Individual Consultant_Rapid Mapping Exercise_Nairobi Summit

Terms of Reference for undertaking a rapid Mapping Exercise to assess the progress and challenges towards the Lebanon National Commitments post Nairobi Summit

 UNFPA Lebanon Country Office (CO)

Purpose of consultancy:

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the UN sexual and reproductive health agency, was established 50 years ago with the aim of delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. Operating in more than 150 countries around the globe and guided by the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD, 1994), UNFPA partners with government, civil societies and UN system to advance its mission for ensuring universal access to Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services and Gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response for women, men, boys and girls. In 2019, UNFPA celebrated ICPD+25 at country, regional and global levels with national commitments declared by Heads of States in Nairobi reinforcing the Global Commitments of the Nairobi summit (November 2019). 

The Global commitments revolved around (a) achieving universal access to sexual and reproductive health as part of Universal Health Coverage (UHC); (b) addressing GBV and harmful practices of child, early and forced marriages and female genital mutilation; (c) mobilizing the required financing to finish the ICPD programme of action and sustain the grains already made; (d) drawing on demographic diversity to drive economic growth and achieve sustainable development; and (e) upholding the right to sexual and reproductive care in humanitarian fragile contexts. In this regard, The Lebanese Government was represented by Mrs. Claudine Aoun Roukoz in her capacity as President of the National Commission for Lebanese Women at the Nairobi Summit and who presented the 15 National Commitments to be achieved by 2030. These commitments addressed three of the aforementioned global commitments namely (a), (b) and (d) (see attached Annex with all 15 national commitments).

Post Nairobi Summit, all UNFPA Country Offices have been supporting the governments in addressing and achieving their national commitments; and the governments have been keen in fulfilling these commitments especially that they should be reported against on a yearly basis. In Lebanon, the work towards achieving these commitments has been moving forward despite the many challenges faced in the past 2 years including the civil unrest, the continuously deteriorating economic situation, the political instability, the COVID-19 pandemic, the humanitarian response due to the hosting of more than 1.5 million Syrian refugee, and most recently the Beirut Port Explosion that took place on August 4, 2020. All these events contributed to changing of the Lebanese Government’s priorities throughout the past two years. Nonetheless, during the 54^th session of the Commission on Population and Development that took place April 2020, and in delivering Lebanon’s intervention, Mrs. Aoun Roukoz re-emphasized Lebanon’s commitments to achieving its National Commitments by 2030, especially those around GBV and women empowerment.

Based on the above, UNFPA Lebanon is seeking to recruit a consultant to undertake a rapid mapping of the progress and challenges to date with regards to the 15 National Commitments and provide a synthesis on the way forward to fully achieving them by 2030.

Scope of work:

(Description of services, activities, or outputs)

In coordination with the Population and Development Coordinator, and under the overall guidance of the UNFPA Head of Office, the expert will:

1. Conduct an inception meeting with UNFPA to ensure clear understanding of the TORs and agreement on the relevant tasks and deliverables;
2. Carry out the mapping of progress and challenges to-date by undertaking a rapid desk review for relevant laws, policies, reports (including CEDAW and UPR), regional reports, studies, etc. related to the areas of the national commitments;
3. Carry out 6-8 meetings with relevant stakeholders such as governmental entities (NCLW, MoSA, MoPH, MoYS, CAS, etc.), and UN agencies (UNFPA, UNICEF, UNDP, UN Women, UNESCWA, UNHCR, WHO, etc.); those can be group or bilateral meetings
4. Conduct a brief synthesis of the findings through a descriptive/analytical report and corresponding matrix as well as a proposed plan for accelerating the implementation of the commitments (UNFPA will discuss with the consultant the proposed report which should consist of 15-20 pages without the tables/annexes);
5. Provide UNFPA with the draft mapping report and final one following input provided by UNFPA; and
6. Present the findings during a technical meeting if need be.

Duration and working schedule:

This consultancy will require a total of sixteen (16) working days spread over a period of 3 weeks maximum from the date of the contract signature.

Place where services are to be delivered:

 Beirut, Lebanon

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

Under the guidance of the Head of Office, and in close collaboration with the Population and Development Coordinator, the expert will fulfil the below milestones and deliverables, and provide regular updates on the progress of work while adhering fully to UNFPA M&E requirements:

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

• UNFPA will ensure weekly follow ups
• UNFPA will ensure at least 2 meetings with the consultant (i.e. inception meeting, follow up meeting, technical meeting for presenting results)
• The expert will comply with reporting requirements and timeline as per above deliverables and milestones
• The expert will submit regular updates as and where required
• The expert will submit 1 consultancy report and the draft/final mapping report (see deliverables above)
• Payments will be effected based on agreed deliverables and milestones including quality and satisfactory results 

Supervisory arrangements:

The expert shall work under direct guidance of the Head of Office and in close collaboration with Population and Development Coordinator

Expected travel:

NA

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:

• Advanced University degree in social/development sciences or other related areas
• 4-5 years of experience in research, assessment and evaluation on social issues
• Good knowledge and understanding of the Lebanese context
• Excellent report writing with analytical skills
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills in English including report writing

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

UNFPA shall provide the following support to the consultant for this home-based task:

• Avail various documents and reports including the Global and National Commitments
• Assist in taking appointments with stakeholders  
• Review draft report and provide input