Terms of Reference
I. Background
The Government of Rwanda has been implementing its first Economic Development and Poverty Strategy (EDPRS-1, 2008-2012) since 2008. As the strategy comes to the end in June 2013, a roadmap for its review has been developed and preparation of the second generation strategy, EDPRS-II is ongoing. As a key partner of the GoR, the One UN in Rwanda is also preparing for the elaboration of the new UN
Development Assistance Plan for Rwanda 2013-2018. In this context, UNICEF Rwanda Country Office is proposing to update information on children, with a focus on the impact of the EDPRS-1 and how it has helped to reduce equity gaps in outcomes. In addition, as part of the understanding for UNICEF support to the 4th Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey in 2010 (RDHS-4), it was agreed to undertake further analysis on issues of children.
The proposed study will assess the impact of the EDPRS-1, 2008-2012 on children and adolescent girls with a focus on equity and inclusion of key outcomes relating to poverty, education, health and nutrition, HIV/AIDS and child protection. This will be done in lieu of a formal situation analysis of children to assess progress on the child-related outcomes and targets outlined in the EDPRS-1and update key outcome indicators on children in Rwanda. The study will contribute to the national body of knowledge on the outcomes of the EDPRS-1 and the situation of children in Rwanda. It will be a solid document for policy makers, planners, local government, civil society and faith-based organisations as well as communities on the issues affecting children. More importantly, the study will provide recommendations for medium- and long-term investments that are required to achieve the national vision of transforming Rwanda into a middle-income and knowledge-based economy by 2020.
Whereas the elaboration of the EDRPS-1 benefited from the contributions of children through the recommendations presented during the Children’s Summit, there has not been consistent follow up on the implication of the EDPRS-1 on children. Definitely there has not been any analysis of the impact of the EDPRS-1 on child-related outcomes and/or how it has helped to address equity gaps in access to services and outcomes. Many children in general, and in particular adolescent girls, orphans, children with disabilities and those living on the streets face numerous challenges that the EDPRS-1 aimed to address. The study will use the latest and previous household surveys to recommend measures to address these challenges based on the key findings.
During 2010 and 2011, the Government of Rwanda (GoR) through the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) conducted the RDHS-4 with the support of USAID, CDC, UNICEF and Global Fund, and technical assistance from ICF Macro International. During the preparations for the RDHS-4, it was agreed that additional analysis on the situation of children including correlates between key variables will be conducted as part of UNICEF’s support to the DHS. In the same period, the 3rd National Household Survey (EnquêteIntégralesur les Conditions de Vie des Ménages, EICV-3) was conducted by the NISR with the support of the World Bank and other donors. The purpose of both the RDHS-4 and EICV-3 is to provide reliable and detailed information on socio-demographic characteristics of the Rwandan population, including household living conditions, nutrition and health status, HIV prevalence, school attendance, gender-based violence, etc.
The services of a consultant are required to undertake the impact of EDPRS-1 on children in Rwanda context, as part of the agreed additional analysis of the RDHS-IV to provide better understanding of the situation of children in Rwanda, trends in access to services and causality of observed phenomenon in key areas of poverty, education, health and nutrition, HIV/AIDS and child protection. The analysis will focus on equity and adolescent girls to ensure that the situation of the most vulnerable children is well explained and to propose appropriate recommendations to address identified vulnerabilities.
II. Purpose, objectives and scope
The main purpose of this study is to generate more information on the situation of children in Rwanda to contribute to the on-going evaluation of the EDPRS-1and preparation of the EDPRS-2, UNDAP revision process as well as to update the national and UN/UNICEF reports and databases. The findings and recommendations will help to define the necessary investments in order for Rwanda to achieve her long-term vision for children. The main users of the report will be Government policy makers and UN agencies.
Objectives: The study of the impact of EDPRS-1 on children in Rwanda is expected to provide evidence on whether income, gender and geographic inequalities addressed through EDRPS-1 have resulted in improved outcomes for children across the country. The study will also help to update information on children using the recent data.
In particular, the study will assess the following:
• Progress on child-related outcomes included in the EDRPS-1 since 2008.
• Situation of children in Rwanda including maternal health-related outcomes that directly or indirectly influence child outcomes; and challenges affecting children, in particular adolescent girls, orphans children with disabilities and street children;
• Trends in age of initial primary school enrolment, access to early learning and school attendance disaggregated by gender, wealth quintiles, and geographical location to assess deprivation and inequity.
• Trends in nutrition status of children under-five years, disaggregated by gender, wealth quintiles, and geographical location to assess gaps.
