National Individual Consultant for the update of the ToC to advance the implementation of the CRPD and the disability-inclusive SDGs for all persons with disabilities in RM

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, inclusion 

In 2020, UN Moldova submitted an expression of interest to the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Fund and developed a Theory of Change (ToC) to advance the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in Moldova.

The ToC aims to promote coordinated and strengthened support of the United Nations in the Republic of Moldova in the advancement of the implementation of the CRPD and the disability-inclusive Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for all persons with disabilities. The ToC allows UN Moldova to prioritize problems, barriers and needs to ensure the full inclusion of persons with disabilities, including children, refugees with disabilities, as well as to identify solutions.

In order for the ToC to remain fully instrumental, an update is needed to reflect the evolutions and ensure that the priorities and needs identified four years ago are still relevant. Likewise, it is essential to identify new priorities and needs as well as progress accelerators. The update of the ToC should reflect the human rights situations of persons with disabilities in Moldova holistically, including by: i) taking into account the situation of refugees with disabilities; ii) reflecting the human rights situation of persons with disabilities on both banks of the Nistru river; iii) the aspects related to climate change and priorities for strategic interventions of UN.

How can you make a difference?

The purpose of the consultancy is to revise and update the existing Theory of Change, to reflect accurately evolutions and changes regarding the human rights of persons with disabilities, including refugees with disabilities, women and children with disabilities, on both banks of the Nistru river.  The envisaged impact of the ToC is that all persons with disabilities, in particular women and children, fully enjoy their human rights due to state institutions ensuring a human rights-based approach (HRBA) to disability, including by facilitating their meaningful participation and engagement in decision-making processes. To contribute to this impact, the United Nations will address the following problems per each of seven  focus  areas mentioned  above.

1. Main tasks and responsibilities:

Under the guidance of UNICEF Moldova Disability Inclusion Specialist ad Deputy Representative, and with support from relevant UN Agencies, in particular the UN Disability Inclusion Taskforce, the consultant will be responsible for the following two tasks:

1. Comprehensively review the existing Theory of Change and update relevant data to match evolutions over the past four years and reflect the main needs and challenges on promoting inclusion of persons with disabilities, including refugees with disabilities.
2. Reflect the human rights situation of persons with disabilities in the Transnistrian region in the update of the Theory of Change.

2. Deliverables and timeline:

*Exact deadlines will be mutually agreed upon contract signature.

The costs of consultations ( venue, transportation etc) as well as for the final report ( proofreading, editing and design will be paid by other UN agencies upon completion.

3. Work location and official travel involved:

 The assignment may require local travel. The travel arrangements and costs (transportation, venue) will be covered by other UN agencies.

4. Definition of supervisory arrangements

The consultant will work under the oversight of Disability Inclusion Specialist and Deputy Representative of UNICEF Moldova, in close coordination with UNCT Disability Inclusion Taskforce. Payment will be rendered upon successful completion of the task, as per outlined above.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have

• Master’s degree in law, social work/sociology or a related field.
• Minimum of 7 years of relevant experience in the field of human rights, rights of persons with disabilities with focus on analytical work in the related fields;
• Minimum of 5 years working/professional evidenced experience in policy analysis and drafting policy and/or project documents;
• Extensive experience of conducting consultations with the government and civil society organizations and development partners (minimum 5 projects in total);
• Proven analytical and drafting skills, including in the identification of key issues and how they interrelate in policy context of public and private finance;
• Fluency in written and oral Romanian and working knowledge of English and Russian languages.

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.

For more details on the consultancy assignment and requirements, please refer to attached Terms of reference (ToR)

2024_TOR_Nat Indiv Consultant_ToC CRPD.docx

HOW TO APPLY: Your online application should contain the Technical and Financial Offers (templates below). Please secure the Financial Proposal *.pdf document with a password on document view; the password will be requested only from technically qualified candidates.  

 Technical Offer_ToC CRPD.docx

 Financial Offer_ToC CRPD.xlsx

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.