Consultant to support the capacity building and participation of persons with disabilities in decision making processes, including through setting up of multi-stakeholder consultative mechanism.

Vacancy Number: Pr22/02469

Location:Chisinau, Moldova
Application Deadline: 17 Jun 2022, 23:00 (GMT+2:00)
Application Extended deadline:
16 Jun 2022, 23:59 (GMT+2:00)
Application Extended deadline:
27 Jun 2022, 23:59 (GMT+2:00)
Type of Contract:Individual Contract
Starting date: 22 Jun 2022
Reference to the project: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Expected Duration of Assignment:June 2022 – December 2023, with estimated workload of up to 180 working days
Submission Instructions:

Proposals should be submitted online only, by following the “Apply online” link, no later than 17 June 2022. The applicant, following the job application process, should receive a confirmation e-mail. Confirmation of successful application should be forwarded to the following e-mail: liudmila.iachim@un.org.

Requests for clarification only must be sent by standard electronic communication to the following e-mail: liudmila.iachim@un.org.

UNDP will respond by standard electronic mail and will send written copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all applicants.

Supporting Documents:
TERMS OF REFERENCE
INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT PROCUREMENT NOTICE
OFFEROR’S LETTER TO UNDP CONFIRMING INTEREST AND AVAILABILITY FOR THE INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTOR (IC) ASSIGNMENT
UNDP General Conditions of Individual Contract



Background

The UN Human Rights Office (Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights – OHCHR) represents the world's commitment to universal ideals of human dignity. It has a unique mandate from the international community to promote and protect all human rights.

The OHCHR field presence in Moldova, led by the Human Rights Adviser, assists the UN RC Office, UN Country Team in Moldova (UNCT), Government and civil society in strengthening human rights and human rights-based approach, working closely with the UN Country Team on capacity building and mainstreaming human rights in their work, as well as providing support in engagement with national actors on human rights, including advising national authorities upon request. Thematic priorities for the work of the Office are: (i) Strengthening rule of law and accountability for human rights violations; (ii) Enhancing equality and countering discrimination; (iii) Integrating human rights in sustainable development; (iv) Enhancing civic space and people’s participation.

In the period 2022 – 2023 the HRA presence in Moldova jointly with UNDP and UNICEF will be implementing the project “Paradigm Shift to Disability Inclusive Services, Accountability and Governance in Moldova” (2022 - 2023), funded by the UN Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD). The project will address three major barriers to inclusion of persons with disabilities in Moldova: (i) predominant medical approach to disability assessment and determination, (ii) limited accountability and governance mechanisms for CRPD implementation and (iii) limited mainstreaming of rights of persons with disabilities in the national programmes, development programmes, budgets and monitoring processes. As part of the program, it is planned to be established formal multi-stakeholder and cross-sectoral consultative mechanism to support legislative policy and systems changes and engage persons with disabilities, including children and women with disabilities and their representative organizations, in harmonization of implementation framework on disability determination, data collection and access to assistive devices and technologies with CRPD standards. Additionally, capacity building and mobilization of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) to participate in decision making process and implement small scale projects at local level is foreseen.

Under the direct supervision of the Human Rights Officer, in close collaboration with the National Human Rights Officer managing the project, the incumbent will conduct a scoping study to identify best options for setting up the multi-stakeholder consultative mechanism to support legislative policy and systems changes on disability determination, data collection and access to assistive devices compliant to CRPD. The existing framework on transparency in the decision-making process will be reviewed from the perspective of inclusion and will propose solutions for setting up multi-stakeholder coordination mechanism established to support legislative policy and systems changes, including on disability determination, data collection and access to assistive devices compliant to CRPD developed. Capacity building and mobilization of OPDs and CSOs in the field will be conducted.  

For more detailed information, please see Terms of Reference.

Scope of work

The Consultant works under the direct supervision of the Human Rights Officer, in close cooperation with the Human Rights Officer managing the project, and overall guidance of the Human Rights Adviser. He/she will also work closely with staff of the National Agency for Social Assistance and Temporary Placement Centers for Persons with Disabilities for the effective achievement of expected results.

Under the present Terms of Reference, the Consultant will:

  1. Conduct a scoping study to identify best options for setting up the multi-stakeholder consultative mechanism to support legislative policy and systems changes on disability determination, data collection and access to assistive devices compliant to CRPD.
  2. Support the development of a regulation and establishment/adaptation of a multi-stakeholder coordination mechanism, to support legislative policy and systems changes, including on disability determination, data collection and access to assistive devices compliant to CRPD.
  3. Ensure capacity building, mobilization and support to the OPDs and CSOs to participate in the design and piloting of guidelines for the transition from the medical to human rights based approach to disability determination in three pilot regions and other decision making processes field.

Requirements for experience

Academic Qualifications:

  • University degree in social science, law, human rights or other relevant discipline;
  • Post-graduation education/courses in human rights would be considered an advantage.

Experience and skills:

  • At least 7 years of professional experience at the national level in human rights work, social assistance work, sociology, as well as experience in promoting the rights of persons with the state authorities;
  • Previous experience in promoting the development CRPD compliant regulatory frameworks and promote their implementation with the state authorities;
  • Experience in developing and providing capacity building and mobilization programs for CSOs and OPDs, including from local level.

Language requirements:

  • Fluency in Romanian language;
  • Fluency in Russian would be an asset;
  • Knowledge of one or more relevant minority languages, including Bulgarian, Ukrainian or Romani, as well as sign language(s), will be a strong advantage.

Diversity Clause: Applicants from under-represented groups (persons with disabilities, Roma and other ethnic, linguistic or religious minorities, persons living with HIV, refugees and other noncitizens) will be given priority in case of equal qualification. OHCHR is committed to reasonably accommodate the working environment for the persons with disabilities. 

Documents to be included

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

  1. Proposal:
  • Explaining why they are the most suitable for the work;
  • Provide a detailed methodology on how they will approach and conduct the work.
  1. Financial proposal (fee per day and total amount);
  2. Personal CV including past experience in similar assignments and the contact details of at least 3 reference persons;
  3. Offeror's Letter confirming Interest and Availability.

Financial proposal

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables. Payments are made in installments and are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including fees, taxes, mobile phone calls, etc.). 

Travel

All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. This includes all travel to join duty station/repatriation travel.  In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.

In the case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.