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For every child, social policies and governance ...

Purpose Of Activity/Assignment

Mobilize the participation of children and adolescents in the process of formulating, monitoring and evaluating the 5-year and annual Socio-Economic Development and Sectoral Plans for 2026-2030 of the three provinces of Soc Trang, Ca Mau and Bac Lieu, especially related to environmental protection and climate change response.

Scope Of Work

Viet Nam has, over the past 30 years, achieved remarkable socioeconomic progress. Reforms and investment in human capital have stimulated an economic transformation that has propelled the country into lower-middle-income status. The UN Common Country Analysis in Viet Nam confirmed strong progress across several Sustainable Development Goals. However, according to Viet Nam’s 2020 National Report, too many people have not yet benefited from or have been left out of this rapid ascent into a modern, connected economy, while inequalities have grown and deepened requiring specific, sustained investments to better deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Government of Viet Nam has demonstrated its commitments to child rights and children. Specifically, priorities for children are expressed through the 13th Party Congress’s Political Document, the 2021-2030 Socio-economic Development Strategy, 2021-2025 Socio-economic Development Plan, the national targeted programme on sustainable poverty reduction, the new rural programme for development for ethnic minority and mountainous areas, and the National Action Program on Children for the period 2021-2030.

Despite progress made on child rights, multidimensional child poverty remains significant (10.7 per cent), with disparities between rural and urban areas (13. versus 6 per cent) and among ethnic minorities (33.1 versus 6.3 per cent for the majority of Kinh and Hoa). Viet Nam is one of the countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, ranked sixth by the Global Climate Risk Index in 2020. Children living in the poorest households are significantly more affected by the consequences of extreme weather events. 50 per cent of studied children living in the poorest households in Viet Nam had experienced at least one extreme weather event that affected the household economy, compared to 17 per cent of the least poor households.

The project "Child-Friendly Policies and Plans for the Period 2023-2026" between the Ministry of Planning and Investment and UNICEF is expected to enhance the institutional capacity of the Ministry of Planning and Investment in policy formulation and implementation based on evidence. This aims to better fulfill children's rights, particularly in planning, resource mobilization, implementation, and monitoring of socio-economic development plans, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the national targeted programmes (NTPs).

The Department of Science, Education, Natural Resources, and Environment (DSENRE) of the Ministry of Planning and Investment is the national focal point for implementing sustainable development and green growth. It is also responsible for formulating and monitoring socio-economic development plans (SEDPs) and medium-term public investment plans in the fields of education and training, science and technology, and natural resources and environment. Under this project, DSENRE/MPI in conjunction UNICEF designed activities with a focus on promoting children's rights in the implementation of sustainable development goals, green growth, environmental protection, and climate change response.

Therefore, within the project framework, DESENRE/MPI and UNICEF plan to recruit national consultants with effective methods for capturing the opinions and perspectives of children and adolescents on issues related to environmental protection and climate change in the three provinces of Soc Trang, Bac Lieu and Ca Mau.

Objectives

The overall objective of this assignment is to facilitate the meaningful participation of children and adolescents in the process of formulating, monitoring and evaluating the 5-year and annual Socio-Economic Development and Sectoral Plans (2026-2030) of the three provinces of Soc Trang, Ca Mau and Bac Lieu, especially related to environmental protection and climate change response.

Specific Objectives Include

• Design and roll-out effective methods to collect opinions from children (including boys, girls, vulnerable children such as children with disabilities, children from poor households, ethnic minority children, children living in areas affected by natural disasters, etc.) in localities/schools of the 3 provinces of Soc Trang, Ca Mau and Bac Lieu on priority issues and actions related to climate change response and environmental protection that need to be included in the Socio-Economic Development Plans.
• Develop a summary report on surveys, studies and consultations of children and adolescents’ opinions and perspectives on issues related to environmental protection and climate change to inform the development of the Socio-Economic Development Plans (SEDP) and sectoral plans in the 3 provinces of Soc Trang, Bac Lieu and Ca Mau.
• Provide technical support through consultation and sharing of research results with the 3 provinces of Soc Trang, Ca Mau and Bac Lieu.
  
