PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW AND ITS RATIONALE

Transcription

1 UNICEF Australia TERMS OF REFERENCE Review and Consolidation of Documented Results of the UNICEF Local Governance and Child Rights Programme in Cambodia (36 Days from December 2015 to March 2016) I. BACKGROUND 1. Since the Country Programme, UNICEF has uniquely positioned itself in Cambodia to advocate for and ensure explicit inclusion of child rights as a priority in the sub-national democratic decentralization reform process. This has in particular been through the work of the Local Governance for Child Rights (LGCR) programme. Known in Cambodia under its Khmer name Seth Koma (Child Rights), LGCR has in particular focused on strengthening sub-national capacity at provincial, district and commune levels to better identify and target most vulnerable families to benefit from social services. This work has been done in tandem with efforts to strengthen national policy and plans for the implementation of decentralization and de-concentration of decision making and administrative capacities of line ministries to the sub-national levels. In particular, the programme supports the capacity strengthening of administrative authorities at the provincial, district, commune and village levels, to identify issues related to the rights of most vulnerable women and children, and to take simple, measurable actions to improve the management and delivery of social services. The strategic vision of the programme is to promote collaboration and dialogue between ministries, local governments, social service providers and communities, and support systematic monitoring and followup action to ensure that children s and women s rights are acknowledged and served. 2. UNICEF Australia has been funding the LGCR program from 2011 to 2015 to a value of $1,464,843 AUD. Funding for the program has focused on strengthening commune capacity and financial space to support results particularly relating to child and maternal health, WASH and early learning (Community Pre-schools). 3. In the new UNICEF Country Programme ( ), LGCR will merge together with UNICEF s health, nutrition, WASH, child protection and early learning programme components under a new integrated early childhood development (IECD) programme structure promoting early childhood survival, care, development and protection for children under the age of six, particularly in six target districts in six provinces, predominantly in the north eastern region where child poverty and rights depravations are significantly more prevalent than when compared to national averages. Within the work of the IECD programme, the role of the LGCR structure will be to apply experience, capacity and lessons learnt from the country programme, to strengthen capacity and services provided by district and commune administrations, as well as the capacity of families and caregivers, to promote actions and practices that enhance full potential child development of children. This will be achieved through a focus on: Strengthening national, provincial and district management and coordination mechanisms to accelerate the implementation and monitoring of the National Early Childhood Care and Development Plan; 1

2 Increase knowledge and practices of parents and caregivers to care for and improve the survival, protection and development of infants and children, particularly in target districts, including in emergencies; Increase commitment and capacity of targeted commune and village administrations to promote an integrated approach to early childhood survival, care and development, including in emergencies; Increase access for children to birth registration and inclusive quality early childhood education, particularly amongst children with disabilities, indigenous minority children and those living in targeted providences; Increase access to nutrition, health and water, sanitation and child protection services; and Improve subnational systems for strengthening community resilience and local coping mechanisms during emergencies and natural disasters. II. PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW AND ITS RATIONALE 4. The purpose of the review is to consolidate and analyse findings from a number of existing programme documents, studies and evaluation relating the implementation of the LGCR programme and consolidate these into a comprehensive overview of documented findings and lessons learnt against planned results, and establish and validate recommendations for the role the programme function of LGCR should play in the future. With reference to the review and consolidated overview of results achieved by the programme, the review will collect lessons learnt and recommendations, revisit and inform the design of a robust Theory of Change (ToC) for the function of LGCR - likely framed as a cross cutting Community Development programme function. III. SCOPE OF THE REVIEW AND METHODOLOGY 5. The review will focus on the period and include a desk review, in country consultations with UNICEF Cambodia staff, management and implementing partners, analysis and consolidations of key findings and recommendations, and facilitation of a multi stakeholder in country workshop and process to design a ToC. This will include examination of community stakeholder and beneficiary consultation undertaken and incorporate this in consolidated findings. During the desk review the consultant will identify if further consultation is required and incorporate this into the work plan. 6. Desk review and presentation of initial findings (10 days): Review five annual programme reports, five programme donor reports, one commune budgeting capacity study, one evaluation of the community pre-school modality, one evaluation of the capacity of commune committees for women and children, one evaluation of the village record book for registration of vital events and the UNICEF Cambodia programme mid-term review from Analyse and present key findings, lessons learnt and recommendations against the following key areas: Establishment and results of community pre-schools, to targeted children and to targeted communes; Increase in WASH facilities and results for children and targeted communes; Interventions of village health support groups and their impact to maternal and child health in targeted areas; 2

