International consultant to review the draft digital code in line with the child’s rights provisions, Kazakhstan

UNICEF Kazakhstan Country Office is looking for International consultant to review the draft digital code in line with the child’s rights provisions

Duration: from May 2024 to July 2024 (10 working days)
Workplace: home-based
Modality: part-time

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.
Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.
And we never give up.
For every child, a fair chance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=E1xkXZs0cAQ

Programme information
Program (Outcome WBS & Name): 2390/A0/06/882/002/002 Quality, equity and inclusion of secondary education
Output 2.2.: By 2025, there is enhanced institutional capacity within the education system to deliver quality, inclusive, learner-centred primary and secondary education
System Strengthening – Innovations – Innovations to improve access and learning for the most disadvantaged children are implemented at scale and are sustainable
Output 3.2.: By 2025, the capacities of central and local authorities to plan, regulate, resource and oversee child protection prevention and response services are increased for addressing institutionalization and violence against children.
3.2.2 Developing a legal framework and tools to support the detection and management of child protection cases, alongside the design of specialized child protection service standards and packages to be delivered by social services.

 Background and Purpose of Assignment_Digital Code Consultant.docx

 Scope of Work Digital_Code Consultant.docx

Work Assignment Overview

1. Task/Milestone: Conduct the review of the draft Digital code and identify the gaps (Estimated 5 days)
– Provide expert feedback and recommendations to the draft legal act covering a range of questions on child’s rights, especially by promoting digital public goods standards, and child on-line protection, be gender and age sensitive.
– Provide support to key stakeholders in shaping the legislation, ensure quality and alignment with international standards.
– Participate in the legislative discussions during consultations with the ministry’s staff to answer the questions and receive the feedback.
– Provide improvements/updated recommendations to the draft Code based on the feedback from the ministry’s staff
Deliverable/Output:
– Gaps are identified based on the set of questions on child’s rights, especially by promoting digital public goods standards, and child on-line protection, be gender and age sensitive. The gaps should be presented in table format, setting out the issues/gaps and suggested solutions or amendments. The table will also include additional sources and examples to back up their recommendations with the following 3 columns: 1) Issue/gaps affecting children’s rights, 2) Suggested solution or amendment; 3) Relevant sources/ examples from other jurisdictions;
– Available formulated draft recommendations for the improvement of the draft digital code;
– At least two consultations are attended with the ministry’s staff to answer the questions and receive the feedback;
– Improvements/updated recommendations to the draft Code are made.
Date: 17 June 2024

2. Tasks/Milestones: Provide final recommendations (Estimated 5 days)
– Present new and alternative text and justification with reference to the international norms and standards in a table format.
– Develop a summary of the main gaps and conclusions and present it in a 5-pages policy brief based on conducted analysis.
Deliverable/Output:
– A final table with the new and alternative text and justification with reference to the international norms and standards
– A policy brief on 5 pages presenting the summary of findings, examples, conclusions and recommendations of the conducted analysis
Date: 31 July 2024

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
• Education: an advanced university degree (Master’s) in Law, International Law, ICT, Human Rights, Child rights.
• Experience:
– Work experience: Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in legislative drafting, digital development, children’s rights and child protection.
– Proficient in conducting legislative reviews and comparative analysis
– Advanced legal qualifications and multi-year track record of reviewing and analysing laws and policies for compliance with international children’s rights norms and providing legal and policy advice on children’s rights in the digital environment with specific expertise in child protection.
– Deep understanding of the research base, current models of tech industry regulation, and key players leading debates and action on children’s rights in the digital environment.
– Knowledge of data protection best practices and legal compliance in digital development.
– Knowledge of current priorities in education and child protection in CEE/CIS and/or in Kazakhstan is an asset.
– Excellent communication, analytical, conceptual, policy/strategy making skills in the area of digital sector or child rights
– Experience engaging with senior government officials, industry, NGOs, and various development partners at the national and international levels.
– Previous experience with UNICEF or the UN is an advantage.
• Competencies:
– Strong familiarity with the cultural and political context of the region, including reforms, policy and digitalization
– Proven capacity to work with collaborative teams across different locations and with different technical skills.
– Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of the Kazakh or Russian languages is a strong asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (https://www.unicef.org/about/unicef-culture)

Evaluation Criteria
A) Technical Evaluation (maximum 75 Points)
– Consultant’s profile (qualifications, relevance of experience and skills) – max. 25 scores
– Expertise in the digital law (max. 25 scores): The candidate should have experience in legislative development and digitalization, policy-development, demonstrating a thorough understanding of the legal norms in digital area and national and international trends in digital transformation.
– Experience in developing legal acts, policies, plans (max. 25 scores): The candidate should have experience in participating in the development of laws and regulations, identify gaps and compare with other countries’ examples. He/she should have the skills to prioritize, focus and participate in legislative development process.
– Experience in developing legal acts, policies, plans (max. 25 scores):
– The candidate should have experience in participating in the development of laws and regulations, identify gaps and compare with other countries’ examples. He/she should have the skills to prioritize, focus and participate in legislative development process.

B) Financial Proposal (e.g. maximum of 25 Points)
– Candidates must submit a financial proposal for the whole assignment based on these Terms of Reference. The financial proposal should clearly state the cost of the services for each Deliverables/Outputs.
– The financial proposal that provides the best value for money, meaning the lowest financial proposal, will receive the highest score during assessment. This is the main principle because saved funds will be directed towards other activities to aid children in Kazakhstan. Only financial proposals that fully cover all deliverables outlined in the terms of reference will be considered.

Application requirements:
The consultancy is open to individual international applicants.
Applicants are required to provide:
– Detailed CV
– at least 2 products of work (i.e. laws, policies, articles, concept notes, website materials, reports or any other materials), proving the following competencies:
a) expertise in digital law and policy development, child rights;
b) experience in developing legislation, standards, strategies and plans.
– Cover letter, highlighting relevant experience (maximum 500 words)
– Financial proposal either as i) daily fee as well as the total fee for the whole assignment OR budget by deliverables. The financial proposal should also explicitly indicate travel costs if this is a part of the assignment. Travel costs will be pre-approved by UNICEF as per the UNICEF rules and regulations for travel for consultants i.e., irrespective of the distance and duration of the flight, most direct and economy flight ticket shall apply.

Remarks:
• Completion of the UN/UNICEF mandatory trainings is obligatory upon commencement of the contract.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
• All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and that UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future.
• The Consultant will perform his/her duties in line with UNICEF standards and procedures.
• Individuals engaged under a consultancy contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants. Consultants are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.
• The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.
• UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic. 
• UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.
• UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.
• Costs indicated are estimated. Final rate shall follow the “best value for money” principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible fee. Consultants will be asked to stipulate all-inclusive fees, including lump sum travel and subsistence costs, as applicable.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.