  

Scope And Methodology

This study will take place during September 2024 – March 2025 and with intensive field work at the 3 provinces, in consultation with DSENRE/MPI.

Key questions to be addressed during data collection, compilation, analysis, and assessment include:

• What are the roles of the local Socio-Economic Development Plan and sectoral plans in climate action and environment protection?
• What are the priorities and actions related to climate change response and environmental protection?
• Have children/adolescents been consistently consulted for the formulation and monitoring of the provincial socio-economic plans, especially on climate change and environment? What conditions are needed to enable children to participate in actions related to climate change response and environmental protection?
• What are the effective mechanisms for children’s participation?
• If and how children have been informed and updated about provincial policies? Do they regularly receive and are they updated with information on climate change response and environmental protection?
• What is their role in activities related to climate change response and environmental protection at home, school and community level?
• What support do families, schools and local levels need so that children’s wishes and aspirations regarding environmental protection and climate change response can be promoted through the Socio-Economic Development Plan?
  
  

The consultants are to propose the most effective methods for this study. However, it is envisaged that they will use a mix-method approach using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, including survey, desk review, case studies, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. Ethical clearance is required for this study as it involves interviewing children.

To execute this complex assignment, we anticipate requiring a lead consultant and a team member. The lead consultant will be responsible for the recruitment of the team member and will be accountable for managing the entire process and delivering all required deliverables.

Detailed Work Assignments and Deliverables as attached Final TOR National Consultants for Child Participation.pdf

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• At least a master's degree graduate specializing in social/economic/development economics.
• 10- 15 years of experience in the fields of children's issues/social issues/socio-economic/sustainable development or related fields.
• Understanding of Viet Nam's political environment, legal framework, and policies related to children/social issues/socio-economic/sustainable development or related fields.
• Have excellent skills and experience in writing reports on children/social issues/socio-economic/sustainable development or related fields.
• Proficient in both spoken and written English and Vietnamese, with strong interpersonal skills and good relationships with relevant partners.
  
  

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Assessment Criteria

For evaluation and selection method, the Cumulative Analysis Method (weight combined score method) shall be used for this recruitment:

• Technical Qualification weight 75%:
• Educational background (15 points):
• At least a master's degree graduate specializing in social science, public policy or relevant discipline.
• Relevant work experience (40 points):
  
  

10-15 years of experience in the fields of children's issues/social issues/socio-economic/sustainable development or related fields

Understanding of Viet Nam's political environment, legal frameworks, and policies related to children/social issues/socio-economic/sustainable development or related fields.

• Skills (20 points):
• Have excellent skills and experience in writing reports on children/social issues/socio-economic/sustainable development or related fields.
• Proficient in both spoken and written English and Vietnamese, with strong interpersonal skills and good relationships with relevant partners
• Submission of at least 2 samples of written work required.
• Financial Proposal weight 25%:
  
  

All prices/rates quoted must be exclusive of all taxes as UNICEF is a tax-exempt organization.

Financial proposal should be all-inclusive lump-sum cost including consultancy fee, cost for the research team to travel for field data collection and other related expenses. The lump-sum should be divided across the set deliverables of the assignment.

The project will not support cost for international travel, and other related expenses.

Please clearly indicate currency of financial proposal (mandatory in VND for local vendors).

Submission Of Applications

• Letter of interest;
• CVs of an individual candidate or a team of experts, detailing team management. (It is expected that a clear mechanism for management of this assignment will be reflected in the applying documents and that UNICEF will consider signing the contract with a lead consultant only).
• Submission of a technical proposal outlining the timeline for the assignment deliverables;
• At least 2 samples of written work required;
• Three references;
• Financial proposal: Financial proposal should be all-inclusive lump-sum cost including consultancy fee, domestic travel and related costs for the assignment. The lump-sum should be divided across the set deliverables of the assignment.
  
  

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.