Capacity and Comparative Assessment to Central Administration of Statistics towards Enhanced and Increased Access to Data and Statistics in Lebanon - UN Data and Statistics Working Group May 2018
Interested candidates who meet the above qualifications should apply on line by submitting an Updated CV detailing their work experience relevant to the consultancy requirements
The above document should be submitted to the following email address: [email protected] no later than June 5, 2018.
UNFPA will only be responsible to respond to those applicants submitting the above required documents and in which there is further interest.
Situation/ Problem Analysis
The Central Administration of Statistics (CAS) is a public administration within the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. Its primary mandate and mission are: a) to collect, process, produce, and disseminate social and economic statistics and national accounts (through administrative data and surveys), b) to harmonize statistical classifications and terms and as well to improve statistical methods for the benefit of public administrations, c) to provide technical supervision and coordination of statistics compiled by other public administrations, and d) to provide technical training to staff of various statistical units in public administrations.
CAS is organized in seven departments/units operating under the leadership of the Director General. These departments/units are the following: household and social statistics, statistics of the production sector, coordination and national accounts, fieldwork operations and regional statistics, dissemination and printing, IT, and administration.
Despite the high caliber of its staff, CAS has suffered from staff challenges – including constraints on temporary recruitment, absence of medium-to-long term budget, and with regard to autonomy and flexibility (to make decisions, particularly on administrative procedures). These constraints are factors to be reviewed when seeking to improve and develop the capacity of CAS. CAS would benefit from increased access to data produced by other agencies and entities, such as BDL, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Interior and Municipalities, etc. There is a need for long-term planning to meet on statistical needs. Coordination could be further developed with line ministries, research /academic institutions, and with UN/developmental entities.
The SDG National Committee established a Working Group on Data and Statistics, chaired by CAS, in March 2018. The TORs are currently being developed.
Data availability and access to information are major and cross-cutting challenges affecting evidence-based policy making in Lebanon. They also constrain the ability of citizens to hold government to account particularly in the process of economic and social reforms and the work for democratic consolidation as well as enable programme planners to monitor and evaluate deliverables and results.
The amount of timely, coherent, up-to-date, reliable and internationally comparable statistical data is limited due to weak overall statistical capacity and we can mention in particular data on poverty, income distribution, and economic measurements. The situation is highly problematic with respect to access to micro data from household surveys, labour market surveys, health surveys, etc. as the CAS’s current law doesn’t mention at all sharing of micro data There is heavy reliance on estimates and projections, namely in the absence of a population census (Lebanon is the only country in the world with no population census in more than 80 years). The use of the 2004–2005 Census of Buildings, Dwellings and Establishments (CBDE) as a sampling frame for large-scale surveys is a key challenge identified by CAS (noting that the CBDE requires continuous update).
In the past decade, UN agencies and WB as well as the private sector have undertaken a multitude of ad-hoc surveys through CAS and research and academic institutions; these surveys show a wide variety of methodological approaches, making the comparability of data sets challenging.
Objective and Expected Outcome of the Assessment
In view of the described problem and situation, it is evident that CAS as a national legal entity with a clear mandate is required to provide a functional institutional and organizational framework that guarantees and sustains the generation of comparable official statistics, based on international standards and best practice, in order to leverage, build and enjoy legitimacy and credibility among national and international stakeholders. Of key importance is to ensure CAS compliance with each of the ten UN Fundamental Principles for Official Statistics.
The objective of this consultancy is to carry out a review of the Central Administration of Statistics (CAS) as follows: a) to assess its governance, decision making, resources, capacities, and normative framework, b) to determine its needs, risks and challenges in assuming its role as mandated by law, and c) to inform priorities and mitigation measures and actions (including legal / regulatory, if relevant) to be able to fulfill its functions.
In carrying out the assessment, the consultant will review organizational set-ups of a few national statistical offices in the Arab region and globally to draw a comparison on similarities and discrepancies with CAS as well as identify and review best practice that could be replicated in Lebanon.
This comprehensive review and analysis of the institutional, organizational and technical capacities of CAS will ultimately contribute to the outcome that will deliver the following results: a) develop a sustainable professional statistical capacity, b) elaborate a medium/long-term statistical plan, and c) ensure that the institutional set-up is not hindered by administrative and/or legal hurdles.
Description of Tasks
To carry out this consultancy and in close collaboration with the recruiting agency and the UN Data and Statistics Working Group (DSWG) and CAS, a consultant will be contracted to carry out the following tasks:
- Prepare an action plan with timeline and milestones of activities to be undertaken under this assignment
- Conduct a thorough desk and literature review of existing documents and resources nationally, and also regionally and globally for comparative purposes
- Carry out a series of consultations namely with a) PMO, b) CAS management, technical, operational, and field staff, c) selected ministries/public administrations and other key stakeholders, d) DSWG, to generate relevant information, e) selected parliamentarians (2-3) and f) selected donors
- Draft a report in English consolidating and analysing findings and recommendations
- Facilitate a meeting to discuss findings and recommendations
- Finalize report based on inputs provided by CAS, PMO, and DSWG
- Develop a results-based action plan based on the main findings and recommendations
- Based on the findings and recommendations, develop key evidence-based messages to advocate for specific changes/reforms of actions and measures
Duration and timeline
This consultancy will be carried out over a period of 12 weeks from the signing of the contract.
Deliverables
The final outcome to be delivered by the consultant at the completion of this task would consist of the following to be approved by both CAS and the DSWG:
- A descriptive and analytical report in English including background, objectives, findings, analysis and recommendations in line with the TORs.The report is suggested to consist of 25-30 pages (without the annexes). Report final structure to be discussed with the consultant
- A results-based action plan in English based on the main findings and recommendations
- Key evidence-based messages based on the findings of the assessment to advocate for specific changes/reforms of actions and measures
- An executive summary of the assessment in Arabic and English and consisting of 5-6 pages highlighting primarily the key findings and recommendations
- A ppt in English highlighting the main findings and recommendations
Support Provided to the Consultant
The Data and Statistics Working Group (DSWG) is a coordination mechanism created in 2017 under the umbrella of the UN Resident Coordinator. The DSWG provides guidance and support for monitoring the 2017-2020 UN Strategic Framework progress, works collaboratively towards enhancing national statistical capacities, strengthens coordination for joint statistical undertaking, and provides a platform for information sharing among its members. The DSWG includes membership from around 16 UN agencies, funds and programmes and as well the WB and IMF. The DSWG is co-chaired by UNICEF/UNFPA with ESCWA acting as Secretariat.
Under this assessment, the contracting entities/DSWG will provide the following support:
- Avail relevant documents, resources, material to be reviewed
- Facilitate consultative process
- Organize dissemination meeting
- Review draft report and key messages and provide input
Required qualifications
- Advanced University degree in social/development sciences or other related areas
- Strong background in research methodology including development and adaptation of assessment tools
- Good knowledge and understanding of the Lebanese context and public administrations (including CAS)
- Extensive international and regional experience (more than 15 years) in providing overall leadership and advocacy on developmental issues
- Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to establish effective and working relations with other stakeholders
- Excellent report writing with analytical skills
- Good knowledge in facilitating high level meetings with critical thinking
- Good knowledge of the UN system as well as national counterparts
- Excellent written and spoken communication skills in Arabic and English including report writing
NOTE:
Daleel Madani, the civil society network, serves as a platform for organisations to post their professional opportunities, but is not involved in the recruitment process. The hiring organisation is solely responsible for the job and candidate selection.
