TERMS OF REFERENCE
Conceptualizing and Analyzing Nutrition Governance
1. Background
In the last five years, global attention to, and investment in, improving nutrition has increased. Much of this has been spurred by the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) movement and other initiatives which have strengthened systems and partnerships for nutrition. At global and national levels, stakeholders are being brought together to work more effectively through multisectoral platforms, with efforts to establish coherent policy and legal frameworks, and mobilize resources to support nutrition actions. These changes have implications for global governance for nutrition and what this means in practice in today’s rapidly evolving global nutrition system.
Although the term of nutrition governance is increasingly seen in the field’s discourse, it remains poorly understood with marked variation in how this term is applied and how it is interpreted. Much of the existing work on nutrition governance has come from international agencies or case studies examining institutional and political factors in scaling up in nutrition, with limited reference to the theoretical literature on global governance or governance for global health.
Recent examples of work in nutrition include 1) the Institute of Development Studies’ “Analyzing nutrition governance” studies, which led to the development of a nutrition governance framework that proposes that improved intersectoral coordination, vertical coordination, sustainable funding, monitoring and advocacy help contribute to improved nutrition outcomes;[1],[2] 2) REACH’s (Renewed Efforts Against Child Hunger and undernutrition), work which considers that “political commitment”, “consensus building and coordination”, “financing”, “service delivery capacity” and “transparency and accountability” are needed to ensure that governments to recognize their obligations to ensure the rights of their citizens to nutrition security;[3] and 3), WHO’s composite indicator for measuring nutrition governance at the national level using data on national nutrition policies and programmes.[4]
The existing limited conceptual clarity around nutrition governance has consequences for applying a governance lens to practice: what this means at the level of international frameworks and platforms, as well as, at the national level translation of these into policies and programmes.
Achieving nutrition security requires a complex multisectoral response. Much work has focused on improving the quality and coverage of nutrition-specific interventions and maximizing synergies for nutrition-sensitive approaches. However, it is increasingly recognized that a conducive enabling environment is required to shape political, institutional and policy processes for nutrition.[5] The governance of the nutrition system is vital to improving successful policy and programme implementation. Although examination of governance of public systems is a longstanding focus in health, education, and other areas of social policy, it is a relatively new area of investigation in the domain of nutrition.
This consultancy seeks to add to the literature by drawing on the more established work in governance for global health, public administration and other relevant sectors to conduct a review of the nutrition governance literature with the goal of offering more conceptual clarity on this issue and its application to the field of nutrition both globally and nationally.
2. Objectives
The overall purpose of the consultancy is to conduct research in the field of nutrition governance, investigating both global and national governance processes to contribute to thinking in the development of the field of nutrition governance. The paper should develop thinking in line with the following objectives:
Phase 1
· Describing the landscape of nutrition governance. Through a desk review, this will involve a mapping of key actors and aspects of governance, governance of finance, coordination, policy architectures, historical and ideological understandings of global nutrition, sociopolitical understandings of governance and finance, and understanding of the associations between policies as guiding documents and service implementation. This will also include analyses of political processes, policies, resource allocation and service support, and indirectly through standard-setting, regulation, accountabilities, motivations, incentives and feedback mechanisms.
· Developing an operational definition of ‘nutrition governance’. Based on the above literature assessment, this piece will involve the development of a working definition of ‘nutrition governance’ which includes the aspects of governance most relevant and significant for work in nutrition, and to what extent these are informing the development of global and national policies and programmes.
Phase 2
Subject to funding, a follow up study collecting empirical country-level data to explore local-level perspectives from interviews/ focus groups in 1-2 countries could be conducted in 2015-16 that examines governance arrangements at the national level, and permits situating nutrition services within national political, public policy, cultural and economic systems. The scope of this will be elaborated based on the findings from the work described above.
