TERMS OF REFERENCE
CHILD-SENSITIVE SOCIAL PROTECTION IN FIJI:
AN ASSESSMENT OF THE CARE & PROTECTION ALLOWANCE
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Linkages to Fiji’s Roadmap for Democracy and Sustainable Socio-Economic Development (RDSSED 2009-2014):
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Pillar 8: Reducing Poverty to a Negligible Level by 2015.
Policy Objective: All categories of the poor are able to meet their basic needs.
Strategies: ‘review and develop poverty targeted policies’ and ‘strengthened institutions and programmes that
support children of the poorest of the poor’.
Linkages to Outputs and Performance Targets of Ministry of Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation:
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Output 2: Poverty Alleviation – Assistance to Disadvantaged Persons
Output Performance Measure: Provision of Care & Protection Allowance to poor households with children who will
need care and protection.
Output Strategy: Strengthen the administrative, coordination, facilitation and monitoring of the Care and Protection
Programme including the translation of 4 FA criteria.
Linkages to UNICEF Pacific Multi-Country Programme Document 2013-2017:
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Programme Component Result 9: Social policies, safety nets, and budgets progressively address disparities and
build resilience for the realization of child rights.
Intermediary Result 9.2: By 2017, government policies, budgets and social protection systems enhance resilience
and reduce disparities for children.
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1. PURPOSE
The purpose of this assignment is to conduct an in-depth assessment of Fiji’s Care and Protection Allowance
– a cash transfer programme targeting children in foster or residential care and children in vulnerable
households – to explore the programme’s impact on recipients, analyse alternative designs, generate
options for improving programme operation and ensuring programme (financial) sustainability.
The assessment will contribute directly to poverty reduction strategies identified in Fiji’s Roadmap for
Democracy and Sustainable Socio-Economic Development (RDSSED 2009-2014) as well as the Corporate
Plan of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation (MSWWPA). It seeks to complement
previous studies that are informing on-going reforms in Fiji’s social protection landscape (in particular the
2011 review of Fiji’s Family Assistance Programme) by focusing explicitly on children as a target group.
Results from the assessment will be used by the MSWWPA and other relevant stakeholders to inform
planning and resource allocation decisions and identify priority actions to optimize the design, coverage and
operational management of the Care and Protection Allowance. A secondary objective is to document Fiji’s
experience with its cash transfer programme for vulnerable children and draw lessons learned that could
benefit other Pacific Island Countries seeking to introduce or expand child-sensitive social protection
schemes.
2. BACKGROUND
2.1 COUNTRY CONTEXT
The Republic of Fiji is a Small Island Developing State (SIDS) home to nearly 860,000 people, including
290,000 children under 18 years of age, living on 110 islands spread across 1.3 million square kilometres of
the Pacific Ocean. The country has an increasingly urban population (51 percent according to the latest
census). Fiji is classified as a “medium human development” country and ranks 96 th out of 187 countries on
the 2012 United Nations Human Development Index. The country has reached upper-middle income status
with a gross national income (GNI) per capita of US$ 4,200 in 2012. Net Official Development Assistance
(ODA) is relatively low compared to other Pacific countries (less than 2.5 percent of GNI).
1
Like most islands in the South Pacific region, Fiji is highly vulnerable to sudden economic or environmental
changes as a result of its remoteness and geographical fragmentation; isolation from world markets and
small internal market; limited commodities and consequent heavy dependence on imports; fragility of its
ecosystem; and high susceptibility to natural disasters. Fiji is ranked 15th out of 173 countries in the 2012
World Risk Index and is second only to Papua New Guinea as the Pacific island country most affected by
natural disasters since 1990. The country suffers an annual average economic loss of 2.6 percent of GDP
due to tropical cyclones and flooding. 1
Poverty: Some 35 percent of the national population was living below the basic needs poverty line in
2008/09. The average poverty rate in rural areas (44 percent) is significantly higher than the urban poverty
rate (26 percent), while poverty rates in squatter settlements range from 38 to 55 percent. 2 Households with
children (and elderly) are more susceptible to being poor. In addition, an estimated ten percent of Fiji’s
population is considered to be non-poor, but at risk of falling below the poverty line. 3 Moreover, natural
disasters frequently push families into poverty. For example, because of the income loss due to 2009
flooding, the proportion of flood-affected sugarcane families below the basic needs poverty line increased
from an estimated 54 to 77 percent. 4 Due to internal migration, a significant proportion of the population is
living in informal and squatter settlements – often in poor quality housing, with inadequate service provision,
in environmentally marginal areas, and with no legal security of tenure.
