Home-based: MHPSS-GBV Consultant (First Decade)

Consultancy Title: MHPSS-GBV Consultant (First Decade)

Section/Division/Duty Station: CPHA/ Programme Group/ NYHQ

Duration: Approx. 65 Billable days – 1 April to 15 July 2023

Home/ office Based: Remote

About UNICEF: 

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND: 

Purpose of Activity/ Assignment:

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does - in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favouritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life - in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions - her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens - addressing inequity - not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

Related to this mission, UNICEF is directly involved in two specific workstreams: Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) and Gender Based Violence (GBV). UNICEF indeed addresses GBV in some of the world’s most intense and complex conflicts and disasters. GBV in its various forms constitutes a global crisis which undermines social and economic progress; as one of the world’s greatest human rights violations, GBV must be addressed to ensure universal rights and principles with regard to equality, security, liberty, integrity and dignity of human beings.  Preventing and responding to gender-based violence in emergencies (GBViE) is recognized as a life-saving measure and an essential component of humanitarian action. As a lead agency in addressing GBViE, UNICEF has expanded its on-the-ground programming in recent years and made prevention and risk mitigation of, and response to GBViE one of its targeted priorities in its new Strategic and Gender Action Plans (GAP) 2022-2025, as well as in the new Child Protection Strategy. GBViE contributes to the results under Goal Area 3 and is also now a cross-cutting priority across the new Strategic Plan-, making GBV risk mitigation one of UNICEF’s change strategies and a key contributor across all Goal Areas. GBViE risk mitigation is now also across all sectors and areas of work in UNICEF’s updated Core Commitments for Children. UNICEF is also a leading agency in the development of programming and tools related to GBViE, including supporting the development of the Call to Action Roadmap rollout of the revised IASC GBV Guidelines (2015), implementation of the interagency GBV case management capacity building initiative, management of the GBV AoR help desk, as well as additional technical resources for the GBViE field within the COVID-19 pandemic. On the latter, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on GBV have been well documented resulting in an increase in needs and technical requests for UNICEF’s expertise.

Promotion of good mental health is essential to realize the wellbeing and the fulfillment of the rights of all children (0-18) everywhere. Global priorities show an increased need for attention to mental health and psychosocial support, particularly for girls, boys, women and men in communities affected by emergencies and other adversities. Worldwide, 10-20% of children and adolescents experience mental disorders; half of all mental disorders begin by the age of 14 and three-quarters by mid-20s; mental and brain conditions are the leading cause of disability in young people in all regions; and 1 in 4 children is living with a parent who has a mental disorder. Suicide is among the top 5 leading causes of adolescent deaths, with higher rates among adolescent girls. Postpartum depression is reported to occur in 15% of mothers shortly before or any time after childbirth, but commonly begins between one week and one month after delivery of a newborn. In humanitarian settings, it is estimated that nearly one fifth of people living in and displaced by conflict will need mental health and psychosocial support – with an additional 5% likely to experience a severe mental disorder . Nearly one person in five (22%) living in an area affected by conflict is estimated to have depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia  - with treatment gaps of over 90%.
 
Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) is an institutional priority for the UN, and for UNICEF. The UNICEF Strategic Plan 2022-2025, the Child Protection Strategy 2021-2030 and the Core Commitments for Children identify MHPSS as a priority area, building upon existing programming through child protection, education and health. The Mental Health (MH) continuum of care as a core approach within UNICEF’s Global Framework for MHPSS ensures the development of programs and strategies, and services that address the broad spectrum of mental health issues that affect everyone, from specific mental health conditions to the overall mental and psychosocial wellbeing that every child deserves. 

