Background and Justification

 

Botswana has been one of the world’s fastest growing economies over the past 50 years, allowing it to gain upper middle income status. At the same time, many Batswana are still poor, inequality is among the highest in the world, and human development outcomes are far below the norms for an upper middle income country especially in rural areas and the southern parts of the country. Moreover, the country remains reliant on a diamonds and public sector driven model. This makes it vulnerable both to short term shocks and structural changes.

 

Without understanding and addressing vulnerabilities and risk, UNICEF and partners are not able to advance the situation of children or achieve national and global development targets. UNICEF has endorsed and is a strong advocate of key Global Initiatives that address risk, such as the Sustainable Development Goals, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Paris Climate Agreement and the World Humanitarian Summit – advocating that each be child inclusive and child sensitive.

 

UNICEF’s risk informed programming addresses the underlying drivers of inequity and fragility that cause environmental, economic and social deprivation and stresses. It includes bridging the arbitrary divide between development and humanitarian assistance, integrating risk factors such as climate change, disaster risk and a lack of social cohesion into programming and strengthening systems to anticipate as well as absorb shocks in the event of a crises. In this way risk informed programming is a cornerstone of resilient development. Through risk informed programming, children, their families, communities and systems acquire the information and resources to prepare for, mitigate against, prevent and respond to crises – enhancing their resilience.

 

It is against this background that UNICEF Botswana Country Office wishes to engage a consultant to undertake a country risk analysis that considers current and potential hazards (including social, political, environmental and economic shocks and stresses) in Botswana. The consultant is expected to highlight relevant evidence, data and analysis that would assist UNICEF, Government of Botswana, and other partners for future prioritization of efforts, programmatic and policy interventions and investments for children and women, especially for the most vulnerable and marginalized populations.

 

Scope of Work

Goal and Objective: 

The main purpose of this assignment is to conduct a country risk analysis for children and women. The consultancy should provide a comprehensive analysis of the situation of the country with respect to realization of children and women rights through the lens of inequalities and deprivations. It should also provide an update of the socio-economic situation of children and women in Botswana with a focus on what drives and sustains and in some cases, worsens deprivations of children rights as well as those actors and/or structures enabling progressive, steady realization of rights for all children in the country. It should be analytical, establishing causalities of risks, inequalities and non-realisation of children’s rights, as well as the responsible actors for realizing the rights and making changes in the lives and well-being of women and children in Botswana.

 

The specific objectives for the assignment are as follows:

• Develop a deep understanding of the situation of children and adolescent girls and boys, including the most vulnerable, by analysing the social and economic trends affecting them (disaggregated by age, gender, urban/rural, ethnicity, wealth and other relevant factors).
• Analyse the barriers and bottlenecks that prevent disadvantaged children {boys and girls} from benefitting from required services. The immediate, underlying and root causes should be examined, including the social, political environment and economic conditions and gender norms that result in shortfalls in the creation of an enabling environment for the realisation of children rights.
• Assess the current or potential presence of risks (disaster risks and other potential shocks; the likelihood of their occurrence, the underlying vulnerabilities and the capacities and coping mechanisms of families, communities and local and national institutions.
• Analyse the extent to which there is an enabling environment (Risk Mitigation) for the realization of the rights of all children and women.

 

Work relationships:

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the UNICEF Deputy Representative. The consultant is expected to engage closely with relevant authorities, particularly National Disaster Management Office, the Department of Social Protection in the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. Furthermore, the consultant is expected to coordinate with other actors, including UN agencies, regarding complementarity and non-duplication of efforts.

 

He/she will prepare and submit a report consisting of the following;

Deliverables	Content of section	Duration (Estimated # of days)	Timeline/Deadline	Schedule of payment
Situational Analysis	Use available data and information to provide an analysis of which emergency risks are the most critical in the country. The narrative should include significant hazards and threats that pose the biggest risk to children and women, where they happen and the populations most vulnerable to these hazards and threats.   Dimensions to be considered 1. Seasonality of threats/historical trends. 2. Social, economic, political environment and climate change. 3. Severity (number of people, type of harm, geographic spread). 4. financial implication 5. Vulnerability of people affected. 6. Level of response capacity of major actors.	8	31st October	25%
Draft Report on the analysis of UNICEF Risk Mitigation in Botswana.	Provide an analysis of current preparedness actions by reviewing the Country Office’ capacities, intended strategy and plans to support the national humanitarian response. In addtion to this, include  the level of preparedness of the United Nations Country Team in Botswana  and capacitites to respond to emergencies. Undertake qualitative analysis of gaps in risk analysis and risk mitigation and highlight constraints to further development including financing.	10	14th November	50%
Country Risk Preparedness Plan	To include priority risks for which scenarios and UNICEF responses are to be defined. The risk preparedness plan will be used to inform the Annual Risk Assessment and the risks will be documented in the Corporate Risk Register, as well as in the Business Continuity Plan. For each of the priority risks, identify the likely humanitarian implications: the scale, humanitarian consequences, priority needs for women and children, and the capacities and constraints of the government and major humanitarian actors (including development and private sector partners) in coordinating and implementing the response. The preparedness plan should include Terms of Reference for the Emergency Focal Point.	7	23rd November	25%

 

The consultancy will be for the duration of 25 working days over the period 22^nd October 2018 to 23^rd November 2018. The consultancy will follow the schedule in line with the expected deliverable above and timelines will only be negotiated if the delay is due to conditions beyond the control of the consultants.

 

Qualifications:

Possess an advanced degree in social sciences or development studies, preferably in a university internationally renowned in social sector studies.

Experience and Specialized knowledge:

• • At least 8 years of relevant professional experience, for which five years should be in conducting socio-economic analysis.
  • A minimum of five years of relevant work experience focused on developing countries, in areas related to development cooperation in climate change adaptation and mitigation, environment and socio-economic development.
  • Extensive and applied knowledge on risk analysis, profiling and development of mitigation measures.
  • Proven knowledge of working with children and women issues.
  • Demonstrate, excellent analytical and report writing skills (sample analytical products will be requested).
  • Strong coordination skills and ability to adhere to deadlines.
  • Strong communication and presentation skills.
  • Excellent writing skills in English language.
  • Relevant work experience in Botswana and country context is an added advantage.
  • Previous working experience with UNICEF in a similar capacity is an asset.
  • Other competencies include demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural environment and established relationships with national partners

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

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse, and on any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.