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. 

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates from diverse populations, including but not limited to people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

For every child, a fair chance.

Background: Since ratification of the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and its Optional Protocol in 2009, Montenegro has made progress in promoting the rights of persons with disabilities. The Government of Montenegro has made significant efforts in the last 15 years to make a shift in the social and child protection system from an institutions-based to family-and community-based living for children and adults with disabilities. However, there are still significant gaps in services provision due to unavailability and uneven geographical distribution of services that exist. The social and child protection system still significantly relies on institution-based care e.g. children with disabilities are overrepresented in residential care accounting for more than 40% of total number of children placed in residential care. Preventive and support services for families and community-based living are still lacking. Despite the progress in development of inclusive education there is still room for improvements and for some children the only option to realize their right to education is education in Resource Centres located in two municipalities. In addition, early intervention services are at an early stage of development. Within the UNPRPD funded initiative in Montenegro, in 2021 multiple stakeholders, persons with disabilities, organizations of persons with disabilities and associations of parents of children and youth with disabilities were consulted on priority areas for the purpose of drafting the Situational analysis of the rights of persons with disabilities in Montenegro. This Situational Analysis found that there is a lack of budget analysis and studies from a disability inclusion perspective in the country, and a considerable amount of state funding is used for institutions where adults and children with disabilities reside rather than for family and community-based services. Current state budgeting guidelines do not include any disability related benchmarks and standards, neither at national nor local level, and disability-related costs are seldom included in planning, spending, and monitoring of the state and local budgets. According to the Situational Analysis, national and local authorities identified the need for better budgeting for family and community-based services and for comprehensive disability inclusive budgeting overall. However, there is limited knowledge on how to carry out disability inclusive budgeting as a step forward to achieving CRPD compliance, and absence of adequate data on the number of children and adults with disabilities, types of disability and their needs for participating in public life.

In a two-year (2022-2024) joint UN programme “Accelerating Disability Inclusion for Children and Adults with Disabilities in Montenegro” funded by the UN Global Disability Fund (UNPRPD) and implemented by UNICEF, UNDP and UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO), support has been provided to the Government of Montenegro in developing the CRPD compliant Disability Inclusive Budgeting (DIB) Guidelines. The Guidelines were developed to enhance funding, including for community-based services, for the Ministry of Finance, relevant line ministries from the social sectors (i.e., education, social and child protection and health), General Secretariat of the Government, State Audit Institution and relevant CSOs. However, there is still a need for national and local authorities to strengthen capacities on how to implement such guidelines, monitor their implementation, and develop budgets in line with the CRPD.

Purpose of Activity/Assignment: The purpose of the consultancy is to support the Government of Montenegro in applying the disability inclusive budgeting during the state budget planning phase, in which the line ministries from social sector play the key role in communication with the Ministry of Finance to identify their priorities and justify their budget requests

The objective of the consultancy is to provide support to the key line ministries from social sectors, i.e., , Ministry of Social Welfare, Family Care and Demography, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation in operationalizing the principles of the CRPD compliant Disability Inclusive Budgeting (DIB) laid out in the Guidelines developed within the Phase I of the joint UN programme “Accelerating Disability Inclusion for Children and Adults with Disabilities in Montenegro” including improving the communication with the Ministry of Finance.

The consultant is expected to provide support in implementing the Guidelines primarily through developing a tool to operationalize and support implementation of the Guidelines by social sectors to ensure in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance that the rights of persons with disabilities are prioritized in the State budget, which represents the key source of funding for social sectors. Furthermore, the consultant is expected to develop a costing analysis of the CRPD Independent Monitoring Mechanism (IMM), established by Ombudsperson in cooperation with ten (10) disability rights organizations, in order to determine the annual funding needs of the IMM to be submitted to the Ministry of Finance to include it as a regular item in a yearly State Budget, so that sustainability of IMM is ensured. So far, based on Ombudsperson’s request, a small amount of funds from the State Budget is provided by MoF for IMM functioning. The outcome of the costing will enable the IMM to conduct evidence-based advocacy with the Ministry of Finance, and Parliament to ensure adequate State budget allocation for the sustainable and effective functioning of the mechanism. The consultant is further expected to develop a training programme and materials and deliver the training for the professionals working in three social sectors and preferably Ministry of Finance – of social and child protection, education and health and other relevant institutions e.g. General Secretariat of the Government, Ombudsman, representatives of the State Parliament.

Therefore, UNICEF Montenegro is seeking for a consultant to support the Government of Montenegro in strengthening the capacities of relevant institutions in implementing the CRPD compliant Disability Inclusive Budgeting in Montenegro.
The International Consultant is expected to perform tasks under the direct supervision of UNICEF Child Protection Officer.
Under the same initiative, UNDP will engage the consultant that will develop tools for disability inclusive budgeting and conduct capacity building while focusing on enhancing activation and independent living of adults with disabilities. UNICEF and UNDP consultants are required to agree on the common approach and collaborate while performing assigned tasks.

How can you make a difference? 

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

The Consultant is expected to have the following qualifications/specialized knowledge/experience required to complete the task:

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, economics or other relevant fields.
• Master’s or equivalent diploma will be considered as an advantage.

Experience:

• Experience of 3 or more years in child rights and rights of children and youth with disabilities, more precisely in prevention of institutionalization and provision of quality integrated services.
• Experience of 3 or more years in developing budget guidelines, action plans and strategies, related to child rights, and rights of children and youth with disabilities.
• Experience of 3 or more years in capacity building of cross-sectoral nature involving local and national level duty barriers and OPDs’ representatives.
• Experience in fiscal decentralization and financial planning at national and local levels.
• Familiarity with the context of Montenegro related to state and local budgets, child rights, and rights of children with disabilities will be considered as an advantage.
• Previous work experience with UN/UNICEF or other international organization will be considered as an advantage.

Language:
• Excellent command of English and Montenegrin.

Other:
• Excellent writing skills, presentation skills, strong strategic and analytical skills.
• Ability to work with different stakeholders.
• Demonstrates tact and high sense of responsibility and discretion.
• Demonstrates integrity and high ethical standards.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

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.