Food security: Fijian households spent close to one third of their total expenditure on food consumption in
2008/09, ranging from an average of 25 percent in urban areas to 46 percent in rural areas. 5 Home
production – an important food safety net – accounted for five percent of total food consumption in urban
areas, while rural households produced on average 35 percent of their own food consumption. Because of
their limited access to land, the urban poor are often considered one of the most food insecure groups. For
example, a 2009 survey in the Wailea squatter settlement in Suva revealed that only 24 percent of residents
were food secure while 76 percent experienced low or very low food security (though hunger remains
relatively uncommon even in these circumstances). 6 Overall, the role of subsistence food production is
declining sharply (-43 percent in urban and -20 percent in rural areas between 2002 and 2008). 7 This reflects
a strong trend of domestically produced foods being displaced by imported items.
Child nutrition: Malnutrition in children resulting from poor dietary intake remains a concern, particularly in
Indo-Fijian children. The 2004 National Nutrition Survey reported that 16 percent of Indo-Fijian children
under five years were underweight for their age; 7 percent was wasted (low weight-for-height); and 5 percent
was stunted (low height-for-age). Prevalence of malnutrition in iTaukei children was generally low (3-4
percent). Deficiencies of micronutrients (such as vitamin A, iron and zinc) are a serious public health problem
affecting up to half of all children under five years. 8
Child health: Fiji has made significant progress in reducing its under-five mortality rate; from 31 deaths per
1,000 live births in 1990 to 22 per 1,000 in 2012. The leading causes of under-five deaths are now
pneumonia and diarrhoea (14 percent), neonatal causes (43 percent) and injuries (11 percent).9 It is
estimated that while about 70-80 percent of the population has access to primary health care, only about 40
percent has access to quality health services. 10 Vaccination levels for children are high; and the introduction
of pneumoccocal and rotavirus vaccines in 2012 is expected to further reduce the burden of pneumonia and
diarrhoea.
Education: Access to formal early learning opportunities remains constrained: only 47 percent of five-year
olds were attending pre-school in 2011.11 However, children’s access to primary schooling is generally high
(> 95 percent). Access to secondary schooling is much lower (80 percent) with non-attendance twice as high
in rural areas (26 percent) than urban areas (13 percent). There are also strong disparities across quintiles in
urban areas, with urban children in the poorest quintile three times less likely to attend secondary school
1
World Bank (2012) A Policy and Practice Note for Climate and Disaster Resilient Development in the Pacific Islands Region.
World Bank (2011). Poverty Trends, Profiles and Small Area Estimation (Poverty Maps) in Republic of Fiji (2003-2009).
3
Jha, R.; Dang, T. & Sharma, K. L. (2009). Vulnerability to Poverty in Fiji. International Journal of Applied Econometrics and
Quantitative Studies, 6 (1), 51-68.
4
Lal, P.N. (2010). Vulnerability to natural disasters: an economic analysis of the impact of the 2009 floods on the Fijian sugar belt.
Pacific Economic Bulletin, 25 (2), 62-77.
5
Fiji Bureau of Statistics (2012). Poverty in Fiji: changes 2002-03 to 2008-09 and policy implications.
6
Varman, S. D. (2012). State of Household Food Security at Wailea Squatter Settlement, Suva, Fiji. International Journal of Health and
Nutrition, 3 (1), 19-31.
7
Fiji Bureau of Statistics (2012). Poverty in Fiji: changes 2002-03 to 2008-09 and policy implications.
8
National Food and Nutrition Centre (2009). Report 2008: Micronutrient status of children 6 months - < 5 years in Fiji.
9
UNICEF (2013). Committing to Child Survival: A Promise Renewed. Progress Report 2013.
10
WHO (2012) Health Service Delivery Profile, Fiji.
11
Fiji Bureau of Statistics (2012). The 2010-11 Employment and Unemployment Survey: Preliminary Findings.
