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Founded in 1946, UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child in 190 countries and territories, with a special focus on reaching those in greatest need. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for poor countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from v...
Background and Issue Identification
South Africa (SA) has one of the highest schooling participation rates on the continent, with up to 96% of learners in the compulsory years of schooling (7-15 years) in school; and gender parity has been reached[1]. Participation remain consistently high across provinces and population groups. Attendance rates for 14-18 years olds is 91% notably with gender parity having been reached, albeit with provincial differences[2]. Specifically, while available data indicate that while girls perform relatively better than boys in basic education, while boys outperform girls in STEM related subjects, even though girls outnumber boys in accessing education. On average, 51.8% of mathematics passes and 51% of physical sciences passes were males and echoing a long-term education trend. A result is an exacerbation of gender inequality in the higher levels, with less than one third (28.5%) of female graduating in STEM related careers such as engineering, manufacturing and construction (2015 UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
The result is that female participation in the labor market in these fields trails that of men. Current data indicate that females account for only around 7% of the 28,200 or so professional engineers, professional engineering technologists, professional certified engineers and professional engineering technicians registered with the organization.[3] Other data indicate that In South Africa, the proportion of females to males who graduate with STEM-related degrees is out of kilter: women are underrepresented in math and statistics (4:5), ICT and technology (2:5), as well as engineering, manufacturing and construction (3:10)[4]. This inequality is not good for the economy. Indeed, the report further goes to note that by closing the gender gap in employment and pay by just 10% across various sectors of the South African economy, we could generate additional economic growth of 3.2% and decrease the number of unemployed job seekers by 6.5%. Closing the gender gap also helps to alleviate poverty: low-income households will receive an estimated 2.9% more income than previously. Enormous economic opportunity lies in promoting gender workforce equality (ibid.p.8).
UNICEF's partnership with the Government of South Africa (GoSA) is anchored on the Government of South Africa's National Development Plan, Vision 2030, and the Department of Basic Education (DBE) blueprint, Action Plan to 2019: Towards Schooling 2030, and informed by UNICEF's Global Strategic Plan 2018 - 2021 and Goal Area #2, Every Child Learns. The GoSA has identified the improvement in the quality of basic education as its number one priority. On the other hand, UNICEF's support is centered on improving learning outcomes through quality and holistic early childhood development and basic education, reducing inefficiencies and inequity in the system, deployment of educational technology and promoting innovation, addressing 21st C skills, among others.
To address these challenges and barriers to ensuring quality outcomes for girls, UNICEF partners with Uweso Trust, Department of Basic Education, the Department of Women in the Presidency to implement a job shadowing programme for girls called the TechnoGirl. It is an innovative programme that provides mentorship and structured job-shadowing opportunities for girls, with a bias toward STEM careers. The girls are exposed to job experience and role models in STEM careers for motivation and aspiration for better performance in STEM subjects and taking up studies in higher education and subsequently careers in STEM fields. Girls are therefore placed in companies whose core business activities are focused on scarce career fields and/or occupations were women are under-represented such as engineering, construction, forensic sciences, etc.
2. Scope of Work
2.1 Goal and objectives
The purpose of this assignment is to support the implementation of the Generation Unlimited Catalytic intervention for mainstreaming and scaling up the girls in STEM programme (TechnoGirl), a job shadowing programme for disadvantaged female learners in Grades 9-11) with specific reference to addressing key barriers and bottlenecks focusing on efficiency; impact; scale and sustainability; evidence building; monitoring and evaluation; and, advocacy. These broad parameters are outlined in the "Gen U Front Runner Solutions" Project document, to be shared with the successful consultant.
2.2 The specific objectives are:
2.2.1 Provide technical, advocacy and coordination support for the development and implementation of an advocacy, branding and visibility strategy for the scaling of the TechnoGirl programme
2.2.2 Provide technical and coordination support for capacity strengthening of the TechnoGirl Trust, and national and sub-national government systems to host and support the TechnoGirl programme
2.2.3 Provide technical, advocacy and coordination support for the development and implementation of a strategy to engage young people on the scaling of the TechnoGirl programme
2.2.4 Provide oversight, monitoring and reporting support for the catalytic component of the TechnoGirl Programme
In delivering on these objectives, the Consultant shall closely coordinate closely with the Department of Basic Education, the TechnoGirl Trust, other sections in SACO as well as other stakeholders in the course of implementing this assignment. In addition, s/him will be the main source of analytical and quantitative data on monitoring the progress of this intervention and represent UNICEF at technical level meetings within the office and beyond as the case may be.
2.3. Tasks / Deliverables and Performance Indicators
2.3.1 Deliverables
b) Presidential event
c) Partner with STEM sector convening bodies
a) Adolescent engagement
b) Adolescent empowerment
2.3.2 Performance indicators
The Consultant will be subjected to the following set of performance indicators to ensure compliance:
Measurement
Advocacy, visibility and branding strategy and campaign
Presidential event
Partner with STEM sector convening bodies
System strengthening
Strengthen TechnoGirl Trust
Government integration
Close urban- rural divide
Adolescent leadership and engagement
Adolescent engagement
Adolescent empowerment ($120,000)
Coordination
Partners
2.3.3: Timeframe, Deliverables and Payment
The payment schedule for this assignment shall be based monthly reports due by the last week of each month. The payment amount shall be the amount agreed upon with the consultant at the point of recruitment, in South African Rand (ZAR) and deposited directly into the Consultant's account.
2.3.4 Required Travel
The consultant maybe required to travel to attend meetings with UNICEF and other partners and/or to conduct consultations/interviews/FGDs. These must be stated in the proposal and must include purpose, location, estimated number of days and costs.
3. Desired competencies, technical background and experience
The following are desired, and applicants will be strictly weighed against these criteria. The consultant/individual contractor shall have:
4. Administrative issues
4.1 The contract will be managed by UNICEF. The consultant/individual contractor shall have regular consultations with UNICEF as needed, either in person or telephonically. These consultations may bring about slight deviations in agreements and the work assignment. This includes an inception discussion to ensure that aspects of the work assignment are understood clearly.
4.2 UNICEF is responsible for the monitoring of the implementation of this assignment and shall execute this in a professional and consultative manner throughout the term of the contract.
5. How to Apply
6.1 Qualified persons are invited to submit their application comprising a cover letter and a full Curriculum Vitae indicating all qualifications and relevant experience and quoting a MONTHLY FEE. Applications submitted without a fee/ rate/ budget will not be considered.
Interested and qualified candidates are requested to submit their application to the following link: https://www.unicef.org/about/employ/?job=528158 by 30 April 2020.
This notice will also appear on http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/, http://www.unicef.org/southafrica, UN Job List, UN Jobs.
Please indicate your ability, availability and daily/monthly rate (in ZAR) to undertake the terms of reference above (including admin cost if applicable).
We invite you to watch a short video on the system on how to apply: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePgDIQ9RVYs&feature=youtu.be
If you have not been contacted within 1.5 months of the closing date, please accept that your application was unsuccessful. Regret emails will be sent only to shortlisted/contacted candidates.
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from South African nationals, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization
UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse, and on any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks
Closing Date Thu Apr 30 2020 22:55:00 GMT+0100 (West Africa Standard Time)
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