UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, a voice.

Purpose of Activity/Assignment

The Czech Republic hosts the highest number of refugees from Ukraine per capita in the European Union (EU). Since the onset of the refugee crisis, the Czech Republic welcomed over half a million Ukrainian refugees. Based on the re-registration over 370,000 refugees remain in the country, out of which 26 per cent are children and 43 per cent women. The registration data show that on average 8,000 new Ukrainian refugees enter Czech Republic every month, including around 30 – 50 minors entering the country unaccompanied or separated. There are about 76,000 youth between 15 – 24 years old in the country. Estimated survey data indicate that around 16% of young people between 15 – 19 years are not in education, employment, or training.

UNICEF together with partners, launched the CESTY (pathways) program to address the challenges faced by young Ukrainian refugees who often have to choose between continuing their education and entering the workforce. It connects vulnerable youth—particularly those who have left school, are at risk of dropping out, or have experienced harm—to various learning and income-generating opportunities. By facilitating this connection, youth are supported on their transition to decent work through addressing the diverse needs of displaced youth, helping them build a brighter future. Evidence from the EU shows that simply opening opportunities is not enough; gender and disability barriers must be addressed through holistic and long-term support. Young people navigating unfamiliar education and labor environments, particularly those impacted by gender or disability, require tailored support before, during, and after access to opportunities and services. Proactive outreach and connections to social service partners will be essential to ensuring that youth with gender-based or disability-specific challenges remain engaged in their skills-building journey.

The purpose of the assignment is to develop a gender-responsive and disability inclusive approach for Cesty program. This will be achieved through conducting a comprehensive desk review and data analysis and building the capacity of professionals to address gender and disability-related barriers.

Scope of Work

The purpose of the gender and disability inclusion analysis is threefold:

• Firstly, it seeks to identify gaps in knowledge and data on education and employment opportunities for refugee youth, with a focus on gender and disability disparities. This includes mapping the availability of data for girls and boys, as well as youth with disabilities.
• Secondly, it aims to analyze how gender and disability impact refugee youth’s access to education and employment, comparing the experiences of young women, men, and youth with disabilities across different demographic and family contexts. The analysis will focus on both national trends and the specific experiences of Ukrainian refugees.
• Thirdly, the analysis will inform capacity-building efforts to equip professionals with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively address these disparities.

Under the supervision of the Child Protection Specialist, and with the guidance and support of the UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECARO) Gender team, the Consultant will be responsible for the following:

1) Desk Review and Data Mapping

• Conducting a desk review of existing policies and academic and research papers available to-date on the drivers of gender disparities and barriers that boys and girls with disabilities face in youth employment and higher education in the Czech Republic, both nationally and with a focus on refugees from Ukraine.

2) Data collection and analysis

• Develop the study design and methodology for the data collection and analysis of findings.
• Conducting a secondary analysis of available data nationally and for refugees from Ukraine to identify which factors (drivers) are associated with pursuing of employment and education, which factors differently impact girls and boys, the relative importance of these factors in determining youth educational and career trajectories, and how multiple vulnerabilities intersect.
• Collecting primary data (e.g. through questionnaires, interviews or focus group discussions) with key stakeholders to complement the secondary data analysis and to provide further contextualization of the findings, alongside key insight into the lived realities for refugee youth in the Czech Republic.

3) Finalization of the report and presentation of findings and recommendations

• Writing a report which includes research questions, desk review, methodology, data mapping, analysis of the results from primary and secondary data analysis, conclusions, and recommendations (max. 30 pages.)
• Producing a brief roadmap of priorities and next steps for UNICEF and the Government to address the gaps identified and respond to the most pressing needs (findings informing Cesty program implementation).
• Facilitating and presenting the report focusing on practical strategies for removing barriers and promoting inclusive practices in education and employment services for refugees.

UNICEF will support National Consultant in identifying and collaborating with relevant stakeholders for data collection via the network of existing partners.

Work Assignment Overview

Estimated Duration of the Contract

30 working days between November 2024 and January 2025.

Consultant’s Work Place and Official Travel

The Consultant will be home-based in Prague.

As part of this assignment, some local travels are foreseen. The consultant will arrange her/his travel as and when they take place, and related costs will be reimbursed per UNICEF travel policy.

Travel Clause

• All UNICEF rules and regulations related to travel of Consultants apply.
• All travels shall be undertaken only upon the prior written approval by UNICEF.
• The consultant must be fit to travel, be in a possession of the valid UN BSAFE certificate, obligatory inoculation(s) and have a valid own travel/medical insurance and an immunization/vaccination card.

Estimated Cost of the Consultancy & Payment Schedule

Payment will be made on submission of an invoice and satisfactory completion of the above-mentioned deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs are incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines. All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future.

Please submit a professional fee (in USD) based on 30 working days to undertake this assignment, without travel fees as these will be reimbursed as and when they take place.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Required:

• Master’s degree in Gender Studies, Disability Studies, Sociology, Social Policy, Social Work, Education, related field.
• At least 5 years of professional work experience in the field of gender equality, social work, child/youth protection, and/or support to vulnerable youth and adolescent development.
• Demonstrated working experience and knowledge working with mixed research methods and with using data to inform evidence-based decision-making to address key barriers to services for marginalized populations.
• Fluency in Czech and English is required.

Skills:

• Excellent analytical and writing skills.
• Excellent team working skills and respect for diversity.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS), and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most marginalized children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family 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.

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 be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Please submit:

• a full CV,
• a financial proposal (in USD) outlining your daily rate and estimated number of days needed for completion of each deliverable,
• a Cover Letter with clarification of availability as well as detailed relevant experience and approach to this consultancy,
• a technical proposal outlining the research methodological approach, as well as
• samples of relevant work (attachments or links).

Applications submitted without a professional fee will not be considered. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.