National Expert – Children with Disabilities At UN Volunteers

Mission and objectives

UNICEF works to promote and protect the rights of every Filipino child, with a particular focus on those who are most vulnerable and disadvantaged. We work with the Philippine government to improve national policies, programmes and services for children and adolescents. Together with partners, we address common barriers to the realization of their rights.

Context

UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential.

Approximately 10% of children globally are estimated to have some form of disability, with the prevalence higher in developing countries and humanitarian contexts. Only 5% of these children have access to needed assistive devices and services, leaving a significant 95% unmet need. In the Philippines, data from the 2020 census indicates that 8.68% of individuals over five years old reported experiencing at least one functional difficulty. The occurrence of disabilities among children varies with age, with rates of 1.1% for ages 5-9, 1.2% for ages 10-14, and 1.7% for ages 15-19.

Children with disabilities, particularly from poor communities, often lack access to basic social services, perpetuating a cycle of poverty and deprivation. Early identification and intervention are crucial, as addressing impairments during early childhood can significantly mitigate the impact of disability into adulthood and provide children with a better start in life.

Over the past five years, UNICEF Philippines has made strides in improving care for children with disabilities by enhancing the health system to address their health and rehabilitation needs. Achievements include the development and approval of PhilHealth packages for children with major disabilities, the establishment of Children with Disabilities “ACCESS” Hubs, and contracting hospitals to provide these services. A pilot community-based rehabilitation project focused on early identification and intervention led to the development of a national system for early childhood disability prevention and intervention.

Globally, UNICEF launched the Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030 to guide the implementation of disability inclusion programs. In February 2024, UNICEF’s Executive Board approved the 9th country programme in the Philippines, emphasizing disability inclusion and the need for equitable and inclusive programming. Despite progress, there is a critical need for a strategic direction aligning with both national and UNICEF global disability strategies. This includes addressing insights from evaluations, managing increased program costs, and promoting global equity and inclusion.

To advance these efforts, UNICEF Philippines seeks a Disability Inclusion Specialist to develop a comprehensive country programme action plan to implement UNICEF’s global Disability Inclusion Strategy. This specialist will analyze the current landscape, identify gaps, and devise targeted strategies to enhance disability inclusion across various sectors in the Philippines including its own operations, aligning with the objectives of the 9th country programme for children.

Task description

Under the direct supervision of the PME Officer NOB and the Deputy Representative for Programmes, and in collaboration with programme and operations sections and designated disability focals, the UN volunteer will lead the development of a Disability Inclusion Strategy document that will guide UNICEF Philippines in enhancing disability inclusion both in its operations and programming, with a focus on addressing gaps and promoting inclusive practices. Specifically, that scope of work includes for the first 6 months of the contract:

1. Conducting a desk review and analysis of the prevalence of children with disabilities and existing barriers to inclusion of children with disabilities, in development, humanitarian response, and climate change adaptation in the Philippines – while linking to and building on existing information in the SitAn. 2. Desk Review of relevant policies, laws, programs and data related to children with disability inclusion and assess their effectiveness and alignment with international standards and best practices.

3. Identifying multi-sectoral or cross-sectoral priority areas for UNICEF across key sectors including education, health, social protection, and child protection, and identify strategic actions to promote disability inclusion in each sector.

4. Assessing the inclusiveness of UNICEF Philippines’ country and field office operations, including supply chain management, human resources, and infrastructure, and propose measures to ensure accessibility and inclusivity.

5. Exploring and identifying partners and strategies for strengthening partnerships with government agencies, civil society organizations, organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), and humanitarian actors to enhance disability inclusion efforts and promote coordination and collaboration.

6. Developing monitoring and evaluation frameworks to track progress in disability inclusion initiatives and ensure accountability and effectiveness.

7. Identifying opportunities for resource mobilization to support the implementation of disability inclusion programs and initiatives. 8. Preparing a comprehensive Disability Inclusion Action plan document outlining the findings, priorities, strategies, and proposed actions, in alignment with the 9th country programme for children and UNICEF’s DIPAS objectives, and presenting to UNICEF programmes and operations staff.

Thereafter, the UN Volunteer will oversee the implementation of the recommended actions outlined in the PCO Disability Inclusion action plan that was developed. And in alignment with those recommendations, the UNV will undertake the following tasks:

– Cross sectoral support: Lead the PCO in cross-sectoral work for and with children with dis-abilities and families, working closely with sectoral focal points.

– Data support: support information and knowledge management on relevant initiatives, including support to evidence generation and reporting (e.g. support to process and consolidation of reviews child disability knowledge products and publications).

– Promoting Accessibility: Support making UNICEF PCO office progressively accessible by coordinating accessibility needs in the PCO and partners, including but not limited to SLI provision, support to IT team in integrating and use of basic accessibility features.

– Ensuring Inclusive Participation: Lead in promoting inclusion of children with disabilities, through meaningful participation of children and their families.

– Strengthening Partnerships: Strengthen partnerships and networks with other organizations (especially parents’ organizations of children with disabilities, organizations of children and youth with disabilities, organizations of persons with disabilities), donors, and media to improve outcomes for children with disabilities. This would entail supporting the activities of the Council for the Welfare of Children Subcommittee on Children with Disabilities (CWC SC-CWD).

– Other tasks as deemed appropriate by the supervisor.

Results/expected outputs:

As an active UNICEF team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UNICEF and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including the development of a comprehensive Disability Inclusion Action Plan document outlining the findings, priorities, strategies, and proposed actions, in alignment with the 9th country programme for children and UNICEF’s DIPAS objectives, and concurred by UNICEF programmes and operations staff.

Other anticipated results from the assignment include:

– Enhanced promotion of disability inclusion in UNICEF programmes and operations.

– Improved Cross-sectoral Support, coordination and collaboration on Disability inclusion within Philippines Country Office and partners.

– Improved information management and knowledge regarding disability inclusion initiatives, including generating evidence and reporting.

– Enhanced partnerships and networks with various organizations, including organizations of persons with disabilities, donors, and media, to improve outcomes for children with disabilities.

Nationality

Candidate must be a national or legal resident of the country of assignment.

Required experience

10 years of experience in disability inclusion, inclusive development, humanitarian assistance, or related fields.

• Strong understanding of disability rights, inclusion principles, and international frameworks.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively with a wide range of stakeholders.

• Experience working with UN agencies, government agencies, civil society organizations, and/or disability rights groups in the Philippines is highly desirable. In-depth understanding of international frameworks, conventions, and laws related to disability rights and inclusion, including the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

• Ability to analyze and interpret policies, laws, and regulations related to disability inclusion at both national and international levels.

• Comprehensive knowledge of programmatic interventions and best practices in disability inclusion across various sectors such as education, health, social protection, and child protection.

• Ability to conceptualize and articulate development issues that relate to child disability

• Proficiency in conducting qualitative and quantitative research, data analysis, and synthesizing findings to inform strategic decision-making.

Languages

English, Level: Working knowledge, Required

Required education level

Master degree or equivalent in social sciences, public health, international development, or disability studies.