Globally, there is an increased awareness of the importance of addressing MHPSS needs of GBV survivors. While survivors’ experiences vary, the impacts of GBV on mental health and psychosocial well-being can have critical consequences for individuals, families, and communities.  In parallel, the way MHPSS services are provided to survivors can also impact positively or negatively on how they cope and heal from the violence. Addressing the MHPSS needs of GBV survivors and those disproportionately at risk of GBV is critical to promoting healing and empowerment. Over the past decade there have been notable efforts by humanitarian actors to improve responses to sexual violence against children in emergency contexts - GBV against girls in emergency contexts (falling under GBViE programming) and sexual violence against boys (falling under Child Protection programming). This includes the Caring for Child Survivors of Sexual Abuse: Guidelines for health and psychosocial service providers in humanitarian settings guidance and materials developed by IRC and UNICEF, currently under revision. Despite these and other efforts, and despite the high levels of GBV that girls in this age group are exposed to, anecdotal information indicates there is limited GBV service demand or uptake by younger girl survivors and their families in emergency contexts. Further, there is limited readily available information regarding the extent and ways in which GBV programs are inclusive of strategies to cater to the needs of girls aged 0-11 and the extent to which they overlap with, or could be extended to cover, child protection programming for boys exposed to sexual violence. Given that emergencies are likely to increase the already significant risk of GBV for younger girls, and that there is limited use of GBV services by girls aged 0-6 and 7-11 in emergency contexts, UNICEF wishes to explore potential opportunities for optimizing GBV and MHPSS programming to better address the needs of girls in early and middle childhood impacted by GBV. Given that GBV services for girls overlap with child protection programming, which is mandated to respond to sexual violence against boys, UNICEF wishes to explore how these opportunities and best-practices might extend to address sexual violence in boys in the same age group, building stronger linkages between GBV, MHPSS and CP programming.

The purpose of the consultancy will be to identify within existing MHPSS and GBV programmes/interventions those that address the specific and unique needs of girls aged 0-11 years who have experienced GBV. In order to bridge also with CP programming that encompasses responding to boys who have experienced sexual violence, UNICEF will simultaneously consider unique considerations when working with boys, the extent to which barriers may be similar or different, and opportunities for bringing sector expertise together.

Scope of Work: 

The Consultancy will focus on the cohort of girls aged 0–11-year-old in an effort to generate reflection and discussion regarding how the GBV and MHPSS communities might better center the experiences and needs of girls in early and middle childhood within GBV and MHPSS programming. It seeks to identify opportunities for ensuring that GBV and MHPSS frameworks, programming and services more routinely and adequately integrate a developmental perspective responsive to the distinctive needs and experiences of younger girls. When looking at intersections between MHPSS and GBV interventions for younger girls, while existing guidance on providing case management services to adolescent girls who are survivors of GBV has been produced within the GBV sector (i.e. the Child and Adolescent Survivors Initiative or “CASI” and others) and the Child Protection sector, it would be useful to examine key barriers to uptake and use of such guidance when providing MHPSS services to younger girls, including through other sectors and entry points. Incidentally, UNICEF also wishes to explore how child protection programs address the needs of boys who have been exposed to sexual violence, especially in conflict settings.

The Consultant will conduct a joint exercise to understand existing resources, interventions, and approaches within the GBV and MHPSS communities to provide recommendations to address gaps for girls in the first decade. It will include a desk review of existing MHPSS and GBV programming interventions. This review would be complemented by key informant interviews (KII) with targeted GBV and MHPSS service providers working with women and children in order to document these children’s’ needs and current gaps, as well as seek their views on best approaches and recommendations. UNICEF wants to identify local women’s and child protection organizations as a target group in the desk review. Based on the outcomes of the desk review and the exchanges held in the field, a report will be drafted summarizing findings, gaps, and providing key recommendations on how to provide better MHPSS support to younger girls survivors of GBV for donors and implementers alike, including considerations for extending these recommendations to child protection actors also working with boys

The Consultant will review what kind of service adaptations and interventions work, under what conditions and for which girls in order to distill the evidence base and advance practice in GBV and MHPSS interventions targeting the safety, rights and needs of girls in emergencies as well as looking at boys exposed to sexual violence (SV). The outcome of the review would be to draw recommendations for GBV and MHPSS programming with young girls, as well as for younger boys who may be exposed to sexual violence in conflict.

