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

The Ministry of Gender, Child, and Social Welfare (MGCSW) is responsible for the welfare and protection of children in South Sudan as Welfare Directorate which according to the MGCSW strategic plan 2023 has the overall responsibility for ensuring the welfare of children in South Sudan. The main functions of the Directorate of Child Welfare includes: the development of policies that promote children’s wellbeing; development of programmes that enhance the protection of orphans, children with disabilities and other vulnerable children; protection of children from abuse, harmful practices; capacity development of social workers; promotion of better childcare practices in the community; and the coordination of child protection working groups at National and at the 10 States and the three administrative areas of Abyei, Pibor and Ruweng. MGCSW has made significant progress in the development of the legislative framework for enhancing the wellbeing of children particularly in spear- heading the development of the Child Act and its enactment in 2008. However, children in South Sudan continue to face multiple protection risks stemming from the impact of the armed conflict which ended in 2005, the 2013 conflict and that of 2016, persistent intercommunal violence, violence against women/girls, women and child abduction, insecurity, and abject poverty. Poverty exposes children to a variety of child protection risks ranging from abuse, violence, exploitation to child labor and the phenomenon of children living and working on the streets which is of significant concern in South Sudan and is a factor of all forms of violence against children. South Sudan faces significant challenges in ensuring the well-being and protection of children, including those living in residential care facilities. The proliferation of such facilities without adequate oversight poses risks to the rights and safety of children.

How can you make a difference? 

Purpose of Assignment 

The purpose of the assignment is to conduct a rapid assessment of institutions providing residential care for children in South Sudan. Thus, to support the MGCSW in relation to the specific request to UNICEF for technical assistance in the rapid assessment of twenty (20) institutions randomly selected offering children residential care (formal and informal/ registered and unregistered.

Scope of Assignment

The objective of this ToR is to conduct a rapid assessment of institutions providing residential care for children in South Sudan. The main objective of this consultancy is to support the MGCSW in relation to the specific request to UNICEF for technical assistance in the rapid assessment of twenty (20) institutions randomly selected offering children residential care (formal and informal/ registered and unregistered. The consultant, MGCSW and UNICEF will discuss and jointly select the institutions to be assessed. The rapid assessment of the residential care will lead to the development of the a regulatory framework that will set a foundation for the MGCSW and States Ministries of Gender, Child, and Social Welfare (SMGCSW) of the 10 States of (Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, Western Equatoria, Jonglei, Upper Nile, Unity, Western Bahr El Gazel, Northern Bahr El Gazel, Warrap and the three Administrative Areas of (Abyei, Pibor and Rweng) to regulate institutions providing residential care for children. If for important reasons children are in institutional care, the regulatory framework will form the basis for better monitoring of childcare facilities and improving the care and conditions of children living in these institutions and those in foster homes. They will also be an initial step in ensuring that children who have families can be reunified with their families and provided with case support to ensure that the child is able to access their rights within a home environment. The rapid assessment will be led by national consultant under the technical guidance of an international consultant. The consultants will work closely with assigned social workers or technical staff from the MGCSW.

Tasks/Expected Results

1. Prepare an inception report outlining how the work will be carried out including the timelines and conduct appropriate literature on how to conduct effective assessment on residential care.
2. Work with UNICEF and MGCSW to identify the residential care facilities that will be assessed. To gather disaggregated data on all forms of residential care (type, location, scope), the number of children living in those facilities (profile, gender, age, special needs, place of origin) as well as their situation of care and protection (nutrition, health, education, care, recreation, complains mechanism etc).
3. Develop and administer assessment tools including surveys and interviews, to gather data from residential care facilities, staff members and key stakeholders. To develop a comprehensive and standardized monitoring tool, including a check list that can be adopted by the MGCSW for routine assessment of childcare residential facilities.
4.To provide strategic and sustainable recommendations and implementation plan for action to the MGCSW and Child Protections partners on the protection of Children living in institutions, the process of de-institutionalization and to some extent the prevention of family separation and foster care for children in accordance with the legal framework. Drafting a comprehensive final report indicating findings, conclusions and recommendations based on the assessment. Prepare PowerPoint presentation for stakeholders at a validation workshop/meeting.

Expected Deliverables

1. Final inception report, consultation reports including finalized tools, desk review, gathering plan and timelines for activities
completed. To completed with 20 days. 33% payment upon submission of satisfactory deliverable
2. Data collected from organizations offering residential care for children. Monitoring tool or check list developed for the MGCSW.
To completed with 20 days. 34% payment upon submission of satisfactory deliverable
3. With the help of international consultant, prepare comprehensive draft report presented and validated by stakeholders at a
meeting. MGCSW and UNICEF cleared report. To completed with 20 days. 33% payment upon submission of satisfactory deliverable

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

• Advanced degree in social studies, legal studies, human rights;
• Ability to work together with government officials and representatives of South Sudanese authorities as well as traditional
  leaders, community leaders or similar.
• Experiences in development of policies and guidelines that are based on domestic legal frameworks
• Knowledge of existing international, regional and national children’s rights frameworks;
• Ability to draft clearly and concisely ideas and concepts in written and oral form;
• At least ten (10) years of professional experience in the child protection sector including conducting assessments or
  studies relevant to this consultancy;
• Experience in working within UNICEF or other international organizations is considered an asset;
• Fluency in written and spoken English; any knowledge of relevant local languages is an asset and
• Familiarity with South Sudan (culture, politics, society etc.) is an asset

All applications MUST be accompanied with very detail technical and financial proposal

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF's values are;

• Care
• Respect
• Integrity
• Trust
• Accountability
• Sustainability 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

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:  

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.