National Individual Consultant for the Evaluation of the Safe Online Funded Programme on a Systematic Approach in Making the Internet Safe for Children in South Africa, 60 days (Remote)

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, a fair chance.

UNICEF South Africa – committed to realising the rights of all children to help them build a strong foundation and have the best chance of fulfilling their potential.

The Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation (PME) Section at UNICEF South Africa enables evidence-based programming through rigorous independent evaluations. This consultancy will support the end-to-end conduct of the summative evaluation for the Safe Online-funded programme “A systematic approach in making the internet safe for children in SA” (2022-2025) – a strategic flagship initiative in UNICEF’s child protection portfolio.

The evaluation request stems from the programme’s conclusion in August 2025, requiring an assessment of its 40-month implementation period (January 2022–August 2025). Building on UNICEF’s 2018 child online protection efforts, this $909,480 initiative targeted systemic capacity-building across four outcome areas:

1. National infrastructure strengthening
2. Early intervention systems
3. Caregiver/educator engagement
4. Evidence generation

Key activities to date include establishing inter-ministerial coordination mechanisms, embedding digital safety in school curricula, training frontline responders, and generating critical data through the Disrupting Harm study. Existing evidence includes baseline surveys, implementation reports, partner activity records, and U-Report datasets covering 11.3M children nationally.

This evaluation aligns with PME’s core function of generating accountability evidence for donor reporting (Safe Online Grant) and organizational learning. Findings will inform South Africa’s implementation of the AU Child Online Safety Policy (2024) and global Safe Online investments.

For every child, a fair chance.

How can you make a difference?

1. Under the supervision of the Monitoring & Evaluation Officer, the consultant will conduct a summative evaluation of the Safe Online funded programme titled ‘A systematic approach in making the internet safe for children in South Africa (2022–2025)’.

The purpose of the assignment is to assess the extent to which the programme achieved its intended outcomes and outputs as planned, and to evaluate its relevance, coherence, efficiency, effectiveness, sustainability and impact. The evaluation will:

• Determine how well the programme design and interventions addressed the needs, risks, and vulnerabilities of children, caregivers, educators, and national systems in the context of online child sexual exploitation and abuse (OCSEA).
• Analyse the coherence and complementarity of the programme with national strategies, international frameworks, and other child protection efforts.
• Examine the effectiveness of the programme in strengthening national infrastructure, victim support mechanisms, caregiver and educator engagement, and evidence generation.
• Assess the efficiency of resource use and coordination mechanisms.
• Evaluate the sustainability of outcomes and systems-level changes, and the degree of institutionalization of policy and practice improvements.
• Capture lessons learned and generate recommendations to inform future programming, policy engagement, and systems strengthening related to child online protection in South Africa and beyond.

The assignment contributes to UNICEF’s accountability and learning goals, informing programme improvement and supporting knowledge-sharing with national stakeholders and global partners including Safe Online.

It is strongly encouraged to review the detailed evaluation terms of reference for a comprehensive understanding of the evaluation requirements, evaluation questions and evaluation quality and report criteria which will inform the proposals: https://tinyurl.com/ym58yb4f

For additional context, the evaluation report of the first phase of the Child Online safety project is available on UNICEF’s global website: https://www.unicef.org/evaluation/reports#/detail/17918/evaluation-of-the-strengthening-childrens-online-safety-programme-in-south-africa

Scope of work:

1. Link to the Annual Work Plan (AWP):
2. This evaluation assignment is aligned with Output 8.5.2 on “Quality Evaluation” under the Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation section’s Annual Work Plan (AWP). It directly contributes to UNICEF South Africa’s results-based management priorities by ensuring high-quality, evidence-informed programming and accountability. The assignment supports UNICEF’s commitment to generating credible evidence on programme performance, and lessons learned in the area of child protection, particularly digital safety.
3. Specific Tasks/Activities and Issues to be Addressed:
4. Under the supervision of the Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation section, the consultant will undertake the following tasks:

• Conduct a comprehensive desk review of programme documentation including funding proposals, reports, training materials, monitoring data, and partner documentation.
• Conduct an evaluability assessment during the inception phase, including reconstructing the programme’s theory of change and assessing the availability and quality of data sources.
• Prepare an Inception Report detailing the evaluation design, methodology, data collection tools, stakeholder mapping, and evaluation matrix.
• Coordinate and carry out qualitative and quantitative data collection activities including:
  • Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with UNICEF staff, government officials, civil society partners, and tech sector actors;
  • Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and interviews with children, caregivers, educators, and service providers; and the
  • Analysis of existing datasets such as U-Report, Disrupting Harm study data, and programme monitoring data.
• Populate the evaluation matrix with findings from primary and secondary data.
• Develop and submit a draft evaluation report, including key findings, lessons learned, and actionable recommendations.
• Facilitate stakeholder validation workshops and incorporate feedback.
• Finalize the evaluation report and produce a PowerPoint presentation and evaluation brief for dissemination.
• Support dissemination activities and prepare knowledge products to promote uptake of findings.