Following the desk review, UNICEF is proposing to organise an in-person workshop with MHPSS, CP and GBV stakeholders, including BMZ and GIZ. This would include representatives of the coordination structures for GBV (e.g. MHPSS-GBV working group at the GBV AoR) as well as for MHPSS (e.g. the MHPSS Child and Family working group) and Child Protection (e.g. Case Management Task Force). The main objectives of the meeting will be to present and exchange on the desk review and to discuss the way forward to address gaps and challenges in MHPSS-GBV programmatic interventions for girls in the first decade who experience GBV, and extending these to CP interventions encompassing boys affected by SV. This will contribute to innovation and quality in the field and how MHPSS and GBV approaches can be strengthening the HDP-nexus, as well as define medium/long term needs. 

The consultant will be supervised jointly by the Child Protection Specialist - MHPSS. S/he will have to participate on regular calls during the period of the consultancy and provide updates in line to the agreed workplan she/e will submit at the beginning of the consultancy.

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

• Deliverable 1 – Development of Terms of Reference and methodology for the desk review and Key Informants Interviews. 
• Deliverable 2 – Review of resources, interventions and gaps related to the MHPSS-GBV programming interventions for girls in the first decade (and boys who experience sexual violence) including desk review and consultations with key stakeholders as outlined in the ToR.
• Deliverable 3 – Planning for a workshop including liaising with GBV-MHPSS technical team members in the development of sessions, the workshop agenda and facilitation of a drafted and endorsed plan. 
• Derivable 4 – Preparation and facilitation of a workshop on MHPSS-GBV programming interventions for children in the first decade executed through a variety of techniques in order to promote maximum engagement.
• Deliverable 5 – Drafting and finalizing of a workshop report. This would include potentially supporting the development of a follow-up proposal to donors to address gaps.

Qualifications: 

Education:
 

• Master’s in psychology, social work, counseling, sociology, women’s studies or other related degree, or equivalent programming experience 

Work Experience: 

• 7-10 years relevant experience, preferably including GBV and/or MHPSS programming in humanitarian contexts, including at field level.
• Demonstrated experience in MHPSS programming and/or research. Case management experience is an asset. 
• Demonstrated experience managing GBV case management programs and/or providing technical support/supervision on GBV case management. 
• Experience applying feminist approaches to MHPSS and GBV programs.
• Familiar with differences and nuances in language, terminology and approaches in both GBV and MHPSS fields of work.
• Excellent research and analytical skills, including the ability to synthesize data into a clear report  
• Demonstrated experience conducting desk reviews, Key Informant Interviews, and consultations with key stakeholders in research settings
• Demonstrated experience developing and facilitating workshops.
• Excellent Computer skills, including MS Word, Excel
• Demonstrated organizational skills, including the ability to work independently and productively with multiple stakeholders in a fast-paced environment.
• Flexible work attitude: the ability to work productively in a team environment and independently, and to handle requests or issues as they arise.
• Demonstrated understanding of issues related to confidentiality, data safety/security and other ethical concerns related to the sharing of sensitive data between humanitarian agencies.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills: the ability to successfully and effectively liaise with people in a wide range of functions in a multi-cultural environment.
• Excellent drafting skills, including reports and proposals development
• Fluency in English (verbal and written). Knowledge of another official UN language (preferably French or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

How to Apply:  

To apply, please email the following documents to sloning@unicef.org and anisen@unicef.org by Tuesday 21 March 2023. 

Please note that applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and we encourage applicants to submit the following documents as early as possible.

• CV
• Cover Letter detailing specific experience to carry out this assignment, including a short note on the approach for this assignment 
• Financial proposal that will include:
  • Your daily rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference.
  • Travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR. 
  • Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
  • Indicate your availability 

• Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process 
Applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis until a suitable candidate has been selected. We encourage candidates to apply swiftly. 

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at: Here

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, race, sexual orientation, nationality, culture, appearance, socio-economic status, ability, age, religious, and ethnic backgrounds, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.