• Trends in access to health care services and health outcomes for children disaggregated by gender, income quintiles, and geographical location to assess deprivation and inequity
• Trends in the prevalence and causes of violence against children as well as correlations between violence against children on the one hand and poverty, sex and level of education of head of household, on the other.
• Level of knowledge and extent of access to HIV-preventive and treatment services among children.
• Bottlenecks and gaps in outcomes and access to services.
• Recommendations for medium and long-term investments for children to be considered in EDRPS-2 to fully realize the rights of children in Rwanda.
Scope:
This assignment aims to generate information on the impact of EDPRS-1 on children in Rwanda using available data and reports conducted with an equity lens. The study will review the EDPRS-1 outcomes relating to children and use the DHS-4 and earlier DHS data as well as the EICV-3 and earlier data to assess progress and contribution to their achievement. Other available sources of data, e.g. the EMIS database, Ubudehe Database, and child protection databases will be used for comparison and validation of the findings. Available reports and policy documents including the preliminary DHS 2010 report, the CRC 2010 report, the 2010 Rwanda Universal Periodic Review (UPR) report, Integrated Child Rights Policy, the Early Childhood Development Policy, the Sector Working Groups Review Reports, the UNICEF mid-term evaluation report, etc. will be reviewed. Additional data may be gathered, especially from orphans centers, street children centers and youth-friendly centers given their importance for vulnerable children;
The consultant will develop a conceptual framework for the analysis, undertake data analysis on identified issues and prepare draft and final reports for discussion with stakeholders. Relevant hypotheses about the underlying causes for the observed trends in outcome indicators will be developed, e.g. the social and economic conditions in the country, policy initiatives by government in relevant sectors and other community initiatives (vaccination programs, health weeks, nutrition supplementation, education programs, etc.) which might impact outcomes for children. More specifically, the study will consider the appropriateness of policies/strategies being implemented, identified gaps and weaknesses and proposed potential changes/orientations. A quality and capacity analysis of services for children and partner capacities will be conducted.
III. Methodology and expected results
A review of the EDRPS-1 and other relevant documents including Vision 2020 and sectoral policy documents and strategies will be undertaken to identify the key out comes for children and assess progress during the EDPRS-1 period. The study will utilize DHS-4 and earlier DHS data as well as the EICV-3 and earlier data to assess progress and contribution to their achievement. Other available sources of data, e.g. the EMIS database, Ubudehe Database, and child protection databases will be used for comparison and validation of the findings.
Available reports and policy documents including the preliminary DHS 2010 report, the CRC 2010 report, the 2010 Rwanda UPR report, Integrated Child Rights Policy, the Early Childhood Development Policy, the Sector Working Groups Review Reports, the UNICEF mid-term evaluation report, etc. will be reviewed.
The study will use a human rights approach the bottleneck analysis to identify critical gaps in outcomes and access to services as well as the most vulnerable and how the EDPRS-1 has helped to reduce their vulnerabilities and the gaps identified. It will identify key indicators to monitor progress on the identified bottlenecks. The study will employ a participatory approach in which Government, development partners civil society organizations and faith-based organisations will participate to ensure a comprehensive analysis. In all cases, and in as much as possible, the assessments will be disaggregated by age groups, sex, disability, location (rural/urban and province) and wealth quintiles. The study will employ a life-cycle approach to measuring vulnerability among children, which identifies unique vulnerabilities and corresponding indicators to measure those vulnerabilities along the life-cycle:
Age group Possible Indicators Age 0-1 year Vaccinations rates, breastfeeding, neonatal and infant mortality (and causes), morbidity incidence Age 1-5 years Malnutrition prevalence, morbidity incidence, child mortality (and causes), mosquito net utilization, birth registration, ECD/parental education, violence/abuse Age 6-12 years Primary school enrolment, school attainment, dropout reasons, delayed entry, child work, violence/abuse, sexual behaviour and HIV/STI knowledge Age 13-18 years Age 19-24 years Secondary school enrolment, school attainment, labour market entry, sexual behaviour, HIV/STI knowledge and access to preventive/treatment services, contraceptive knowledge and use; juvenile justice, juvenile prostitution, drug/alcohol abuse, violence/abuse, participation (e.g., life skills), issues relating to adolescent girls. Cross-cutting issues Vulnerable children: orphans; children with disabilities; street children youth Contextual aspects Poverty, general education level, urban/ rural localization, access to safe water and adequate sanitation, quality/quantity of community facilities (basic health centres and primary school availability and staffing; accessibility to economic opportunities).
The consultant will be expected to familiarize him/herself with the objectives of the study through consultations with UNICEF staff and the partners in the Steering Committee.
