Result of Service
ESCWA Centre for Women seeks to engage a consultant to develop a methodology to cost the economic impact of child marriage across the Arab region. The consultant will build upon the theoretical framework outlined in the technical paper, examine existing literature and methodologies to estimate the economic cost of child marriage, and apply the most effective econometric methods to estimate the monetary cost of child marriage within the four countries under examination. The consultant will be responsible for drafting a comprehensive report indicating detailed methodological steps, and analysis of the results/findings. Work Location
Jordan
Expected duration
Until 30 August 2022 Duties and Responsibilities
The practice of child marriage deeply affects women throughout their lifetime and their children through multiple mechanisms. Child brides have a longer reproductive life span and, thus, are likely to have more children. Adolescent pregnancy is associated with health risks that increase the likelihood of mortality and disease for these young mothers and their offspring. Moreover, several studies point out that child marriage is positively correlated with domestic violence, as young women often marry older men and have less bargaining power within the marital home.
Despite progress, the prevalence of child marriage across the Arab region remains high—1 in 5 girls marry before their 18th birthday. Available estimates suggest that before 2010, there had been a significant decline in the practice, but conflict and instability in the region have stalled the progress and increased the likelihood of child marriage, likely affecting women and girls and their children in detrimental ways throughout their lives, in addition to negatively impacting communities, societies and States in the long run.
Since child marriage impacts women’s lives in multiple ways with subsequent profound intergenerational effects, the economic costs of child marriage are a critical consideration for ending the practice. The conceptual framework to assess the economic effects of child marriage was developed by Wodon et al. (2015). This consists of five critical areas of impact of child marriage: fertility and population growth, educational attainment and learning, labor force participation, decision-making and investments, and health, nutrition, and violence. Impacts in these areas may lead to costs in areas such as per capita earnings, productivity, and household consumption; public and private expenditures for health and education; and non-monetary social and health costs. Measuring these individual costs is challenging as it requires various data points at the individual and aggregate levels.
In early 2022, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN-ESCWA), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (UN Women) concluded a technical paper entitled “The cost of child marriage over the life cycle: Evidence from Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and Tunisia”. The paper examined correlations between child marriage and a set of demographic indicators, namely: fertility, health, decision making, domestic violence, educational attainment and labor market outcomes.
The technical paper’s key findings outline that in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and Tunisia, child marriage negatively impacts female fertility (the average number of live births and use of modern contraception), education, labor force participation and earnings, as well as the health of the children born to these young mothers. Moreover, child marriage appears to impact decision-making and the prevalence of domestic violence directly. These findings most certainly have an economic impact on women, their families, communities and the State.
To advance the findings of the technical paper, the four partners have agreed to take this research a step further and explore if a monetary cost can be computed that adequately captures the negative impacts of child marriage on national economies. Hence, the current TOR seeks to employ a consultant to complete the second phase of this research. Qualifications/special skills
Academic Qualifications: An advanced degree (preferably a PhD) in economics, econometrics, demography, statistics and/or women’s/gender studies, with experience in costing gender inequality is required.
Experience: A minimum of 7 years of previous experience in compiling comprehensive knowledge of the economics of gender inequality, econometrics, women gender studies or related field is required.
The desriable criteria are as follows:
¿ Knowledge of gender equality and women’s empowerment in the Arab region is desirable.
¿ Familiarity with the literature on child marriage is desirable.
¿ Demonstrated experience in conducting quantitative research, and STATA.
¿ Demonstrated experience using micro-data, household surveys, demographic and health surveys, multiple indicators cluster surveys, as well as labor force surveys.
¿ An ability to meet deadlines and deliver quality products on time.
¿ Excellent drafting, reporting and presentation skills, as well as communication skills
Language: Fluency in written and spoken English is required.
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.
This vacancy is archived.