South Sudan (Republic of): Consultant – Development of Cultural Book for children

Summary

Title Consultant – Development of Cultural Book for children
Purpose To develop a children’s publication
Level L3 - L4
Location Juba
Duration 4 months
Start Date 1 May 2013
Reporting to Chief, Strategic Communication

Background
Decades of conflict and humanitarian crises in South Sudan have affected the development of education, with less than 10% of the children who begin completing primary education. Over one million school age children are out of school, and these include thousands of returnees and internally displaced children. Many children and youth have not acquired basic literacy, numeracy or life skills. The lack of education and employment opportunities for youth has become a key conflict driver. At the epicenter of those driving violence are often cattle camp youth, who have been ignored in terms of governance and service delivery. An assessment carried out by the RoSS Ministry of General Education and Instruction in 2008 found that 90 percent of school-aged children who do not attend school live in cattle camps.

One of the strategic goals of the General Education Strategic Plan for South Sudan is to promote life skills education and learner support services. The plan defines Life skills as a set of essential knowledge, skills, attitudes and positive behaviours (psychosocial competencies) that are acquired formally or informally for successful and positive living (wellbeing) to cope with demands of life and managing a risky environment (decrease risky behaviour) during growth and development. According to the strategic plan, education is designed to play a central role in building peace in South Sudan.

Accordingly, a comprehensive life skills curriculum has been developed, covering all the levels from early childhood development to the end of secondary level. The development of materials that accompany the curriculum and the training of teachers are on the Ministry of Education agenda for the next few years.

Based on this need, this consultancy will move that agenda forward through the development of children’s book, complementing the efforts and in collaboration with other education development partners and government itself.

Developing culturally relevant children’s story books in national languages is one way to enhance life skills, and in the process to promote peace and teach children and young people how to celebrate diversity and manage conflict. It is the policy of the Government of the Republic of South Sudan (RoSS) to educate children in national languages from years P1-P3, followed by English as the medium of instruction (Education Bill 2012). This policy will be upheld in the development and distribution of the story books.

Justification and purpose of assignment

There is inadequate human resource to deal with this additional but critical task within the Section in UNICEF.

The purpose of this consultancy is to develop and pilot a children’s version of ‘South Sudan: A Shared Struggle’ to represent the diverse cultures and positive values of South Sudan through the voices and images of children. The book will contribute to promoting peace and engender a positive national identity among children, young people and their communities. It may be included as a supplementary reader in the national curriculum for primary school students.

The book will be comprised of four main sections: 1) Cultures and Traditions; 2) History and Struggle; 3) the South Sudanese, portraits and interviews and; 4) the future through culture. These sections will be represented through contemporary images of South Sudanese landscapes, cultural and historical images from Oxford’s Pitt Rivers Museum and the University of Durham Sudan Archive and portraits of children participating in the project from across the country. Children from diverse backgrounds representing as many of the South Sudanese communities as possible, will be engaged to share their experiences, aspirations and dreams for the future of South Sudan, giving voice to a rapidly increasing (yet largely unheard) proportion of the population.

Under the direct supervision of the Chief of Strategic Communication and in close consultation with the Education section and program partners, the consultant’s responsibilities are to:

• Establish and co-chair a Taskforce within the Ministry of General Education and Instruction supported by Ministry of Youth, Culture and Sports that will guide the implementation of this project;
• Develop (take photos), publish and maintain a catalogue of children’s books, authors, poets and illustrators in South Sudan, and ensure its distribution to all available distribution outlets.
• Ensure the final publication is ethnically and geographically balanced and as such will require expertise in the cultures and communities of South Sudan.

Methodology

─ Obtain briefing from UNICEF on the action plan and key objectives of the children’s project
─ Prepare an action plan for travel to all 10 states to capture portraits of children representing all communities in South Sudan including interviews with children.
─ Editing and post-production of images
─ Transcription of interviews
─ Provide technical direction to design and layout of the publication.

Specific Tasks

• Under UNICEF supervision, the consultant will be the principal liaison between Ministry of General Education & Instruction, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, writer, graphic designer, contracted printing house and other interlocutors to oversee the post-production, editing and layout of the book on the children and cultures of South Sudan.
• Take high quality images of children representing all communities in South Sudan.
• Post production of images and support the final development of the publication in close consultation with stakeholders.
• Organise a workshop/meeting to get final endorsement from all partners and stakeholders.
• Submit a final report documenting the entire process of developing the Children’s book.

Expected Deliverables
1. High quality edited images of children from all 10 states.
2. Final print ready artwork of the publication.

Time Frame and Work Plan

The duration of the contract will be for a period of 4 months.

Expected Background and Experience
• The consultant will be an experienced photographer and project manager with similar assignments preferably in Southern Sudan
• The consultant will possess a relevant degree with a minimum of three years’ experience
• Experience of the communities, culture and traditions in South Sudan will be an added advantage
• Awareness and/or experience with UNICEF’s humanitarian principles and UNICEF’s activities in Southern Sudan
• Experience working in a conflict/ post-conflict environment desirable
• Fluency in English and another UN language

Reporting

The contractor will be reporting to the Chief, Strategic Communication Section.

General Conditions: Procedures and Logistics
• The Consultant is expected to be equipped with the appropriate production tools.
• The Consultant must make arrangements for transportation from and to UNICEF office.
• The office will make travel and logistical arrangements for travel within the country.
• The Consultant will work from her/his own office space.

Policy both parties should be aware of:
• Under the consultancy agreements, a month is defined as 21 working days, and fees are prorated accordingly. Consultants are not paid for weekends or public holidays.
• Consultants are not entitled to payment of overtime. All remuneration must be within the contract agreement.

• No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both UNICEF and the consultant or Contractor. For international consultants outside the duty station, signed contracts must be sent by fax or email. Signed contract copy or written agreement must be received by the office before Travel Authorization is issued.
• No consultant may travel without a signed travel authorization prior to the commencement of the journey to the duty station.
• Unless authorized, UNICEF will buy the tickets of the consultant. In exceptional cases, the consultant may be authorized to buy their travel tickets and shall be reimbursed at the “most economical and direct route” but this must be agreed to beforehand.
• Consultants will not have supervisory responsibilities or authority on UNICEF budget.
• Consultant will be required to sign the Health statement for consultants/Individual contractor prior to taking up the assignment, and to document that they have appropriate health insurance, including Medical Evacuation.
• The Form 'Designation, change or revocation of beneficiary' must be completed by the consultant upon arrival, at the HR Section.

Human Resources Officer
UNICEF South Sudan Country Office, Juba.
OR PREFERABLY: Email: jubavacancies@unicef.org