TERMS OF REFERENCE

Review and analysis of UNICEF programmes on the prevention and response to school-based violence

1. Background Violence is an everyday reality for millions of girls and boys worldwide. It cuts across boundaries of geography, race, class, religion and culture. In every country of the world there are children who continue to fear and experience violence. Violence can occur in any of the settings where children spend their childhood: in their homes and families, schools, care and justice systems, workplaces and communities. Exposure to violence in one setting may lead to violence in another. Where the social and physical environment of the community is hostile, the school environment is unlikely to be spared. The levels and patterns of violence in schools often reflect the levels and patterns of violence in countries, communities and families. These, in turn, reflect prevailing political and socio-economic conditions, social attitudes, cultural traditions and values. School-based violence is embedded in social norms around authority, hierarchy, gender and other forms of discrimination and discipline.

In schools and in other educational settings, parents, teachers and other staff have the duty to ensure safe and nurturing environments that support the child’s education and development. They also have the duty to make sure such development prepares children for life as responsible adults, guided by values of non-violence, gender equality, non-discrimination, tolerance and mutual respect. However, the reality for many children is that schools expose them to violence and, in doing so, are denying their rights, including to education. Evidence gathered for the UN Study on Violence against children confirms that violence impacts on the child’s ability to get to and from school, to learn effectively while in school, and to remain in school long enough to reap the benefits of education.

The forms of violence found in schools are both physical and psychological, and usually occur together. Forms perpetrated by teachers and other school staff include corporal punishment and other cruel and humiliating forms of punishment or treatment, sexual and gender-based violence, and bullying. Forms of violence perpetrated by children include bullying, sexual and gender-based violence, school fighting, gang violence, and assault with weapons. Technology has also introduced cyber-bullying through the use of Internet and mobile phones.

UNICEF in all regions provides on-going support to governments and civil society organizations at the national and sub-national levels to develop and implement comprehensive programmes that are directed at creating safe learning environments for children. This includes enacting and enforcing protective legislation, developing and implementing strategies and other policy documents, building and strengthening the social welfare, education and health systems; increasing the capacities and awareness of school staff, those working directly with communities members, parents and children. An important part of this work focuses on changing perceptions and attitudes towards violence and on cultivating positive social norms that promote the rights of children.

1. Purpose and key objectives

An increasingly number of UNICEF Country Offices (COs) are addressing school-based violence within their child protection and education programmes. Often COs take different programmatic approaches given differences in nature, extent and scope of the issue, available financial and human resources, and socio-economic and cultural aspects of each context. Consequently, programme results also vary from one country to another. The purpose of this consultancy is to review and analyse a number of country programmes that address school-based violence with the aim of identifying good practices/examples of programmes that have been measured and can demonstrate concrete results in terms of making an impact at the community level.

The findings of this review will serve as the basis for the development of a technical guidance note to COs to support programme development, implementation and monitoring and evaluation from two angles – strengthening systems and addressing social norms to prevent/respond to school-based violence. These processes will also contribute to increased cross-fertilization among UNICEF and to a more coordinated response to violence in schools.

The consultant will undertake the following activities:

i) Review key programme documents from identified COs (project documents, reports, evaluations, and other documents as relevant) with the aim to provide an analysis of programme trends and issues across regions/countries and to identify good programme practices ii) Develop a technical guidance note for COs and ROs to support their programming based on the findings of the programme review and good programme practices and provide key recommendations relating to programme development, implementation and monitoring and evaluation, including a set of indicators to measure results/impact. iii) Develop a user-friendly two-page note for COs, ROs and partners with key programme recommendations.

1. Duration

The estimated duration of the contract will be from 01 August 2011 to 20 September 2011. The assignment will be undertaken in 35 days over this period.

1. Methodology

The consultant will be required to: i) Directly engage with pre-selected COs (and Regional Offices as required) and HQ staff (Child Protection and Education sections) to collect material, information and inputs; ii) Review and analyse key documents including programme/project documents, reports, evaluations and others as relevant and provide an analysis of trends and good practices; iii) Work in coordination with the Education Section on the case studies for the Education Section’s state-of-the-art- review on social norms and equity in education; iv) Develop technical guidance and advocacy notes

1. Expected outputs/deliverables and timeframe

The consultancy is expected to result in the following:

i) Analysis of regional and global trends on school-based violence (forms, extent, impact, risk factors and responses); ii) Compilation of good practices and interventions; iii) Technical guidance note, including recommendations for programme development, implementation and monitoring and evaluation; iv) User-friendly advocacy note with key information and recommendations; v) Presentation and discussion on research findings with CP and Education Sections and other HQ staff as relevant. vi) Final consultancy report, including a compilation of all deliverables with inputs/suggested changes from discussion incorporated.

Outputs/Deliverables Estimated duration (per working day) Deadline Programme review and trend analysis 10 working days 12 August 2011 Report on good practices 5 working days 19 August 2011 Guidance note and key recommendations 10 working days 06 September 2011 User-friendly note 5 working days 13 September 2011 Presentation of findings and final consultancy report 5 working day 20 September 2011 Total 35 working days

1. Key skills, technical background and experience required:

i) Advanced university degree in social sciences or relevant related discipline; ii) A minimum of 8 years of professional experience working at the national and international levels in Child Protection or related field; iii) Good understand of child protection systems and social norms, with a particular focus on school-based violence; iv) Knowledge of UNICEF policies and programmes is a plus, particularly programmes that address school-based violence; v) Excellent analytical and communication and writing skills; vi) Fluency in English and working knowledge of French or Spanish; vii) Ability to work independently and effectively in a multi-cultural environment.

1. Location

The consultant will be home-based and no travel is expected.

1. How to apply:

Qualified candidates are requested to submit a cover letter, CV and P11 form (which can be downloaded from our website at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_53129.html) to pdconsultants (at)unicef.org  with subject line “Consultancy on school-based violence” by 20 July 2011. Please indicate your ability, availability and daily rate to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications without a rate quoted will not be considered.