The Position:
Purpose of consultancy:
The United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD) Unpaid care, disability and gender transformative approach programme, is a global programme implemented by the UN agencies UNDP, UNWOMEN, UNICEF, UNFPA, ILO and OHCHR. The project is financed by the UNPRPD, coordinated by the UNDP and implemented in Colombia, Mozambique, Tanzania, Panama and Kenya. Having commenced in April 2024 and due to be completed in July 2026, the UNPRPD Unpaid Care Programme is aimed to influence national care and support systems to be disability inclusive and gender transformative towards both care providers and care recipients.
In Mozambique, the programme is implemented by UNDP, UNFPA and UNWOMEN. One of the activities that UNFPA will undertake - and for which we seek to recruit a consultant as per this ToR - is to conduct a detailed study in prioritised provinces in Mozambique (Manica and Maputo) on the exposure and risk factors of gender-based violence for women and girls with disabilities by their unpaid caregivers, as well as their experiences and gaps in access to support systems and protection. A requirement will be to identify the exposure and risk factors for gender-based violence affecting girls, adolescents, youth, and women with disabilities, related to unpaid care activities carried out by caregivers and other social actors. The identification of these risk factors will guide and enable the design and implementation of a participatory and inclusive methodological study that is appropriate and accessible according to the needs of persons with disabilities. The study should include a comprehensive, validated and widely disseminated report including recommendations, and an accompanying policy brief.
Scope of work:(Description of services, activities, or outputs)
UNFPA is hiring an international consultant to:
โ Assess the nature of care for persons with disability as it relates to the Mozambican context, with emphasis on unpaid care;
โ Conduct research that assesses the extent of gender-based violence (GBV) faced by women and girls with disabilities perpetrated by unpaid caregivers;
โ Identify the risk factors that increase the vulnerability of women and girls with disabilities to GBV by their caregivers, as well as the protective factors that can mitigate this risk;
โ Identify the barriers that women and girls with disabilities face when trying to access support services after being subjected to GBV by their caregivers, such as assistance helplines, health services and justice;
โ Gathering the experiences, perceptions and needs of women and girls with disabilities in relation to GBV, including their views on available support services and ways to improve the response to violence;
โ Provide insights into the attitudes and behaviours of unpaid caregivers in relation to GBV, including factors that contribute to the perpetuation of violence or to the protection of women and girls with disabilities.
โ Provide recommendations for policies, programs and interventions aimed at preventing GBV against women and girls with disabilities by their caregivers, as well as improving access to support services and the institutional response to violence.
A detailed work-plan will be submitted by the consultant at the inception of the assignment following a consultation with UNFPA on the structure and format of the manual adaptations (content presentation, case studies, visual elements etc.). Satisfactory completion of assignments will be measured against this work-plan, timeframes and the expected deliverables above mentioned.
Deliverables:
At the end of the assignment, the consultant shall present the following key deliverables:
โ Inception Report
โ Full Research Report and accompanying Policy Brief
โ 3 Case Studies
โ Evaluation of methodology used including recommendations for future research/studies focused on disability and violence/risk factors
Ethical considerations:
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) promotes, protects, and ensures the full and equal enjoyment of human rights and freedom by persons with disabilities, and promotes respect for their inherent dignity. Ethical implications for research that emerge from the CRPD are listed below:
Before commencing research:
โ The research principles of respect, consent and privacy are core aspects of ethical research. Strategies for respectful research practice (including respect for privacy and for seeking consent) require planning, especially in settings where privacy may be difficult to ensure or where interpreters may need to be used to facilitate communication between researchers and participants.
โ Be familiar with the values/principles/standards of ethical research, and with the legal and ethical duties on data protection, confidentiality, capacity to consent and supported decision making.
โ Be cognisant that ethical responsibilities apply throughout the research process.
โ Reflect on the value of professional integrity and what one needs to do to develop and practise this value.
โ Include experts by experience as co-researchers and involve them in planning and designing the research.
