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Background
Uzbekistan is at an important demographic juncture. Today's children and young people constituting 55% of the population and in 15-20 years will become the largest labour force Uzbekistan has ever had. The Government of Uzbekistan continuously prioritizes children and youth development and support in realization of their potential fully. Significant resources are allocated to provide children and youth with education, employment and social support. However, many initiatives, especially at the local level, lack systematic approach and are not based on the rights, interest and needs of children and youth.

In this context, UNICEF jointly with the national partners and with the financial support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation continues building local governance system that prioritizes fulfilment of children rights, including rights for education, healthy and safe environment, play and other. Specifically, UNICEF, UNDP and movement Yuksalish launched a four-year Joint Programme “Inclusive transformation for youth and child-friendly local governance in Uzbekistan”. The UN Joint Programme aims to foster participatory, inclusive, and results-oriented governance at the local level across 12 pilot districts and cities in 4 regions, including Kashkadarya, Khorezm, Surkhandarya and Tashkent regions.

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:
In this context UNICEF is looking for an individual consultant to lead interventions for strengthening meaningful youth participation in local decision-making and community development through expansion of the youth engagement platforms, built capacity of the local government, improved skills and confidence of adolescents and youth in target districts.

Scope of Work:
Specifically, working in close cooperation with UNICEF Social Policy and Youth and Adolescent Development and Participation teams, as well as with the national partners, Yuksalish & UNDP, the national consultant will be responsible for the following workstreams:

1. Expanding and/or building the platforms for meaningful youth engagement with an aim to institutionalize and systematize youth participation in local governance and community development. The work includes conceptualization, establishment, modelling and operation of diverse platforms such as Youth Advisory Boards under the Khokimiyats, participatory/open or school budget, meetings Youth and Khokim, digital engagement platforms, e.g. U-Report.
2. Building capacity of the local government in participatory planning, budgeting and programme implementations in cooperation with the UNDP and UNICEF Social Policy colleagues.
3. Increasing awareness of young people of child rights, inclusivity and participatory budgeting.
4. Building skills of young people to actively participate in decision making and lead social innovation interventions for the development of their communities.

The consultant will need to monitor and document the results and lessons learned during the programme implementation developing the recommendations for further strengthening of meaningful youth engagement at the local level.

Work Assignments Overview - Deliverables/Outputs - Timeline

1. Expanding and/or building the platforms for meaningful youth engagement with an aim to institutionalize and systematize youth participation in local governance and community development.

1.a TORs and Codes of Conduct for the Youth Advisory Boards under Khokimiyats are developed and validated by the local government - By 1 July 2025

1.b Members of the Youth Advisory Boards are recruited - By September 2025

1.c Youth Advisory Boards are supported in undertaking consultations with their peers on the local governments plans at least two times per year in each district or city, documented by finalized agenda, list of participants and minutes of the meetings, photos - By 10 May 2026

1.d A new format of the meetings Youth and Khokim is modelled to discuss the social matters in each district or city, (evidenced by finalized and endorsed concept note by khokim/members of advisory boards etc) - By 10 May 2026

1.e Provide inputs for conceptualization and modelling of youth engagement in open or school budgeting - By 10 May 2026

2. Jointly with UNDP and UNICEF Social Policy, integrate and conduct modules on meaningful youth participation, participatory planning and budgeting in the capacity-building package for the local government

2. Design and deliver dedicated modules on increasing the awareness of local government teams on ensuring meaningful youth participation and mechanisms to ensure it. This includes developing the concept, agenda, list of participants, materials and slides - By September 2025

3. Increase awareness and skills of young people of child rights, inclusivity, participatory budgeting, undertaking peer survey, presentation skills

3. At least 2 workshops are conducted for Youth Advisory Board members from each of 12 districts to ensure that the members of the Youth Advisory Boards have improved skills and knowledge to engage their peers and advocate for child rights - By December 2025

4. Build skills of young people to actively participate in decision making and lead social innovation interventions for the development of their communities - By April 2026

4.a Recruit young people for participation in the social innovation programme UPSHIFT in every region

4.b Undertake at least 4 (1 in each of the pilot regions) 5-day bootcamps on social innovation in every region. This includes development of concept, list of participants, agenda, list of panel members.

4.c Jointly with the national partners support with seed-funding and mentorship incubation of the youth-led social innovation projects for the benefit of their communities and monitor youth-led projects implementation and further support by the local government in each district.

Local Travel: Continuous travelling to every target district and/or region 12 locations, at least 3 times in each during June 2025 - May 2026. DSA will be paid in line with UNICEF regulations

Please submit a professional fee (in USD) to undertake this assignment, without travel fees as this will be reimbursed as and when they take place.

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

• A university degree in public policy, economics, legal science or other related fields 
• At least 5 years of professional experience in the field of public policy in Uzbekistan (verified by the records of work experience)
• At least 1 year experience of professional experience in facilitation of the meaningful youth participation, especially at the local level
• Excellent teamwork and cooperation skills with a wide range of national partners (verified by experience, interview and reference)
• Previous experience in project monitoring
• Previous experience in facilitation of training/woprkshops
• Previous experience working with the UN(ICEF) or UN(ICEF)-funded projects is an asset
• Fluency is Uzbek and Russian is compulsory. Knowledge of English is an asset

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.