2
2
than children in the richest quintile. Moreover, children from the poorest families are much more likely to drop
out of school (e.g. by the age of 16 years, 35 percent of the poorest children in rural and 16 percent in urban
areas have dropped out of school). 12 Lower levels of education dramatically increase the risk of poverty later
in life.13
Child Protection: An ILO survey found that children who have dropped out of school early are more likely to
be engaged in child labour, such as seasonal farm work, collecting scrap metal and pushing wheelbarrows. 14
The incidence of children engaged in sex work and drug trafficking is also a matter of concern. Poverty,
parental or family neglect and other social problems, combined with the need for cash for personal wants,
are key underlying causes of child labour. The Fiji Police Force recorded an increase in the number of cases
of sexual child abuse from 162 in 2005 to 362 in 2010, while cases of physical child abuse increased from 98
to 214 over the same period.15 Moreover, a 2008 Child Protection Baseline found that seven out of ten adult
survey respondents admitted to physically hurt children in their care. 16
Other vulnerable groups: Children with disabilities are a particularly vulnerable group facing many
obstacles that prevent them from having an adequate quality of life. A 2010 baseline survey identified around
3,020 children with disabilities nationwide. 17 They often lack opportunities for education and employment
later in life and have limited access to adequate health care and support services. Other at-risk groups
include orphans; an estimated 23,000 children in Fiji have lost one or both parents. 18
2.2 THE SOCIAL PROTECTION LANDSCAPE
Social protection in the Pacific: Social protection is widely seen as a crucial component of poverty
reduction strategies and efforts to reduce vulnerability to economic, social, natural and other shocks and
stresses. While many Pacific Island Countries have fairly extensive informal, traditional support systems,
they offer only partial protection against hardship and are slowly declining. 19 Governments are only gradually
stepping in to compensate for this loss of social protection. At the same time, the region is and will continue
to be highly exposed to macro-economic shocks, environmental disasters and climate change. Apart from
fee waivers for education and health services, coverage of social protection programmes to support
vulnerable children and households is very low in the Pacific. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) estimates
that only 12% of potential beneficiaries of social protection actually receive benefits, substantially below the
average for other regions.20
Social protection in Fiji: Fiji has one of the most developed social protection systems in the South Pacific.
It consists of a mix of:
 Social transfers in the form of cash and food vouchers (Poverty Benefit Scheme, Care and Protection
Allowance; Food Voucher Programme; and Social Pension Scheme);
 Programmes to enhance access to basic services by reducing financial barriers (fee free education, bus
fare subsidies, housing subsidies);
 Labour market programmes (skills training and placement by the National Employment Centre, Welfare
Graduation Programme); and
 Social insurance schemes (National Provident Fund, Health insurance).
The delivery of Fiji’s social protection programmes has undergone a number of important reforms in recent
years. For example, the Department of Social Welfare (DSW) is now issuing beneficiary ID cards and has
transitioned from a manual voucher system for the distribution of social welfare benefits to an electronic
payment system. Moreover, DSW has intensified its efforts to reduce ‘inclusion errors’ and is increasingly
focusing on integrating graduation and exit strategies into the design of social protection programmes. In
2012, the Family Assistance Programme – which was category based (elderly, chronically ill and
permanently disabled) – was replaced by the Poverty Benefit Scheme, which aims to reach ten percent of
the population living in poverty and provides assistance to a maximum of four persons in a household with a
maximum FJ$150 monthly allowance, inclusive of a $30 food voucher. At the same time, a new Social
12
Fiji Bureau of Statistics (2012). Poverty in Fiji: changes 2002-03 to 2008-09 and policy implications.
World Bank (2011). Poverty trends, profiles and small area estimation (poverty maps) in Republic of Fiji (2003-2009).
14
International Labour Organization (2010). Child Labour in Fiji - A survey of working children in commercial sexual exploitation, on the
streets, in rural agricultural communities, in informal and squatter settlements and in schools.
15
Fiji Bureau of Statistics (2011). Key Statistics : September 2011.
16
UNICEF (2009). Protect me with love and care: Baseline report for Fiji.
17
Fiji National Council for Disabled Persons (2010). National Baseline Disability Survey.
18
UNICEF (2012). The State of the World’s Children 2012.
19
AusAID (2012). Pacific Social Protection Series: poverty, vulnerability and social protection in the Pacific.
20
Asian Development Bank (2013). The Social Protection Index – Assessing Results for Asia and the Pacific.
13
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Pension Scheme was introduced for senior citizens who are 70 years and above and not receiving any form
of superannuation funds.
Social protection for children: The Care and Protection (C&P) Allowance, administered by the
Department of Social Welfare, is the main public social safety net for children. It entails a monthly cash grant,
topped up with a food voucher, targeted at children in foster care and vulnerable households (mostly single
mothers) as well as children in residential homes.21 The monthly allowance is paid to the guardian of the
child and the amount is determined by the child’s age, school enrolment and other criteria as follows: (a)
FJ$25 if the child does not go to school; (b) FJ$30 if the child is in primary school; (c) FJ$40 if the child is in
secondary school; (d) FJ$60 per child with disabilities; and (e) FJ$100 per child in a residential home. The
programme currently reaches around 5,000 children and was allocated a budget of FJ$4.4 million in 2012. 22
Another important social protection programme for Fijian children is the Free Bus Fare Scheme, which is
administered through the Ministry of Education. Launched in 2009, the programme provides transportation
assistance to schoolchildren with a family income below FJ$15,000. It currently reaches more than 77,000
students across the country.
Existing research: A small but growing body of research and analysis has sought to fill knowledge gaps on
Fiji’s social protection system and put forward recommendations for reform. In 2006, ILO published a
‘Sourcebook for Extending Social Security Coverage in Fiji’. From 2009-2011, PFIP conducted an activitybased costing exercise23 and beneficiary perceptions survey24 in support of DSW’s transition to an electronic
payment system for social assistance grants. 25 In 2011, World Bank conducted a macro-level analysis of the
coverage and impact of the Family Assistance Programme on national poverty rates; an operational review
of application processes and staffing; and a qualitative study to collect information on beneficiary
perspectives.26 In 2012, ADB published a revised Social Protection Index for Fiji. 27 However, no research to
date has systematically examined Fiji’s social protection programmes from a children’s perspective and/or
the Care and Protection Programme in particular. Moreover, little is known about the impact of social
transfers at the child and/or household level.
3. KEY RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The purpose of this assignment is to conduct an in-depth assessment of Fiji’s Care and Protection (C&P)
Allowance to explore the programme’s impact on recipients, analyse alternative designs, generate options
for improving programme operation and ensuring programme (financial) sustainability. Key research
questions include the following:
3.1 Programme design: How is the C&P programme designed and what is the scope for
improvement?
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What are the targeting and eligibility criteria for the C&P Allowance? Does the design of the programme
take adequate account of the social, economic and environmental vulnerabilities and risks that children
face? Does programme design conform to good international practice?
What is the coverage of the C&P Allowance (total number of children and disaggregated by geographic
location and social characteristics such as age, gender and disability)?
Is the size of benefit levels sufficient to avoid child deprivation of essential goods and services? Is the
current payment arrangement (combination of cash and food voucher) optimal?
Is the duration of the benefit optimal? To what extent are exit and graduation strategies appropriate
and/or effective?
Does the C&P Allowance fit well within the range of complementary social protections schemes provided
by DSW and other ministries? How can linkages with policies and programmes in other social sectors –
such as child protection, education, health, housing, and disaster management and risk reduction – be
strengthened (i.e. integrated delivery and social protection floors)?
21
The Ministry works with a total of nine residential institutions with a total of around 130 children.
Children of single parents, deserted spouses and prisoner’s dependents were previously covered under the Family Assistance
Programme (which has been reformed into the Poverty Benefit Scheme in 2012). These children are now being transferred into the
Care and Protection Allowance. Once this (database) migration is complete, up to 8,000 children will be covered under the Care and
Protection Allowance.
23
McCaffrey, M. (2009). Activity Based Costing of the Department of Social Welfare. PFIP.
24
Sibley, J. (2009). Beneficiary Perceptions and Attitudes in Fiji: Facilitating Migration from Paper-based to Electronic Benefit
Distribution. PFIP.
25
PFIP (2011). G2P, expanding financial inclusion in the Pacific : Fiji’s transfer of social welfare to a savings-linked electronic payment.
26
World Bank (2011). Assessment of the Social Protection System in Fiji and Recommendations for Policy Changes.
27
ADB (2012). Republic of Fiji: Updating and Improving the Social Protection Index.
22
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3.2 Programme implementation: How is the programme implemented and how could operational
management be strengthened?
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Is governance and implementation capacity to administer the grant sufficient (e.g. in terms of staffing and
workload)? Which factors affect implementation and/or variation across different parts of the country?
How do Social Welfare Officers determine eligibility for the C&P Allowance in practice? How do potential
beneficiaries learn about the eligibility criteria and the application process for the C&P Allowance? Are
there any barriers to access the grant for the most vulnerable? What is the average length of the
application process? How frequent does re-certification occur? Are grievance procedures in place?
How can planning, monitoring and evaluation processes be strengthened? How can database
management be improved? How can communication and outreach activities be strengthened?
3.3 Programme benefits: How do beneficiaries use the C&P Allowance and how does it make a
difference for children?
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How do recipients (caregivers and residential homes) use the C&P Allowance? Are transfers mostly
used for immediate consumption, productive investment and/or savings? To what extent are transfers
being misused on non child-related expenditures?
