INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT-Evaluation Team Members to conduct UNFPA Rwanda’s 8th Country Programme Evaluation

Purpose of consultancy: 

The overall purpose of the consultancy is to conduct the UNFPA Rwanda’s 8th Country Programme Evaluation (CPE), an independent assessment of the relevance and performance of the 8th CP covering the period from July 2018 to June 2024,  within a team of evaluators.  

Under the supervision of the CPE Team Leader with regular interaction with the  CPE Manager at the UNFPA Rwanda Country Office (CO), the CPE team  member(s) will contribute to the CPE assignment with respect to the UNFPA 8th CP  thematic areas (Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights; Adolescents and Youth; or  Population Dynamics) in their thematic areas of expertise, and work closely with all staff across the CO including Programme and Operations, as required for specific tasks.

Scope of work: (Description of services,  activities, or outputs)

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is the United Nations sexual and  reproductive health agency. Its mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy  is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.  Within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Programme of  Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD),  UNFPA is working towards three transformative results: (i) zero preventable  maternal deaths; (ii) zero unmet need for family planning; and (iii) zero gender-based violence and harmful practices, including female genital mutilation and child,  early and forced marriage. 

The UNFPA Rwanda Country Office (CO) is currently implementing the 8th  Country Programme (CP) (July 2018 – June 2024) with the Government of Rwanda  and other partners. The goal of the CP is to achieve universal access to sexual and  reproductive health, realize reproductive rights and reduce maternal mortality, and  improve the lives of women, adolescents and youth. In pursuit of this goal, the  UNFPA Rwanda CO seeks to achieve results in the following thematic areas of  programming under the CP: sexual and reproductive health and rights; adolescents  and youth; and population dynamics. 

In line with the 2019 UNFPA Evaluation Policy, the UNFPA Rwanda Country  Office (CO) is planning to conduct an evaluation of its 8th CP (July 2018 – June  2024). The purpose of the Country Programme Evaluation (CPE) is to strengthen  accountability to stakeholders, support evidence-based decision-making, and  improve learning. The overall objective of the CPE is to provide an independent  assessment of the relevance and performance of the CP and to broaden the evidence  base for the design of the next programme cycle.  

The evaluation will cover all interventions in the 3 thematic areas of the CP, which  have been implemented across Rwanda during the programme’s period. The  thematic areas are described in section 3 of the terms of reference. In addition, the  evaluation will also cover cross-cutting issues, such as human rights, gender  equality, disability, and transversal functions, such as coordination, monitoring and  evaluation, innovation, resource mobilization, and strategic partnerships.

The CPE will be conducted by a team of consultants as the CPE team (composed of  1 team leader and 2 team members), in close consultation with the UNFPA Rwanda  CO, with quality assurance support from the UNFPA East and Southern Regional  Office (ESARO) Regional M&E Advisor, and the UNFPA Evaluation Office, while  effective participation and contribution from the Evaluation Reference Group (ERG)  consisting of key partners and stakeholders (Government, representatives of civil  society, UN Agencies and target population).  

Evaluation team member: SRHR expert 

The SRHR expert will provide expertise on integrated sexual and reproductive health  services, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, maternal health, and family  planning. S/he will contribute to the methodological design of the evaluation and  take part in the data collection and analysis work, with overall responsibility for contributions to the evaluation deliverables in her/his thematic area of expertise. S/he  will provide substantive inputs throughout the evaluation process by contributing to  the development of the evaluation methodology, evaluation work plan and agenda  for the field phase, participating in meetings with the evaluation manager, UNFPA  Rwanda CO staff and the ERG. S/he will undertake a document review and conduct  interviews and group discussions with stakeholders, as agreed with the evaluation  team leader. 

Evaluation team member: Adolescents and youth expert 

The adolescents and youth expert will provide expertise on youth-friendly SRHR  services, comprehensive sexuality education, adolescent pregnancy, SRHR of young  women and adolescent girls, access to contraceptives for young women and  adolescent girls and youth leadership and participation. S/he will contribute to the  methodological design of the evaluation and take part in the data collection and  analysis work, with overall responsibility for contributions to the evaluation  deliverables in her/his thematic area of expertise. S/he will provide substantive  inputs throughout the evaluation process by contributing to the development of the  evaluation methodology, evaluation work plan and agenda for the field phase,  participating in meetings with the evaluation manager, UNFPA Rwanda CO staff  and the ERG. S/he will undertake a document review and conduct interviews and  group discussions with stakeholders, as agreed with the evaluation team leader. 

Evaluation team member: Population dynamics expert 

The population dynamics expert will provide expertise on population and  development issues, such as census, ageing, migration, demographic dividend,  and national statistical systems. S/he will contribute to the methodological design of  the evaluation and take part in the data collection and analysis work, with overall  responsibility for contributions to the evaluation deliverables in her/his thematic area  of expertise. S/he will provide substantive inputs throughout the evaluation process  by contributing to the development of the evaluation methodology, evaluation work  plan and agenda for the field phase, participating in meetings with the evaluation  manager, UNFPA Rwanda CO staff and the ERG. S/he will undertake a document  review and conduct interviews and group discussions with stakeholders, as agreed  with the evaluation team leader.

