UNICEF recruits 01 Consultancy
Consultancy, To conduct a qualitative study on dynamics and impact of online and offline grooming on children in Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia
Job Number: 519906 | Vacancy Link
Locations: Africa: Namibia
Work Type : Consultancy
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Background and Justification
Violence against children in various forms has long been a major concern in Namibia. Every day, children all over the country experience physical, emotional and sexual violence, often by people they know. Among girls of 15 to 19 years of age, 31,5% of them experienced physical violence since the age of 15. One fifth of all learners reported to have been physically forced to have sexual intercourse. With increasing access to the internet, children are under greater risk to experience harm online. Violence and abuse are no longer restricted to homes, schools and communities but also happen in an online environment. UNICEF works with the Ministry of Safety and Security, Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, Ministry of Health and Social Services and the Office of the Prosecutor General in preventing and responding to violence against children cases.
Against this background, UNICEF conducted an explorative research study on children’s behavior and exposure online in 2016. This study shows that 68% of the respondents reported having seen sexual content online that they did not wish to see, while 31% had been sent sexually explicit images of people they did not know, and 29% had seen sexual abuse material online. These findings reveal that violence and exploitation of children in Namibia frequently have an online component and contribute to creating an unsafe environment for children. Approximately 45% of the Namibian population that is below the age of 18 years stand to benefit from measures to address child safety.
One vital step in tackling these challenges is to understand the dynamics, forms and impact of online and offline grooming in Namibia. Grooming is defined as deliberate actions that are undertaken to establish an emotional connection with a child in order to gain the child’s trust and lower the child’s inhibitions in relation to sexual contact. This serves as preparation for sexual activities with the child, online as well as offline. Grooming can occur in various forms and in diverse settings, and is therefore difficult to assess and restrict. However, with expanding access to internet, grooming processes increasingly start on social media platforms and online fora, leading to sexual abuse online as well as offline.
Therefore, UNICEF has committed itself to conduct a study about the different forms and dynamics of online and offline grooming. Since the boundaries of the terms online and offline are fluent and flexible when it comes to child abuse, it is necessary to not focus on either online or offline grooming but rather consider both forms as converged environments. This study is conducted in order to generate findings about children’s individual experiences with grooming, the methods of contact, the different results of grooming processes, the help seeking behaviour of affected children, the relationship between the child and the perpetrator, as well as the impact grooming experiences can have on the children’s later life. The participants’ response will help to gain an overview of the phenomenon of grooming in Namibia and improve the understanding of children’s experience with grooming.
This study aims to be action-orientated and should help to shape the response to future cases of grooming according to the victims’ needs. While quantitative research can explain the extent and scope of a phenomenon, this study digs for the dynamics of grooming. Both are needed to develop prevention interventions/ programmes as well as adequate responses of police, social workers, prosecutors as well as teachers and parents to victims of online and offline abuse. Support systems need to respond to the victims’ needs and adapt lessons learnt from the experiences shared by children.
Based on the quantitative findings of 2016 and as recommended in this previous study, additional research is needed to gain information about the experiences and behaviour of children in relation to sexual and emotional abuse online and offline. The goal of this qualitative research is to gain in-depth understanding of grooming in various contexts in order to explain grooming in Namibia as comprehensively as possible. It also aims to find out how children react to attempts and different strategies of grooming and why they do react like this. This is one of the focus areas under the End Violence Partnership. Little research has been done so far globally, and other countries and institutions are also interested, including UNICEF Innocenti. UNICEF Namibia Country Office does not have the expertise to carry out this research, due to the specialised skills required, and thus relies on a consultancy to carry out the research.
Talking about their experiences can be a very revealing and healing process for children. In taking their emotions and thoughts seriously, we can gain valuable insights into the how and why of grooming in Namibia. This study gives children the opportunity to have their voice heard, share their individual experiences on grooming dynamics, and tell their story in a confidential, voluntary and safe setting. It is essential to include children as experts in the development of response and support systems, and give them an opportunity to participate in the improvement of existing structures. At the same time, talking about the experience may also revive old traumas. That is why the study mainly targets children and young people aged 14 – 17 years.
Given the specialised expertise required for such a study and acknowledging the volume of tasks to be completed, UNICEF is seeking an external researcher who is qualified in working with children, is experienced in qualitative research in the area of violence against children and/or gender based violence, and familiar with the Namibian child protection and criminal justice system.
Scope of Work
The assignment aims to find answers to a number of questions needed to shape and develop interventions for children, primary caregivers and professionals to prevent, identify and respond to cases of grooming.
Objective of the assignment:
Draft inception report, containing background information, methodology and timeline.
