Job Description

The Position:

The purpose of this National Consultancy is to lead and conduct implementation research to assess the effectiveness of the  Norm-shiff Accelerator Programme aimed at changing social behaviours and indirect norms that perpetuate child marriage in Bangladesh. 

Job Purpose:

Despite Bangladesh’s progress in reducing child marriage rates, the country unfortunately remains among the top ten countries globally with the highest prevalence of this harmful practice. This persistent challenge underscores the deep-seated nature of child marriage, rooted in complex social and gender norms and systemic vulnerabilities. To address this, UNFPA, in close collaboration with the Department of Women Affairs, has launched ‘Shombhabona-the Norm-Shift Accelerator’, a systems-based programme. This programme operates across multiple layers of the socio-ecological model, acknowledging that child marriage is influenced by factors ranging from individual beliefs and behaviours to broader social, institutional, and policy dynamics.  

Shombhabona’s strategic approach involves integrating its interventions on social norm change with two key social protection schemes managed by the Department of Women’s Affairs of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs. This integration allows for leveraging existing infrastructure and reaching a vast network of populations across the country. By utilizing established delivery mechanisms, including community-based organizations and local government structures, Shombhabona effectively extends its reach. The programme also extends to secondary schools,  aiming to support adolescent girls and boys to stay in schools until the completion of their secondary education. This focus on school retention is critical, as education is a powerful tool in delaying marriage and empowering girls. 

The implementation of this programme offers a unique opportunity to generate crucial insights into the effectiveness of norm-shifting interventions. This implementation research will be pivotal in understanding how these interventions translate into tangible changes in individual and group behaviours, and in achieving measurable changes in indirect and direct norms related to child marriage. By conducting this research, we aim to determine the efficacy of the programme’s norm-shifting strategies, identify barriers and facilitators to change, and track behavioural shifts over time.  

The implementation research will be specifically designed to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions within real-world settings, a critical factor for a programme focusing on altering social and group behaviour among beneficiaries of social protection schemes. It will move beyond simply measuring outcomes to thoroughly examine the implementation process itself. This will allow for a deeper understanding of how interventions are delivered, what factors influence their success, and how they can be adapted for improved impact. To this end, the UNFPA office in Bangladesh seems a qualified national consultant to lead and conduct this implementation research. 

You would be responsible for:

The purpose of this consultancy: 

1. To lead and conduct implementation research to assess the effectiveness of interventions aimed at changing social behaviours and indirect norms that perpetuate child marriage in Bangladesh. 
2. To provide evidence, and recommendations for improving the implementation and impact of these interventions.  

The consultant will be responsible for: 

1. Research Design, Planning,  Methodology

• Develop a detailed research protocol, including research questions, methodology, data collection tools, and a timeline that is aligned with programme design.
• Ensure research design incorporates a mixed-methods approach (qualitative and quantitative). 
• Outline the data analysis techniques and plan. 
• Create a plan for ethical considerations.  

2. Data Collection and Analysis

• Lead and conduct data collection of baseline and follow-up data in the programme areas (Bagerhat, Chapainawabganj, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, and Noakhali).
• Supervise and train data collectors. 
• Ensure data quality and integrity throughout the research process.
• Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using appropriate statistical and qualitative analysis techniques.
• Interpret findings in the context of the programme’s goal and the local context. 
• Analyze the implementation process, identifying barriers and facilitators.  

3. Reporting and Dissemination

• Prepare a comprehensive implementation research report, including Executive summary, Background and context, Methodology,  Findings, Discussion and conclusions, and Recommendations. 
• Conduct a validation workshop to discuss preliminary findings.
• Prepare research reports, policy briefs, and presentations.
• Develop recommendations for adaptive programme design and scale-up. 
• Build the capacity of staff in implementation research methods.

Deliverables:

Inception report: A detailed research plan outlining the methodology, timeline, research protocol, and budget. 
Data collection tools: Questionnaires, interview guides, and other data collection instruments.
Cleaned and coded dataset: A well-organized dataset ready for analysis.
Data analysis reports 
Draft research report: A comprehensive report presenting the research findings and recommendations.
Validation workshop: To discuss preliminary findings.
Final research report: A revised report incorporating feedback from stakeholders.
Presentation materials: Slides or other materials for presenting the research findings. 

Please apply and find more information on the vacancy here. The deadline for the application is March 12, 2025.

Note: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further consideration.  Female candidates are encouraged to apply.