Deliverables:

Provisional allocation of working days (indicative): 43 days

Duration and working schedule:

43 Working Days and on a full-time basis during the period between 15 May 2023 to 31 October 2023

Place where services are to be delivered:

Virtually and UNFPA CO as necessary; as well as field work in UNFPA 8th CP intervention districts (Karongi, Nyamasheke, Rusizi) and all 5 refugee camps (Mahama, Nyabiheke, Kiziba, Mugombwa, and Kigeme) as designed in the 8th CPE Inception Report

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

Electronic submission of the deliverables in Word, EXCEL, PDF and PowerPoint Slide formats

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

Weekly update to the supervisor; and as regularly as required in discussion with the supervisor.

Supervisory arrangements:

The IC will be supervised by the CPE Team Leader with regular interaction with the CPE Manager at the CO.

Expected travel:

Fieldwork to the UNFPA 8th CP intervention districts (Karongi, Nyamasheke, Rusizi) and 5 refugee camps (Mahama, Nyabiheke, Kiziba, Mugombwa, and Kigeme) as designed in the 8th CPE Inception Report

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:

A. SRHR expert

The competencies, skills and experience of the SRHR expert should include:

• Master’s degree in public health, medicine, health economics and financing, epidemiology, biostatistics, social sciences or a related field.
• 5-7 years of experience in conducting evaluations, reviews, assessments, research studies or M&E work in the field of international development.
• Substantive knowledge of SRHR, including HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, maternal health, and family planning.
• Ability to ensure ethics and integrity of the evaluation process, including confidentiality and the principle of do no harm.
• Ability to consistently integrate human rights and gender perspectives in all phases of the evaluation process.
• Solid knowledge of evaluation approaches and methodology and demonstrated ability to apply both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience working with a multidisciplinary team of experts.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (written and spoken).
• Work experience in/good knowledge of the national development context of Rwanda.
• Familiarity with UNFPA or other United Nations organizations’ mandates and activities will be advantageous.
• Fluent in written and spoken English and Kinyarwanda.

B. Adolescents and youth expert

The competencies, skills and experience of the adolescents and youth expert should include:

• Master’s degree in public health, medicine, health economics and financing, epidemiology, biostatistics, social sciences or a related field.
• 5-7 years of experience in conducting evaluations, reviews, assessments, research studies or M&E work in the field of international development.
• Substantive knowledge of adolescent and youth issues, particularly SRHR of adolescents and youth.
• Ability to ensure ethics and integrity of the evaluation process, including confidentiality and the principle of do no harm.
• Ability to consistently integrate human rights and gender perspectives in all phases of the evaluation process.
• Solid knowledge of evaluation approaches and methodology and demonstrated ability to apply both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience working with a multidisciplinary team of experts.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (written and spoken).
• Work experience in/good knowledge of the national development context of Rwanda.
• Familiarity with UNFPA or other United Nations organizations’ mandates and activities will be an advantage.
• Fluent in written and spoken English and Kinyarwanda.

C. Population dynamics expert

The competencies, skills and experience of the population dynamics expert should include:

• Master’s degree in demography or population studies, statistics, social sciences, development studies or a related field.
• 5-7 years of experience in conducting evaluations, reviews, assessments, research studies or M&E work in the field of international development. 
• Substantive knowledge on the generation, analysis, dissemination and use of housing census and population data for development, population dynamics, migration and national statistics systems.
• Ability to ensure ethics and integrity of the evaluation process, including confidentiality and the principle of do no harm.
• Ability to consistently integrate human rights and gender perspectives in all phases of the evaluation process.
• Solid knowledge of evaluation approaches and methodology and demonstrated ability to apply both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience working with a multidisciplinary team of experts.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (written and spoken).
• Work experience in/good knowledge of the national development context of Rwanda.
• Familiarity with UNFPA or other United Nations organizations’ mandates and activities will be an advantage.
• Fluent in written and spoken English and Kinyarwanda.

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

UNFPA will provide:

1. Required documentation
2. Support services where appropriate
3. Logistics arrangements while there is a need to travel

Other relevant information or special conditions, if any:

An Individual Contract (IC) will be signe

How to apply:
Interested applicants should send a short letter (one page) of motivation and a detailed CV with the subject clearly stated "Individual Consultant - Evaluation Team Members to conduct UNFPA Rwanda’s 8th Country Programme Evaluation (CPE)" to recruitments.rwanda@unfpa.org Your CV should highlight relevant experience in delivering similar work with relevant links.d with the consultants for the duration of 43 working days.

UNFPA will only respond to those applicants in whom we have further interest.

Application deadline: 5 May 2023, 14h00 GMT time.

The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, processing, training) or other fee, or request information on applicants’ bank accounts or HIV status.