Childhood Development and Social Protection
Position Title: International consultancy – M&E and
Field Support Officer for Early Childhood Development and Social Protection
Level:Junior Level
Location:Kigali
Duration:11 months
Start Date:November 2015
Reporting to:Chief of Social Policy and R
esearch / ECD
specialist, UNICEF Rwanda
1. Background and Purpose
Support to Early Childhood Development and Family services (ECD&F) has
emerged as one of the priority areas for development in Rwanda, as described in
the Early Childhood Development Policy and its Strategic Plan, and reiterated
in the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy which provides
directions of the national development agenda.
In order to respond to this government priority and to translate national
policies into action, UNICEF Rwanda and Imbuto Foundation entered in to a
partnership to bring together multiple Early Childhood Development and Family
interventions, with the family at the heart of the approach.
The ECD&F programme targets children under the age of 7 in Rwanda,
offering a combination of center-based and home-based ECD interventions. The
ECD&F model focuses on responding to community needs for sustainability and
relies on community ownership of the program. While some of the interventions
(e.g. provision of center-based ECD services) focus on targeted villages, the
others (e.g. child protection) cover the whole sector / district. Social
protection interventions, home-based ECD services, WASH and nutrition, focus on
the most deprived children and families in the targeted villages and
neighboring communities as well. Through this programme the Ministry of Gender
and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF)/ the National Commission for Children (NCC),
the Ministry of Education (MINEDUC), the Ministry of Local Government
(MINALOC), UNICEF as well as national and international civil society
organizations build on their joint previous achievements, while introducing
innovative approaches to fast track results for Rwandan children.
In addition, the government of Rwanda, with support from UNICEF Rwanda and
other stakeholders, is exploring expansion of the design of Public Works
programmes (social protection programmes) to better link them with national ECD
priorities (expanding child sensitive social protection programmes). Various
government policies and strategies, among them the Social Protection strategy
and the ECD policy, emphasize the need for better coordination and linkages
between programmes which target the most vulnerable children. In order to
promote the linkage and integration of social protection and ECD&F, a pilot
project will be established in two districts in Rwanda. This pilot will explore
expanded public works options, to broaden public works to a wider range of
activities which support ECD, for example employment of public works
beneficiaries with young children as support staff in ECD centres, and the
establishment of mobile crèches in public works sites for mothers with young
children, participating in public works projects. A key component of this
project will be the integration of a nutrition package into child sensitive
social protection projects.
For these purposes, UNICEF is seeking an international consultant to provide
strategic coordination, monitoring, evaluation and documentation support to
several areas of the ECD&F project, with a strong focus on field support.
2. Justification
The ECD&F programme is a large scale initiative implemented in selected
sites in Rwanda. In order to systematically document lessons learned and
identify mitigation measures, UNICEF Rwanda seeks to recruit an international
consultant to support coordination of the monitoring and evaluation and
documenting key lessons learned around certain aspects (child sensitive social
protection and integrated nutrition) of the ECD&F programmes.
3. Objectives
The main objective and responsibility of this consultancy is to support the
effective and efficient implementation of ECD&F programme in selected
sites, focusing on monitoring, evaluation and reporting in line with agreed
requirements, as well as provide a knowledge management role, in particular as
it relates to child sensitive social protection. The key responsibilities of the
consultancy are:
- Support monitoring and evaluation of the ECD
& Family programme by establishing a system for tracking a cohort of
young children and their families; - Provide field support for implementation,
monitoring and finalization of the essential package of ECD & Family
services; - Support the documentation, monitoring and
assessment of the social protection component of the ECD & Family
programme.
4. Methodological Approach & Expected Output
The consultant will work in close collaboration with UNICEF, MINALOC,
MIGEPROF, Aga Khan University, and implementing NGO partners – Imbuto
Foundation and CARE International for assessment and roll-out of pilot
projects, and for the M&E of on-going ECD&F services.The key
responsibilities and expected outputs of the consultancy are outlined below.
1. Support monitoring and evaluation of the ECD & Family
programme by establishing a system for tracking a cohort of young children and
their families.
