Contract Duration - 4.37 months

Working arrangement - Remote work, Education Section, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

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TERMS OF REFERENCE

The early years of life represent a unique and critical window for human development, during which the foundations for lifelong learning, health, behavior, well-being, and productivity are established. During the first years of life, rapid brain development shapes children’s cognitive, emotional, social, and language capacities, with long-term implications for educational achievement, employability, health outcomes, and social participation. Experiences during this period significantly influence children’s ability to acquire the competencies and skills necessary to thrive in increasingly knowledge-based and rapidly changing societies.

Investing in quality Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), particularly for children below the age of three, is therefore both a social and economic imperative. High-quality early years services support the development of essential 21st-century competencies, including creativity, communication, critical thinking, autonomy, collaboration, and problemsolving skills. These capacities are formed progressively from the earliest stages o life and constitute the basis for lifelong learning and active participation in society and the economy.

Evidence consistently demonstrates that participation in quality ECCE programmes, especially when combined with positive caregiving environments, parenting support, adequate nutrition, health services, and social protection, produces significant developmental benefits for children and families. Such investments contribute to improved school readiness and learning outcomes, better physical and mental health, increased future productivity, and stronger social cohesion. They also generate substantial economic returns for countries by strengthening human capital and reducing long-term social and economic costs.

Early investment is particularly important for children exposed to poverty, disability, social exclusion, family vulnerability, or other forms of disadvantage. Children growing up in adverse conditions often face significant barriers in accessing early learning opportunities and acquiring foundational competencies. Well-designed and inclusive ECCE systems can play a transformative role in reducing developmental inequalities from the earliest stages of life and contribute to breaking intergenerational cycles of poverty and exclusion.

Research also highlights the important role that accessible childcare and early education services play in supporting women’s participation in the labour market. ECCE services for children under the age of three, when combined with adequate parental leave policies and family-friendly workplace arrangements, can significantly facilitate women’s access to decent employment and economic participation.

Children and young people constitute a significant share of the population in Uzbekistan. Nearly one-third of the population is under 18 years old, including approximately 4.4 million children under the age of five. These demographic trends provide important opportunities for the country to benefit from a potential demographic dividend over the coming decades, while also placing increasing pressure on public systems and social services.

In recent years, Uzbekistan has undertaken major reforms and investments across education, health, and social protection sectors, with notable progress in expanding access to preschool education. Preschool enrolment increased from below 30 per cent to approximately 78 per cent within less than a decade, supported by significant public investment and diversification of service delivery models. Important progress has also been achieved in strengthening systems supporting vulnerable children and families, particularly through the expansion of community-based social services and integrated support mechanisms under the National Agency for Social Protection (NASP), notably for children with disabilities.

Despite these advances, services for children aged 0–3 remain limited and fragmented. Early childcare and stimulation services are insufficiently developed, parenting support interventions remain fragmented across sectors, and unified quality standards, curricula, and workforce qualifications are still largely absent. Existing childcare and daycare initiatives, including emerging pilot models, provide promising entry points but require further strengthening, systematization, and scaling.

The National Early Childhood Development Strategic Framework for Uzbekistan 2026–2030 identifies the development of the 0–3 ECCE system as a strategic priority. In particular, Action 4.4.1 calls for the analysis of existing services, identification of gaps, and development of options to expand equitable and quality ECCE provision for younger children, including through existing and new service models implemented under the leadership of relevant national institutions.

The objective of this consultancy is therefore to conduct a targeted Situation Analysis (SITAN) of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) services for children aged 0–3, and to develop a prioritized Action Plan to support the expansion of equitable, quality, and sustainable services in line with the joint Smart-Ed project activities, supported by Islamic Development Bank, Global Partnership for Education and Arab Coordination Group.

The analysis will be undertaken within the framework of the draft National Early Childhood Development Strategic Framework 2026–2030, which has been developed by UNICEF in close collaboration with Government of Uzbekistan, and it will assess how ECCE services for children aged 0–3 interact with broader ECD interventions, including parenting support, health, nutrition, disability inclusion, and social protection services. Particular attention should be given to interventions supporting children during the first 1,000 days of life, recognizing this period as the most critical window for human development.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: TMC0003570 External ToR.pdf

Minimum Qualification required:

Education

Masters degree or higher) in Early Childhood Development, Education, Social Policy, or related fields.

Work experience

• Minimum 10 years of progressively relevant professional experience in Early Childhood Development (ECD)/Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) analysis, sector planning, strategy development, and policy advisory support, including specific experience related to children aged 0–3;

• Demonstrated experience conducting situation analyses, sector reviews, policy assessments, and development of strategic or operational action plans;

• Strong experience in data analysis, analytical reporting, and synthesis of quantitative and qualitative evidence;

• Demonstrated expertise in qualitative research methodologies and stakeholder consultations;

• Previous professional experience in Uzbekistan or Central Asia is considered a strong asset.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills

• Excellent analytical, conceptual, and strategic thinking skills;

• Strong drafting and communication skills in English;

• Ability to translate analytical findings into operational and policy-oriented recommendations;

• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder engagement skills.

Language Requirements

Proficient English

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal, TMS (Talent Management System):

An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
Cover letter
A separate financial proposal TMC0003570 Financial proposal.docx

Remarks:

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

International Consultancy Situation Analysis and Action Plan for Early Childhood Care and Education, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Education section, 4.37 months, Remote work