Purpose of consultancy:

Since February 2022 UNFPA implements a comprehensive nationwide Humanitarian Response Plan to provide life-saving GBV and SRH services to women and girls across Ukraine. Through its GBV in Emergency Programme, UNFPA contributes to improving protection and security of women and girls, and thus, their willingness to participate in community life, including in war-affected communities. Women’s engagement and empowerment in community dialogue, including in displacement, is essential for laying a strong foundation for recovery and sustainable peace and development.

Branded by UNFPA as ‘VILNA’ the Women and Girls Safe Spaces (WGSS) are female-led safe spaces where women and girls can have access to non-specialized focused services, such as (1) on-site ‘mental health and psychosocial support’ (MHPSS) through individual and group therapy (2) information and referral to GBV specialized services and are enrolled in (3) the full cycle of prevention measures. Given the local needs, VILNA spaces often act as a gathering point for internally displaced women and girls to receive MHPSS during early stages of relocation, as well as referral to career hubs for employment training and job opportunities. VILNA spaces also offer opportunities for women to restore their social networks and receive peer support via empowerment activities.  VILNA spaces also operate as a lifesaving entry point for GBV response services in the regions, focusing on comprehensive MHPSS support, referral to specialized services, and prevention measures. The model ensures improved equitable access to GBV specialized services for women and girls in Ukraine, provides timely MHPSS, and helps to create a self-sustained network to empower women, and increase GBV prevention and mitigation throughout Ukraine.

Scope of work:

(Description of services, activities, or outputs)

The overall goal of the consultancy is to provide holistic support in conducting monitoring and evaluation activities (M&E) within the chain of WGSSs across Ukraine.  

Under the general supervision of the Programme Coordinator, GBV in Emergency, and the direct supervision of the UNFPA GBV Project Coordinator, the consultant is responsible for supervising M&E compliance activities, with the following duties and responsibilities:

1. Undertake monthly duty travel to 29 WGSSs across Ukraine (10 travel days per month out of total 22 working days) to conduct activities related to monitoring and evaluation, training, project support, project reporting.
2. Develop the overall framework for M&E in 29 WGSS locations and WGSS Performance Monitoring Plan with relevant data collection systems.
3. Maintain and ensure the confidentiality and integrity of all WGSS-related information by implementing control procedures in line with UNFPA standards of conduct and data protection rules. Alert UNFPA management of any non-compliance to SOPs or codes of conduct by the implementing partners / WGSSs staff members.
4. Oversee the efficient and effective management of WGSSs, including, if assigned, inventory monitoring, monitoring the implementation of project-related SOPs and activities, drafting regular reports related to M&E.
5. Perform such other duties as may be assigned.

Duration and working schedule:

10 months

1 March 2024 – 31 December 2024

22 working days per month including 10 travel days per month

Place where services are to be delivered:

Ukraine

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

1) Monthly reports on activities undertaken and results achieved with monitoring documents attached.

Deadlines: monthly, by the 5th day of the following month

2) Final report on progress and achievements, conclusions and recommendations.

Deadline: by the end of the contract

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

Routine monitoring of the work shall be carried out by the UNFPA GBV Project Coordinator.

Supervisory arrangements:

The consultant will be supervised by the UNFPA GBV Project Coordinator.

Expected travel:

10 travel days per month

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in statistics, demographics, public policy, international development, economics, or related field from an accredited academic institution with four years of professional work experience.
• Advanced certificate in M&E, statistics or economics is an advantage.

Experience

• Ability to use own initiative and work under pressure with minimum supervision.
• Excellent computer skills - Word, Excel and Internet.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Attention to detail.
• Self-motivated and objective driven.

Languages

• Excellent written and spoken command of Ukrainian. Working knowledge of English is an advantage.

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

UNFPA will provide the consultant with a set of documents related to the scope of work and the results of previous activities in this area.

The consultant shall be responsible for arranging his/her own travel and accommodation during the assignments and shall include the relevant costs in the fee for his/her services.

Other relevant information or special conditions, if any:

The consultancy fee shall be paid in UAH in equal monthly instalments to be deposited to the bank account of the consultant upon acceptance by UNFPA of the progress reports and final reports on the services provided by the consultant.

Any comments, suggestions, claims or complaints regarding the consultant's performance under these terms of reference shall be submitted to the consultant in writing within 10 days after receipt of the consultant's deliverables or reports.

The content and scope of the work and services to be provided by the consultant under these terms of reference, as well as the terms of the consultancy services, may be modified as necessary by written agreement between the consultant and UNFPA.

Intellectual property

All information relating to this project (documentary, audio, visual, digital, cyber, project documentation, etc.) owned by UNFPA with which the consultant may come into contact while performing his/her duties under this assignment shall remain the property of UNFPA with exclusive rights to use it. Except for the purposes of this assignment, the information shall not be disclosed to the public or used for any other purpose without the written permission of the United Nations Population Fund in accordance with applicable national and international copyright laws.

Application procedure

The Consultant will be selected through an open competitive selection process.

To participate in the competition, an application containing the following documents should be submitted to ukraine.office@unfpa.org by 15 February 2024:

Professional CV;

Motivation letter;

Brief description (up to 1 page) of the structure of the WGSS Performance Monitoring Plan

Only fully prepared applications received by the deadline will be evaluated.

Please indicate this in the subject line of your email: Application for WGSS M&E Specialist