Unlike the end of the last century, the economically active population is no longer primarily concentrated in the industrial sector of medium and large cities. This population segment is increasingly occupying positions in the commerce and services sector. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), 1.1 billion jobs are subject to being radically transformed by technological evolution in the next decade.
Despite the deindustrialization process in our country, youth are increasingly taking up temporary or freelance jobs in commerce and app-based services – a sector driven by the growing platformization of employment. Between 2010 and 2019, the services sector gained about 400,000 companies (according to IBGE, 2019).
The Global Employment Trends for Youth 2022 report by the International Labor Organization (ILO) highlighted the potential of digitalization to increase productivity, wages, and social welfare. However, like any disruptive technology, its transformations also carry growing unemployment, job precariousness, and wage reduction risks.
It’s impossible to halt the impacts of technological advancement on the world of work. Nor is it desirable to ignore the implications of the technology-income generation interaction if we want to ensure that the largest generation of young people in Brazil’s history has opportunities for income generation in a dignified and sustainable manner. Therefore, UNICEF believes that inviting society to reflect on the possibilities of innovative solutions and focusing on promoting human rights for children and adolescents is crucial.
Among non-emerging businesses, the interest in innovation is also high. According to Forbes Money, almost 50% of companies with an annual turnover above R$ 300 million conduct or have conducted corporate venture capital, meaning they have set up a fund to invest in other businesses capable of driving innovation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, although the global economy generally shrank, emerging businesses continued to arise throughout Brazil. According to the Brazilian Startup Association, from 2015 to 2019, the number jumped from an average of 4,100 to 12,700 startups created, representing an increase of 207%.
Contemplating exploring this potential applied to the social impact sector, focusing on ensuring and expanding human rights for children and adolescents, is an urgent challenge that can create fertile ground for the third sector’s operations and subsidize new public policies throughout the country.
Purpose
Under the direct supervision of the UNICEF Officer for the 1MiO initiative and advisory support from the Program, Ventures Specialist at the Office of Innovation, the Social Innovation Consultant will support the UNICEF Brazil office in mapping the innovation ecosystem, focusing on social impact. This initiative is crucial for understanding the local business and innovation landscape. It’s particularly important given the limited research on the social innovation ecosystem in Brazil, despite significant attention from various stakeholders. Understanding the local business landscape will potentially identify innovative solutions for gaps in services for children, their families, and youth, with a potential impact on children’s well-being.
By aligning the program’s objectives with the innovation landscape, UNICEF can leverage potential innovative solutions for specific interventions in:
Demographics: Brazil currently has the largest generation of adolescents and youth in its history: more than 48 million people aged 10 to 24 in the country. Many of them live in over 11,000 slums and communities scattered across the national territory, and 11.7 million are in poverty or low income and depend on social programs for their subsistence.
Nutrition: Brazil faces a concerning picture of malnutrition, worsened by Covid-19. The pandemic increased food insecurity: 17% of Brazilians stopped eating at some point because there was no money to buy more food. This equates to 27 million Brazilians, according to a study conducted by UNICEF with Ipec.
Health: in 2016, for the first time in 26 years, child and infant mortality rates increased. From 2017 to 2019, they decreased but remain close to or similar to the levels of 2015. Since 2015, vaccination coverages – which had been maintained at excellent levels – entered a downward trend, worsened by the coronavirus (covid-19) pandemic.
Decent Jobs for Youth: 27 million people up to 17 years old are victims of deprivations of rights such as housing, food, and sanitation. 23% of young people between 18 and 24 years old do not study or work.
Education: Of the 48 million people between 10 and 24 years old, 1.5 million are out of school, 6 million are two or more years behind in school.
Violence: 4 out of every 10 boys who die in Brazil are victims of homicide.
The impact of climate change exposes children and adolescents to medium to high-risk levels, affecting their well-being and health.
The mapping of the innovation ecosystem will serve as the basis for the next Innovation Strategy of the UNICEF Office in Brazil and, subsequently, support UNICEF programs or other institutions in achieving innovative social impact for children. The underlying belief is that identifying barriers and designing tailored interventions will create an ecosystem conducive to child-centered innovations, and designing tailored interventions will ensure that their rights and well-being are prioritized.
UNICEF believes that these transformative changes will create space for children’s participation to reach their potential and grow as agents of change. In the context of long-term situations, like in Brazil, where adolescents and children have extremely limited opportunities, these changes will provide an important platform to protect the rights of children and adolescents.
Expected results: (measurable results)
SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time Bound
Deliverables
Tasks | Deliverables/Outputs | Delivery deadline | ||
1 | Conduct a social innovation and start-up ecosystem mapping | Provide a scope of work including the methodology, timeline, and plan to conduct the ecosystem mapping. | Month 1 | Est. 20 days (Payment 12,5%) |
Produce an initial ecosystem mapping research report (i.e., desk review, stakeholder mapping, interviews, etc.) | Months 2-3 | Est. 20 days (Payment 12,5%)
8 days of travel | ||
Present a written and presentation analysis of the ecosystem mapping, along with case studies/ human interest stories (1) | Month 4 | Est. 20 days (Payment 12,5%) | ||
Conduct a stakeholder engagement session(s) and validation on the initial analysis | Month 4 | Est. 20 days (Payment 12,5%)
5 days travel | ||
Report developed and shared along with policy briefs for Social Innovations (1) with a focus on youth Development | Month 4 – 5 | Est. 20 days (Payment 12,5%) | ||
Disseminate and share the report amongst relevant stakeholders | Month 5 | Est. 20 days (Payment 12,5%) | ||
Monitor and evaluate the impact and value of the report | Months 6-7 | Est. 20 days (Payment 12,5%) | ||
2 | Support the country office in developing its innovation strategy and process | Facilitate the CO’s innovation focal points in developing the innovation strategy for the office, and funding proposals – support CO in developing at least two proposals based on initial analysis (including the CO Venture Fund proposal and DPGs x Youth concept) | Months 6-7 | Est. 20 days (Payment 12,5%) |
Duration of Contract
210 days, 7 months
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Language Proficiency
Technical background, and experience required
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENT
*A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with five additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
The consultant will be expected to travel within Brazil to map the networks and potential resources.
UNICEF’S CORE VALUES
Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS)
UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
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.
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.
General Conditions: Procedures and Logistics
Financial Proposal
Insurance and health coverage
Restrictions
Remarks:
Individuals engaged under a consultancy 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. Consultants 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.
Advertised: E. South America Standard Time
Deadline: E. South America Standard Time
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