IV. Expected results:
The study will generate a comprehensive report on the impact of the EDRPS-1 on child-related outcomes in Rwanda. It will also help to update and show trends in the key outcome indicators on access to services and quality of life of children. Using the equity approach, the study will help to highlight vulnerabilities and gaps in outcomes for children and what is required to reach the national vision of developing a knowledge-based economy.
The specific results include:
• Elaboration of progress on child-related outcomes included in the EDRPS-1 since 2008.
• Description of issues affecting all children, in particular adolescent girls, orphans, children with disabilities, children living on the streets, and recommendations on how to address them.
• Disaggregated information on trends in age of initial enrolment in primary school, access to early learning, school attendance.
• Analysis of trends in nutritional status of under-five children using the 2006 WHO Child Growth Reference Standards, underscoring the socioeconomic factors affecting nutrition in Rwanda with reference to RDHS 2000, 2005 and 2007/8 as well as the 2009 Comprehensive Food Security Survey and Vulnerability Analysis and Nutrition Survey.
• Disaggregated information on trends in access to health care and outcomes for children including new-born, infant, and child mortality.
• Disaggregated information on trends in the prevalence and causes of violence against children as well as correlations between violence against children on the one hand and poverty, sex and level of education of head of household, on the other.
• Disaggregated information on the level of knowledge and extent of access to HIV-preventative and treatment services among children.
• Indicators for monitoring progress on key bottlenecks and gaps in meeting child rights.
• Recommendations on medium- and long-term investments to fully realize the rights of children in Rwanda.
V. Deliverables
The consultant will develop a conceptual framework including detailed methodology and work plan and analytical plan. The consultant will prepare and present draft reports and final reports to be discussed by the Steering Committee. Summary reports and reference materials will also be prepared.
The specific deliverables include:
i. Conceptual framework with the consultant’s interpretation of the ToR, detailed methodology and work plan.
ii. Analytical plan including data analysis and a description of the possibilities and challenges in terms of data analysis and reporting.
iii. A draft report and power point presentation highlighting the preliminary results for discussion with stakeholders including full analysis of all the critical areas agreed upon at the start of the consultancy.
iv. A revised report highlighting the results and recommendations and incorporating earlier comments of stakeholders for further discussion.
v. A final report detailing the results and recommendations.
vi. Summary report and annex with reference materials.
VI. Duration, Administration and Reporting
The assignment will be for 3 months with effect from the time of signing of the contract. The consultant will be responsible for setting up meetings with the appropriate government counterparts and stakeholders.
A Steering Committee comprising of the Ministries of Gender and Family Promotion (Chair), Finance and Economic Planning, Youth, Education and that of Health, the National Commission for Children, National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda as well as UNICEF and other UN agencies will be established to review the concept note and drafts of the study. The Steering Committee will recommend to the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion and the participating agencies on the findings and quality of the draft and final reports for ownership. The length of report will not be expected to exceed 50 pages, excluding detailed tables and annexes.
UNICEF will cover the consultant’s fees (at a rate to be agreed), costs of travel, per diem and all logistics that may be incurred by the consultant in the process of undertaking this assignment. The contract will be signed between the consultant and UNICEF on the ToRs. On the UNICEF side, the consultant will report to the Social Policy Manager for issues relating to the management of the contract. The Consultant will be governed by the UN rules and regulations.
VII. Payment arrangements The consultant will be paid in four installments are follows: i. 25% of the contract amount after signing contract and delivery of an acceptable conceptual framework with the consultant’s interpretation of the ToR, detailed methodology and work plan. ii. 25% upon delivery of an acceptable draft report highlighting the preliminary results. iii. 25% upon delivery of an acceptable revised report highlighting the results and recommendations and incorporating earlier comments. iv. 25% upon delivery of an acceptable final report detailing the results and recommendations; summary report and reference materials.
VIII. Qualifications
The identified candidate will be retained at L4, and should meet the following requirements:
• Minimum of a Masters degree in social sciences, statistics, demography or related field;
• A minimum of 7 years of demonstrable experience in research, data analysis and reporting using surveys including Demographic and Health Surveys, especially in developing countries;
• Demonstrable publication record in refereed journals.
• Ability to use key data analysis software e.g. STATA, SPSS, CSPro, SAS, etc.
• Excellent communication skills; ability to explain complex concepts in a simple matter; and
• Excellent command of English, both spoken and written. Knowledge of French and/or Kinyarwanda will be an advantage.
How to apply:
Please send detailed resume, cover letter and completed United Nations Personal History Form to Andre Nkulikiye (ankulikiye@unicef.org).
Applications for this position must be received by 25 February 2012 and only International candidates are allowed to apply.
