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National Senior Consultant- Disability-Inclusion, Abuja Nigeria, 35 working days, (Remote)

Apply now Job no: 591492
Contract type: Consultant
Duty Station: Abuja
Level: Consultancy
Location: Nigeria
Categories: Adolescent Development

UNICEF, guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, works together with partners in 190 countries and territories to promote and advocate for the protection of the rights of every child.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, a chance . 

In Nigeria, UNICEF works in a complex humanitarian and development setting to fulfill and protect children's rights in partnership with the government, civil society, children, and families.  UNICEF Nigeria is one of the largest UNICEF Country Offices globally - click the link to learn more about UNICEF in Nigeria: https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/

Background:

UNICEF Nigeria works to ensure that all children—especially the most marginalized—survive, thrive, and are protected. Children with disabilities experience disproportionate levels of exclusion, including barriers to health services, education, protection, WASH, social protection, and emergency response. According to the 2023/24 National Demographic and Health Survey, 9% of the household population age 5 and older experiences some difficulty in at least one functional domain, 2% experience a lot of difficulty, and less than 1% cannot function at all. The most common disability relates to vision: 7% of the household population has difficulty seeing.
Nigeria has made national and international commitments toward disability inclusion, including the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act (2018), the establishment of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), and commitments under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Despite this progress, implementation gaps persist across key sectors such as education, health, social protection, child protection, WASH, and emergency preparedness.
Disability inclusion is central to UNICEF’s mission to realize the rights of all children with the UNICEF Strategic Plan 2026-2029 outlining a commitment to ensuring that all children, including those with disabilities can reach their full developmental potential. UNICEF’s Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy (DIPAS) 2022–2030 commits the organization to mainstream disability inclusion across all programmes and operations, ensuring meaningful participation, accessibility, data disaggregation, and strengthened partnerships with Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs).

How can you make a difference? 

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:
 
The consultant will undertake an evidence-based review of disability inclusion across UNICEF Nigeria’s programmes, systems, and operations, and generate actionable, context-specific recommendations aligned with Nigeria’s national situation (informed by the views of persons with disabilities) and opportunities including disability-inclusion commitments—as well as with the UNICEF Strategic Plan 2026-2029 and Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy (DIPAS) 2022–2030. The findings and recommendations will directly inform the strategic direction, priorities, and design of the next UNICEF Nigeria Country Programme (2028–2032), ensuring that disability inclusion is well integrated.

Major Responsibilities:

1. Carry out a comprehensive desk review of key existing evidence related to the situation of persons with disabilities (in particular children and youth, with attention to most marginalized groups and intersectionality) and disability inclusion in Nigeria (national policies and strategies, situation analyses and assessments, and reports, including best practices).

2. Review documents related to UNICEF Nigeria’s engagement on disability inclusion and conduct key informant interviews (KII) with the UNICEF Nigeria Country Management Team (CMT) and UNICEF staff to understand how disability considerations are being integrated into programmes and operations and identify opportunities for disability inclusion within UNICEF Nigeria priorities, connecting to UNICEF regional and global initiatives on disability.

3.Present and discuss initial findings including evidence gaps, a brief SWOT analysis and stakeholder review, and agree with UNICEF on priorities (e.g. stakeholders, key cross-sectoral interventions where UNICEF might bring a unique added value) for additional data collection through KII and focus group discussions (FGDs)
 
4.Organize consultations (KIIs and FGDs) with relevant line ministries, implementing partners, children with disabilities, OPDs, relevant organizations and networks to identify programme priorities at the national and state levels and to ensure that the voices of the diversity of persons with disabilities inform and influence the review process.
 
5.Conduct analysis and prepare a first draft report identifying sector-specific and overall country programming barriers and strategic entry points where UNICEF Nigeria could introduce new and/or strengthen existing disability-inclusion programmatic and operational solutions, drawing from UNICEF’s unique added value and seeking realistic pathways to support system changes that advance the rights of children with disabilities (e.g. entry points for identification, referral and access to support services at scale).

Task/ Milestone:

1. Carry out a comprehensive desk review and conduct KIIs with UNICEF staff

Deliverables/Outputs:

Inception report with initial findings from the desk review

2.Present preliminary findings (as above) and suggested priorities for additional data collection during a meeting with UNICEF

Deliverables/Outputs:

Suggested priorities for further data collection discussed and agreed with UNICEF

3.Conduct consultations with key stakeholders at national and state-level, including children/youth with disabilities and OPDs

Deliverables/Outputs:

Consultation report with main findings

4.Draft a first report outlining barriers and key entry points

Deliverables/Outputs:

First draft report

5.Update draft report and present it during a validation meeting with UNICEF CMT and staff

Deliverables/Outputs:

Second draft report
PPT presentation with main review findings

6. Prepare final report along with the draft action plan

 Deliverables/Outputs:

Final report with draft action plan

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Download File ToR for Senior Consultant Disability-Inclusion Review Abuja.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

Advanced university degree (Master's) in Disability Studies, Inclusive Development, Social Policy, Social Sciences or a related field

At least 8 years of experience conducting disability inclusion assessments/reviews and providing policy and programming technical advice.
 
Demonstrated experience in evidence synthesis, programme development and programme strategy.
 
Demonstrated in-depth knowledge of the disability inclusion landscape in Nigeria, including national and state-level legal/policy frameworks, institutions, and active networks of OPDs and civil society.
 
Proven experience related to implementation and monitoring of the CRPD in Nigeria and/or other countries in Africa.
Solid facilitation and child-sensitive research skills; experienced with participatory, inclusive and accessible facilitation.
 
Excellent technical and analytical writing skills in English.
 
Familiarity with UNICEF’s and/or the UN’s work is a plus.
 
Background and/or familiarity with emergency is considered as a strong asset.
 
Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of a local language is an asset.
 
Attached is the All-Inclusive Financial ProposalDownload File All-Inclusive Financial Proposal Form UNICEF.docx

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, Sustainability (CRITAS), and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

UNICEF is also proud of a diverse workforce who are profoundly committed to supporting the full realization of children’s rights, and in uplifting a rights-based approach in all that we do.

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others  

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

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 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.

Advertised: W. Central Africa Standard Time
Deadline: W. Central Africa Standard Time

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