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Consultancy Title: Consultant for the development of a policy brief on access to assistive technology in education systems

Section/Division/Duty Station: Children with Disability, Programme Group, UNICEF NYHQ

Duration: 3 February 2025 to 26 June 2025

Home/ Office Based: NYHQ / Remote

About UNICEF

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/ Assignment:

The consultant will develop a policy brief containing concise, evidence-based, policy options and their impact on access to and participation in inclusive education through increased availability of assistive technology (AT). The brief will allow policymakers and other stakeholders to systematically and transparently consider the available evidence about the likely impact of different policy options for improving access to AT in education.

Scope of Work:

Under the overall supervision of the Disability Focal Point of the Education Section of the Programme Group of UNICEF Headquarters, the consultant will be responsible for the performing of the following assignments: 

• Clearly identifies the barriers to accessing assistive technology in education, especially in under-resourced low- and middle-income (LMIC) settings.
• Describes education, health, and social protection system problems from the perspective of inclusive education and access to AT in development and humanitarian settings.
• Provides a set of viable policy options for addressing this problem that span children of all age groups and adults pursuing education.
• Summarises the best available evidence regarding the design and implementation of policies for improving access to education with assistive technology examples from countries.
• Addresses knowledge gaps (identified in the systematic review) through consultations with experts, and key opinion leaders and through external reviews.

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

• Description of the elements to be included in the policy brief, with a delivery date listed for each section: Inception Report with Methodology, Process, and Timeline (11 March 2025)
• Desk review and analysis of the available literature, studies, and other reports describing the major policies, action plans, and recommendations to improve access to AT in education systems in LMIC’s and states experiencing humanitarian crises. The desk review may take the form of a separate document outlining the consultants' findings or a draft of the relevant section of the Policy Brief. Desk Review of Available Studies, Literature, and other Reports (30 March 2025)
• Consultant will conduct consultation with relevant states and stakeholders to address knowledge gaps, key strategies, and implementation guidelines.  Consultant may submit a separate document outlining the relevant findings of these consultations or prepare a draft of the relevant section of the overall Policy Brief.  Completion of Country and Stakeholder Consultations (2 May 2025)
• Policy Brief should be approximately 30 pages, excluding references. Final, copy-edited Policy Brief (13 June 2025)           

Qualifications

Education: 

Advanced university degree (Masters) in the area of law, social science, human rights, or other related fields.

Work experience:

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required *: 

• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively professional experience related to international humanitarian law, human rights law, and disability rights law.
• Understanding of and commitment to the rights of persons with disabilities is a requirement.
• Strong organization and writing skills are essential.
• Experience engaging with national and local organizations, in particular with organizations of persons with disabilities, in humanitarian action is a strong asset.
• Knowledge of humanitarian action systems and processes, particularly those related to preparedness, is an asset.
• Fluency in English (written and spoken) is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.

Requirements:

Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and

- Upload copy of academic credentials

- Financial proposal that will include/ reflect :

• • the costs per each deliverable and the total lump-sum for the whole assignment (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference.
  • travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
  • Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
  • Indicate your availability

- Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.

- At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.

- Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory 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.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at: Here

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:  

Individuals engaged under a consultancy 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. 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. 

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.