Job no: 560147

Contract type: Consultant

Duty Station: Pristina

Level: Consultancy

Location: Kosovo

Categories: Adolescent Development

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, an advocate.

The purpose of this assignment is to provide support to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS) in drafting the new Kosovo Strategy on Youth 2024-2032 and the first 3-year Action Plan. The process of drafting the strategy will entail consultations with young people, institutions, civil society organizations as well as other development and international partners. As opposed to the previous Strategy, the new Kosovo Strategy on Youth 2024-2032 will be elevated from ministerial to government level, while young people will be at the center of the process during planning, drafting and implementation.

How can you make a difference?

With a median age of 29.6, Kosovo has the youngest population in Europe. This young population should be a strong force for development for Kosovo. Yet, the combination of limited opportunities for quality education, employment and participation in social and political life, along with inadequate support services, makes it difficult for adolescents and youth to claim their role. Youth unemployment in Kosovo remains high, with 29% of youth age population unemployment and 31.7% of the age group 15-24 not in education, employment or trainings (NEET).

The current legislative framework for the youth sector in Kosovo does not provide or promote a cross-sectorial approach. The Strategy on Youth 2019-2023 has been implemented only at ministry level (MCYS), while there have been and continue being a range of programmes targeting young people provided by other central and local level institutions. In addition, there are other obstacles within the current structure, which are well identified and priorities to be addressed during the next phase of the legislation and strategy.

Key objectives of this consultancy include:

• Conduct a desk review of all relevant government documents affecting and targeting young people. This will include information gathering from relevant ministries, public authorities and local governance
• Desk research on best practices - regional and international Strategies on Youth
• Conduct interviews with relevant stakeholders engaged in the area of youth empowerment and participation, municipalities, selected Local Youth Councils, and especially young people
• Draft and develop the methodological approach and timeline for the process, until finalization of the strategy
• Development and facilitation of exercises and methodologies for consultations and workshops with relevant stakeholders, including young people to incorporate their views and perspectives
• Lead the process of discussions with the working group established by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports for the purpose of the finalization of the Kosovo Strategy on Youth
• Compile the chapters of the new Kosovo Strategy on Youth, including an M&E system/methodology

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks/Milestone: Develop the inception report which includes a comprehensive desk review analysis of relevant materials on youth, baseline assessment, drawing among other on the evaluation of the previous Strategy, the methodological approach for the process of drafting the new Strategy, and the detailed timeline for the completion of the tasks

Tasks/Milestone: Organization of meetings with the working group, state commission on youth and a series of consultations with government partners, selected municipalities, international partners and young people

Tasks/Milestone: Drafting the chapters of the Strategy on Youth together with MCYS focal point and team

Tasks/Milestone: Development of the three-year action plan of the strategy and the budget requirements

Tasks/Milestone: Development of the promotional and communication plan of the strategy

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

• Advanced academic degree in social science or relevant fields.
• Extensive knowledge and expertise in the field of youth and education and in areas related to youth empowerment and participation.
• Proven knowledge and expertise in developing strategies and policies in the Kosovo context.
• Working experience with governments, UN and international agencies.
• Excellent inter-personal relations and consulting skills.
• Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team and establish harmonious and effective working relationships.
• Demonstrated ability to work under tight timelines.
• Fluent in Albanian and other local 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.

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.

Advertised: 13 Mar 2023 Middle East Standard Time
Deadline: 20 Mar 2023 Middle East Standard Time

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