What is (do beneficiaries say about) the impact of the C&P Allowance on children’s food intake and
nutritional status? Illness and health seeking behaviour? Children’s education (e.g. enrolment,
attendance, school drop-out)? Children’s participation in hazardous work or seasonal farm labour? Risky
adolescent behaviour (e.g. use of alcohol, drugs)? What is the impact on self-esteem and/or social
position of recipients? Are there any unintended impacts?
What are the intervening/contextual variables (e.g. socioeconomic characteristics of the beneficiaries,
cultural factors affecting participation) that influence the impacts?
3.4 Programme costs: How much does the C&P Programme cost and how would the cost change
under different scenarios?
 How much is Government spending on the Care and Protection Allowance in absolute and relative terms
(broken down by total programme cost, administration cost, etc.)?
 What are the budget planning and allocation mechanisms? What are the sources of financing? Are there
any mechanisms for protecting the programme’s budget in times of fiscal pressures? Is the budget
based on needs and benefits or historical allocations?
 What would be the budgetary impact of changing the design and/or the size of the C&P benefit in line
with recommendations of the assessment?
4. APPROACHES/METHODOLOGY
The contractor will be responsible for the development and implementation of a mixed methods research
design to collect, analyse and ‘mix’ both quantitative and qualitative data in order to provide robust and
credible answers to the key research questions listed above. Questions around impact of the C&P Allowance
should be answered using non-experimental research designs such as theory-based and participatory
approaches.28
Proposed methods include:
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Literature review of national policies and strategies; budget statements; departmental annual reports;
census and national household survey reports (e.g. HIES, EUS); publications and research by UN,
World Bank, ADB and other development partners; international good practices and lessons learned
from similar programmes; grey literature; etc.
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Interviews with caregivers/recipients of the C&P Allowance (using surveys and/or other participatory
tools). The sample size should be large enough to draw credible conclusions about the C&P Allowance
(which covers around 5,000 children), while being cognisant of budget and time constraints. It is
28
In other words, the assessment will not use experimental or quasi-experimental techniques that make use of a control/comparison
group to estimate the so-called counterfactual due to the lack of baseline data on C&P Allowance recipients and budgetary constraints.
More information on this can be found in Stern et al (2012). Broadening the Range of Designs and methods for Impact Evaluations, and
White & Philips (2012). Addressing attribution of cause and effect in small n impact evaluations: towards an integrated framework. Other
useful publications include, for example, Abeyasekera, S. (2005). Quantitative analysis approaches to qualitative data: why, when and
how? and IDS Working Paper (2003). How to generate statistics and influence policy using participatory methods in research:
reflections on work in Malawi 1999-2002.
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proposed to use a stratified sample with three geographical strata (rural, urban, informal settlements)
and three social strata (pre-school children, school-going children, children with disabilities). Sampling
techniques that minimize geographical spread of the fieldwork are encouraged.
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Workshops (using focus groups and/or other participatory tools) to interview central and district social
welfare officers (3 workshops) and managers/caregivers of children in residential care facilities (1
workshop).
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Key informant interviews with officials from the Ministry and Department of Social Welfare; other
departments that deliver (complementary) social (protection) programmes; Ministry of Finance; and
relevant stakeholders such as UNICEF and local NGOs.
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Quantitative analysis of administrative data on the delivery of the C&P Allowance, including data drawn
from the Department of Social Welfare’s database on welfare recipients, human resources and financial
data.
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Scenario analysis to explore implications of implementing key recommendations of the assessment (e.g.
financial implications of alternative programme designs, targeting criteria or benefit levels).
5. DELIVERABLES
The key expected end products from this assignment are as follows:
1. An inception report, including:
 Project plan (activities and schedule);
 Methodology (data collection tools, data sources, sampling, indicators and mixed methods analysis
plan vis-à-vis the key research questions); and
 Annotated outline of the main report.
2. Delivery and facilitation of workshops and field research / data collection, recording and transcribing,
data entry, cleaning, analysis and integration of quantitative and qualitative data.
3. The main report addressing the key research questions outlined in this terms of reference. The report
should:
 Be well-structured, logical, clear and complete. This includes an executive summary; findings,
conclusions and recommendations based on evidence derived from the mixed methods data
analysis; and relevant annexes.
 A rich selection of relevant tables, charts, maps and quotations (‘voices’ of beneficiaries and other
stakeholders) to visualize and illustrate key data, indicators, trends and core messages of the report.
 At least four short case studies/human interest stories (1-2 pages) to illustrate issues related to
programme implementation/processes, use and benefits of the C&P Allowance.
