INTERNATIONALS ONLY - Team leader for the situation analysis and readiness assessment on disability inclusion in Social Policy and Evaluation Section, Afghanistan, Kabul, 5 months (remote)

According to UNICEF Afghanistan MICS 2022-2023 data, 29.8 per cent of children aged 3-17 years have some type of functional difficulty.3 According to evidence, challenges in analysis and design of programmes for people and children with disabilities limited their access to services and equitable outcomes. A lack of specific indicators to track progress for people and children with disabilities hampers the ability to measure and prioritize their needs effectively. This assessment is needed because children with disabilities in Afghanistan face heightened and often invisible barriers to accessing essential services, including health, nutrition, education, child protection, and social protection, particularly in a context of increasing poverty, displacement, and restrictions on participation. At the same time, disability data and systematic analysis remain limited, constraining evidence-based planning, equitable targeting, and accountability to Leave No One Behind commitments. By combining a situation analysis with an internal readiness assessment, UNICEF Afghanistan and partners will be better positioned to identify practical entry points for disability inclusion, strengthen program design and implementation, and ensure that interventions reach and benefit children with disabilities in a measurable and sustainable way. Contract Duration – 5 months Working arrangement: Home Based UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence. At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling. UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package. Visitour websiteto learn more about what we do at UNICEF. TERMS OF REFERENCE According to UNICEF Afghanistan MICS 2022-2023 data, 29.8 per cent of children aged 3-17 years have some type of functional difficulty.3 According to evidence, challenges in analysis and design of programmes for people and children with disabilities limited their access to services and equitable outcomes. A lack of specific indicators to track progress for people and children with disabilities hampers the ability to measure and prioritize their needs effectively. This assessment is needed because children with disabilities in Afghanistan face heightened and often invisible barriers to accessing essential services, including health, nutrition, education, child protection, and social protection, particularly in a context of increasing poverty, displacement, and restrictions on participation. At the same time, disability data and systematic analysis remain limited, constraining evidence-based planning, equitable targeting, and accountability to Leave No One Behind commitments. By combining a situation analysis with an internal readiness assessment, UNICEF Afghanistan and partners will be better positioned to identify practical entry points for disability inclusion, strengthen program design and implementation, and ensure that interventions reach and benefit children with disabilities in a measurable and sustainable way. If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here:ToR x TMC0006539.pdf To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have... - Minimum requirements: - Education: An advanced university degree (Master’s degree required, PhD preferred) in disability studies, social sciences, public policy, international development,  evaluation, or another relevant field. - Work Experience: At least 10 years of progressively responsible professional experience in disability inclusion, programme assessment, evaluation, research, or inclusive development and humanitarian programming. - Skills(optional): - Strong technical expertise in disability inclusion, particularly in relation to children with disabilities and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. - Demonstrated experience conducting situation analyses, institutional readiness assessments, evaluations, or organizational capacity assessments. - Demonstrated experience applying mixed-methods approaches, including desk reviews, surveys, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, observations and analysis of administrative and secondary data. - Proven ability to engage meaningfully and ethically with persons with disabilities, children with disabilities, organizations of persons with disabilities and civil society organizations. - Excellent analytical, report-writing, facilitation and presentation skills. - Experience working with UNICEF and/or other United Nations agencies, government counterparts, humanitarian and development partners, or civil society organizations is a strong asset. - Language Requirements: English - Desirables: Experience working in complex, fragile or humanitarian contexts is highly desirable. - Technical requirements: Technical proposal Technical proposal should contain: 1. Context and understanding 2. Methodology and Technical Approach 3. General management appraoch 4. Workplan and deliverables For every Child, you demonstrate... UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter:UNICEF Values UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children.The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status. UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpageAccessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance. UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially. Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal, TMS (Talent