Background:
UNDP CO in Skopje seeks a local consultancy company, Civil Society Organization or academic institution to provide consultancy services for preparation of a comprehensive governance assessment with youth empowerment as a focus.
In response to high youth unemployment and low youth participation in decision-making processes, the Government has prioritized the need to create job opportunities for young people and increase their involvement in public life. Greater youth participation in policy-making processes is critical for the overall cohesiveness of society and an essential factor in enhancing inter-ethnic dialogue. Young people face difficulties in effectively articulating their needs and interests to influence policy-makers and are often unable to secure the social benefits they need. With only a small proportion of young people belonging to civic or professional organizations, the share of youth in the country’s social capital is low, undermining social cohesion. There is a pressing need to strengthen the voice of young people and to increase their civic engagement by treating them as social partners. This is vital to improve the responsiveness of government and for services to be delivered more effectively, especially at local level. This project has been designed on the basis that partnerships between municipalities and young people are crucial for achieving more equitable development and greater social cohesion since it is at local level that democratic and economic development is to be generated.
The chief objective of the project is to strengthen social cohesion by increasing the active engagement of young people in local governance and ensure more equitable social service delivery. To achieve this objective, a comprehensive assessment will first be conducted in six selected municipalities to identify the existing gaps in local governance which exacerbate—or have the potential to exacerbate—the social, economic, cultural and political exclusion of young people. In particular, this assessment will focus on identifying any factors at local government level which contribute to conflicts amongst youth.
Objectives:
The primary purpose of the governance assessment is to identify the governance-related gaps that lead to or have a potential to widen the social, economic, cultural and political exclusion of youth in society.
With a focus on youth empowerment, the study following the assessment shall also identify the ways in which youth and local self-governments can overcome the identified challenges through initiating and participating in various modalities of public service delivery.
The produced Governance Assessment Study will serve as an important document for national counterparts, stakeholders, other UN agencies and partners as a baseline through which to measure progress on other youth-focused and social cohesion initiatives.
Qualifications of the service provider:
The service provider shall have experience in implementing projects in the field of local governance, and/or youth-related issues, and a track record in preparation of relevant associated products, such as assessment reports, studies, etc.
The service provider shall submit full reference list and a specific list of similar projects (at least 3 similar projects) and contact details of the clients of those similar projects for reference check (please indicate the e-mail addresses or fax numbers of the clients).
Qualifications of the personnel:
The service provider shall offer optimal team of qualified experts with experience in fields relevant to the assignment including three leading experts for:
• Local Governance and Service Delivery (1)
• Socio-Economic Development (1)
• Social inclusion and Youth (1)
The proposed team members shall possess strong technical, analytical, communicational and interpersonal skills.
Minimum requirements with regard to the Leading Experts:
• Relevant university degree. A higher degree will be considered as an asset;
• Participation in at least 3 projects in the specific field of expertise;
• At least 5 years of relevant professional experience in provision of consultancy services for the specific role of the expert;
Project: Voice Youth Civic Engagement and Participation at the Local Level
Duty Station: The Municipalities of Bitola, Caska, Ilinden, Kumanovo, Tearce, and Stip
Expected Duration of Assignment: End of October 2012 – 10 December 2012
Deadline: 24 October 2012
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