Section
Background
Individual (International) Consultancy
Duration: 16 November 2015 – 15 February 2016 (50 working days)
Content
The influences of puberty in nutrition, exposure to toxic substances such as alcohol, tobacco and recreational drugs, threats to reproductive health and the biological changes manifested through linear growth and development of secondary sexual characteristics, have been well recognized. However, the psychological and social contexts (adolescence) in which these occur are less well understood by service providers and policy makers.
Social context as determined by education, opportunity and family along with opportunity for exploration of psychosocial development through risk activity is less well understood.
It thus becomes a period of rapid bio-psychosocial development – a period in the lifecycle that is very vulnerable to both intrinsic and external risks. Hence, understanding the social and psychological contexts is an important consideration in developing the health, education and protection services for the youth of Mongolia – a nation in and of itself going through rapid social and economic changes with increasing influences by the cultural norms of Westernized youth. These contexts together with family, community, schools and access to health care, greatly impact on a rapidly changing mind and body of the child and adolescent. It is, thus, critical to address these issues from a holistic and integrated approach in a fashion that will encourage assimilation into their development.
With 45.5% of the population less than 24 years old and 18.7 per cent between the developmentally vulnerable ages of 15-24 years old, Mongolia has a unique opportunity for potential acceleration of social and economic development through enriching the social and thus healthy contexts that greatly impact youth.
Unfortunately, until now, adolescent issues were not prioritized and often mixed with the common priorities for the young people. Adolescence is a very specific period in the human lifecycle, a period when children mature through a number of closely interdependent series of transitions in the domains of their physical, psychological, social and personal development. Many issues related to their health, education and safety especially, those linked with their abilities and skills, values and experiences to negotiate multiple life domains thus avoiding risky behaviours are not addressed.
Mongolia SitAn 2014 highlights that very little quantitative or qualitative data are available in relation to the situation of adolescents in Mongolia. With the exception of youth unemployment, the current lack of a clear understanding of issues facing adolescents and young people in general is one of the biggest social policy challenges Mongolia faces.
Hence, the lack of policy and programme responses to address these concerns. As such, urgent efforts must be made to analyse the situation of adolescents.

The following issues derived from our past experience are considered as key priorities:
 Adolescent and young people are increasingly vulnerable to STI and HIV infection.
10 % of students aged 13-15 admit to having had sex. Among them 48.1 % used a condom during the last sexual intercourse 1 . Also, 45 % (male) and 19 % (female) aged 15-24 had casual sex in the last 12 months. Sixty-nine percent of males and
46 % of females used a condom during the last casual sex 2 . As of the end of 2014, the cumulative number of officially reported HIV cases was 181 giving rise to HIV prevalence of less than 0.01% in the general population. But according to the eighth round of sero-surveillance crude prevalence of HIV in men who have sex with men
(MSM) in urban settings, this reflected an increase to 13.7 percent (adjusted prevalence – 12 percent) in 2014. The SISS 2013 found less than one fourth of youth had comprehensive understanding of HIV prevention while many had significant misconceptions. Compared to 2010, the level of comprehensive knowledge on HIV transmission decreased among males from 26% to 21%; among young females it also decreased from 29% to 23%.
 Mental health problems are increasingly evident among adolescents- 21.3 % of 13-
15 years old student seriously considered attempting suicide during the past 12 months and 9.1 % of them actually attempted suicide one or more time during past
12 months 1 . School environments are unsafe: 43.8 % of students were in a physical fight one or more times during past 12 months 1 . Despite the concern raised by the available data, this issue continues to remain outside the focus of government and developmental partners.
 Available data on alcohol usage by adolescents and young people suggests that drunkenness and delinquency are increasing issues for young people. According to
GSBSHS (2013) 2 alcohol use before age of 15 was 0.8 % (female) and 3.6 % (male).
Smoking before age of 15 was 0.8 % (female) and 17.2 % (male).
 A recently conducted survey on strengths and support systemin the lives of
Mongolian adolescents gives us some information on the strengths and failures of the contexts in which adolescent development occurs. Based on the results from the Developmental Assets Profile by SEARCH Institute, that lowest level of support provided to young people was in the area of constructive use of time. In other words adolescents in Mongolia need opportunities outside of school to learn and develop new skills and interests with their peers. Another area, which is getting attention is low level of support from neighbours and community members towards adolescents.
 Following the general trend identified in relation to the social policy challenges faced in Mongolia, there is an absence of formative research and evaluation to underpin the few policies that even partially address the needs, rights and aspirations of young people. Moreover, in regard to these general policies that do exist – some of which contain references to issues affecting adolescents and young people – none are based on a situation analysis or formative research, none have
1 Global School—based Student Health Survey (2013) Mongolia 2013 Fact Sheet
2 Social Indicator Sample Survey-2013

Objectives,
Purpose &
Expected results monitoring and evaluation mechanisms and none have resources allocated for implementation.
 As early as 2001, the need for Adolescent Friendly Health Services was recognized and developed with the support of WHO, UNFPA and others, leading to the development of 18 such health facilities. Standards of operation that recognized the unique nature of the adolescent and young adult as a health care consumer were developed. ‘Adolescent health care specialists’ were appointed in 21 provinces and 9 district health centers and with provided additional training to address the medical and health care needs of this population became sole specialist, working in adolescent health area.
UNICEF Mongolia Office is seeking the services on an international individual consultant to conduct an Adolescent Situation Analysis (SitAn), and the objectives will be:
1.
By focusing on the key knowledge gaps related to inequities and adolescents’ deprivations, the adolescent SitAn is intended to improve the understanding of decision-makers, partners and all stakeholders on the current situation of adolescents in the country and the causes of shortfalls and inequities as the basis for recommended actions. The adolescent SitAn will make an important contribution to the national development planning and development process including influencing policies, budgets, and programmes to contribute to an enabling environment for adolescents.
2.
The adolescent SitAn will inform and guide UNICEF Mongolia sectoral and thematic discussions in preparation for the new UNICEF/Government of Mongolia
Country Programme 2017-2021.
3.
The adolescent SitAn will contribute to national research on adolescent and leverage UNICEF’s convening power to foster and support knowledge generation with development, civil society and private sector stakeholders.
Description of the assignment
This assignment of conducting a Situation Analysis on the Adolescent Population in
Mongolia is expected to be completed in 2.5 months.
Conducting a rights-based, equity-focused adolescent SitAn involves the following sequence of steps:
Step 1: Comprehensive review of the existing data, evidence and research-based information will summarize current knowledge, enable in-depth understanding of key social, cultural and related economic issues and help to identify what additional primary
(qualitative and quantitative) data or analysis is required. Secondary information should be identified and consulted through desk reviews; requests for inputs from partners
(government, bilateral agencies and NGOs); and bilateral meetings/focus group discussions with CSOs to gather additional qualitative information on issues of particular relevance.
By assessing the relative value of specific indicators for any given service, intervention, system, behavior or practice, the shortfalls in child related goals and in the fulfilment of specific rights are underscored. Once the shortfalls have been identified, a causality

Deliverables analysis will permit a causal examination of the determinants that support or impede the achievement of rights.
The analysis of the data and information should be disaggregated, to the extent possible, by various characteristics of children as relevant in each context. This may include sex, age, area of residence (urban/rural), location (national, regional, community, wealth quintiles, disability status, ethnicity, etc. The use of multiple sources of information, such as Social Indicators Cluster Survey 2013. Global School-based Student Health Survey 2013,
Development Assets Profile of Mongolian Adolescents 2015, Second Generation STI/HIV
Surveillance Report 2009, 2011, 2013 and other relevant surveys and national health statistics reports and databases will allow for a comprehensive assessment. An important aspect of Step 1 is the identification of knowledge gaps.
Step 2: Analysis of the immediate, underlying and structural causes of the issues affecting the health and development of adolescents and young people, i.e vulnerability to STI and
HIV infection, mental health problems, alcohol use and delinquency; and access to information on adolescent health and development.
Following step 1, based on existing data and trends, the next step is to analyze available information to systematically analyze the barriers and bottlenecks that prevent adolescents, especially disadvantaged adolescents, in benefiting from required policies and government programmes and services, including the social, political and economic conditions that result in shortfalls in the creation of an enabling environment for adolescents’ development.
Tools:
- Bottlenecks and barriers analysis relevant to the critical determinants in the provision and use of essential interventions and services for adolescents.
- A role-pattern analysis that delves into the roles and relationships between duty-bearers and rights holders in relation to specific rights;
- A capacity-gap analysis, examines the capacity of key individuals and institutions responsible for respecting, protecting and fulfilling the rights of children;
-an analysis of the enabling environment examines broader policy, legal, administrative and budgetary issues and social norms which influence the reduction of inequalities.
Gender should be mainstreamed in the analysis. The situation analysis process is encouraged to involve key government partners and various stakeholders. Building on analysis conducted by others rather than “beginning from scratch” allows for efficiency.
Step 3: Validation of analysis and conclusions and recommendations from the analytical effort with stakeholders sets the foundation for issue prioritization and for developing scenarios towards addressing the barriers and bottlenecks that impede the achievement of results with equity. This confirms the importance of a clear articulation of policy and programmatic implications as integral to the Situation Analysis. Also, the construction of the analysis will likely reveal the absence of information in certain areas for which further investigation or research will be required.
A first draft of the Adolescent SitAn in English to be sent via email to the contract
Supervisor by 15 January 2016.

A powerpoint presentation for the validation meeting (in English) to be sent via email to the contract Supervisor by 15 January 2016.
A final Adolescent SitAn Report (which incorporates comments and has been validated by key government partners) in English to be submitted to the contract Supervisor by 15
February 2016.
Same as Deliverables. Reporting requirements
Location and
Duration
Qualification requirements
Evaluation process and methods
Administrative issues
The selected consultant will primarily be home-based during the length of the assignment. The desk review and part of the analysis will be conducted remotely (last two weeks of November 2015).
There will be 2 expected round-trip travels to Ulaanbaatar:
10 working days period (first two weeks of December 2015) for data collection through key informant interviews, focus group discussions, consultations
3 working days in January for validation meeting with key partners
Total duration: 50 working days (2.5 months) intermittently, starting 16 November 2015 and ending on 15 February 2016.
The selected Consultant is expected to possess the following minimum qualifications:

Advanced University degree in health, social sciences or related field;

At least ten years of progressively responsible professional work experience at the national and international levels on adolescent health and development and/or rights issues;

Prior experience in writing technical papers, evaluations and reports;

Knowledge of Results-Based Management, and the human rights-based approach to programming;

Prior experience working with UNICEF or another UN Agency is an asset;

Strong research and analytical skills;

Excellent writing skills in English language.
The Program hiring section is responsible for the technical assessment and will inform
Operations which consultants are technically qualified and provide the ranking of the candidates. Operations will then conduct financial negotiations if needed, and the lowest bidder will be selected.
The consultant is expected to make two visits to Mongolia as part of the assessment all other work will be done remotely. He will travel to Nalaikh district of UB city once during his first stay in UB.
The individual consultant is expected to include a proposed travel budget (round-trip, economy-class airfare and per diem allowances) as part of the proposal response. Travel arrangements are the responsibility of the consultant and no Travel Authorization will be issued by UNICEF.

Project management
Payment
Schedule
Any other information
Adolescent and HIV/AIDS specialist will be responsible for direct supervision and day to day oversight and Deputy Representative will manage the contract. Regional Youth and
Adolescent Development Specialist will review the draft report for quality assurance.
Payment of fees will be made in two installments as follow:
- First payment of 40% upon submission of the first draft report
- Second payment of 60% upon completion and submission of final report and full satisfaction of the work
UNICEF penalty clause
UNICEF reserves the right to withhold up to 30% of the total consultancy fee in the case that the deliverables are not submitted on schedule or do not meet the required standards.