 The report should comply to the maximum extent possible with the UNICEF-Adapted UNEG
Evaluation Reports Standards – A checklist that includes critical indicators for a high quality
evaluation report.29
4. Copies of all data collected and used as part of this assignment (e.g. in excel format).
5. A stand-alone summary for non-technical audiences (maximum 10 pages).
6. An action plan for implementing recommendations and reform efforts developed with involvement of
relevant stakeholders. This should include details on:
 The steps required to get from the status quo to the desired goal;
 The resources required;
 The timetable; and
 The assignment of responsibilities for actions.
7. Presentations (PowerPoint and oral presentations) on key findings and recommendations to key
decision-makers (senior management of the MSWWPA; Cabinet; National Coordinating Committee for
Children).
29
Available at http://www.unicef.org/evaldatabase/files/UNEG_UNICEF_Eval_Report_Standards.pdf
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Reports should be written in English and delivered electronically. Please note that the contractor is
responsible for ensuring that final reports are edited and proofread to ensure they are of publishable quality.
6. TIMEFRAME & PLACE OF WORK
The timeframe is negotiable, but it is anticipated that the assignment will be carried out over a period of
approximately 5.5 months (24 weeks), between February and July 2014. The tentative timeline and locations
are a follows:
Week 1-2:
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Literature review.
An initial discussion with Ministry of Social Welfare and UNICEF over telephone.
Drafting of preliminary tools and instruments for data collection.
Location: Remote/home-based.
Week 3-4:
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Face-to-face discussions with the Ministry of Social Welfare and UNICEF.
Collect administrative and financial data on the C&P Allowance from MSWWPA and
MoF.
Conduct key informant interviews with other Ministries and key stakeholders.
Develop the sampling frame, selection procedures and sample size.
Field test preliminary data collection tools with a small number of caregivers/recipients of
the C&P Allowance (in the vicinity of Suva).
Location: Based in the capital Suva.
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Week 5-7:
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Week 8-12:
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Finalisation of the inception report, including project plan; methodology (data collection
tools, data sources, sample, indicators and analysis plan vis-à-vis the key research
questions); and annotated outline of the main report.
Location: Remote/home-based.
Conduct and facilitate three workshops with social welfare officers (one workshop in
Suva for officers from the Central and Eastern Division; one workshop in Labasa for the
Northern Division; and one workshop in Lautoka for the Western Division).
Conduct and facilitate one workshop for managers/caregivers of children in residential
homes (in Suva).
Conduct fieldwork/interviews with caregivers/recipients of the C&P Allowance (number
and location dependent on selected sample).
Location: Suva, Lautoka, Labasa plus possibly other locations dependent on the sample
selection.
Week 13-14:
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Transcribing, thematic coding, data entry and cleaning.
Location: Remote/home-based.
Week 15-16:
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Quantitative and qualitative data analysis (in line with the indicators and analysis plan to
answer the key research questions).
Location: Remote/home-based.
Week 17-19:
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Drafting/writing of the main report.
Location: Remote/home-based.
Week 20:
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Conduct and facilitate one or two workshops to present the draft report, seek consensus
on recommendations and develop of an action plan for implementing recommendations
and reform efforts in a participatory manner with relevant stakeholders.
Location: Suva.
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Week 21-23:
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Finalisation of main report, stand-alone summary and action plan (including editing and
proofreading).
Location: Remote/home-based.
7
Week 2430:
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Presentations on final report and recommendations to Cabinet, senior management of
the MSWWPA; National Coordinating Committee for Children (NCCC) and participation
in a launch event.
Location: Suva.
7. ACCOUNTABILITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
UNICEF Pacific will issue the contract for this assignment. UNICEF Pacific’s Social Policy Specialist will
serve as the main focal point for the contractor; hold regular meetings with the contractor via phone/skype to
discuss progress; coordinate review processes of intermediary outputs and drafts report; and approve final
deliverables.
The contractor will be fully accountable for conducting the assessment on schedule and on budget; the dayto-day management of operations (including the management of any subcontractors that may be used, for
example, for transcribing audio recordings, editing and proofreading of reports); regular progress reporting to
UNICEF Pacific’s Social Policy Specialist; and producing deliverables in accordance with contractual
requirements. The contractor will work on her/his own equipment and use her/his own office resources and
materials in the execution of this assignment. The contractor will report to UNICEF Pacific’s Social Policy
Specialist.
During the assignment, the Department of Social Welfare and UNICEF will provide support to the contractor
in the following ways:
 Provide an initial (non-exhaustive) set of documents and publications for the literature review.
