TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR) FOR CONSULTANCY
UNICEF Myanmar
Consultant to create a computerised civil registration data management system
SPCRM Output 1: The situation of children, with focus on disparities and vulnerabilities is defined
and analysed at national and regional levels.
1.
Background:
UNICEF Myanmar received funding from the EU as part of a multi-country UNICEF project to work
on birth registration system reform and increasing the coverage of birth registration with a
particular emphasis in reducing disparity rates between urban and rural regions.
In Myanmar the project is directed at system strengthening/reform at central level, with a longer
term aim to work towards incorporating birth registration within a comprehensive system of civil
registration, as well as implementation of a revised conflict sensitive service delivery model on the
ground initially in three states and regions of the country; Mon, Chin and Magwe. The service
delivery model involves computerisation of birth registration data, as well as strengthened
coordination mechanisms between departments involved in birth registration with a strengthened
role of the ward/ village tract administrator.
Coverage of birth registration in Myanmar has risen in recent years to 72 per cent, however this
figure masques inequity in the coverage due to geographic and socioeconomic factors. These
include significant differences between urban and rural areas, between the richest and poorest
children, and between the respective states and regions of the country. Among children under five
living in the poorest households, only half have their births registered. In rural areas, 64 per cent of
children under five are registered, and this figure is particularly low in Myanmar’s poorest State,
Chin State, where less than one fourth of children are registered, due in part to infrastructural
challenges. The proportion of children who have birth certificates is lower still.
In late 2013 UNICEF in collaboration with concerned departments undertook a comprehensive
review of the legal, policy and systemic aspects of birth registration in Myanmar. The review
concluded that overall governance and coordination of the system needs to be improved to
promote equitable access to birth registration. Currently there are parallel systems of registration
of children under the responsibility of separate departments:

The birth registration system as part of the Modified Vital Registration System is managed
by the Department of Health, in collaboration with the Central Statistical Organization. The
local midwife is a key person in the system with a responsibility for completion of the
relevant forms for initiating birth registration when a child is born. The birth certificate is
issued by the Township Medical Officer. The Central Statistical Organization at central level
processes forms for production of statistical reports, but does not keep a record of the
registered children. Under this system children can only be registered in the location of their
birth. Poor families in rural areas are most disadvantaged because many do not get into
contact with a midwife when their child is born.

The household registration system is managed by the Department for Immigration and
National Registration (DINR) with support from the General Administration Department
(GAD). This system registers children as part of a household, but the household list is neither
a permanent nor individual document, and a new household list needs to be obtained upon
moving residence.