1. Responsibilities of Involved Parties:

• Consultant: Responsible for planning, coordinating, and delivering the evaluation assignment according to UNICEF standards and quality expectations. The consultant will lead all methodological aspects, stakeholder engagement, data collection, and analysis.
• UNICEF South Africa PM&E Section: Contract holder and primary focal point for the assignment. Responsible for overall coordination, logistical support (e.g., facilitating access to stakeholders), reviewing deliverables, and ensuring adherence to quality standards.
• Child Protection Section: Technical support on programme-specific content, coordination with partners and providing technical advice on the thematic area/content on the online child protection systems.
• Evaluation Reference Group (ERG): Includes representatives from key government departments (DSD, DBE, DOJCD, SAPS, DCDT), civil society, academia, and private sector actors. The ERG will review key deliverables and provide feedback.
• UNICEF Regional Office supports the External Quality Assurance Mechanism (aligned with GEROS): Will review the Inception, Draft and Final Reports against UNICEF/GEROS/UNEG standards.

Tasks:

1. Preparatory and Inception Phase

• Desk review of all relevant programme documents
• Evaluability assessment
• Draft and final Inception Report including evaluation matrix, ToC reconstruction, methodology, and ethical considerations
• Stakeholder engagement to finalize scope

2. Data Collection Phase

• Finalize tools and protocols
• Conduct key informant interviews (KIIs), focus groups, and field visits
• Analyse programme and secondary data
• Populate evaluation matrix
• Prepare emerging findings presentation

3. Analysis & Drafting Phase

• Analyse collected data
• Draft full evaluation report (40–60 pages)
• Conduct validation workshops with stakeholders

4. Finalization Phase

• Incorporate feedback from QA and stakeholders
• Submit final evaluation report, brief and PPT

5. Dissemination & Advocacy

• Prepare dissemination materials
• Present findings at final stakeholder workshop

Deliverables:

1. Inception Report (10 working days)

• Final report (Word & PDF)
• Presentation to UNICEF & ERG

2. Data Collection Report (25 working days)

• Summary of tools, process, data and findings
• Stakeholder briefing presentation

3. Draft Evaluation Report (15 working days)

• Complete report
• PowerPoint presentation
• Validation meeting summary

4. Final Report (5 working days)

• Final QA-approved report
• Executive summary (10 pages)
• Updated PowerPoint

5. Dissemination Package (5 working days)

• Summary brief (max 10 pages)
• Presentation
• Workshop materials

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Development Evaluation, Social Work, Public Health, Social Policy, Development Studies, Social Sciences or related field
• A minimum of 10years of relevant professional experience in the programme evaluation field, public policy and development environment
• Expertise in conducting similar or related strategic programme evaluations, including a proven track record of evaluation of similar child protection programmes supported by UN or UNICEF
• Demonstrated experience in project management, evaluation, value for money analysis and partnership engagement in child protection, with a preference for experience in the areas of child safeguarding in the digital space and online safety concerning minors
• Outstanding research and analytical skills, including strong ability to analyze; integrate and summarise information from a wide range of sources
• Demonstrated capacity to engage with key stakeholders and facilitate engagement and dialogues
• Excellent writing skills in English, including a demonstrated ability to draft clear, concise and reports
• An added advantage having working experience in the GBV and/or VAC programming field
• Proficiency in research methodologies application

Specialized skils or training

• Nvivo
• Atlast T.I.
• Stata
• Postgraduate studies or certification in evaluation
• Postgraduate studies or certification in Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

Application guidelines

1. Must submit samples (at least three) of similar work they have conducted.

2. Must submit a technical proposal

3. Must submit a financial proposal

4. Must be a national of South Africa

5. Must be an individual consultant, NOT an institution/company

• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is 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 jobs-near-me.org 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 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.

Read Full Description