3 Capacity strengthening of targeted communes to deliver CPS, birth registration, WASH and support for improving maternal and child health; Additional and prominent areas where programme impact has been documented, including gender, emergency, youth participation and inclusion of children with disability; and Obvious gaps to existing evidence where programme impact cannot be assessed or documented. The key questions guiding the review and consolidation of findings are: Impact What have been the major achievements of the LGCR program in the past five years? Effectiveness Was the program design, activities and approaches feasible, credible and effectively able to achieve the intended results? Relevance Were the results relevant to the needs of local community members, including the most vulnerable, and to what extent were forums for their input able to influence the initiative? Efficiency Did the programme design and approaches represent an efficient mechanism which was cost effective? Considering value-for-money, is there evidence of leverage of increased government funding for development as a result of the programme? Sustainability Does the implementing partner NCDD-S and the relevant line ministries of Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Education take ownership of achieved results and is it likely that they will build on these in the future? 7. In country consultations and workshop to inform ToC (14 days): Meet with UNICEF Cambodia staff and staff of implementing partners to present and discuss review findings, and identify, review, analyse and consolidate additional information to fill obvious data or evidence gaps and include these in the consolidated overview of findings. This will involve a mix of face to face consultations, group discussions and if needed, a field visit to one of UNICEF s target areas in Kampong Cham province close to Phnom Penh. Following consultations and using a participatory methodology to design and facilitate a highly guided two-day workshop with up 20 participants from UNICEF and its implementing partners of NCDD-S, MoI and the National ECCD Committee. The ToC design workshop is scheduled to take place in the last week of February in Phnom Penh. UNICEF Cambodia organize and provide a suitable venue, snacks and meals for participants, as well as required workshop materials. 8. Finalization of review report and ToC (12 days): With reference to the desk review and in country consultations and ToC workshop, analyse and synthesize all findings into a comprehensive review report and PowerPoint presentation against the following headlines: Introduction and purpose of review; Methodology and sources; Key findings pertaining to all areas of UNICEF Australia support against the guiding questions outlined above, and conclusions; Recommendations for moving forward including the narrative and visual representation of the ToC; and Additional observations 3

4 IV. TASKS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTABILITIES 9. The consultant will be responsible for the following: Conceptualize and organize all aspects of the desk review, in-country consultations and the ToC workshop in an inception note, including a proposed work plan detailing key activities against timelines for the consultancy. This must be finalized in consultation with the LGCR Chief (formally bearing the title: Chief Community Development); Undertake the desk review of the evolution and impact of LGCR from Undertake in-country stakeholder consultations as outlined above. Deliver the ToC workshop. Deliver a review report and Power Point Presentation, both of which must be concise, visually engaging, and equipped with a list of all sources of data and people consulted. 10. The LGCR Chief (UNICEF Cambodia) will be responsible for: At the start of the consultancy provide softcopies of all available background documentation and previous evaluations and studies; In consultation with the consultant identify required participants for in-country consultations and ToC workshop; Provide operational supervision and logistical support on day-to-day execution of planned activities, but not technical supervision; Review and provide feedback on all deliverables. 11. The Evaluation Specialist (UNICEF Cambodia) will be responsible for: Coordinate, direct and provide technical supervision of all activities of the consultant; Consult with the LGCR Chief on a regular basis to quality assure that all planned activities proceed as planned; Provide updates to the Country Representative, and Deputy Representative; Assure the quality of, and approve final deliverables on behalf of UNICEF Cambodia. 12. UNICEF Australia will be responsible for: Financing all aspects of the consultancy, including expenditures for in-country consultations, but not additional expenses related to the organisation of the ToC workshop which will be covered by UNICEF Cambodia; Advertising, shortlisting and recruiting the consultant. This will be done using UNICEF Australia s recruitment procedures. Technical assessment of up to 3 shortlisted be done in consultation with UNICEF Cambodia s Evaluation Specialist, who will also sign of on UNICEF Cambodia s behalf on the preferred candidate to be selected; Pay consultant in agreed stages upon final approval of UNICEF Cambodia of agreed deliverables; Input into the review process, design of ToC and finalization of report and presentations. 4

