National Consultancy – Disability Inclusion, Engagement and Sign Language Interpretation based in Addis Ababa (For Ethiopian Nationals only) 253 days

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, Inclusion

Ethiopia is situated in the Horn of Africa and is the second most populous country on the continent with an estimated population of 115 million. It borders six African countries: Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan, and covers 1,104,300 square kilometers. Approximately 85 percent of the population lives in rural areas. Ethiopia represents a melting pot of ancient cultures with Middle Eastern and African cultures evident in the religious, ethnic, and language composition of its people.

Over the past two years, children and their families across Ethiopia faced multiple and complex emergencies, such as the conflict in the northern Ethiopia and the drought, which resulted in millions of people in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. UNICEF has programmes in Child Protection, WASH, Health, Nutrition, Social Policy, and Education and serves over 15 million children in Ethiopia. Join UNICEF Ethiopia to contribute to improving the lives of children and women.

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Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

UNICEF Ethiopia, recognizing every child’s intrinsic value and rights, is deeply committed to championing the rights and welfare of children with disabilities. This commitment is anchored in the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It is further inspired by the ambitious targets the Sustainable Development Goals set, which advocate for leaving no one behind. Acknowledging the multifaceted barriers children with disabilities face, UNICEF Ethiopia is determined to not only advocate for their rights but also to enhance their inclusion across all societal dimensions. To this end, the Social Policy section is set to enlist the expertise of a dedicated consultant. This consultancy is two-fold:

1) To reinforce our strategies and interventions, ensuring that children with disabilities are not mere participants but active contributors in achieving sustainable change for a more inclusive and responsive society of children’s needs. Our holistic approach targets systemic change that encompasses educational, health, social, and legal frameworks to create an inclusive environment where children with disabilities can thrive; and

2) To provide sign language Interpretation for UNICEF staff, and for UNICEF events, and upon request by UNICEF partners, including development and implementation of sign-language capacity development.

Scope of Work:

The primary goal of this consultancy is to;

• Provide inclusive communication services through sign-language interpretation.
• Provide specialized technical expertise and advisory support for UNICEF Ethiopia, with a focused commitment to elevating the inclusion of children with disabilities within our programmatic spectrum.
• The consultant is tasked with developing and implementing forward-thinking strategies, guidelines, and innovative initiatives designed to uphold and promote the rights, dignity, and comprehensive inclusion of children with disabilities through inclusive communication.

This consultancy is envisioned as a cornerstone for pioneering inclusive practices and policies, leveraging the existing initiatives, partnerships and funding. A significant emphasis will be placed on ensuring these children’s right to accessible interpersonal communication and interaction, thereby dismantling communication barriers and fostering a society that values diversity and inclusivity at its core. This endeavor aims to enhance the operational efficacy of UNICEF’s programs and serve as a beacon of inclusive excellence, inspiring and catalyzing broader societal transformation towards the holistic integration of children with disabilities.

Tasks

• The consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:
  • Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the current situation regarding children with disabilities in Ethiopia and their usage of sign language and practices.
  • Assist in UNICEF Ethiopia social policy section, working as a sign language interpreter.
  • Review international and national best practices on disability-inclusive communication and adapt them to the Ethiopian context.
  • Develop an action plan based on existing disability strategies for UNICEF Ethiopia to enhance the communication inclusiveness of children with disabilities, including specific recommendations for key sectors such as education, health, social protection, and child protection, with special attention to children with hearing impairments.
  • Provide technical support and guidance to UNICEF Ethiopia, its partners, and stakeholders in implementing disability-inclusive programs, initiatives, and information campaigns.
  • Facilitate capacity-building workshops and training on disability-inclusive communication for UNICEF staff, government officials, NGOs, and other stakeholders.
  • Monitor and evaluate the implementation of disability-inclusive programs, ensuring their effectiveness in reaching and benefiting children with disabilities, especially through channels of inclusive communication.
  • Prepare regular progress reports and final deliverables per UNICEF Ethiopia requirements.
  • Prepare and conduct inclusive presentations in public consultations working groups and provide input intervention where needed, including for advocacy purposes and appropriate inclusive communication.
  • Provide technical expertise in the revision of relevant studies, research, and data analysis in the area of disability-friendly communication.

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks/Milestone:	Deliverables/Outputs:	Timeline
Research and compile existing resources on sign language training for professional settings. Develop a curriculum tailored to UNICEF Ethiopia staff needs for inclusive communication. Design and draft the training manual, including illustrations and sign language glossaries.	Training Manual in Sign Language	10 weeks (47 days)
Provide 12 sessions of sign language interpretation during the contract period. Schedule and coordinate 8 interpretation services for UNICEF events, meetings, and conversations. Implement technologies for real-time speech-to-sign language transcription as needed.	Sign Language Interpretation Services	26 weeks (128 days)
Develop emergency communication plans inclusive of sign language. Create quick-reference guides and materials for emergency situations. Train office and security staff in emergency communication protocols.	Emergency Orientation and Information	8 weeks (38 days)
Assess current sign language inclusion practices for children with disabilities in UNICEF Ethiopia programs. Develop strategies for enhancing sign language communication and interpretation. Draft an action plan outlining steps, responsibilities, and timelines.	Action Plan for Inclusive Communication
Research best practices in disability-inclusive communication in programming across key sectors with Social Policy Inclusiveness Specialist. Develop and disseminate guidelines and tools on inclusive communication tailored to UNICEF Ethiopia’s operational context. Create training modules for staff on implementing these guidelines.	Disability-Inclusive Programming Guidelines
Design and conduct training workshops on sign language and disability inclusion. Collect feedback and assess the effectiveness of training sessions. Prepare detailed reports on workshop outcomes and participant progress.	Capacity-Building Materials and Reports	8 weeks (37 days)
Design a framework to monitor the implementation of inclusive communication strategies. Develop indicators and tools for evaluating the impact on program beneficiaries. Train staff on using the framework and conducting regular assessments.	Monitoring and Evaluation Framework
Establish a reporting schedule and template for regular updates. Compile data and feedback on the implementation of sign language inclusion initiatives. Prepare a comprehensive final report summarizing achievements, challenges, and recommendations.	Progress and Final Reports

 

 

Notice for consultancy advert:-

Please note that applications submitted without a fee rate will note be considered.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

• A bachelors university degree in Education in the relevant field to the requirements of the TOR or other educational background the employer deems of equal suitability.  Academic literacy in Regular and Ethiopian Sign Language.
• A minimum of 2[Two] years of relevant professional experience in disability inclusion and communication work in a developing country context, preferably Ethiopia.
• Minimum of 2 years of work experience in project implementation and disability inclusion
• Minimum 1 year of work experience within the UN. Previous experience working with UNICEF is an asset.
• Strong knowledge of international and national frameworks and standards on disability rights and inclusion.
• Excellent communication skills in Ethiopian and American Sign Language.
• Excellent communication skills in English and Amharic, both written and spoken.
• Familiarity with the Ethiopian context and experience working with government partners and civil society organizations in the country, including OPDs.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and report-writing skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and previous experience communicating with partners at different levels and with persons who are hard of hearing.
• Demonstrated ability in work planning and report preparation.
• Experience working in the Eastern and Southern Africa region is highly desirable.

• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s core values: 

• Care
• Respect
• Integrity
• Trust
• Accountability
• Sustainability

Core Competencies:

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
• Works Collaboratively with others (1)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1) ·
• Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
• Drives to achieve impactful results (1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

 To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

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. Female qualified candidates who meet the requirement of the post are highly encouraged to apply. 

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. 

 

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual 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 and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors 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.