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Overview

Project Title

Collective Impact on Future of Work in Bangladesh part of the Leaving No One Behind Project

About UNCDF   

The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) assists developing countries in the development of their economies by supplementing existing sources of capital assistance by means of grants, loans and guarantees, first and foremost for the least developed among the developing countries.

As a Flagship Catalytic Blended Financing platform of the United Nations (UN), UNCDF utilizes its unique capability to crowd-in finance for the scaling of development impact where the needs are greatest—a capability rooted in UNCDF’s unique investment mandate—to support the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the realization of the Doha Programme of Action for the least developed countries, 2022–2031.

UNCDF’s expertise is in three primary areas of work: (1) development and financing of inclusive digital economies through a market development approach, largely driven by digital finance and innovation; (2) local development finance through fiscal decentralization (including local climate adaptation finance), municipal finance and structured project finance, to drive market transformation in local economic development; and (3) investment finance, to drive capital accumulation and market transformation in financially underserved areas, including investment sourcing, due diligence, de-risking, deployment of loans and guarantees, and crowding in of investment capital from domestic and international investors.

Project Description 

UNCDF initiated “Collective Impact on Future of Work in Bangladesh” project in January 2023, as part of their Leaving No One Behind (LNOB) in the Digital Era in Bangladesh project, with the primary objective to enhance financial independence and improving access to social protection schemes of Ready - Made Garments (RMG) workers (particularly women). The project has been designed to identify the gaps in the digital finance ecosystem and recommend a self-sustaining business model for improved usage of digital financial products and social protection services by the RMG manufacturing sector workers, specifically women workers.

UNCDF identified numerous social protection schemes for RMG workers, such as the Central Fund and Employee Injury Schemes, led by the Ministry of Labour and Employment with the support of major industry associations BGMEA and BKMEA, along with contributions from export-oriented suppliers. These schemes provide crucial support during various contingencies, including injuries, illnesses, maternity, and job loss due to factory closures.

However, despite the existence of these schemes, challenges persist. Workers exhibit limited awareness of available social protection programs, leading to low claim rates. Moreover, the complex claiming process, manual procedures, and challenges with data integration contribute to delays in benefit disbursement, averaging three to four months. For these reasons, UNCDF team in collaboration with an external agency developed and delivered multilayers awareness campaign among the RMG workers about social protection and welfare services provided by public and private stakeholders. The project helped increase awareness among workers, factory welfare teams, and workers' unions about existing schemes to boost application rates and knowledge retention.

The project implemented these campaigns in major RMG clusters in the Dhaka division (Savar, Gazipur, Narayanganj).

Scope of Services

Given this background, the UNCDF is seeking an individual consultant (IC). The consultant is expected to:

• Develop a detailed work plan outlining key deliverables, timelines, and the strategic approach for completing the assignment in line with project requirements.
• Conduct a comprehensive review of all existing project documentation, including reports, experience of the UNCDF grantees, and other relevant materials.
• Develop a learning module that effectively communicates the project’s impact on gender sensitization and awareness, weaving together lessons learned and broader project achievements.
• Oversee the editing and proofreading process to ensure the knowledge products are free of errors, consistent in style and tone, and meet the highest standards of quality.
• Design a presentation based on the learning module and conduct a workshop for UNCDF, grantees, and other stakeholders of the Collective Impact project. The workshop should focus on sharing insights, discussing the learning modules, and fostering an understanding of gender sensitization and awareness’ importance within the context of the project and the current scenario in the country.
• Finalize and share the learning modules, ensuring that they are polished, professional, and ready for dissemination and publication in both print and digital formats.

Expected Outputs / Deliverables and Payment Terms

The payment for the IC will be made upon the successful completion and approval of the the outlines deliverables. The following table outlines the tasks to be undertaken, the deliverables expected from each task, the target due dates, and the percentage of the contract price allocated to each deliverable. The total payment will be released in a single installment after the final report is submitted and approved.

Please refer to the attached TOR for more information. All requested documents including the Letter of Confirmation of Interest must be submitted to uncdf.procurement@uncdf.org

For any clarification please write to kullawan.arphasrirat@uncdf.org