Consultancy - To Conduct Rapid Care Analysis for the 3R Project in South Africa at UN Women

Objectives of the Assignment

With the above background, the objective of this assignment is for the Consultant to conduct a Rapid Care Assessment (RCA) to better understand factors influencing the nature, distribution among women, men boys and girls and unpaid care work interventions in South Africa. Secondly, the consultant will use rapid care analysis outcomes to foster a collective understanding and commitment to the care economy through policy and practice.

 In conducting the RCA, the consultant will work closely with the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Department of Agriculture, Department of Social Development, the Department of Health and the Department of Basic Education, within the Free State, Limpopo, and KwaZulu Natal Provinces as key informants.

The consultant will also work with Civil Society Organizations and women’s cooperatives to understand their care services needs and opportunities. Most importantly the consultant will engage women, girls, men and boys through exclusive focus group discussions to understand their care needs and issues affecting different social groups in as far as unpaid care work is concerned. Through desk review the consultant will also analyze and review policies and laws not only in terms of their existence, but also measuring the extent to which they are transformative in as far as unpaid care work is concerned.

All outputs derived from this exercise will be utilized as resource materials during the 3R National Consultative Workshop to inform capacity development gaps and technical support needs of women’s cooperatives and other organizations that provide care work. The guidance notes will serve as useful background documents to advocate for strengthened actions to recognize, reduce and redistribute unpaid care work in South Africa; and secondly influence national policy formulation and interventions. The models and guidelines will be implemented to increase capacity of care services. The assignment will include:

• A desk review of relevant documentation on the unpaid care, work from policy and legal perspective to practice
• Convene and facilitate open dialogue through Focus Group Discussion (FGDs) to discuss underlying factors and impact biases in the distribution of unpaid care work at household and community level.
• Compiling a final RCA report highlighting key findings.
• Present the findings during the 3R National Consultative workshop.

Prior to starting the assignment, the Consultant in collaboration with the 3R team, will develop a detailed methodology describing the various aspects to be assessed and how these assessments will be conducted.

Scope of Work

Develop an Inception Report, with timeframe on executing the Tasks and outputs.

• Desk Review of the unpaid care work in South Africa; national and provincial developmental plans, (including identifying gaps in laws and policies related to unpaid care work);
• Develop a rapid care analysis tool to be used for the analysis of the unpaid care work;
• Document review of existing care tools, services and infrastructure within the care services including early childhood development services, basic education, etc.
• Liaise with Stakeholders and solicit required information to conduct the rapid care analysis
• Review National Development Plans, regulations, other government documents and available resources that address care work and basic education within the South African context.
• Conduct the rapid care analysis from policy to practice;
• Develop synthesis report from above activities i.e., Develop guidance notes to influence national, local policy interventions;
• Develop a tool to conduct rapid care analysis of participating cooperatives and other organizations;
• Obtain and review a database/(s) of cooperatives and other organisations that will be assessed, from the national, local, district government stakeholders. Synthesis and confirm database to be used with the UN Women;
• Conduct rapid care analysis in the target districts;
• Prepare Guidance notes together with participating organisations on how to strengthen actions towards the 3Rs.
• Develop synthesis report from above activities

Duties and Responsibilities

Inception Report and development of the RCA tools and identification of target groups for Focus Group Discussions

• Brief meeting with UN Women and other concerned institution
• Prepare and present a comprehensive inception report including rapid care analysis tools to be used for the exercise
• Needs assessment framework and tool/(s) to conduct care need assessment of participating cooperatives
• The Inception report should also include   calendar for the FGDs using RCA methodology as per Oxfam guidelines with an explanation in the inception tool on how the methodology will be adapted.
• Incorporate inputs and finalize for validation before the start of the Consultative Workshop
• Submit and Present to the UN Women

Undertake Rapid Care Assessment in the targeted districts of Limpopo, Free State and KZN provinces.

• Conduct rapid care analysis as stipulated on the Tasks and Outputs, to better understand time allocation and use by women and girls in relation to men and boys
• Identify systemic barriers, challenges and best practices associated with care services

Presentation to the UN Women

• Submit final draft report of the rapid care analysis
• Undertake a presentation of the RCA finding during the 3R National Consultative workshop
• Consolidate a final report including comments and input from workshop participants.

Competencies

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity;
• Integrity;
• Professionalism;

Core Competencies:

Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;

• Accountability;
• Creative Problem Solving;
• Effective Communication;
• Inclusive Collaboration;
• Stakeholder Engagement;
• Leading by Example;

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Masters University degree in Child Development, Care Work, Gender equality, social work or other related field experience is required;

Experience:

• A minimum of eight (8) years of experience in education/care work with significant field experience in Care Work, unpaid care work, women’s rights and empowerment, gender equality in technical and/or coordination role;
• Demonstrated experience in developing Care work (plans, programmes and budgets and strategies).
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team in a challenging and highly fluid and complex environment, flexibility and ability to handle ambiguity and constant change;
• Ability to work under pressure to tight deadlines.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required;
•  Understanding of South African Indigenous languages (IsiZulu, IsiXhosa, Afrikaans, Sepedi, and Sesotho) is an advantage for conducting the assignment;
• Knowledge of the other UN official working language is an asset.