TERMS OF REFERENCE
Consultancy for production of Innocenti Report Card 12, Impact of Economic Crisis
on Children in OECD Countries (provisional title)
3 March 2014 - 15 July 2014
1.
Background:
With a focus on the living conditions of children in economically advanced countries,
the Innocenti Report Card series addresses an important aspect of UNICEF’s global
mandate for the realization of children’s rights. The series offers original and
authoritative material in a form of interest to policy makers, academics, child rights
defenders and the media. It provides great support to National Committees’
domestic profile in this respect; at the same time it constitutes an important tool to
address critical dimensions of child poverty in rich countries and to promote policy
debate in other parts of the world.
Since 2000, the Innocenti Report Card series has published eleven issues. Feedback
received suggests that the data and analyses in the reports have been taken
seriously by policy makers, and in a number of instances have contributed to
significant research and policy initiatives on behalf of children. The series has also
had a positive impact on UNICEF’s credibility in donor countries and helped to
underpin UNICEF’s fundraising capability.
Since 2005, six new Report Cards have been released. Report Card 6 focused on
child income poverty, Report Card 7 on multi-dimensional child well-being, Report
Card 8 on early childhood development and care, Report Card 9 on inequality in
well-being among children and Report Card 10 on child poverty. Report Card 11
updated the research done for Report Card 7 using more recent data, comparing
multi-dimensional child well-being in rich countries.
Report Card 12 analyses the impact of the recent global financial and economic
crisis on children in developed countries. Emerging evidence indicates that children
have suffered disproportionately because of falling household incomes (e.g. due to
job losses; benefit cuts) and reduced access to quality services. Although the longterm impact of the economic crisis on children’s life chances cannot yet be
assessed, Report Card 12 explores the various ways in which children have been
affected by the economic crisis and government responses to it in the OECD and EU
countries. Report Card 12 will group the countries according to their success in
limiting the negative impact of the crisis on children and their families in a league
table. Report Card 12 will provide a narrative that brings the most important
aspects of the impact of the crisis on children to the forefront.
Report card 12 seeks to address the following broad questions:
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How has the economic crisis affected children’s well-being?
To what extent do the effects of the crisis vary with the characteristics of
countries and households that children live in?
What were the implications of different government responses to the crisis
for child well-being?
The research team within the UNICEF Office of Research is preparing a range of
background papers tackling these themes. Thus, Report Card 12 will be based on
several related research projects, ranging from an overview of the child well-being
indicators before and after the crisis to an analysis of government responses to the
crisis and their impact on children. The findings will be brought together in Report
Card 12 as a coherent narrative. Unlike the report card itself, which targets nonspecialist audiences, the background papers will be analytical in content,
contributing to the academic debate on the impact of the crisis on children.
2.
Objectives:
The overall purpose of the consultancy is to write Report Card 12.
The text will be based on the statistical analysis and the background research
developed by research consultants and the Office of Research’s team, and on an
extensive review of literature on child wellbeing in rich countries; it will present
different aspects of the impact of the crisis on children and adolescents in rich
countries and will convey the complexity of the analysis, while proposing a
methodology that is comprehensive, transparent and accessible to policy makers,
academics, media and the general public.
The text will be reviewed and finalized based on comments to be provided by
internal and external reviewers, and on discussion with Office of Research. The
Report Card will be identified as institutionally authored by UNICEF Office of
Research, Innocenti.
3.
Specific activities to be completed to achieve the objectives:
The consultancy includes the following activities, to be carried out under the
supervision of the chief of the Socio-Economic Policy Unit at UNICEF Office of
Research and in collaboration with the research team of the SEP unit:
a) To study the background material developed by the research team,
including literature reviews on the topic, to identify gaps that may
affect a responsible presentation of the material, to participate in
meetings (including phone conferences) involving the writer,
researchers and senior staff from the UNICEF Office of Research, to
draw up a skeleton plan for the layout and flow of contents of the
Report Card, including details of the league table(s) and other
proposed tables and text figures.
b) To draft the main text of the Report Card 12 in English (approx.20,000
words) including boxes, graphs and tables.
c) To revise the text and tables to reflect comments received from the
Office of Research, the RC Advisory Group, and other reviewers
identified by Office of Research in producing the final RC 12 (English).
d) To contribute to finalizing the laid out version.
