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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. 

For every child, answers

UNICEF Innocenti Global Office of Research and Foresight (UNICEF Innocenti) works closely with researchers, governments, practitioners and other partners in 190 countries and territories. Innocenti’s overall aim is to contribute to more effective and sustainable outcomes for children, including their rights and protection. UNICEF Innocenti generates research, knowledge and analysis on child rights and well-being globally, for UNICEF, partners, and the wider international development and donor community. Its activities help to identify key challenges for child rights, as well as effective solutions and responses, working collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders to inform policy, guide practice and strengthen results from investments.

Birth registration is fundamental for legal identity, social services, and rights. Ensuring system resilience is crucial for continuity and disaster response. Climate change exacerbates the frequency and severity of natural and humanitarian disasters. Climate change-induced natural and humanitarian disasters pose significant challenges to the effective functioning of birth registration systems. Disruptions caused by such events can lead to the loss of vital records, hindering individuals' access to essential services and legal rights. There is a critical need to secure and adapt birth registration systems to address these challenges to ensure their resilience in the face of disasters.

This research aims to identify strategies for securing and adapting birth registration systems to ensure uninterrupted service delivery, even in the face of disasters, by focusing on improvement in the routine functioning of the system as well as special measures needed.

How can you make a difference? 

The primary objective of this research is to generate evidence-informed recommendations for securing and adapting birth registration systems in response to climate change-induced natural and humanitarian disasters. The aim is to assess existing vulnerabilities and gaps in birth registration systems and develop recommendations for routine system functioning and disaster-specific adaptations.

Specifically, the research aims to synthesize existing evidence and good practices through desk-based review, consultation, and case study analysis, in order to produce recommendations for the following aspects of birth registration system strengthening:

- Business Process Improvement: Identify areas for business process improvement within birth registration systems to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and resilience.
- Decentralization of Services: Explore strategies for decentralizing birth registration services to ensure accessibility and minimize disruption during disasters.
- Engagement with the Health Sector: Examine opportunities to engage with the health sector to strengthen linkages between birth registration and healthcare services in general and as a mitigation strategy during disasters and health crises.
- Digitalization: Assess the role of digital technologies in enhancing the resilience and adaptability of birth registration systems during disasters.
- Demand creation: Review promising strategies to increase demand for birth registration services, particularly among marginalized and vulnerable populations, particularly in disaster-prone areas.
- Safe storage of data: Identify best practices for secure data storage and recommend measures (cloud-based backups, offline redundancy (physical storage), and encryption protocols) to ensure data integrity and availability.
- Reconstruction mechanisms: Review existing guidance guidelines for reconstructing lost records and restoring birth registration services in post-disaster scenarios by establishing disaster recovery protocols, collaborating with disaster response agencies, and using age-appropriate biometric identifiers for re-identification.
- Populations on the move: Develop measures to address the needs of populations on the move, including refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and migrants, in accessing birth registration services during and after disasters.

Proposed Approach and Methodology

The consultant will work closely with UNICEF Innocenti and UNICEF Child Protection (CP) section to conduct and deliver the study. To achieve the objectives, they will employ the following methods:

The research will involve:

(i) Rapid global evidence review of existing literature and case studies on the impact of climate change-induced disasters on birth registration systems and existing adaptation measures,
and identification of key evidence gaps. (With input from leading institutions working on BR issues).
(ii) Virtual stakeholder consultations with identified countries to share findings and identify recommendations for adaptation of good practice, including UNICEF Country/Regional offices, government agencies, international organizations, civil society groups, and communities affected by disasters to gather insights and perspectives.
(iii) Analyzing best practices and innovative approaches from various contexts for securing and adapting birth registration systems in disaster-prone areas.
(iv) Developing policy and practice recommendations, focusing on routine improvements and special measures needed for disaster resilience.
(v) Assessing the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of proposed recommendations in different socio-economic and environmental contexts.

Potential countries of focus are LMICs identified by UNICEF which have both a comparative availability of data, and intersecting aspects of climate and/or humanitarian pressures – including (but not limited to), for instance, Bhutan, Ethiopia, Malaysia, Mozambique, Nepal, Nigeria, Philippines, Rwanda, and Tanzania.

Major areas of work and responsibility

The research will result in the following deliverables:

Deliverable 1: Inception outline, detailing structure of comprehensive report and workplan

Deliverable 2: Comprehensive report, presenting research findings, synthesis of best practices for securing and adapting birth registration systems, and recommendations.

Deliverable 3: Policy brief, summarizing key findings and recommendations for policymakers and stakeholders.

Deliverable 4: Guidelines for implementation: providing detailed guidance for implementing recommended strategies and measures.

Supervision

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the UNICEF Innocenti Child Protection Specialist and in close coordination with UNICEF Child Protection Section, HQ.

Reporting Requirements

Attendance in weekly or bi-weekly project management meetings with UNICEF Innocenti focal point.

Conditions of Consultancy

UNICEF does not issue computer equipment to consultants. The consultant will be responsible for providing the necessary computer equipment for the consultancy themselves and should include the cost implications of this responsibility in their bid for the consultancy. The cost of software and subscriptions that may be necessary to complete the consultancy (e.g., Microsoft Word) also needs to be factored into the bid for the consultancy.
UNICEF does not regard Individuals engaged under a consultancy contract as “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures. Consultants are therefore not entitled to benefits such as leave, pension 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.
Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant. Prospective consultants are encouraged to ensure that they fully understand (a) the requirements of each deliverable and (b) the workload associated with reaching a deliverable.
UNICEF recognises that, due to the locations of some of its research, events may occur that either delay deliverables or prevent them from being completed. These events need to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine the impact on the payment schedule of the contract. It is UNICEF’s objective to be fair to consultants in situations where deliverables are delayed or no longer attainable through no wrongdoing of the consultant.
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.

Administrative issues

The Bidder is requested to provide an all-inclusive cost in the financial proposal, factoring in all cost implications for the assignment as described above. Where travel is expected as part of the assignment, it will be clearly specified by the bidder (e.g. location, duration, number of journeys), and included in the estimate cost of travel in the financial proposal. Any travel will be calculated based on economy class travel, and costs for accommodation, meals and incidentals shall not exceed applicable daily subsistence allowance (DSA) rates, as promulgated by the International Civil Service Commission (ISCS), including unexpected travel.

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in  economics, political science, sociology, public health/social policy, sociology, or relevant fields in areas of UNICEF work is required.
• Strong familiarity with birth registration systems and programme design.
• Good familiarity with humanitarian and climate-shock-related contexts in LMIC settings, and broader humanitarian child protection issues.
• Established methodological expertise on the design and implementation of cost of inaction studies, preferably in the context of humanitarian and/or development contexts.
• Proven record of research-relevant publications and deliverables in this topic area.
• Clear record of deliverables in provision of high-quality research reports, briefs, and analytical outputs for mixed high-level policy, practitioner, and research audiences.
• Strong methodological expertise in economics, data analysis and modelling; strong writing skills.
• Professional, respectful and fully committed to maintaining ethical behaviours.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

Other Requirements:

• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.  
• Understanding the importance of timely delivery, validation and feedback processes as well as precision when selecting and referencing background sources.
• Excellent understanding and knowledge of software such as, but not limited to, Microsoft Office applications, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.; basic statistical analysis and reporting skills (percentages, means, and drawing of charts).
• Self-sufficient, comfortable organizing and managing time and information to achieve defined goals and optimum results and able to work to strict deadlines.
• Flexible, and able to work effectively on multiple assignments simultaneously and to adapt to changing demands and circumstances. Professional, respectful, and fully committed to maintaining ethical behaviors.
• Familiarity with evidence synthesis processes would be an asset.
• Clean criminal record and does not subscribe to harmful gender attitudes.

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 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/individual contractors 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. 

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.