SitAn on Children living with disabilities in Suriname (open to nationals and non-nationals of Suriname)

This Situation Analysis on Children with disabilities will be conducted in Suriname and will assess key issues and deprivations affecting children with disabilities. It will examine inputs, achievements, and bottlenecks across all sectors, within the context of age-groups identifying those barriers that prevent children with disabilities from benefiting from interventions and services. It will also consider interventions and situations that strengthen and support the lives of children with disabilities. Besides, it will determine where the policy and or activities are good and could be strengthened. By adopting a people-centered approach, the Situation Analysis is expected to identify some noticeable gaps in cross-fertilization between stakeholders that work with/for children with disabilities. Given the importance of gender roles and relations between girls and boys, such considerations will be incorporated as an analytical approach in the SitAn to highlight gender disparities.

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. 

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For every child, inclusion

UNICEF Guyana and Suriname UNICEF Guyana & Suriname

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Background

BACKGROUND/CONTEXT

The Government of Suriname supported by its partners is focused on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, including those focused on the rights of children and adolescents. Suriname has a small population based on the 2012 Housing and Population Censuses i.e., about 560,741 of which 35.2 per cent are children i.e., persons under the age of 18 years. Suriname is categorized as upper-middle-income country with a human development index of 99 of 191.

However, according to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), more than 26% of Suriname’s population was (monetarily) poor in 2017, based on the Suriname Living Conditions Survey, conducted in 2016 and 2017 (SSLC 2016/17). Nearly half (48%) of the people living in the rural interior of the country are estimated poor, revealing high discrepancies based on geographic location. Moreover, multidimensional poverty among children 0-17 years reaches 36.2%, with high variability across age groups and areas of residence. Children living in rural areas (39.8%), and especially in the rural interior (79.1%), face much higher multidimensional deprivation rates in comparison with children living in urban areas (26.6%). According to the preliminary results of the second wave of the SSLC, carried out in 2022, the multidimensional poverty is about 43%, with high deprivations on health-related indicators, overcrowding, school backwardness and housing.

Although Suriname is classified by the World Bank as a high-middle-income country, the living conditions and income of about half of the population do not reflect this welfare level. The current estimated GDP per capita is USD 4,784.5 but there are huge disparities at the district level. Besides the inequality among households of different geographical areas, the deterioration of the economy affected households at the national level. Between 2015 and 2022 the purchasing power of all households has declined significantly. International commodity shocks, and the high fiscal and debt burden have weakened the financial-economic situation and social security system. The government has set out its policy strategy, based on its homegrown recovery plan, support from the IMF, and its medium-term policy framework aligning with the Multi-annual Development Plan 2022-2026.

These Terms of Reference are for an individual Consultant to conduct a Situation Analysis (SitAn) on children living with disability in Suriname. This SitAn will utilise a rights-based, gender sensitive, equity-focused and risk informed approach and will provide an accurate understanding of the current situation of children living with disability in Suriname, which is critical to inform (primarily) national strategies for at-scale programming. The Government of Suriname – The National Monitoring Commission for persons with a disability is partnering with UNICEF to conduct this Situation Analysis on Children with disabilities.

SCOPE and Objectives
This Situation Analysis on Children with disabilities will be conducted in Suriname and will assess key issues and deprivations affecting children with disabilities. It will examine inputs, achievements, and bottlenecks across all sectors, within the context of age-groups identifying those barriers that prevent children with disabilities from benefiting from interventions and services. It will also consider interventions and situations that strengthen and support the lives of children with disabilities. Besides, it will determine where the policy and or activities are good and could be strengthened. By adopting a people-centered approach, the Situation Analysis is expected to identify some noticeable gaps in cross-fertilization between stakeholders that work with/for children with disabilities. Given the importance of gender roles and relations between girls and boys, such considerations will be incorporated as an analytical approach in the SitAn to highlight gender disparities.

The scope and key actions of the SitAn is further defined below:

⦁ Develop a deep understanding of the situation of children and adolescents living with disabilities (CWD), by analyzing the policies and strategies, social and economic trends affecting them (data disaggregated by age, gender, urban/rural, ethnicity, socio-economic status, etc.). The SITAN will be rights-based and aligned with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)5.

⦁ Identify and analyze the barriers and bottlenecks that prevent CWD from benefiting from social services across sectors and enjoying their rights. Specially focusing on undertaking an analysis of the policy environment and identify what children with disabilities themselves and their caregivers see as the pressing needs in their country and community.

⦁ Identify and analyze the barriers and bottlenecks that prevent CWD from benefiting from social services across sectors and enjoying their rights. Specially focusing on undertaking an analysis of the policy environment and identify what children with disabilities themselves and their caregivers see as the pressing needs in their country and community.

⦁ Provide government and non-government partners with comprehensive evidence-based analysis on CWD for result-based decision-making, so the priorities CWD are integrated into the socio-economic development agenda. If possible, evaluate the capacity of stakeholders, including government and civil society, to provide inclusive and accessible services.

⦁ Identify critical data gaps and contribute to the generation of evidence that can improve the monitoring of the rights of CWD.

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

• A master’s degree in social sciences (sociology, anthropology), research; Social Policy; or related fields relevant to this assignment.
• At least 6 years of proven experience in social research (qualitative and quantitative) and report writing for Situation Analyses/mixed-method data generation exercises.
• Contextual technical knowledge required i.e., knowledge of children’s issues in Suriname, related to health, education, protection learning and development, adolescents and participation water and sanitation, etc.
• Excellent interviewing, facilitation, and coordination skills.
• Ability to conduct causality analyses.
• Excellent Knowledge of and demonstrated competency in Human Rights-Based Approach to Programming (HRBAP) and Results-based Management (RBM)
• Sound understanding of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Convention on Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the relevant Sustainable Development Goal (SDG).
• Excellent developmental, writing and presentation skills in English and Dutch.
• Familiarity with the local political, economic, and cultural environment would be an asset.
• Strong computer skills especially in Microsoft office package, quantitative and qualitative data analysis capacity; excellent interpersonal skills.
• Must have local capacity to have a representative sample size conduct in depth interviews.

Desirable:
• Previous work experience with the United Nations System.
• Experiential knowledge of the Suriname context.

Please access the complete ToR here:  Terms of Reference SitAn on CWD V2.pdf

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 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.