Back Political Economy Analyst (International Consultancy)

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR*)*

E X T E R N A L V A C A N C Y N O T I C E

JOB DESCRIPTION

Vacancy Notice No.: EVN/KEN/NBI/CONS/21/001

Functional Title: Political Economy Analyst (International Consultancy)

Duty Station: Branch Office Nairobi

Date of Entry on Duty: ASAP

Duration: Up to 30 May 2021

Full or Part-time: Part-time assignment

Closing Date: 28 February 2021

1. General Background of Project or Assignment

In line with the Global Compact for Refugees, the Djibouti Declaration and the Sustainable Development Goals among others, the Government of Kenya is working towards the inclusion of refugees and asylum-seekers in national education systems. While refugees and asylum-seekers follow the Kenyan national curriculum and sit for national examinations, camp-based learning institutions have been managed and financed by UNHCR and the international community for almost three decades. The governance and management of learning institutions by the international community has led to an alternative system of service delivery that is not in line with policy approaches such as GCR and does not adequately respond to the needs of refugees, asylum seekers and their host communities.

The goal of inclusion in the national education system is to ensure that refugees, asylum-seekers, and their host communities have access to accountable and accredited education opportunities that are sustained for the duration of their academic career. UNHCR is supporting this approach by:

• Fostering an enabling environment that supports learning as well as psychosocial, socio-emotional, and physical well-being.

• Adopting an area-based approach, supporting both refugees and asylum-seekers, and the communities that host them to access education and training. This includes through the use of technology, in their respective locations and which is protective, accredited and government led.

• Investing in the national system to enable it to expand to provide quality education and training for refugees and asylum-seekers, and their host communities beyond the emergency phase, facilitating the transition from humanitarian response to durable solutions.

• Promoting opportunities for earning and for the use of education toward jobs, economic inclusion, community development, and self-reliance, benefitting both refugees, asylum-seekers, and their host communities.

2. Scope of Work

UNHCR is currently seeking an individual, nationals of Kenya or international expert currently residing in Kenya, to conduct political economy analysis (PEA) in relation to the inclusion of refugees and asylum-seekers in the national education system. Consultants do not have to be based in Kenya but should have a significant in-country presence. The PEA will:

(i) inform approaches to stakeholder engagement to achieving the inclusion of refugees in the national education system; and

(ii) assist UNHCR and other stakeholders to select specific challenges and opportunities to prioritise in 2021-2.

3. Duties and Responsibilities

The PEA should provide insight on:

• The current key legal, policy, and implementation issues for the inclusion of refugee learners in pre-primary, primary, secondary, and tertiary education.

• The background and potential trajectories for this approach in the upcoming years.

• A mapping of key stakeholders in the public, private, non-profit, academic, and other sectors that work on or support initiatives for this approach, and their interactions.

• Key power relations, dynamics, and trends in governance systems, structures, and processes related to the inclusion of refugee learners.

• Key obstacles that prevent active and influential advocacy and use of evidence for transparent, accountable, and inclusive access to education services in refugee settings; and

• External and internal developments that might affect change in this approach

Expected Output:

The individual will design and execute the PEA for UNHCR based on an established PEA Analytical Framework. The main PEA deliverables include:

• Final PEA outline that addresses UNHCR’s feedback during the contract negotiation process;
• Final PEA methodology and data collection tools that address UNHCR’s feedback during the contract negotiation process;
• Data collection and analysis;
• Stakeholder mapping and analysis for the approach of inclusion of refugee learners in the national education system;
• 1st draft of the PEA Report;
• The 2nd draft PEA report that incorporates UNHCR’s input and/or address specific issues raised upon review of the 1st draft report;
• Convening and facilitating a stakeholder workshop to validate PEA findings;
• Giving a presentation on the PEA findings to stakeholders as identified by UNHCR;
• Final PEA Report that reflects input generated during the stakeholder workshop, together with original data.

UNHCR’s Responsibilities

UNHCR will: provide to the experts’ information relevant to completing the assignment; provide feedback to the PEA’s proposed outline, data collection methodology and tools, and all versions of the PEA report. UNHCR will also fund and organize the stakeholder workshop to validate the PEA findings.

4. Desired competencies, technical background and experience

The following are desired, and applicants will be strictly weighed against these criteria. The consultant/individual contractor shall have:

Advanced university degree (master’s or doctorate) in social sciences, international development, law, political science, economics, or a related field;

• At least five (5) years of demonstrated experience in conducting high quality in-depth political economy analysis or similar analysis for public, private, and research institutions, or/and CSOs;

• Demonstrated experience with a range of research approaches that support and/or complement political economy analysis, including qualitative and quantitative methods;

• Experience in network analysis;

• Experience in integrating views of different stakeholders at multiple levels to inform policy and programming decisions and activities;

• In-depth understanding and knowledge of the political, social, and economic context in Kenya; and

• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.