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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. 

Consultancy Advert - Individual Consultant to conduct a Situation Analysis (SitAn) of Children, Adolescents, and Youth in Maldives, 2025.

For every child, a champion!

Background

The Republic of Maldives, a Small Island Developing State situated on the Indian Ocean, is the world’s most geographically dispersed nation. It comprises over 1,190 islands, 187 of which are inhabited. By constitutional mandate, the Maldives is a 100% Muslim nation and holds the distinction of being Asia's least populous country. The 2022 census revealed a total population of 515,132, of which 24% (119,159) are children. The total fertility rate stands at 1.7, below the replacement level. Foreign residents account for over a quarter of the population, with 132,493 non-citizens living in the country. Additionally, 41% of the total population resides in the Greater Malé region, making it one of the most densely populated urban areas globally. Migration to Malé is primarily driven by better access to education, healthcare (20%), employment opportunities (19%), and family reasons such as marriage.

Economically, the Maldives faces significant challenges, with debt levels reaching 122% of GDP in 2024, low foreign reserves, and increasing public expenditure. Although the tourism sector has rebounded post-pandemic, economic growth has slowed, with GDP growth estimated at 4.0% in 2023, far below pre-pandemic levels. While tourist arrivals increased by 12%, this did not translate into higher GDP growth due to reduced spending per tourist and shorter stays. These fiscal and external pressures highlight the urgent need for structural reforms to achieve macroeconomic stability and protect vulnerable groups.1. 

Despite economic difficulties, the Maldives has made significant strides in promoting children’s rights and well-being, achieving universal access to healthcare and education, and maintaining low maternal and child mortality rates. Maldives has sustained the low child and maternal mortality rate and provided universal health coverage. Reducing neonatal mortality and preventing child anemia and stunting remain major challenges (DHS 2016/17). However, the country faces emerging challenges, such as ensuring sustainable financing for social services, addressing child vulnerabilities and inequalities, and mitigating the effects of climate change on children. Neonatal mortality, childhood anemia, and stunting remain persistent health issues, as indicated by the DHS 2016/17 survey.

The Maldives continues to provide free education for all, dedicating around 33% of GDP to social services. With 24% of its population being children, these investments are vital for the nation's future. However, the Maldives is highly susceptible to climate change, with rising sea levels and coral reef degradation posing severe risks to its environment and economy. The World Bank warns that, under a worst-case scenario, these challenges could shrink the nation’s GDP by 11% by 2050. To address these risks, significant investments in climate adaptation and renewable energy are essential to secure the Maldives’ long-term sustainability.

As UNICEF Maldives Country prepares for its new Country Programme Development (2027-2031) in the context of the new United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and national priorities, the need to conduct a Situation Analysis (SitAn) to support this process is critical. The last UNICEF Situation Analysis (SitAn) of children and women in the Maldives was conducted in 2022. Within the framework of the global guidelines, the new SitAn 2025 will be carried out in partnership with the Government and other relevant stakeholders. The SitAn 2025 should be aligned with the current government manifesto, the Long-Term National Development Plan, and with key sectoral plans and the global SDGs taking into consideration the new challenges brought on by the current economic situation. 

The analysis approach should be rights-based, equity-focused and gender-based to examine the progress, challenges, and opportunities for achieving child rights and well-being, and the patterns of deprivation that children face. It analyses the causes of these deprivations and the barriers that prevent the fulfilment of child rights. It considers the progress that policy and programme interventions have made towards at-scale coverage of inclusive social services for key populations; the adequacy of policy delivery, impact/lessons learnt/opportunities due to current economic situation, particularly in terms of budget; and the resources for leaving no child behind. It looks at the unequal realization of rights and the depths of disparities across different equity dimensions. Finally, it highlights the situation of children left behind, as well as those children most at risk of being left behind – all of whom are entitled to social services and opportunities.

How can you make a difference? 

Objective:

The purpose of this assignment is to develop a Situation Analysis 2025 to ensure that the UNICEF Maldives Country Programme Document (2027-2031) will be aligned to the needs of children and young people in Maldives and considering the Government of Maldives policy and legal frameworks, and the global SDGs. The SitAn will provide the most relevant evidence for integrated planning and implementation to ensure the best outcomes for all children in Maldives. The broad focus will be to: 

1. Assess the overall situation of newborns, children, adolescent, and youth in Maldives, including the status, progress against the current CPD targets and the national policy and legal frameworks, and trends, with a focus on the most deprived.
2. Identify potential scenarios, priorities and drivers of change and provide programme and policy recommendations to guide the development of Country Programming Document, preparation of the next Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) Periodic Report, Country Analysis and the new UNSDCF process and alignment to the national policy and legal frameworks.

For the detailed Terms of Reference, please visit:  ToR for Individual Consultant to conduct SitAn 02012025 Advert.pdf

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

Education 

•   A minimum of master’s degree in social sciences, education, health, child protection, planning and monitoring, and/or related fields. PhD in similar field will be an added value. 

Work Experience

• At least 5 years of work experience on production of country analysis reports.  
• At least 2 years of working experience within the last decade working on projects related to Maldives.  
• Provide a portfolio with of previous projects with at least three projects using evidence on gender to shape and implement gender-focused and disability-focused programmes.  
• Familiarity with UNICEF mandate and policy, including the human rights-based approach and of gender dimensions.  
• Provide a portfolio of workshops led that include causality analysis workshop and Theory of Change.  
• At least 5 years of experience working with social policy contexts including decentralization and expertise in policy analysis.  
• 5 years of working experience related to communications and facilitation skills, including the points, engaging in evidence-based policy dialogue with Government and other key stakeholders.  
• Work sample of their previous work on similar assignments must be provided. Applications without it will not be considered. 

Language Proficiency:

Excellent writing skills in English

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Remarks:  

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.