UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN’S FUND
REQUIRES
National Institutional Consultancy
National Institutional Consultancy for the provision of technical expertise in developing
smartphone applications for iPhone and Android phones, a website and a backend web
platform
Minimum Requirements:
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Relevant education in computer science, website design and programming, or other
relevant field; University degree in the relevant field is an advantage;
At least 5 years of relevant professional experience;
Experience and advanced knowledge in building applications and creating advanced
user experiences for iOS and Android OS, with a relevant portfolio of developed
applications
Experience in Location based services and integration with third party services for
smartphone applications.
Experience and advanced knowledge in creation of CMS (Content Management
System);
Experience with domain registration and web hosting;
Expert knowledge of User interface design and User Experience design, with
substantial experience in design for digital platforms (Desktop and mobile);
Knowledge of online social networking desirable but not required;
Knowledge of English and local language;
Previous work experience with UN will be considered as an advantage.
The Terms Reference for the position and the Supplier Profile Form can be found on the website
www.unicef.org/montenegro or picked up at UNICEF Montenegro office.
Please apply with:
1. Supplier Profile Form
2. Technical Proposal
a. Agency Profile
b. CV of key experts
c. Narrative proposal (addressing all aspects and criteria outlines in the ToR)
3. Price proposal (financial offer consisting of fee for the services to be provided, travel
and subsistence costs)
Send your application by email, mail or fax, quoting “Smartphone applications” to the
following address by December 11, 2015 (16:30):
UNICEF, UN Eco House, Stanka Dragojevica bb, 81 000 Podgorica
Fax: +382 20 447 471
Email: podgorica@unicef.org
UNICEF IS A SMOKE FREE ENVIRONMENT
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Terms of Reference
National Institutional Consultancy for the provision of technical expertise in developing
smartphone applications for iPhone and Android phones, a website and a backend web
platform
1.
Background and Context
Sexual violence against children is a gross violation of children’s rights and yet global reality across
all countries and social groups. It can take the form of sexual abuse, harassment, rape or sexual
exploitation in prostitution or pornography. It can happen in homes, institutions, schools, workplaces,
in travel and tourism facilities, within communities - both in development and emergency contexts.
Increasingly, the internet and mobile phones additionally expose children to risk of sexual violence.
The 2014 UNICEF study, Hidden in Plain Sight, estimates that around 120 million girls under the
age of 20 (about 1 in 10) have been subjected to forced sexual intercourse or other forced sexual acts
at some point of their lives. Millions of more children are likely exploited in prostitution or
pornography each year around the world, most of the times lured or forced into these situations
through false promises and limited knowledge about the risks. Yet the true magnitude of sexual
violence is hidden because of its sensitive and illegal nature. Most children and families do not report
cases of abuse and exploitation because of stigma, fear, and lack of reporting mechanisms or trust in
the authorities. Social tolerance and lack of awareness also contribute to under-reporting.
In Montenegro, KAP survey revealed, every 10 citizen knows someone who was a victim of sexual
abuse during childhood. Yet, only 30% admits that the problem of sexual violence against children
exists in the country. This illustrates higher level of social tolerance but also stigma associated with
this phenomena that prevents citizen to talk and admit that the problem exists.
According to the Survey of the Ombudsperson Office of Montenegro: “Child Online Sexual
Abuse”, 2013, Montenegro`s institutions registered only 4 cases of child online sexual abuse. In the
same survey, every fourth child said she/he had received online messages with grooming or sexting
connotation, which data corresponds with findings of the NGO sector. This clearly indicates that
Montenegro still does not have in place efficient mechanisms for reporting, revealing, protection,
prosecution, neither efficient professional support services for victims.
Based on the global need for joint and organized fight against this phenomenon and grounded in
before mentioned international instruments, We PROTECT Children Online Global Summit was
held by the UK Government in London on the 10-11 December 2014 with the aim to strengthen
global efforts to combat online child sexual exploitation. It brought together representatives from
more than 50 countries, leading technology companies, International and National NGOs, Interpol,
Europol, UNICEF, UNODC and the Special Rapporteur on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution
and Child Pornography.
Participating countries signed up to a Statement of Action committing to take global action to identify
and protect victims; remove child sexual abuse material from the Internet; strengthen cooperation
across the world to track down perpetrators; and build global capacity to tackle the sexual exploitation
of children online.
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In addition, on December 5th 2012, Montenegro jointly with additional 48 countries, participated in
the Initial Conference for establishment of Global Alliance against Child Sexual Abuse Online,
which is the joint initiative of the European Union and United States of America. Following
objectives were set: Eliminate legal gaps and obstacles; Improve INTERPOL`s database with the
intention to facilitate cross border police investigations; Strengthen cooperation with civil sector;
Strengthen cooperation with internet providers; Integration of legal provisions which will prevent
perpetrators of the criminal act of child abuse from further work with children; Provision of efficient
support to victims; Raise awareness of children, parents and citizens in general, and in particular
through the campaigns in schools.
In light of the above, UNICEF office in Montenegro started with implementation of a new initiative
aiming to support Government to prevent and protect children from online child sexual exploitation
and abuse. One of the proposed actions of the initiative is providing information and raising
awareness campaign aiming to enable children to have a channel to access information about different
forms of child online exploitation and abuse. This will be provided through development of
smartphone applications for iPhone and Android phones, website and a backend web platform that
will summarize forms of child online abuse, the way how children to protect themselves and how to
report the crime. Furthermore, applications will have informative part about online risks and harms
children could face with. It will also provide guidance on signs and symptoms of online child sexual
abuse and what to do if they suspect online abuse. Since the content of the smartphone applications
for iPhone and Android phones will be made for children from 9 to 18 years old it is necessary to
make application that will be child user friendly having in mind their emotional, psychological and
mental development.
