Background: Purpose of the consultancy
To apply: ย include a brief motivation letter, detailed CV, concise methodology on how the consultancy will be carried out, and a draft outline (table of contents) of the Vital Statistics training curriculum/manual
A well-functioning civil registration system, the official and continuous recording of life's key events, is the bedrock of a modern, prosperous, and just society. While often operating in the background, this vital infrastructure provides the foundation for individual rights, effective governance, and sustainable development. Its usefulness extends from the most personal aspects of an individual's life to the highest levels of national planning and international commitments. At its core, a civil registration system documents vital events such as births, deaths, marriages, divorces, and adoptions. Vital statistics are information obtained from civil registration and other sources that shed light on the demographic characteristics of a population (e.g., birth rate; mortality rate; cause of death; marriage and divorce rates). This seemingly simple administrative task unlocks a cascade of benefits for both individuals and the state.
Several assessments have been undertaken to examine the successes, opportunities, gaps and challenges of CRVS implementation in Africa. The common issues identified included: - fragmented systems (e.g., lack of coordination between health and civil registration); inadequate legal and policy frameworks; low coverage or completeness of all vital events, particularly marriages and divorce; poor quality and/ or paper-based infrastructure, and limited use of vital statistics data in decision-making.ย
The institutional obligations granted by the country's legal framework for CRVS, as well as its administrative and organizational structures, determine which authorities are used in each country. The national statistical offices oversee the production of vital statistics reports in most countries. Statistics on births and deaths are produced by the civil registration office in certain countries, whereas statistics on deaths and their causes are produced by the ministry of health in other countries. In some countries, statistics on marriages and divorce are produced by the ministry of justice. It is crucial that all agencies concerned work together to produce the national vital statistics report, regardless of the model used.ย
This TOR is developed to facilitate the development of a comprehensive training manual/curriculum that will support countries to prepare vital statistics indicators, analyze data from the civil registration system, and prepare reports for all vital events. It will also promote access, dissemination and utilization for policy, programme and strategy formulation.
To contribute to the improvement and standardization of civil registration data analysis and production of vital statistics reports, UNFPA ESARO is looking for a consultant to review the available resources including methodologies, and prepare a comprehensive training manual/curriculum on data quality assessment, generate accurate indicators, correctly interpret the findings and promote capacity building for the creation and use of high-quality vital statistics to facilitate the modernization and efficient use of CRVS data.
Scope of work (Description of services and activities or outputs)ยThe following tasks will be performed by the consultant:
Review, compile andย produce a comprehensive list ofย resources onย methodologies forย production ofย vital ย statistics from civil registration data through a desk review. This comprises, among other things, guidelines, strategyย documents, tools, reference books, indicators, data processing guides, and reports.ย Engage with stakeholdersย onย the process of analysis and production of vitalย statisticsย fromย civil registrationย data,ย to ensure completeness of data and that the most relevant resources are included in the comprehensive resources under Task 1.ย Prepare a training manual/curriculum for generating vital statistics considering all the phase data collection, assessment, compilation, analysis, report preparation, and promotion of results on all vital events. The outline of the training manual and coverage will be discussed and approved by the project team. Include the following in the training manual/curriculum: - quizzes, worked examples to showcase the generation of various indicators.ย Where possible, include examples of how to perform time-series, cohort, and/or predictive analyses; create statistical reports, dashboards, and visualizations of CRVS data; evaluate the completeness and accuracy of civil registration and cause-of-death data using international methodologies; and analyze CRVS datasets (births, deaths, causes of death, marriages, etc.) for trends, completeness, and disaggregation (e.g. age, sex, geography).ย The training manual should be in a format that is usable for face-to-face training, with the potential of transforming it into an online training tool. The online training version will be considered after this consultancy is completed but will utilize the same resources.ย Prepare presentation(s) of the training manual/curriculum and allย accompanyingmaterials for all chapters/modules to be used for validating the draft manual.ย Submit the final training manual/curriculum and presentations upon incorporating feedback from the validation process. Duration and working scheduleEstimated Level of Effort of 100 working days over 5 months
Expected Start Date: August 2025
End date:ย Feb, 2026
Places where services to be delivered Location: Mostlyremote/hybridโwithย possible one to two-week travel for validationย purposes.Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g., electronic, hard copy, etc)ย
The finalย product, the CRVS Data Analysis and Production of Vital Statistics resourceย toolkit (Training Manual)โwill be validated and approved by UNFPA ESAROย with technical oversight by the CoE-CRVS at UNFPA HQ. To support this process, the milestones and deliverables are as follows:ย
Deliverables:ย
Inception report, A comprehensive report based on the Desk Review based on Task 1 A complete draft training manual covering all phases of vital events, it must be a comprehensive manual with all sessions as outlined in Tasks 2- 3, including lesson objectives, quizzes, examples; this will have been reviewed and approved by the technical reviewers โ draft for validation and final after accommodating inputs according to an agreed outline. Presentations of all modules/chapters of the Training Manual Consultative meetings on the report with CRVS stakeholders; and Final Training Manual and final presentations after incorporating comments from reviewers and technical committee members Consultancy report summarizing all activities and outcomes and all deliverablesโfinal training manual; tools; sample datasets; indicators reference guides; etc.ย Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline The consultant willย be having bi-weekly meetings or as needed with the UNFPA ESARO team and the technical team under the leadership of the regional Technical Adviser for Population Data Policyย with technical oversight by the CoE-CRVS at UNFPA HQ. This will ensure quality of deliverables and that deadlines are met based on stated requirements. Expected travel The consultant will be expected to travel for validation of the draftย training manual as may be required.ย Required expertise, qualifications andย ย competencies, including language requirements: Advanced degree in statistics, demography, data science, publicย health, or related field Minimum 10 years of relevant professional expertise inย assessment and compilation of vital statistics from civil registrationย systems and other administrative data systems strengthening Proven experience in the development of training curriculum on demographic analysis to enhance the capacity of both data producers and end users (decision makers), as well as delivering capacity building. Strong analytical skills in generation of indicators from administrative and other datasets and use of software such as CSPro, SPSS, R, STATA,ย Excel areย addedย advantages. In-depth knowledge of international CRVS frameworks (UNSD, WHO, UNICEF, etc.) is a must. Excellentย commandย of English language, as well as report writing and presentation skills Familiarity with the mandate of the UN and particularly UNFPA is an asset. Knowledgeย of Sub-Saharan Africa in the context of CRVS and especially is a must.Your application attachments must include: ย a brief motivation letter, detailed CV, concise methodology on how the consultancy will be carried out, and a draft outline (table of contents) of the Vital Statistics training curriculum/manual.
Required Competencies:ย
Values:
Exemplifying integrity,ย Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,ย Embracing cultural diversity,ย Embracing changeย
Core Competencies:ย
Achieving results, Being accountable, Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen, Thinking analytically and strategically, Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationshipsHow to apply: Your application attachments must include: ย a brief motivation letter, detailed CV, concise methodology on how the consultancy will be carried out, and a draft outline (table of contents) of the Vital Statistics training curriculum/manual.
UNFPA Work Environment:
UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click hereย to learn more.
Disclaimer:
Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.ย
UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.ย
Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.