VA JID 2301 – Consultant

CLOSING DATE:

6 August 2023 (4:00 pm Bangkok time)

CATEGORY:

Individual Consultant Contract

DUTY STATION:

Bangkok (Thailand country office)

DURATION:

10 August to 15 December 2023

ORGANIZATION UNIT:

UNFPA Country Office, Bangkok, Thailand

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Insights on the piloting of the life-cycle digital platform addressing challenges among young people, women and older persons.

Hiring Office:

UNFPA Thailand Country Office

Purpose of consultancy:

UNFPA Thailand is seeking an individual consultant to assess an insight regarding the pilot of the life-cycle digital platform covering the experiences of rights-holders and duty-bearers. The insight for the life-cycle platform is part of the life-cycle digital platform development efforts funded by the Strategic Investment Facility of UNFPA (SIF) and UNFPA-Rekitt Collaboration under the Empowering Youth programme, particularly on digital platform for vulnerable groups of teen mothers and youths from ethnic minority groups.

Insight regarding the piloting of the life-cycle digital platform is crucial for the strategic plan to scale up the project in 2024-2025.  The piloting of the life-cycle digital platform will focus on the topics of sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence among women and girls across their lives, particularly the under-served segments, including youth with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and those living in poverty, and address issues around an ageing society and intergenerational dimensions. 

The life-cycle digital platform will be integrated into the TraffyFondue digital platform. It aspires to be the comprehensive platform for all Thais, particularly women of all ages, to enjoy reproductive and productive lives, expand their choices, mitigate gender-based violence, alert and protect women and girls from all forms of discrimination and abuse, respond to needs, connect all support programs, and empower all younger and older persons, throughout their life cycle, to become active contributors to Thailand's transformation over time.

The insight resulting from this consultancy will support the piloting stage of the life-cycle digital platform that will scale up "Teen Club" and other emerging virtual platforms into “Digital Teen Club" and "Women Plus.” The "Digital Teen Club" expands the existing Teen Club reach to include the underserved, including adolescents and youth with disabilities, from ethnic groups, the deep south, in poverty, LGBTQ youth, and girls in difficult situations. The Women Plus will provide a safe space and interactive platform where women and teen mothers can receive peer support for safe pregnancy, sexual rights, reproductive health, and prevention of gender-based violence and voice their concerns and demands regarding their work/life balance, including approaching the care economy and unpaid care work. Finally, this platform explores the emerging significant group in pre- and senior who will utilize the needs of women in the 'silver economy/society, applies ageing research, asset framing, anti-ageism advocacy, and education for age inclusion, and provides a "go-to" virtual space for ageing as well as fosters intergenerational dialogue.

The consultant is expected to facilitate the consultative meetings to gather key findings with relevant stakeholders, or communities and areas that have interests in digital platform for youth and piloting the life-cycle digital platform and collaborate with the mobile app developer (TraffyFondue Team), who will develop the life-cycle platform for youth, women and older persons. In addition, the consultant will help to identify and build contact with potential external partners who have the potential to contribute to the project in-cash or in-kind manners. The final report will also be presented and shared with key stakeholders.

Scope of work:

(Description of services, activities, or outputs)

Scope of Work: 

1. Contribute to the insight for the UNFPA-Reckitt’s Collaboration Programme on Empowering Youth, particularly on the digital platform for teen mothers and youths from ethnic minority groups with the Provincial Social Development and Human Security Offices and other relevant agencies.

2. Conduct consultative meetings to collaborate and pilot the project with the rightsholders and duty-bearers for the life-cycle digital platform, particularly on the issues of gender-based violence response, sexual and reproductive health needs, and services available for women and girls across their to right-based services and care, key process and steps, key inputs, key success, and key lesson learned from the piloting process.

2. Prepare guideline questions, facilitation materials, and tools for consultative meetings with key stakeholders and enhance active participation and dialogue between key stakeholders and policymakers.

3. Share the findings and collaborate with the mobile app developer, who will develop the prototype of the life cycle digital platform.

4. Provide analytical report after the piloting of life-cycle digital platform that include recommendations and insights.

5. Identify and build contact with potential external partners who have the potential to contribute to the project in-cash or in-kind manners. At least two potential partners should be identified and agreed to contribute to the project. 

6. Present the final report with key stakeholders and the assigned mobile and app developer team that will participate in the next stage of the life- cycle digital platform implementation in Thailand.

Duration and working schedule:

58 working days during 10 August to 15 December 2023

Place where services are to be delivered:

Thailand 

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy etc.):

The outline work plan is to be finished by 24 August 2023.

The mid-term progress report is to be finished by 15 October 2023

The final report is to be finished by 15 December 2023.

Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:

Consultant shall communicate with UNFPA and relevant partners to understand the objective and to seek advice/clarifications on any specific technical terms that are unclear. 

Supervisory arrangements: 

Programme Coordinator on Population Change, Data and Innovation

Expected travel:

5-10 trips to engage with key target areas in Chiang Mai, Phrae, Chiang Rai, Khon Kaen, and Phuket provinces (tentatively)

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:

• Minimum of Advanced Degrees in business, economics, public finance, social policy, social sciences, demography, international development, development studies, language and communications or a related field; A Ph. D will be an added advantage. 
• At least five years (with Master degree), or seven years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant working experience in social or economic research, foresight studies, public policy, public finance, international development, development studies, or demography 
• Excellent analytical, writing and communication skills.
• Excellent written and spoken English language skills. 
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships, both internally and externally with partners and stakeholders.
• Good analytical skills: ability to analyse and synthesize good practices, and lesson learned of the community/local initiatives.
• Proven experience in providing quality comprehensive analytical reports.
• Experience working multilateral organizations and the UN system preferred.
• Experience working to enhance UNFPA's life-cycle approach is required.
• The ability to advise on the design and implementation of the life-cycle digital platforms is required.
• Experience working or coordinating with both national and sub-national governments in Thailand is required.
• Experience working with UNFPA and understanding of UNFPA's mandate is desirable.

Inputs / services to be provided by UNFPA or implementing partner (e.g support services, office space, equipment), if applicable:

• The UNFPA-Reckitt’s Collaboration Programme Documents
• The SIF ideation proposal for the prototype of life cycle platform in Thailand.
• Life cycle data mapping report

Other relevant information or special conditions, if any:

How to apply:

Candidates should submit the following documents:

1. A curriculum vita
2. A completed United Nations Personal History (P 11) with at least two references

All the above documents must be sent by e-mail to thailand.office@unfpa.org

The P11 is available on the UNFPA websites at: https://thailand.unfpa.org/en/vacancies/un-application-form-p-11-form

Please quote the Vacancy number JID 2301 Consultant

The deadline for application is 6 August 2023, at 4:00pm Bangkok time. 

This position is open for Thai nationals only. Only short-listed candidates will be notified.

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, teamwork, respect for diversity, integrity and a healthy balance of work and life.  We are committed to maintaining our balances gender distribution and therefore encourage women to apply.

Notice: There is no application, processing or other fee at any stage of the application process.  UNFPA does not solicit or screen for information in respect of HIV or AIDS and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.