Institutional Consultancy UNICEF ESARO Kenya

Title: Expression of Interest - Institutional Consultancy

Orginization: UNICEF ESARO

Location: Kenya

Summary

UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa Office (ESARO), is planning to carry out a study of the impact of natural disasters and conflict on education and the impact of education on resilience to natural disasters and conflict in arid and semi-arid lands in Kenya and Somalia. The study will contribute to some key outcomes of the Dutch funded Peacebuilding, Education and Advocacy in Conflict-affected Contexts programme.

Background

In 2011 crisis affected more than 13 million people in areas of Djibouti, Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia, who were hit by a combination of prolonged drought, escalating food prices and conflict. Many were living in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) and the vast majority were children and young people.

Responsibilities

The primary question will be to establish, from a local perspective, the impact of education on resilience . In particular, the study will ask what is the effect of education on the poorest and most vulnerable and their resilience in times of crisis; and how do education systems function in and for emergency. Since the context and culture has a significant effect on the process and impact of education, the study will be alert to the effects of politics, administrative and cultural differences.

Fieldwork for the study will take place in Kenya and Somalia in enough sites to account for difference. The study will also look into regional dimensions of education in emergencies, including an examination of how proximity to international borders affects education provision in emergencies (to be considered in all areas of investigation stated below).

Dissemination and debate of the findings should continue throughout the study process. Feedback to participants and meetings with UNICEF staff and ministry officials should take place at least at the mid-point and end of the study period, to deepen analysis and create momentum for action.

Dissemination will include a large event in northern Kenya to which people involved in the research and other key actors will be invited.
The method should be participatory and be fitting to the purposes and timeframe. The analysis should be built on local knowledge, evidence and realities around education and emergencies in the ASALs.

The study should engage a range of people in deep discussion using concepts that fit with their reality. It should embrace social difference and include teachers, education officials, parents, community leaders, pupils, school graduates, and young people who have either dropped out of school or haven’t been to school. The study should involve key UNICEF and ministry staff throughout the process.
Fieldwork will take place in Kenya and to a lesser extent Somalia (locations determined by access and security, to be confirmed closer to the fieldwork start date), mainly in northern Kenya, and particularly in areas close to international borders, or areas particularly affected by the 2011 drought crisis.

Catalysing debate among both education/humanitarian/development practitioners and ASALs-dwellers themselves will be a key part of the methodology. After the fieldwork a ‘gathering’ event in a pastoralist area of northern Kenya will take place. People from the ASALs (including all the study participants) and key officials from the United Nations, the national governments, donors and other NGOs will come together to debate the findings and start agreeing on actions. This is seen as being the start of ongoing debate both within and outside the ASALs on key research themes.

Notes:

1. Resilience here is defined as the ability of individuals, households, communities, institutions and countries to anticipate, adapt to, manage, and recover from the negative effects of shocks and stresses (e.g. natural disasters, socio-economic instability, conflict) in a manner that reduces vulnerability, protects livelihoods, accelerates and sustains recovery, and supports economic and social development while preserving cultural integrity. Reference to resilience in this TOR should be understood in this context.
2. A further study, subject to separate terms of reference and contract, may be undertaken in Ethiopia at a later stage to complement this work.

Requirements

Only those firms who satisfy the following requirements will be considered as potential consultancy firms:

1. Registered as legal entity in the country of origin
2. Have a proven record in conducting high quality evaluations and delivering support services to development organizations, and demonstrate sufficient managerial and technical capacity to undertake this assignment.
3. Knowledge of the latest developments in evaluation methods and standards.
4. Demonstrated sufficient managerial technical capacity to undertake the assignment.
5. Have a minimum of 5 years working experience in development evaluation.
6. Prepared to accept UNICEF’s General Terms and Conditions

The team of consultants should combine the following competencies:

1. Advanced university degree in education, social science, anthropology, development studies or other related field
2. A thorough understanding of issues in ASALs, including: pastoralist livelihoods and ways of life, social service provision, and conflict. Knowledge of recent changes in ASALs, including an understanding of the growing ‘urban vulnerable’ demographics.
3. A demonstrated focus on child development and education in ASALs.
4. Experience in community consultations and participatory action research methods involving children.
5. Experience in working for UNICEF and/or other UN or humanitarian organizations an advantage
6. Institutional contractor must provide UNICEF with a Certificate of Incorporation/ documentation that this a registered company or institution

Application Timeline

The closing date of submissions is Monday 28 January 2013. Timeframe: 4 months, starting mid-March 2013

Application Procedure

Interested firms who meet the above requirements are requested to submit their profile, detailing, in not more than three A4 pages, their approach and capacity to deliver the above stated services. Company profile together with all relevant documents should be submitted by email to the attention of Monika Tschida-Spiers – (email: mtschidaspiers@unicef.org) and Florence Andale – (email:fandale@unicef.org) with Expression of Interest, Education Study in ASAL as the message subject.