF in meetings, trainings and workshops in relation to the survey as needed. The IMC will work in close collaboration with the regional MICS Coordinator and the Global MICS Team in UNICEF HQ supporting effective communication between the UNICEF Country Office, RO and Belstat, responding promptly to MICS related needs and issues as they arise.
At the time of preparation of this ToR the MoU between UNICEF and Belstat has been signed and the preparatory work started (CSP and budget developed, questionnaires customized and reviewed, CAPI application drafted; the above inputs should be finalized and/or shared for review).
3. KEY TASKS
4. DELIVERABLES
5. SUPERVISION, WORK RELATIONS & OVERSIGHT
The IMC will report directly to the M&E Specialist in the UNICEF CO. The IMC must respect the complete confidentiality of the MICS data as well as any specific MICS documents that will be produced throughout the MICS process. The IMC can use the documents and the datasets only for the tasks related to these Terms of Reference.
6. TRAVEL
Post is office-based, with occasional travels to project sites within the country and outside. Travel expenses will be covered in accordance with UNICEF DSA rates.
7. PAYMENT CONDITIONS
Remuneration amount will be based on the qualification of the consultant and will be paid monthly upon certification of deliverables. The IMC should remain on board until the Survey Final Report and the survey archive are produced.
8. UNSATISFACTORY PERFORMANCE
Payment of fees to the Contractor under this contractor, including each installment or periodic payment (if any), is subject to the Contractor’s full and complete performance of his or her obligations under this contract with regard to such payment to UNICEF’s satisfaction, and UNICEF’s certification to that effect.
UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs is incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines. All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and that UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future. This ToR is an integral part of the contract (SSA) signed with the consultant.
9. QUALIFICATIONS OR SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE/ EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
Requirements
Languages
Fluent English and Russian
Other skills and attributes
10. PAYMENTS:
Payments to the consultant will be conducted based on the submitted invoices with the number of consultancy days in line with actually reported deliverables.
11. SUPERVISION:
The consultant will perform the assignment under the direct supervision of Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist.
12. PROCESS FOR APPLICATION
Proposal from candidates should include:
Criteria for the selection of proposals:
Selection of the consultant will be on competitive basis.
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 to become a part of the organization.
Applicants should submit their applications in English on-line by closing date 29 August 2018 to be eligible for consideration.
Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
How to apply:
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization. To apply, click on the following link http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/?job=515429