โ Obtain ethical approval from a Research Ethics Committee with some expertise in the area to be researched.
Obtaining informed consent:
โ Ensure accessibility in the process of obtaining informed consent.
โ All participants in the research must take part voluntarily, free from any coercion or undue influence, and their rights, dignity and autonomy should always be respected and appropriately protected.
โ Do not use other people such as family members or carers as proxies; they can consent to be interviewed as key informants but not to interpret the thoughts and feelings of others.
โ Remind potential participants of the purpose and the implications of the research and of their right to decline to take part or withdraw from the research without consequence.
โ Provide easy-to-understand information and alternative formats, when necessary, for example, Easy to Read documents or video or digital formats for people with an intellectual disability.
Data collection:
โ Ensure that communication methods are adapted to suit everyone and ensure that research venues are physically accessible.
โ Have procedures in place should a research participant disclose abuse during an interview or focus group discussion.
โ Offer research participants the opportunity to review and amend a transcript of their interview.
Data analysis and dissemination:
โ The inclusion of experts by experience in the analysis of data should be considered as it brings new insights and may challenge researcher biases.
โ Take an ethical approach to analysis, and document all decisions made including the rationale for the decisions taken.
โ Disseminate research findings in appropriate and accessible formats and make efforts to ensure it reaches the research participants.
Duration and working schedule:
The estimated number of days to complete this assignment is 40 working days, as per the tentative division below. The assignment will commence on 19 May 2025, or on the day of signing of contract, and continue until no later than 18 July 2025.
- Desk Review/Inception Report: 5 days
- Consultations incl. Case Studies and Draft Report: 20 days
- Final Report: 5 days
- Policy Brief: 5 days
- Validation meeting: 5 days
The exact timeline is to be jointly decided between the consultant and UNFPA through a work plan at the inception of the assignment.
Place where services are to be delivered:
The consultant will work off site and avail themselves if requested by UNFPA for meetings virtually.
Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy etc.):
The final validated and proofread report and policy brief, once reviewed and approved by UNFPA, will be delivered - no later than 18 July 2025 - in an electronic format (word document) in English.
Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:
The consultant will report on the progress of the desk review/consultation process and revision of the current manuals weekly and ad hoc when required.
Supervisory arrangements:
The consultant will work under the overall guidance and supervision of the UNFPA Mozambique Gender & Youth Team.
Expected travel:
Travel is expected from home-based to Maputo and Manica provinces.
Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:
Consultancy requirements:
โ An advanced university degree in social science, public health, gender/development studies or a related area;
โ 7 years experience in conducting qualitative and quantitative research; capacity to design and implement research methodologies that enable the ย collection of sensitive and in-depth information on gender-based violence against women and girls with disabilities.
โ Strong understanding of GBV and disability issues, including the intersections between these two areas.
โ Knowledge within Human Rights and Protection particularly with regard to the protection of women and girls with disabilities from violence. Knowledge of relevant laws and regulations, as well as international and national protection guidelines.
โ Working level in Portuguese and English is required;
โ Experience with editing and proofreading UN documents and familiarity with UNFPAโs style is an asset.
โ Experience in conducting disability research and/or participatory research is an asset.
Inputs / services to be provided by UNFPA or implementing partner (e.g support services, office space, equipment), if applicable:
The consultant will use their own equipment for the consultancy.
Remuneration and schedule of deliverables /payment:
The remuneration for this consultancy assignment is a lump sum payment of USD 23,536 including travel expenses to Maputo and Manica provinces. The payment will be issued in three tranches as follows:
โ Upon submission of the Inception Report, 12,5% of total remuneration.
โ Upon submission of the Case Studies and Draft Full Research Report, 50% of total remuneration.
โ Upon submission of the final validated Full Research Report and accompanying Policy Brief, the remaining 37,5% of the total remuneration.
UNFPA Work Environment:
UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click hereย to learn more.
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Disclaimer:
Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.ย
UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.ย
Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.