2.
Purpose and Objective
The purpose of this assignment is to strengthen institutional capacities to effectively protect children
from online sexual exploitation and abuse and to raise awareness on combating online child sexual
exploitation and abuse in order to enable children to enjoy the benefits of the internet free from
danger.
The objective of this assignment is to provide technical assistance to respective state institutions in
enabling children and parents to have a channel to access information about different forms of child
online exploitation and abuse, how to protect themselves, and how to report the crime to appropriate
state institutions. This will be done through developing application for iPhone and Android phones
and a website that will have several ‘core’ elements but not necessarily be confined to:
● Website and Smartphone applications should be developed for iPhone and Android phones
and should be made available on App store and Play store respectively at the beginning but
with possibility to upgrade it to tablets and PCs in the future while using the same content
available via custom developed web platform.
● Features such as push notifications and LBS (Location Based Services)
● The website and applications UI will be designed for Montenegrin but with a possibility of
being expanded to other languages in future stages.
● The mobile platform and website platform should enable children and youth to gather
knowledge
● Focus on simplicity, great performance and attractive design.
● Application and website should be able to support multimedia, such as video, audio, images
and interactive maps.
● Should provide information on online child sexual exploitation based on detailed project
description provided by UNICEF
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● Should have possibility to add material via web platform from time to time. This can be added
as “Tip of the Day” notifications in the apps in order to be interactive and interesting for the
end users, and to remind them of the app presence and make an incentive for them to use the
app;
● Should be able to provide us with periodical reports. Creation of the administration website
platform for various statistics regarding the app (number of downloads, list of messages
received through the app, etc.) through custom developed solution or integration of third party
services.
● SOS helpline will not exist in the beginning but might be a case in the future;
3.
Methodology and Technical Approach
The methodology will use desk review, written inputs, active participation in experts` working group
sessions, active participation in children working sessions, consultations with the Ministry of Justice,
Ministry of Interior Affairs, Ministry of Information Society and other relevant institutions and
presentation of the results and findings.
The Contractor will work in the field and from home. The Contractor is expected to work in
consultations with UNICEF Team, other consultants engaged in the process of development of
application, primarily with consultants who will develop contextual part for the application.
4. Activities and Tasks
The Contractor is expected to:
● Work with the Working group consisted of representatives of the Ministry of Interior Affairs,
Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Social and Welfare and the Ministry for Information Society,
experts working on the contextual part of the application and UNICEF’s Child Protection
Team in order to receive in depth guidance for the best possible solution of the application;
● Create wireframes and detailed description of app and website features and user interface,
including interface for display of featured stories, online child sexual exploitation
information, and other multimedia where applicable (video, audio, images, interactive maps,
etc.);
● Assist UNICEF in creating publishing accounts for App store and Google Play store
● Provide design for the applications and website (at least 3 visual approaches of
representative screen to be submitted for review);
● Interactive wireframes and design submitted for review and approval to the UNICEF Team
followed by update based on feedback;
● Provide functional application and website for at least one platform during the testing phase
for UNICEF task team to review and approve.
● Test the quality of application and website, adjust and resolve all identified problems;
● Full implementation and delivery of the features and design of the apps and website (Beta
version for both platforms);
● Support for the application and website process and publishing of the apps and website in
the various stores.
● The application should be functional in situation with no internet, i.e. the application’s basic
functions should work without internet
● Provide maintenance of the application and website in its initial published state for a period
of 12 months.
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NOTE: Please bear in mind that source-code of application will be property of UNICEF upon the
completion of application design.
Key Deliverables and Timeframe
The Contractor will be engaged for the total period of three months.
The Contractor is expected to produce the following key deliverables:
a) Meetings with the Working group, Children’s focus groups and other experts in order to
collect all necessary information by end of November 2015;
b) Development and submission of the draft application and website solution, by end of January
2016;
c) Based on received inputs, comments and suggestions, development and submission of the
final application and website solution to UNICEF and the Working group and other respective
counterparts by end of February 2016;
d) Presentation of final application and website solution made to UNICEF and the Working
group and other respective counterparts by end of February 2016.
e) Final Consultancy Report by end of February 2016.
f) Submission of the application and website to App store and Google Play store by
March 10, 2016.
4. Minimum requirements
● Relevant education in computer science, website design and programming, or other relevant
field; University degree in the relevant field is an advantage;
● At least 5 years of relevant professional experience;
● Experience and advanced knowledge in building applications and creating advanced user
experiences for iOS and Android OS, with a relevant portfolio of developed applications
● Experience in Location based services and integration with third party services for
smartphone applications.
● Experience and advanced knowledge in creation of CMS (Content Management System);
● Experience with domain registration and web hosting;
● Expert knowledge of User interface design and User Experience design, with substantial
experience in design for digital platforms (Desktop and mobile);
● Knowledge of online social networking desirable but not required;
● Knowledge of English and local language;
● Previous work experience with UN will be considered as an advantage.
5. Management and Organization
Management: The Contractor will be supervised by the UNICEF Child Protection Officer. The
relevant national stakeholders will be consulted on a regular basis for the feedback regarding the
consultant’s work performance.
Organization: National Institutional Consultancy, consisting of experts with considerable theoretical
and practical experience is required.
The candidates are requested to submit their financial offer consisting of fee for the services to
be provided, travel and subsistence costs, as/ if applicable.
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The Contractor’s team of experts’ fee may be reduced if the assignments/deliverables are not fulfilled
to the required standard. In a case of serious dissatisfaction with the consultant’s performance the
contract may be terminated in line with UNICEF procedure in such matters and as spelled out in SSA.
Schedule: This assignment will commence on 10 December 2015.
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