This will involve more in depth work to focus at three levels of analysis: policy (including interface with global frameworks), system and services. It will include analysis of vertical and horizontal coordination mechanisms and intersectorality, degrees of decentralization and the influence and role of policy and policy coordination on governance arrangements, and potential direct impact on beneficiaries. It should also look closely at motivations and disincentives of actors, including non-state actors, civil society and private sector interests. In a closer review at the national level, it will also necessarily reflect on the interface between international frameworks and platforms with national systems, policies and services.
3. Specific activities to be completed to achieve the objectives:
The consultancy includes the following activities:
a) To conduct a systematic literature review on governance in nutrition (academic and grey literature), and analysis of the literature (including identification of gaps). To provide a short synopsis and table of literature reviewed.
b) To develop an outline for the paper and revise following inputs from the UNICEF team.
c) To draft the paper and revise with inputs received from the UNICEF team, and other reviewers identified by the UNICEF team.
d) To prepare the final manuscript and contribute to finalizing the laid out version.
e) To prepare submission of the adapted to a peer-reviewed journal in conjunction with the UNICEF team.
f) To participate in phone conferences with staff from UNICEF as needed throughout the research process. To participate in a face-to-face meetings if required.
The paper to be prepared under this contract may be published as part of UNICEF’s Office of Research Working Paper Series. The above activities will be carried out in close consultation and collaboration with technical staff of Office of Research and the Nutrition Section with an expectation of a co-authored paper.
4. Duration
The consultant will be working for 45 days during the period from 15 December 2014 to 15 May 2015.
Key Activity/Deliverables / Duration(Estimated # of days) / Estimated deadlines /
Conduct literature review, draft short synopsis and table to literature reviewed and prepare paper outline / 12 / 31 January 2015
Prepare draft research paper / 20 / 15 March 2015
Prepare final research paper / 10 / 15 April 2015
Prepare paper for journal submission / 3 / 15 May 2015
TOTAL / 45
5. Working arrangements
The consultant will work remotely and will consult with UNICEF staff on a regular basis.
6. Key skills, technical background, and experience required:
· Advanced doctoral level degree in political science, public policy, development studies or a related technical field. Knowledge of social science research methodologies required.
· At least 8 years of work experience required.
· Demonstrated skill in writing research papers and reports.
· Previous academic work in governance for global health strongly preferred.
· Previous experience in nutrition or related fields strongly preferred.
· Strong research, analytical and organizational skills.
· Ability to work independently, flexibly and under pressure, utilizing initiative and sound judgment.
· Good interpersonal and communications skills.
7. How to Apply:
Qualified candidates are invited to submit a cover letter, CV and P 11 form (which can be downloaded from our website at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/P11.doc ) to with subject line “Nutrition Governance” by 26th November 2014. Please indicate your ability and availability to undertake the terms of reference above, together with a daily rate.
General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants / Individual Contractors
1. Legal Status
The individual engaged by UNICEF under this contract as a consultant or individual contractors (the “Contractor”) is engaged in a personal capacity and not as representatives of a Government or of any other entity external to the United Nations. The Contractor is neither a "staff member" under the Staff Regulations of the United Nations and UNICEF policies and procedures nor an "official" for the purpose of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, 1946. The Contractor may, however, be afforded the status of "Experts on Mission" in the sense of Section 22 of Article VI of the Convention and the Contractor is required by UNICEF to travel in order to fulfill the requirements of this contract, the Contractor may be issued a United Nations Certificate in accordance with Section 26 of Article VII of the Convention.
2. Obligations
The Contractor shall complete the assignment set out in the Terms of Reference for this contract with due diligence, efficiency and economy, in accordance with generally accepted professional techniques and practices.
The Contractor must respect the impartiality and independence of UNICEF and the United Nations and in connection with this contract must neither seek nor accept instructions from anyone other than UNICEF. During the term of this contract the Contractor must refrain from any conduct that would adversely reflect on UNICEF or the United Nations and must not engage in any activity that is incompatible with the administrative instructions and policies and procedures of UNICEF. The Contractor must exercise the utmost discretion in all matters relating to this contract.
