National Consultant - Development of a Youth Peace Index for Liberia

The Position:

Between December 1989 and August 2003, Liberia suffered waves of devastating conflicts marked by extreme violence, ethnic tensions, child soldiering, and the collapse of state institutions.

In 1990, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) established the ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), deploying troops to stabilize the situation and enforce ceasefires. In 1993, ECOMOG was joined by United Nations peacekeepers under the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL). Following several failed peace agreements, the 1996 Abuja Accord paved the way for a fragile peace and the 1997 elections.

Renewed violence in 1999 triggered the Second Liberian Civil War. With growing international pressure, President Charles G. Taylor resigned in 2003 and went into exile.

The 2003 Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed by the warring parties marked the end of the war, leading to the deployment of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), one of the largest UN peacekeeping missions. UNMIL successfully disarmed combatants, supported democratic processes, and helped rebuild institutions, including holding the 2005 General and Presidential elections, which resulted in the historic victory of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa’s first elected female head of state. 

United Nations Security Council resolution 2333 (2016) requested the Secretary-General to prepare, within 90 days of the resolution's adoption, a well-developed peacebuilding plan to direct the role of the United Nations system and other relevant partners, including multilateral and bilateral actors, in supporting Liberia’s transition and preparing for the end of UNMIL’s mandate on 30 March 2018.

In response to the Security Council’s request, a peacebuilding plan was jointly developed by the United Nations system in Liberia and the Government of Liberia, in collaboration with national and international stakeholders, and submitted to the United Nations Security Council in March 2017. This plan identified key actions that needed to be taken before 30 March 2018, when the substantive mandate of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) would end, and outlined the level of political engagement required thereafter to ensure the sustainability of peace. This includes supporting increased youth engagement and participation in governance and development processes at all levels, thereby enhancing the rule of law, peacebuilding, and the prevention of conflicts and violence.

As part of these measures, the Government of Liberia and the United Nations, in June 2022, launched the \"Enhancing Social Cohesion through Rehabilitation and Empowerment of Marginalized Youth in Liberia\" project to empower marginalized youth in Montserrado and Grand Bassa counties by providing them with economic livelihood skills and engaging youth in peacebuilding efforts. The programme’s goal is to reduce illicit drug use among marginalized youth through behavior change and drug prevention interventions, increase access to health services, SGBV prevention, rehabilitation, and economic empowerment for marginalized youth. It also partners with youth and communities to support reintegration, reduce stigma, promote peace messages, and foster social cohesion. 

Consequently, as part of the goal of fostering social cohesion, especially among the youth, the programme has identified the development of a youth peace index for Liberia as essential to measure progress and inform interventions.

The consultant will report to the Programme Specialist, Youth & Adolescent Empowerment, Participation and Leadership, UNFPA Liberia

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.  UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

The primary objective of this consultancy is to develop a comprehensive and evidence-based framework for monitoring progress and identifying areas for targeted interventions to promote youth empowerment and peace.

The specific objective is to develop a Youth Peace Index for Liberia, in line with the Liberia Peacebuilding Plan (2017). 

You would be responsible for:

The consultant will:

Methodology

The consultant will employ various research approaches: 

The consultant will deliver the following:

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education:  

The consultant must meet the following criteria:

Master’s degree in social sciences, development studies, peace studies, statistics, or a related field

Knowledge and Experience: 

Languages: 

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of local dialects is an asset
 

Required Competencies: 

Values:

Exemplifying integrity, 

Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system, 

Embracing cultural diversity, 

Embracing change

Core Competencies: 

Achieving results,

Being accountable,

Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,

Thinking analytically and strategically,

Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,

Duration and Location of the Consultancy:

This consultant is expected to travel to parts of Liberia to collect data and complete the consultancy within 90 calendar days from the date of contract signing, with the following timeline:

Payment Terms:

The consultant will be paid based on satisfactory completion of the deliverables

Interested consultants should submit the following:

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, and other administrative requirements. 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process