The above activities will be carried out in close consultation with technical staff of
Office of Research, particularly in the Social and Economic Policies Section, and with
the Communications Section, particularly in regard to editorial, production,
translation and launch activities.
Calendar of activities:
3 March – 1 May 2014
1 May – 2 June 2014
2 – 9 June 2014
9 June – 23 June 2014
23 June – 1 July 2014
4.
Background research carried out by the
Report Card writer. Participation in
reviewing
the
statistical
analysis
(carried out by the research consultants
and by the Office of Research) and
preparation of the outline of the Report
Card 12, in coordination with the
research consultants, to reflect the
results of the background paper(s).
Participation in Advisory Group Meeting
to review RC12 headlines.
Drafting of Report Card text
Review process of the Report Card text
(carried out by Office of Research, with
inputs from the consultant)
Second drafting of Report Card text
Support to review process of the Report
Card text and finalization of boxes and
text (process carried out by the Office
of Research, with inputs from the
consultant)
Specific outputs/products/results with specific delivery dates:
1 May 2014
Delivery of outline of the Report Card 12 reflecting
the results of the background paper(s).
2 June 2014
First draft of Report Card text, boxes, charts, tables,
statistical appendices
2 – 9 June 2014
Review process of the Report Card text (carried out
by Office of Research, with inputs from the
consultant)
23 June 2014
Second draft of Report Card text, ready for final
review
23 June – 1 July 2014
Support to review process of the Report Card text
and finalization of boxes and text (process carried
out by the Office of Research, with inputs from the
consultant)
5.
Qualifications and/or specialized knowledge/experience required
and desirable for undertaking the assignment:
Required:
(1) High quality analytical and writing skills with extensive experience of
communicating research findings to policy makers, academics, media and the
general public.
(2) Familiarity with the thematic issues, policy debates and technical content
addressed in the Report Card 12.
(3) Prior experience and successful record in producing high profile publications
similar to the Report Card Series.
Desirable:
(1) Experience of communicating research findings for the purpose of wider
advocacy on behalf of children.
(2) Experience of producing UNICEF publications.
(3) Experience of conducting high-quality research on child rights and child
wellbeing.
6.
Duration of the consultancy: 75 days of work in the period from 3 March
2014 to 15 July 2014 including one trip to Florence, Italy for Advisory group
Meeting.
7.
Supervision and work arrangements
The Supervisor of the assignment is Sudhanshu Handa, Chief of the SEP Unit,
UNICEF Office of Research.
The focal point for communications-related aspects of the assignment will be the
Chief of Communications (name to be communicated).
The Consultant will work at his/her home base, in regular electronic and telephone
consultations with the Supervisors, relevant Office of Research staff, other
consultants and advisers concerned with the project. Periodic updates will be
provided, including in writing, upon request. Periodic consultations will be held in
Florence or other locations.
8.
Special Instructions:
The consultant is responsible for all aspects of the work to ensure timely delivery of
the Report Card text in English. The arrangement will be carried out in close
consultation with the Office of Research duly reflecting feedback on drafts, with layout according to agreement on branding with the Office of Research and fully
proofread. The consultant will also be provided with the UNICEF Style guide.
TRAVEL AND DAILY SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE:
The Office of Research will cover for the consultant the costs of approved travel
(transportation + DSA) related to participation in technical meetings (including the
Advisory Board meeting), briefings and launches. Any travel will be undertaken by
most direct route in economy class and applicable UN- DSA rate will be paid.
APPLICATION
Qualified candidates are requested to submit a Cover letter, CV and UN P-11 form
to florencerecruitment@unicef.org by the deadline of 5 January 2014, quoting in
subject: Reference- Report Card writer
Please indicate your ability, availability and daily rate (in US$) to undertake the
terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a daily rate will not be
considered.