The GAD registers newborn children for population counting and administrative purposes.
In response to recommendations from the review of birth registration a government Coordination
Committee for Birth Registration was set up at the beginning of 2014 with the objective of
strengthening coordination between departments at all administrative levels.
One of the key recommendations from the review of the Myanmar birth registration system is to
strengthen the creation of a permanent record of registered children. In the current situation, no
electronic record of the child is created; records are kept at township level as paper copies only. It
is a priority to create a computerised civil registration data management system, which can be
accessed and used by concerned departments at various levels from ward/village tract to central
level. The system will be placed within the CSO, initially at district level, with the longer term aim of
connecting to townships and further down to wards and village tracts.1 This system can be used for
planning purposes, statistics and as a database of individual records of each child.
2. Objectives of the consultancy:
Working in close collaboration with UNICEF Social Policy and Child Rights Monitoring Section and
government departments, mainly the CSO, the general objective of the consultancy is to create a
computerised civil registration data management platform, which can be accessed and used mainly
by the CSO, with the option to connect to other concerned departments, at various levels from
district to central level, with the future expansion to township and potentially ward/village tract
level.
The specific objectives are:
1. To define the recommended model for a computerised civil registration data management
platform, which would be compatible with existing e-governance initiatives led by the
Ministry of Information and Communication Technology.
2. To create a computerised civil registration data management platform based on input from
relevant stakeholders. The system should be accessible for concerned departmental officials
at different administrative levels (central, state/region, district and township, with potential
future expansion down to ward/village tract level).
3. To establish protocols and procedures for data input, access and storage in the
computerised civil registration data management system as well as database management.
Procedures should clearly assign roles in the system. The protocols and procedures should
cover information security in order to enhance data protection, as well as improve the
integrity, availability and reliability of disaggregated data (by gender, location etc).
4. To develop a training manual describing the use of the system for the respective focal
persons at different levels
5. To train a team of officials at central level and core trainers in use of the system.
3. Geographic Area: Yangon with frequent travel to Nay Pyi Taw and potential travel to programme
locations (Chin, Mon and Magwe)
1
The current situation of human resource, electricity access and internet connection makes district level the most
feasible administrative level to work with initially; however the context of decentralization and infrastructure
development is rapidly evolving, and townships are increasingly gaining significance as administrative units.
4. Duration: 60 days in the period 25 April 2014 – 31 July 2014. 50 days in Myanmar, 10 days from
home. Additional 6 months maintenance period at no extra cost up to 31 January 2015.
5. Supervisor: Child Rights Monitoring Specialist, Social Policy and Child Rights Monitoring Section
6. Type of Supervision/support required: The consultant will receive a briefing at the beginning of
assignment, then regular discussions in person and via email.
7.Description of assignment:
Tasks
End Product/deliverables
Duration/
Deadline
Develop a work plan with specification Workplan and agreed specification of
Mid May 2014
of computerised civil registration data system
management system
Create a web based civil registration Web based civil registration data
data management system based on management system developed in line
with requirements; database of
input from relevant stakeholders
registered children created
Establish protocols and procedures for
data input, access and storage in the
computerised civil registration data
management system.
May-June 2014
Procedures for data input, access and June 2014
storage developed; document created
showing
workflow,
roles
and
authorisations. Protocol of data security
created.
Develop a training manual describing Training manual developed, utilising June –July
effective illustrations etc.
2014
how to use the system
Train a set of core trainers in use of the Selected trainers are trained and July 2014
conversant with the use of the system
system.
Manage 1-2 locally recruited developers
as needed and prepare them to provide
technical support to users of the
system
Establish a backup strategy for the data
base/ management system
Submission of developed
system/database source code
Provide a maintenance period of 6
months after delivery of web based
Civil registration data management
system
Local developers are trained to enable
them to maintain and resolve technical
issues with the system.
Work of locally recruited developers is
overseen and coordinated, and they are
prepared to support users of system
Backup strategy developed and
documented. Local developers trained
on how to run and maintain the backup
system.
Source code used to develop Civil
registration data management system is
submitted in soft copy to UNICEF and
stakeholders
Civil Registration data management
system
is
maintained
and
upgraded/modified to resolve any bugs
that may occur due to software
compatibility. System is fine tuned in
production environment.
June- July
2014
June- July
2014
End of
contract
6 months
after delivery
of Civil
Registration
data
management
system
8. Selection process
The consultant will be identified by UNICEF based on expression of interest and competitive
selection. Interested candidates will be asked to fill in an expression of interest form
9. Qualification and specialized knowledge/experience required for the assignment:
- Advanced degree in computer and information sciences, software engineering or related area
- 10 years of relevant experience in project implementation in database design and development or
related areas
Previous experience in developing civil registration data management systems an asset
Excellent interpersonal and collaboration skills
Fluency of spoken and written English
10. Estimated costs to UNICEF:
11. Payment schedule:



20% upon completion of agreed work plan showing system specification and timeframe, and
assessment of needs for technical equipment
40% upon completion of computerized civil registration data management system
40% upon completion of all remaining deliverables
12. Funding Source: WBS 0600/A0/04/107/001/003 ( SC 130005)
13. Other conditions:
The selected consultant will be allowed to work in UNICEF premises, but will have to utilize a
personal laptop for his/her work.
Life and health insurance
UNICEF does not provide or arrange life or health insurance coverage for consultants and individual
contractors, and consultants and individual contractors are not eligible to participate in the life or
health insurance schemes available to United Nations staff members. Consultants and individual
contractors are fully responsible for arranging, at their own expense, such life, health and other
forms of insurance covering the period of their services as they consider appropriate. The
responsibility of UNICEF is limited solely to the payment of compensation for service-incurred
death, injury or illness as per the provisions detailed below.
Insurance for service-incurred death, injury or illness
Consultants and individual contractors who are authorized to travel at UNICEF expense or who are
required under their contract to perform services in a UNICEF or United Nations office shall be
provided with insurance coverage, through a UNICEF-retained third party insurance provider,
covering death, injury and illness attributable to the performance of official UNICEF duties.
Compensation in the event of service-incurred death, injury or illness shall be equivalent to
amounts stipulated in the agreement between UNICEF and the insurance provider.
The contract signed with the consultant will include the other general terms defined by UNICEF.
14. Nature of Penalty Clause to be stipulated in the contract:
UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory,
if work/output is incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines.