Job Description

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT - Adolescent, Youth and Gender Expert, UNFPA India 10th Country Program Evaluation

TERMS OF REFERENCE Hiring Office: UNFPA India Purpose of consultancy:

In line with the 2024 UNFPA Evaluation Policy, the UNFPA India CO is planning to conduct an evaluation of its tenth CP (2023-27). The purpose of the Country Programme Evaluation (CPE) is to strengthen accountability to stakeholders, support evidence-based decision-making, and improve learning. The overall objective of the CPE is to provide an independent assessment of the performance of the CP and to broaden the evidence base for the design of the next programme cycle.

The evaluation will cover all interventions in the four thematic areas of the CP, which have been implemented across India during the programme’s period. The thematic areas are described in section 3 of the terms of reference. In addition, the evaluation will also cover cross-cutting issues, such as human rights-based approach, gender equality, disability inclusion, LNOB and transversal functions, such as coordination, monitoring and evaluation, innovation, resource mobilization, and strategic partnerships.

Evaluation team:

The CPE will be conducted by a multidisciplinary team of consultants. They should collectively have the qualifications and experience to design and implement a methodologically robust evaluation and cover all the above-mentioned thematic areas of the CP. The evaluation team will consist of:

Team leader: An international consultant with primary responsibility for the design of the evaluation methodology and the coordination of the evaluation team, as described in section 12.1 of the terms of reference. The team leader will also demonstrate the qualifications, experience and skills required to serve as a technical expert for population dynamics thematic area. Thematic experts: National consultants who should demonstrate the qualifications, experience and skills required to serve as technical expert in at least one of the thematic areas, as described in section 12.1 of the terms of reference. Young and emerging evaluator: A national consultant (recent university graduate or young evaluation professional with limited experience) who will provide support to the evaluation team throughout the evaluation process, as described in section 12.1 of the terms of reference.


Scope of work:

(Description of services, activities, or outputs)

The adolescent, youth and gender thematic expert who will provide expertise across gender, adolescents and youth. The expert should have strong knowledge of youth-friendly SRHR services, life skills education, adolescent pregnancy, SRHR of young women and adolescent girls, access to contraceptives, youth leadership and participation, as well as the human rights and empowerment of women and girls, engagement of men and boys, and issues related to GBV and harmful practices such as gender-biased sex selection and child, early and forced marriage. S/he should also be familiar with national policies and programmes and the range of stakeholders and ministries engaged in adolescent, youth and gender-related work. S/he will provide substantive inputs throughout the evaluation process by contributing to the development of the evaluation methodology, evaluation work plan and agenda for the field phase, participating in meetings with the CPE manager, UNFPA India CO staff and the ERG. S/he will undertake a document review and conduct interviews and group discussions with stakeholders, as agreed with the evaluation team leader.

The deliverables, tentative workplan and details of the country programme evaluation can be found in the terms of reference.

Duration and working schedule: The consultancy will be for a total of 35 days between February-September 2026 throughout the evaluation process. Place where services are to be delivered: The Adolescent youth and gender Thematic Expert will predominantly work remotely and will need to travel for the required days during the field phase and for coordination with other team members, UNFPA staff and other stakeholders during the subsequent phases of the evaluation (as per discussion and agreed with the CPE manager). Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy etc.):

The provisional allocation of workdays for the adolescent, youth and gender thematic expert will be the following:

No of days Timeline Design phase 8 Feb-Mar, 2026 Field phase 14 April 2026 Reporting phase 12 May-July 2026 Dissemination and facilitation of use phase 1 August - September 2026 TOTAL (days) 35

Please note the numbers of days in the table are indicative. The final distribution of the volume of work and corresponding number of days for each consultant will be proposed by the evaluation team in the design report and will be subject to the approval of the CPE manager.

The deliverables, tentative workplan and details of the country programme evaluation can be found in the terms of reference.

Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:

The adolescent, youth and gender health expert will report to the CPE Manager and Evaluation Team Leader. The CPE Manager will manage and monitor the progress of the evaluation and payments will be released upon approval by the CPE Manager.

Supervisory arrangements:

The evaluation team will conduct the CPE under the supervision of the CPE manager in the UNFPA India CO February - September 2026, as indicated in the timeframe of the evaluation in the ToR: section 10 and Annex I].

In compliance with UNFPA evaluation policy (2024), the Regional M&E Adviser in UNFPA APRO will provide guidance and backstopping support to the CPE manager at all stages of the evaluation process. In particular, the Regional M&E Adviser plays a crucial role in the quality assurance of the CPE deliverables.

Expected travel:

Travel will be determined based on needs identified notably during the field phase (data collection).

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:

The Adolescent, youth and gender Thematic expert of the evaluation team will possess the following competencies, skills and experience:

Master’s degree in public health, gender/women’s studies, human rights law, social sciences, development studies, or a related field.7–10 years of experience conducting evaluations, reviews, assessments, research studies, or M&E work in gender and youth programs. Demonstrated experience and substantive knowledge in adolescents and youth programming, including SRHR, youth policies, and national adolescent and youth programmes. Strong expertise in gender equality and women’s empowerment, including GBV, harmful practices (such as gender-biased sex selection, early/child/forced marriage, FGM), and issues related to gender and sexuality. Solid understanding of the national development context in India, including Government of India programmes, policies, and approaches related to adolescents, youth, gender, and women’s empowerment. Familiarity with UNFPA and/or other UN organizations’ mandates, programmes, and operational modalities is an advantage. Strong knowledge of evaluation approaches and methodologies, with the ability to apply qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods. Ability to ensure ethics, integrity, confidentiality, and adherence to the do-no-harm principle throughout the evaluation process. Proven capacity to integrate human rights, gender equality, and intersectional perspectives across all evaluation phases. Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and report-writing skills, with a track record of producing high-quality analytical outputs. Strong interpersonal and communication skills (written and spoken). Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders, including government, civil society, and UN agencies. Ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team and manage complex evaluation tasks. Fluency in English (written and spoken) is required; working knowledge of Hindi is an advantage.


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


Inputs / services to be provided by UNFPA or implementing partner (e.g support services, office space, equipment), if applicable:

The consultant must have their own laptop. The travel arrangements required during the course of the evaluation will be made by UNFPA. The consultant will receive a daily subsistence allowance (DSA) in accordance with the UNFPA Duty Travel Policy, using applicable United Nations DSA rates for the place of mission. Travel costs will be settled separately from the consultancy fees.

Other relevant information or special conditions, if any:

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.

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