 Facilitate access to administrative and financial data on the C&P Allowance from databases maintained
by Social Welfare, Ministry of Finance and other relevant sources.
 Assist in identifying and scheduling appointments with key informants.
 Identify a small number of caregivers/beneficiaries to conduct initial field testing of preliminary tools (in
the vicinity of Suva).
 Facilitate access to relevant databases and other information sources needed by the contractor to
develop a sampling frame and sample of caregivers/beneficiaries of the C&P Allowance.
 Officials from the DSW and/or social welfare officers will accompany the contractor during the execution
of fieldwork/surveys to facilitate introductions/access to caregivers/beneficiaries.
 UNICEF and DSW will carry responsible for the logistics of all workshops (identification of participants,
invitations, venue, catering and travel costs for participants).
8. PAYMENT SCHEDULE
Payments by UNICEF are delivery-based, i.e. payments are triggered by satisfactory submission of specified
deliverables and accompanying invoices. Any deliverable not meeting the required specifications will have to
be reworked and resubmitted at no additional cost to UNICEF. The proposed payment schedule for this
assignment is as follows:
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40% of the total fee upon satisfactory submission of the inception report.
35% of the total fee upon satisfactory submission of the draft main report.
25% of the total fee upon satisfactory submission of the final report, stand-alone summary and action
plan.
9. QUALIFICATIONS OR SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
Qualifications and experience:
 Advanced university degree (Masters or PhD) in economics, public policy, development studies, or any
other related discipline relevant to this assignment.
 Excellent understanding of child-sensitive social protection policy in developing countries.
 Demonstrated experience in designing, implementing and/or evaluating child-sensitive social protection
schemes in developing countries.
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There may be a time lag of several weeks between the submission of final deliverables (in work week 23) and the report launch and
presentations (in work week 24) to allow time for designing/layouting and printing by UNICEF. While editing and proofreading is the
responsibility of the contractor, UNICEF will handle the final design/layouting and printing of reports.
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Outstanding knowledge of and experience with field research and both quantitative and qualitative data
collection principles, methods and analysis.
Strong ability to engage with policy makers and government officials and to develop options and
scenarios for reforms and implementation processes.
Previous experience in carrying out assignments for UNICEF and/or other UN agencies and/or other
development organisations.
Knowledge of challenges and issues on development, poverty and vulnerability in Fiji and/or Pacific
Island Countries and/or Small Island Developing States will be an asset.
Key competencies:
 Communication.
 Working with people.
 Drive for results.
 Deciding and initiating action.
 Applying technical expertise.
 Analysing.
 Formulating strategies and concepts.
 Planning and organising.
10. UNICEF STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS
LEGAL STATUS
The contractor shall be considered as having the legal status of an independent contractor. Agents or
employees of the contractor shall not be considered in any respect as being officials or staff members of the
United Nations.
OBLIGATIONS
The contractor shall neither seek nor accept instructions from any authority external to the United Nations in
connection with the performance of its services under this contract. The contractor shall refrain from any
action which may adversely affect the United Nations and shall fulfill its commitments with fullest regard for
the interest of the United Nations. The contractor shall not advertise or otherwise make public the fact that it
is a contractor with the United Nations. Also the contractor shall, in no other manner whatsoever use the
name, emblem or official seal of the United Nations or any abbreviation of the name of the United Nations in
connection with its business or otherwise. Contractors may not communicate at any time to any other
person, Government or authority external to the United Nations or any information known to them by reason
of their association with the United Nations which has not been made public, except in the course of their
duties or by authorization of the Secretary-General or his designate; nor shall contractors at any time use
such information to private advantage. These obligations do not lapse upon termination of their agreement
with the United Nations.
TITLE RIGHTS
(a) The United Nations shall be entitled to all property rights including but not limited to patents, copyrights
and trademarks, with regard to material which bears a direct relation to or is made in consequence of, the
services provided by the Organization in compliance with the requirements of the applicable law. At the
request of the United Nations, the contractor shall take all necessary steps, execute all the necessary
documents and generally assist in securing such property rights and transferring them to the Organization in
compliance with the requirements of the applicable law.
(b) Title to any equipment and supplies which may be furnished by the United Nations shall rest with the
United Nations and any such equipment shall be returned to the United Nations at the conclusion of the
Contract or when no longer needed by the contractor. Such equipment when returned to the United Nations,
shall be in the same condition as when delivered to the contractor, subject to normal wear and tear.