In particular, but without limiting the foregoing, the Contractor (a) will conduct him- or herself in a manner consistent with the Standards of Conduct in the International Civil Service; and (b) will comply with the administrative instructions and policies and procedures of UNICE relating to fraud and corruption; information disclosure; use of electronic communication assets; harassment, sexual harassment and abuse of authority; and the requirements set forth in the Secretary General's Bulletin on Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse.
Unless otherwise authorized by the appropriate official in the office concerned, the Contractor must not communicate at any time to the media or to any institution, person, Government or other entity external to UNICEF any information that has not been made public and which has become known to the Contractor by reason of his or her association with UNICEF or the United Nations. The Contractor may not use such information without the written authorization of UNICEF, and shall under no circumstances use such information for his or her private advantage or that of others. These obligations do not lapse upon termination of this contact.
3. Title rights
UNICEF shall be entitled to all property rights, including but not limited to patents, copyrights and trademarks, with regard to material created by the Contractor which bears a direct relation to, or is made in order to perform, this contract. At the request of UNICEF, the Contractor shall assist in securing such property rights and transferring them to UNICEF in compliance with the requirements of the law governing such rights.
4. Travel
If UNICEF determines that the Contractor needs to travel in order to perform this contract, that travel shall be specified in the contract and the Contractor’s travel costs shall be set out in the contract, on the following basis:
(a) UNICEF will pay for travel in economy class via the most direct and economical route; provided however that in exceptional circumstances, such as for medical reasons, travel in business class may be approved by UNICEF on a case-by-case basis.
(b) UNICEF will reimburse the Contractor for out-of-pocket expenses associated with such travel by paying an amount equivalent to the daily subsistence allowance that would be paid to staff members undertaking similar travel for official purposes.
5. Statement of good health
Before commencing work, the Contractor must deliver to UNICEF a certified self-statement of good health and to take full responsibility for the accuracy of that statement. In addition, the Contractor must include in this statement of good health (a) confirmation that he or she has been informed regarding inoculations required for him or her to receive, at his or her own cost and from his or her own medical practitioner or other party, for travel to the country or countries to which travel is authorized; and (b) a statement he or she is covered by medical/health insurance and that, if required to travel beyond commuting distance from his or her usual place or residence to UNICEF (other than to duty station(s) with hardship ratings “H” and “A”, a list of which has been provided to the Contractor) the Contractor’s medical/health insurance covers medical evacuations. The Contractor will be responsible for assuming all costs that may be occurred in relation to the statement of good health.
6. Insurance
The Contractor is fully responsible for arranging, at his or her own expense, such life, health and other forms of insurance covering the term of this contract as he or she considers appropriate taking into account, among other things, the requirements of paragraph 5 above. The Contractor is not eligible to participate in the life or health insurance schemes available to UNICEF and United Nations staff members. The responsibility of UNICEF and the United Nations is limited solely to the payment of compensation under the conditions described in paragraph 7 below.
7. Service incurred death, injury or illness
If the Contractor is travelling with UNICEF’s prior approval and at UNICEF's expense in order to perform his or her obligations under this contract, or is performing his or her obligations under this contract in a UNICEF or United Nations office with UNICEF’s approval, the Contractor (or his or her dependents as appropriate), shall be entitled to compensation from UNICEF in the event of death, injury or illness attributable to the fact that the Contractor was travelling with UNICEF’s prior approval and at UNICEF's expense in order to perform his or her obligations under this contractor, or was performing his or her obligations under this contract in a UNICEF or United Nations office with UNICEF’s approval. Such compensation will be paid through a third party insurance provider retained by UNICEF and shall be capped at the amounts set out in the Administrative Instruction on Individual Consultants and Contractors. Under no circumstances will UNICEF be liable for any other or greater payments to the Contractor (or his or her dependents as appropriate).