International Consultant for Study on Formative Lessons Learned and Costed Scale-up Plan for the Child Benefit Pilots in Iraq

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.

Background:

Social protection covers the range of policies and programmes needed to reduce the lifelong consequences of poverty and exclusion, particularly on the vulnerable population. It is an important tool to address multi-dimensional poverty and vulnerability through its protective, preventative, promotive and transformative functions. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights guarantees this right (Articles 22 & 25). UNICEF is also taking a rights-based approach towards universal social protection as set out in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

The purpose of this consultancy is two folds:

1. to conduct a formative lessons-learned, by gathering and analysing the development and implementation of the pilots, identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and area for improvement and generating comprehensive lessons learned to guide the potential scale up of the pilots. Analyses and documentation of post-distribution monitoring will also be carried out -which the data will be available at the time of study. The study will also draw out the main effects and cost/benefits of the approach, especially in terms of child well-being.

2. to develop a costed scale-up and institutionalisation proposal for the Child Plus Pilot ProgrammesScope of Work:

Scope of Work:

The consultant is expected to conduct an independent formative lesson learned study, which includes documenting the strengths, weaknesses, challenges, opportunities, and rationale for course of action of the pilot. This will be done during the implementation of the pilots and in the weeks following the finalization of the pilots.

The methodology will be; consultant will conduct key informant interviews with the parties including but not limited with central and local government agencies, UNICEF and other line ministries, focus group discussions with beneficiaries (not included children) and review of written documentation. The consultant is also be expected to analyse and assess the post distribution monitoring data of the Pilots in all locations through desk review, field research and especially validation with relevant institutions.

With the main purpose that the process will help assess the quality of implementation of the pilot components and design features to underpin credible, reliable and useful evidence through a learning-oriented approach: what is working, not working, how and why, aned to identify lessons learned, focusing on perceived effects on child wellbeing. The final validation of the study with all stakeholders will take place during a workshop where participants can discuss “How best could the program be scaled up, with what means and parameters?”. Below is an illustration of the expected scope of the work which will be further discussed and finalized with the consultant at the inception phase;

Based on the scope of the work, those are the expected outcomes of the consultancy;

1. Study Report: Conduct a formative lessons learned study and generate a comprehensive analysis of the manner in which all the components of Child Plus Pilot Programmes in all locations are implemented with achievements and lessons learnt,

a. Design the formative monitoring and evaluation framework for the pilot in each location

b. Develop a real-time comprehensive documentation and assessment of the overall process that led to the final design and the implementation of the pilot. The objective is to capture the lessons learnt including best practices, reflections, findings and recommendations from collaborative design and implementation.

c. Assess the design components of the existing pilot programs in all locations against expected objectives and operational constraints. The objective is to capture whether the design was able to meet intended objectives or resulted with any unintended outcomes.

d. Support the design of Post Distribution Monitoring (PDM)frameworks and assess, analyze and report of PDM data for each round in each location and provide a consolidated final report covering all rounds for each location. It is expected total of two rounds of PDMs in each location,

e. Assess the intended and unintended perceived effects and achievements, particularly on child wellbeing through focus group discussions with beneficiaries, social workers, DoE/DoH, DoLSA.

f. Provide programmatic recommendations for each component and element of the pilots (cash, social services, behaviour change including eligibility criteri