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, results. 

The year 2025 marks five years to the SDG endline in 2030 and is an opportune time to review progress towards the targets that have been set. UNICEF Middle East and North Africa plans to produce a report on the progress towards child-related SDGs and is seeking a consultant to prepare a database on child-related SDGs for the region, review global and regional methodologies for SDG progress assessment and conduct preliminary analytical work to assess the strengths and weaknesses of alternative approaches to SDG progress assessment for the region. This work will draw inspiration from the global SDG benchmarking of child-related SDGs produced by D&A/DAPM as well as regional assessments of SDG progress prepared by UN-ESCWA and the Islamic Development Bank, among others.  

How can you make a difference?

Objectives:

To support the preparation of a regional report on progress towards child-related SDGs in the Middle East and North Africa, the consultant will:
• Prepare a child-related SDG dataset and associated metadata and extraction syntax.
• Review existing global and regional methodologies for SDG indicator progress assessments.
• Explore alternative statistical methodologies for trend analysis towards reaching SDG targets in 2030.

Tasks:

The consultant will be expected to:
• Identify suitable SDG databases to extract available data on child-related SDG indicators and write R-codes for extracting data series including available metadata (based on SDMX, API, etc)
• Prepare detailed statistical description for data series for each SDG indicator by country in MENA, including possibility for trend analysis (number data points, earliest data point, latest data points, etc)
• Review different existing methodologies on SDG indicator analysis (such as UNICEF 2018 SDG report, UNICEF benchmarking analysis, ESCWA 2024 report, etc) and use of scenarios (current trend, rate of change needed to achieve target, etc).
• Explore and evaluate different statistical methodologies for trend analysis towards reaching SDG targets in 2030 (e.g., linear trends, exponential trends, logarithmic trend – including sensitivity analysis) and explore nearest neighbor methodology for forecasting potential SDG dynamics up to 2030.

Note that the R-code developed for extracting child-related SDG indicators from different sources and compilation of dataframe should follow best practices (e.g. “Advance R – Style Guide”) and should be clearly structured and commented.

Deliverables

• Data frame with child-related SDG indicators by country and year and associated metadata and extraction syntax (syntax prepared in R based on SMDX data flows and APIs from other UN agencies etc.).
• Technical note comparing global and regional methodologies that have been used for SDG progress assessments, including for child-related SDGs (such as UNICEF 2018 SDG report, UNICEF child-related SDG benchmarking analysis, ESCWA 2024 SDG report, etc.)
• Technical note summarising the advantages and disadvantages of alternative statistical methodologies for trend analysis with recommendations for MENA SDG report (including linear trends, exponential trends, logarithmic trends as well as consideration of the use of clustering approaches such as nearest neighbour for forecasting).

Supervision and cooperation with other consultants
The UNICEF Regional Advisor on Monitoring will provide quality assurance and oversight for the consultant’s work with substantial feedback on the quality of the work.

Below are details of the assignment and timelines:

Preparation of Child-Related SDG Dataset and Associated Metadata and Extraction Syntax

• Deliverable: Data frame with child-related SDG indicators by country and year, along with associated metadata and extraction syntax.
• Delivery Timeline: 31 February 2025 (10 days)

Review of Different Existing Global and Regional Methodologies on SDG Indicator Progress Assessments

• Deliverable: Technical note comparing global and regional methodologies used for SDG progress assessments.
• Delivery Timeline: 15 March 2025 (6 days)

Exploration of Alternative Statistical Methodologies for Trend Analysis Towards Reaching SDG Targets in 2030

• Deliverable: Technical note summarizing the advantages and disadvantages of alternative statistical methodologies for trend analysis, including recommendations for the MENA SDG report.
• Delivery Timeline: 31 March 2025 (8 days)

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

• An advanced University degree (master’s or PhD) in in Economics, Demography, Statistics, Social Policy, Computer Science or other related technical field with significant analysis or quantitative research background is required.
• At least 5 years experience in analysis using multi-country global databases such as the SDG indicators
• Experience of statistical methodologies for trend analysis and clustering approaches.
• Experience with statistical software (preferably R) and extracting information from global data flows maintained by UN agencies (SDMX/APIs). 
• Excellent writing skills.

Desirables 

-Experience of working on child-related SDGs

-Experience of working on SDG progress assessments.

Languages

• Excellent command in written and spoken English required.

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:  

Please remember to attach a financial proposal with your application

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.