1.1 Establish a system for tracking a cohort of young children and their
families every 6 months
Based on an ECD&F baseline survey conducted in 2014, the consultant will
establish a monitoring system for tracking a cohort of approximately 450
children, and their families. The consultant will manage continuous study
follow-up to this ECD&F baseline cohort, identifying whether they are
accessing ECD&F services, as well as identify measures to encourage uptake
of services. This entails designing survey; training of field workers,
follow-up and supervision of data collection; and data analysis. The
established system will be in line with UNICEF Gender Action Plan and Human
Rights-based Approach to Programming (HRBAP): for instance, data will
disaggregated by sex, age, family social status, etc. to allow appropriate
decision-making.
1.2 Support impact evaluation of ECD&F programme in 10 sites,
jointly with (external) evaluation partner/institute
The consultant will provide support for a comprehensive impact/end
evaluation of all components of ECD&F programme, to be conducted in late
2016. This includes supporting the ECD&F technical committee design the
end-line survey for the cohort of children included in 2014 ECD&F baseline
survey; identify an implementing partner for the survey; support implementing
partner with training of field workers to collect data; provide support to
implementing partner for supervision of data collection; and support
implementing partner with analysis of data.
2. Provide field support for implementation, monitoring and
finalization of the essential package of ECD & Family services.
The consultant will provide field support to Aga Khan University (AKU) in
the finalization and monitoring of an essential package of ECD & Family
services. The package comprises an adaptation of the UNICEF and WHO ‘Care for
Child Development’ programme and an early learning enrichment programme for 4-6
year olds in ECD centres, supported by monitoring and outreach services for
high risk children. The first draft of this package is already developed by
AKU, and implementation has started. The consultant will support the early
implementation phase in the field, working closely with the implementing
partner (Imbuto Foundation) to increase capacity for quality implementation and
monitoring. Jointly with Imbuto Foundation, the consultant will document
lessons from the early implementation, to inform the finalization of the
essential package of ECD & F services.
3. Support the documentation, monitoring and assessment of the
social protection component of the ECD & Family programme.
3.1 Establish an M&E system for integrated child sensitive social
protection and nutrition programming
The consultant will establish an M&E plan for integrated child sensitive
social protection and nutrition programming, as part of the wider ECD&F
programming. In particular, the consultant will provide support to CARE
International for prioritization of key indicators to track for the child
sensitive protection project, based on the ECD&F baseline. The consultant
will plan periodic monitoring visits to two pilot project districts, based on
the agreed M&E plan, supporting the continuous monitoring, review and
evaluation of the child sensitive social protection project in these selected
sites, including arranging joint field visits together with the implementing
partners to conduct qualitative and quantitative checks to obtain feedback in a
timely manner.
3.2 Design and implement a formative/process evaluation of the
integrated child sensitive social protection and nutrition project
The consultant will develop evaluation tools and processes for
formative/process evaluation of the integrated child sensitive social
protection and nutrition project, to determine whether program activities have
been implemented as intended; and to explore whether the child sensitive social
protection pilot, is feasible, appropriate and acceptable to potential scale-up
3.3 Document key lessons learned around integrated child sensitive
social protection and nutrition project
The consultant will provide support to CARE International and Imbuto
Foundation in facilitating knowledge building and knowledge sharing, ensuring
that information and data from the selected sites integrating child sensitive
social protection and nutrition are documented, analysed and reported in a
timely manner, in particular identifying links and synergies for integration.
The consultant will identify approaches and, delivery mechanisms utilized or
developed within the child sensitive social protection programme which have the
greatest potential in terms of scale up.
5. Major Tasks, Deliverables & Timeframe
The major deliverables and timeframe of this consultancy are outlined below:
TimeframeDeliverables Objective 1: M&E / Survey
Objective 2: AKU support Objective 3: Social Protection
November 2015: Inception report drafted outlining expected tasks and
outcomes for the duration of the 11-month consultancy Inception report
Inception report
December 2015 Survey designed and system for tracking a cohort of
young children and their families established 1st progress report on field
support to AKU Monitoring and Evaluation plan for child-sensitive social
protection and Nutrition ECD&F project drafted *(in collaboration with theLocal
Administrative Entities Development Agency (**LODA), Imbuto Foundation and CARE
International)*
January 2016 1st follow-up survey on cohort of young children and
families completed; draft report on findings submitted.