TERMINATION OF CONTRACT
This Contract may be terminated by either party before the expiry date of the agreement by giving notice in
writing to the other party. The period of notice shall be five days in the case of agreements for a total period
of less than two months and fourteen days in the case of contracts for a longer period.
In the event of the Contract being terminated prior to its due expiry date in this way, the consultant shall be
compensated on a pro rata basis for no more than the actual amount of work performed to the satisfaction of
the United Nations. Additional costs incurred by the United Nations resulting from the termination of the
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Contract by the contractor may be withheld from any amount otherwise due to the contractor from the United
Nations.
ASSIGNMENT OF PERSONNEL
The contractor shall not assign any persons other than those accepted by the United Nations for work
performed under this Contract.
INDEMNIFICATION AND INSURANCE
The contractor shall indemnify, hold and save harmless and defend, as its own expenses, the UN, its
officers, agents, servants and employees form and against all suits, claims, demands and liability of any
nature or kind, including costs and expenses arising out of acts or omissions of the contractor or his
employees or sub-contractors in the performance of this Contract. This clause shall extend to claims and
liability in the nature of workmen's compensation claims or liability or those arising out of the use of patented
inventories or devices. In compliance with this clause, the contractor shall obtain and maintain adequate
liability and property damage insurance in respect of any tort action or tort claim arising out of contractor's
acts or omissions related to this Contract. The contractor shall, upon request, provide proof of such
insurance. The contractor shall not permit any lien, attachment or other encumbrance by any person to
remain on file in any public office or on file with the UN against any monies due or to become due for any
work done or materials furnished under this Contract, or by reason of any other claim or demand against the
contractor.
UNITED NATIONS PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES
Nothing in or relating to this Contract shall be deemed a waiver of any of the privileges and immunities of the
United Nations.
ARBITRATION
Any controversy or claim arising out of, or in accordance with this Contract or any breach thereof, shall,
unless it is settled by direct negotiation, be settled in accordance with the UNICITRAL Arbitration Rules as at
present in force. The parties shall be bound by any arbitration award rendered as a result of such arbitration
as the final adjudication of any such controversy or claim.
AMENDMENTS AND ASSIGNMENTS
No change in or modification of this Contract shall be made except by prior written agreement between the
Chief, Commercial, Purchase and Transportation Service, Office of General Services, United Nations, and
the contractor. The Contractor shall not assign, transfer, pledge, sub-contract or make other disposition of
this Contract or any part thereof, or of any of the contractor's rights, claims or obligations under this Contract
except with the prior written consent of the United Nations.
OFFICIALS NOT TO BENEFIT
The contractor represents and warrants that no official of the United Nations has been, or shall be, admitted
by the contractor to any direct or indirect benefit arising from this Contract or the award thereof. The
contractor agrees that breach of this provision of an essential term of this Contract.
11. ETHICS FOR SAFEGARDING THE INTERESTS/RIGHTS OF CHILDREN AND WOMEN IN
RESEARCH
NON-DISCRIMINATION
When consultants conduct interview/focused group research/survey that involves third party, consultants
shall ensure that selection of participants and the processes and methods used serve to correct, not
reinforce, patterns of exclusion. This requires attention to socio-economic barriers including gender and age
discrimination as well as the different ways and capacities in which children and women express themselves.
PARTICIPATION
Consultants shall ensure that the purposes and processes of the research are fully explained, using
alternative forms of communication where necessary and making reference to any implications for
participants of time, cost and the possible influence of the outcomes. The way information is conveyed must
be appropriate to the context and to the child capabilities when child is involved.
INFORMED CONSENT
Consultant shall ensure that the participants know their right to refuse or to withdraw from the research at
any time and obtaining verbal or written consent without coercion. Parental consent is not an adequate
standard in light of the rights of the child and consent should be ongoing negotiation process with child.
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IDENTIFICATION OF RISKS
Consultant should be mindful of the risks involving children and women in the research. Consultant should
withhold information where that information may place them at risk and take necessary measures to protect
them from placing themselves at risk.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Consultants shall offer conditional anonymity and confidentiality to all participants and explain to participants
the limitation of confidentiality and possible intervention based on what is in their best interests. Consultant is
fully responsible for identifying the follow-up action and referrals to be made in case confidentiality is broken.
MISUSE OF INFORMATION
Consultants are fully responsible for considering the short and long term consequences of the research from
the different perspectives of participants, policy-makers, researchers and UNICEF.
(Signed)
Prepared by Social Policy Specialist
Name/Title:
Date:
(Signed)
Approved by Section Chief
Name/Title:
Date:
(Signed)
Approved by Deputy Representative
Name:
Date
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