National Consultant to conduct a comprehensive social protection assessment

Job no: 580235
Position type: Consultant
Location: Turkmenistan
Division/Equivalent: CEE/CIS
School/Unit: Republic of Turkmenistan
Department/Office: Ashkhabad, Rep. of Turkmenistan
Categories: Social Policy

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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, protection 

Turkmenistan is an upper-middle-income country with large hydrocarbons sector accounting for the majority of the country's exports significant revenues. The Presidential Programme for 2022-2028 sets a target to increase the GDP by 47% in 2028 compared to 2022. In 2022, Turkmenistan's economy was propped up by elevated global energy prices and adversities.
According the 2022 census, population of Turkmenistan is 7,1 mln people with 34,9% of population being children, 47.1% of urban and 52.9% of rural residents. In 2023, 75% of the state budget expenditures (Tier I) were spent on social needs, in 2022 – 67.7%. In 2023, 75% of the state budget was allocated to social needs, up from 67.7% in 2022. In 2021, education spending was 3.9% of GDP, health spending 1.6%, and social protection 3.3%. Turkmenistan’s economic policy focuses on sustainable growth, diversification, and macroeconomic stability.
In recent years, Turkmenistan has made significant strides in improving its social protection (SP) system, focusing on sustainable development, public welfare, and social equity. The government has introduced key programs and legislation, such as the National Socio-Economic Development Programs (2011-2030, 2022-2052) and the Law on Social Services (2021), strengthening the legal foundation for social assistance and inclusive services, particularly for vulnerable groups and those with disabilities. The social protection system includes contributory and non-contributory programs, offering benefits like paid leave, childcare grants, and social allowances for orphans and the bereaved. The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection provides home care and case management services.
As Turkmenistan continues to implement its social protection strategies, a comprehensive Inter Agency Social Protection Assessment is needed. Applying the Core Diagnostic Instrument (CODI), will help strengthen the social protection framework, identify gaps, and optimize coordination. CODI offers a unified framework for assessing the performance of social protection systems, highlighting inefficiencies, duplications, and gaps in programs.
The Core Diagnostic Instrument (CODI) has been designed to:
Map the elements of a social protection system in a given country, including national objectives, strategies, policies, programs, and schemes of the social protection system.
Analyze social protection system performance against national social protection objectives and track progress against a standardized set of performance criteria over time.
Serve as an evidence base for country dialogue on how to strengthen a social protection system and identify a set of entry level policy reform options, considering local conditions.
Promote exchange & coordination between national & international partners.

How can you make a difference? 

Scope of Work:
Specific objectives include:
Under the guidance of the international consultant, collect qualitative and quantitative data on selected social protection programmes and fill up the CODI questionnaires by using the collected data.
Interview relevant stakeholders by using CODI questionnaires (including but not limited to Ministry of Health and Medical Industry, Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population, Ministry of Education, Institute of State, Law and Democracy, State Migration Services of Turkmenistan, NGOs and others to fill up the knowledge gaps.
Contribute to development of practical short-, medium- and long-term recommendations for system development (including specific programmes), coverage extension, and improvement of services delivery and administration.
Support analysis of cost-effectiveness and affordability of proposed recommendations considering relevant line Ministries' budget analysis and the overall fiscal space analysis for the concerned Sectors – Education, Social Insurance, Pensions, Health, Labour and Social Protection, Migration & Employment.
Contribute to a report drafting for selected social protection programmes.
Through a consultative process involving key technical experts from line Ministries and Agencies to validate policy recommendations and technical report.
Overview of national legislation, regulations and current practices for the provision of services in the area of education, health care, and social services for children and families in difficult life situations.
The assignment will be implemented predominantly at a national level, involving relevant stakeholders and government partners. The overall duration of the assignment would tentatively be from March 2025 to March 2026, with possibility of extension as required.
 
For more details of the assignment please refer to ToR Download File ToR_CODI Assessment_ National Consultancy_for vacancy announcement.pdf

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

  • An advanced university degree in the International Development, Social Policy, or related discipline required
  • At least 15 years progressively responsible professional work experience in the area of social sciences /development or related field, including the development of legislation and regulatory frameworks, project management, planning, monitoring and evaluation, methodological support, and research.
    • Strong familiarity with the economic analysis, budget forecasting, as well as ability to state the analysis in the format relevant to the MoLSP.
    • Proven knowledge and/or professional experience in methodology and legal document development.
    • Relevant experience in/with government institutions and structures
    • Proven strong communication and facilitation skills.
    • Good knowledge and understanding of the national social protection sector.
    • Proven analytical and report writing skills.
    • Fluency in Russian and Turkmen; knowledge of the English language will be 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. 

Advertised: West Asia Standard Time
Application close: West Asia Standard Time

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