Advise on ethical considerations with regards to the study, draft protocol, and assist in obtaining ethical clearance from relevant body.
Plan interviews: Liaise and coordinate with stakeholders in the child protection sector for the identification of suitable participants (children or young adults who have experienced online/offline grooming as children); draft an information sheet for professionals, potential participants and their parents, containing the most important information on purpose, process and methods of the study; draft a consent sheet for participants and their parents; draft a set of key questions and a plan for child-friendly semi-structured interviews to be conducted with participants; develop a response plan for possible emergencies and breakdowns of participants during the interview; develop interview structure with key questions; assist in drafting a timetable for conduct of interviews.
Conduct or assist in conducting interviews with participants using audio recording – depending on the interview protocol and ethical considerations.
Transcribe verbal data of the interviews into written form.
Analyse data using an appropriate methodology.
Draft and finalise study report, including but not limited to background information, methodology, findings of the study, challenges, and clear recommendations.
Present findings at a (validation) workshop with key stakeholders.
Expected Deliverables
eliverable | Description/Format | Timeframe |
Inception report |
|
March 2019 (within one week of contract start) |
Interview plan |
|
March 2019 (within one month of contract start) |
Implementation of interviews |
|
May and June 2019 (indicative as dependent on ethical clearance), simultaneously with transcription (by the end of respective month) |
Transcript of interviews |
|
May and June 2019, simultaneously with transcription (by the end of respective month) |
Data analysis |
|
July 2019 (end of the month) |
Draft report |
|
July/August 2019 (end of the month) |
Final report of the study |
|
August/September 2019 |
Payment method
Deliverable | % of amount |
|
10 |
|
20 |
|
40 |
|
30 |
Desired profile
To ensure the success of the project, the Service Provider must show documented evidence of the knowledge of and experience in:
Advanced university degree in psychology or a related field; a first level university degree (Bachelor’s) in a relevant technical field (as identified above), in conjunction with an additional 3 years of relevant work experience and/or research may be taken in lieu of a Master’s degree;
Specific knowledge, expertise and a minimum of 8 years of experience in working with children who have experienced abuse and exploitation in the past;
Extensive knowledge and experience in conducting qualitative studies as well as in the thematic analysis of data;
Experience in interviewing children;
Knowledge of the Namibian criminal justice system, its justice and child protection services, including child online sexual exploitation is considered an asset;
Excellent command in English, both verbal and written;
Strong organisational, multi-tasking and management skills;
Proficiency in MS Office (e.g. Word and Excel);
Familiarity with UNICEF child protection and justice for children programmes is considered an asset;
Capacity to ensure deliverables within the specified timeframes.
Administrative issues
The consultant will work on his/her own computer and use his/her own office resources and materials in the execution of this assignment. The consultant’s fee shall be inclusive of all office administrative costs.
Local travel and airport transfers (where applicable) will be covered in accordance with UNICEF’s rules and tariffs.
Flight costs will be covered at economy class rate as per UNICEF policies.
Consultant will report to the Chief of Adolescents, Learning and Child Protection; day-to-day communication will be done through the Legal Child Protection Officer.
Financial proposal must be inclusive of all travel costs, including air tickets and living allowance.
Please also see UNICEF’s Standard Terms and Conditions attached.
Call for proposals
The proposal should include a detailed chronological CV of the interested candidate, relevant examples of previous research projects, as well as a financial proposal for the assignment, clearly indicating a daily rate for professional fees only. Candidates are further required to submit a proposal on how they intent to approach the work. The proposal will include a project plan, including work plan, a timeline, and methodology, based on the Terms of Reference.
Evaluation and selection criteria
All applications shall be prioritised and selected based on the principle of ‘best value for money’.
Technical Criteria | Technical Sub-criteria | Maximum Points |
Overall Response |
|
20
|
Qualifications |
|
40 |
Proposed Methodology and Approach |
|
10 |
Technical Proposal | Maximum Points for Technical Proposal (according to above criteria) | 70 |
How to Apply
Qualified candidates are requested to submit their application as per the details indicated in the « call for proposals » above to the respective advertisement on https://www.unicef.org/about/employ/
Please indicate your ability, availability and financial proposal/quote to complete the terms of reference above.
Rates must include all expenses related to the assignment (e.g. consultancy fee, travel/flights, field trips, living allowance).
Applications submitted without a fee/ rate will not be considered.
If you have not been contacted within 2 months of the closing date please accept that your application was unsuccessful. Regret emails will be sent only to shortlisted/contacted candidates.
For every Child, you demonstrate UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.
View our competency framework at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.
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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
Remarks:
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
Closing Date Tue Feb 26 2019 22:55:00 GMT+0100 (Afr. centrale Ouest)