5 V. KEY SKILLS, ACADEMIC/TECHNICAL BACKGROUND, AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED 13. The complete assignment will be executed by an individual consultant. S/he will need to have experience in conducting reviews of programmes, programme design and/or development of evidence based theories of change. S/he will be working closely with both the UNICEF Cambodia and UNICEF Australia programme teams as outlined above. 14. An invitation is extended to development practitioners and/or consultants with relevant experience in monitoring, assessment, evaluation and design of international development programmes, to submit an application to execute the consultancy. The successful consultant should offer the following range of skills and experience, namely: Demonstration of strategic thinking skills; Technical knowledge, skills and expertise in programme monitoring, review and design, and development of theories of change; Relevant experience in one or more of the following areas: governance, decentralization reform, community development, communication for development and child rights; Strong skills in understanding and using both qualitative and quantitative research; Participatory facilitation and consultation skills; Active listening and good time management skills; Excellent oral and written communication and report writing skills in English, proficiency and the ability to communicate in Khmer will be assessed an added advantage; and Computer literacy in Word, Excel and Power Point. VI. TIMELINE, TIME ALLOCATION, DELIVERABLES AND PAYMENT 15. The consultancy is estimated at 36 working days, to be commenced in December 2015 and finished by March The consultant can work from home expect for when undertaking incountry consultations and facilitating the ToC design workshop. Key Tasks Deliverables and Payment Time Allocation (days) Conduct preliminary consultations, produce inception note and desk review In country consultations and ToC workshop Finalization of review report and ToC (maximum 20,000 words including Annexes) and presentation of review findings and recommendations 40%: a) Inception note, desk review report including work plan for the consultancy; b) Invoice for estimated travel expenditures and working days required for in country consultations and ToC workshop 40%: Updated desk review report and draft ToC 20%: Final review report and Power Point Presentation TOTAL 100% 36 Deadline December February March

6 VII. EXPRESSION OF INTEREST 16. All interested and eligible consultants should send an application packet including the following: A cover letter outlining your expression of interest and suitability for selection; A quotation for completion of work based on consultancy fee/rate, per person day. Please note this is a competitive tender process and the overall budget submitted for the consultancy will be used as part of the selection process; Updated CV/Resume, and/or completed UN Personal History Profile (P11) 1 ; A relevant sample report, with a clear indication of the applicant s contribution to the report. 17. Prospective consultants must include in their Expression of Interest a total quotation for the consultancy outlining their professional fee/daily consultancy rate. Consultancy fees must be inclusive of any requests for daily subsistence allowance and international and domestic transportation for tasks to be completed in-country in Cambodia. If the consultant is not based in Cambodia, UNICEF Australia will cover travel costs on economy class separately to payments of fees, but will use the final quotation as part of the final selection process. 18. The estimated maximum budget for the consultancy is AUD 25,000 (approximately USD 18,000) plus international airfare on economy class. 19. The consultant will be paid in accordance with the payment schedule under section VI above, following full completion of required deliverables that have been approved by the UNICEF Cambodia Evaluation Specialist. 20. UNICEF Australia is a Child Safe Organization. To be eligible for engagement as a consultant with UNICEF Australia the successful applicant will be required to present a National Police Check or equivalent background check and provide suitable referees before approval of their contract. 21. The application packet should be transmitted via to Felicity Wever using the following Subject: fwever@unicef.org.au Expression of Interest- LGCR Programme Review The closing date for this Expression of Interest is 18 November Authorized by: Norman Gillespie Natascha Paddison 1 6

7 Chief Executive Officer UNICEF Australia Deputy Representative UNICEF Cambodia 7