February 2016 ToRs for end evaluation drafted and validated by ECD&F
technical committee
March 2016 2nd progress report on field support to AKU
April 2016 1st draft of key lessons learned on child sensitive social
protection pilot
May 2016 End evaluation implementing partner identified, jointly with
ECD&F technical committee
June 2016 3rd progress report on field support to AKU
July 2016 2nd follow-up survey on cohort of young children and families
completed; report on findings submitted.
August 2016 Field implementation plan for ECD&F evaluation finalized
September 2016 4th progress report on field support to AKU
October 2016 Final draft of key lessons learned on child sensitive social
protection pilot
6. Stakeholder Participation
For the M&E support and tracking of a cohort of children, the
main stakeholders are UNICEF’s ECD&F taskforce, MIGEPROF, and the
implementing partner Imbuto Foundation. The consultant will work closely with
the implementing partner for the evaluation in line with the agreed modalities
of cooperation.
In terms of support to the implementation and monitoring of the essential
package of ECD & Family services, the consultant will work under the
direct guidance of Aga Khan University, and will work closely with Imbuto
Foundation in the field.
For the social protection component, the consultant will work with
Imbuto Foundation, MIGEPROF, UNICEF ECD taskforce and CARE International to
ensure that the pilots are in line with ECD pilot models under implementation
in selected sites. The innovative area of exploring how ECD can complement
public works programmes requires increased coordination between MINALOC and
other Ministries, such as MIGEPROF and MINEDUC. The consultant will work
closely with MINALOC counterpart and the ECD taskforce, and will consult with
theVision 2020 Umurenge Programme (VUP)[1] team in the field and at central
level.
The incumbent will work under the supervision of the Chief of Social Policy
and Research and in close collaboration with the ECD & Family unit
responsible for coordinating ECD and Family programmes across UNICEF sections.
7. Qualifications and Requirements
The International Consultant should have:
· MA degree or PhD in Public Policy, Public Health, Economics, Gender and
Development Studies, Social Development, Sociology or other relevant fields
· At least 4 years with proven experience of field programme coordination,
research and analysis
· Good understanding of Rwandan context an asset, in particular ECD in
Rwanda
· Strong analytical and writing skills
· Ability to produce deliverables in due time and with quality standards
· Proficiency in computer applications and statistical software (such as
SPSS, Stata and NVivo)
· Fluency in written and oral English, French will be an added asset
· Strong interpersonal and communication skills
8. Supervision
The international consultant will report to the Chief of Social Policy and
Research, and will be based in-country for the full 11 months.
9. Terms and conditions:
· Period: November 2015 – October 2016
· Travel arrangements: if the consultant is not based in Rwanda, UNICEF will
provide airfare ticket by the most direct flight in economy class
· On-field (in-country) transport: UNICEF will provide on-field (in-country)
transport
· Payment conditions and currency: Payments will be made monthly upon
satisfactory performance and deliverables (in $USD)
· 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 by the consultant will remain the copyright of UNICEF
and that UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in future.
[1] VUP is an Integrated Local Development Program to Accelerate Poverty
Eradication, Rural Growth, and Social Protection. This is an initiative by the
Government of Rwanda in collaboration with development partners and NGOs. It is
led by the Ministry of Local Government, Good Governance, Community Development
and Social Affairs (MINALOC) and supported by the Ministry of Finance and
Economic Planning (MINECOFIN).
Qualified individuals are requested to submit their cover letter, CV and P11
form (which can be downloaded from: http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/P11.doc),
and proposed daily rate to Human Resources at: rwajobs@unicef.orgby
November 8th , 2015*, with subject:International consultant –M&E
and Field Support Officer – ECD and SP*
You may also submit to: Human Resources Specialist, UNICEF Rwanda, and P.O.
Box 381, Kigali, Rwanda.
Submissions without daily rates and P11 will not be accepted.