UNFPA hereby solicits a quotation for the following service: “Support to development of the Special Report on disability-based discrimination including analyses of intersectionality and denial of reasonable accommodation in the area of employment”
UNFPA Serbia is implementing the Joint Project “Strengthening Equality and Rights, Bolstering Inclusive Action”, aiming at addressing the gaps in inclusive policies and systems that cater to the rights and needs of persons with disabilities. Project focuses on the inconsistencies in current capacity of local and national stakeholders that hinder the effective realization of disability rights but also compromise Serbia’s compliance with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is financed through the UN Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (PRPD) and implemented by UN Women, UNDP and UNFPA, jointly with the Government of Serbia and other national partners.
About UNFPA
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is the lead United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency for ensuring rights and choices of all. The strategic goal of UNFPA is to achieve the three transformative results: ending unmet need for family planning, ending maternal death, and ending violence and harmful practices against women and girls. In pursuing its goal, UNFPA has been guided by the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action (1994), the Millennium Development Goals (2000) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2015).
Service Requirements
Background information:
According to the latest available results of the Census from 2022, there are 356,404 people with disabilities over the age of two living in the Republic of Serbia, which is 5.5% of the total population.
Situation analysis conducted in the preparatory phase of the joint project showed that although Serbia has introduced and adopted numerous modern legislation and strategic documents for the equality and protection of persons with disabilities, there are still many barriers to equal participation, social inclusion, and the realization of the rights of persons with disabilities.
Serbia signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities UNCRPD in December 2007 without any declarations, reservations, or objections, and ratified it in May 2009. UNCRPD should be an integral part of the legal system in the Republic of Serbia and applied directly. The initial report on the implementation of the CRPD was deposited at the UN on 21 June 2014, while concluding observations by the CRPD Committee on the initial report were received in April 2016, with a total of 32 recommendations for implementation improvement. However, the independent monitoring report found that the majority of recommendations are implemented either partially or not implemented at all.
The Law on the Prevention of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (last changes in 2016) does not recognize denial of reasonable accommodation as a discrimination on the grounds of disability. The same is with the Law on the Prohibition of Discrimination (last changed in 2021).
The Commissioner for Protection of Equality, established under anti-discrimination law, addresses discrimination complaints, including disability-based ones. The Commissioner is mandated to determine disability-based discrimination, identify intersectional discrimination and denial of reasonable accommodation, and raise awareness of citizens and representatives of institutions and CSOs about the concept and manifestations of discrimination, The Commissioner for Protection of Equality published reports on discrimination against persons with disabilities and accessibility of state institutions. The Commissioners’s regular annual reports also highlight disability issues. However, in the decisions on discrimination complaints, the institution does not apply CRPD norms and standards directly and consistently as they relate to denial of reasonable accommodation.
Also, the OPDs and persons with disabilities and their representative organizations do not sufficiently use complaint mechanisms of the independent human rights and equality institutions and do not have sufficient knowledge to apply the CRPD provisions on intersectionality and reasonable accommodation, nor to use tools for responding in cases of discrimination.
The 2022 annual report by the Commissioner for Equality Protection also underscores that persons with disabilities are among the most marginalized in Serbian society due to restricted access to rights, prevalent stereotypes, and their socio-economic status, exposing them to substantial discrimination. In 2022 the Commissioner received 117 complaints of discrimination based on disability in 2022, with the majority (60%) relating to public service access or using facilities and areas, which was followed by complaints for procedures before public authorities, education and vocational training, labour and employment, health care and social welfare. Half of these complaints originated from civil society organizations, indicating a need to empower persons with disabilities to use this mechanism more effectively. Key concerns include limited employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, especially in the public sector, challenges in achieving inclusive education, unequal access to higher education, and disparities in social protection services.
In 2024, UNFPA partnered with the Office of the Commissioner for Protection of Equality to address the need for a detailed and focused analysis converted into the first special report on disability-based discrimination that includes analyses of intersectionality and denial of reasonable accommodation in the area of employment as grounds of discrimination. The report should provide a thorough analysis and way forward for improving the alignment of the legal and policy framework with the standards set by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
UNFPA is looking to engage a legal entity to support the development of a comprehensive special report on disability-based discrimination in Serbia, focusing on the intersectionality and denial of reasonable accommodation in the area of employment and other areas of relevance for the topic.
The services should include the successful execution of several key activities, including methodology development, primary data collection, and report development.
Objective(s)/Task(s):
The selected entity/agency is expected to execute the following tasks/activities:
Task 1. Desk review of existing normative framework and published analyses of disability-based discrimination in relevant areas with particular focus on intersectionality and denial of reasonable accommodation.
This task involves analyzing existing laws, policies, and published reports related to disability-based discrimination in Serbia, to identify gaps and areas needing improvement, in various areas including: education and professional rehabilitation, health and social protection services, labour and employment and reasonable accommodation.
Task 2. Development of the methodology proposal of the assessment of disability-based discrimination.
Methodology should focus on providing a clear framework for assessment, including qualitative/quantitative methods for data collection, main stakeholders to be contacted for data collection, criteria for assessment of current practices and areas for improvement.
Task 3. Primary data collection and processing and analysis of current practices related to intersectionality and denial of reasonable accommodation.
This task include research/data collection and analysis in line with agreed methodology.
Task 4. Validation of findings with relevant stakeholders.
Organize validation with key stakeholders, including representatives from the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs (MoLEVSA), the National Organization of Persons with Disabilities of Serbia (NOOIS), OPDs, the Chamber of Commerce, the Union of Employers, independent experts, international partners and other partners relevant for the issue, as agreed with the Commissioner for the protection of Equality etc. This task involves presenting the draft findings, as well as gathering stakeholders feedback, and recommendations.
Task 5. Preparation of Draft report with recommendations.
The draft report should include desk review, primary research findings, conclusions and recommendation, including recommendations from validation workshop.
Task 6. Finalization of the research report with recommendations.
The final report should provide comprehensive and actionable recommendations for improving the legal and policy frameworks in line with CRPD standards.
Outputs/Deliverables:
Deliverable 1: Desk Review Report and Methodology design (to be completed by 5 September 2024);
Deliverable 2: Primary data collection and processing completed and findings formulated (to be completed by 31 October 2024);
Deliverable 3: Draft Report with Recommendations (to be completed by 30 November 2024);
Deliverable 4: Final Report with Recommendation (to be completed by 15 February 2025).
Timing / Schedule:
Expected duration from July 2024 to February 2025.
A detailed working schedule will be agreed upon at the start of the assignment in consultation with the UNFPA Country Office.
The entity will work closely with the Office of the Commissioner for Protection of Equality and UNFPA SRH and Youth Analyst and UNFPA Youth Project Assistant. All tasks need to be agreed and accepted by the Office of the Commissioner for Protection of Equality and relevant UNFPA Serbia Country Office staff.
For all delays in the completion of the tasks, the contractor should notify the UNFPA SRH and Youth Analyst and the UNFPA Serbia Head of Office, stating the reasons for the delay and proposing alternative actions or dates for completion of the deliverable.
Instructions for submission
Proposals should be prepared based on the guidelines set forth in the document, along with a properly filled out and signed price quotation form and are to be sent by email to the contact persons indicated below no later than: July 18, 2024, end of the day.
Please note the following guidelines for electronic submissions:
The following reference must be included in the email subject line: RFQ Nº UNFPA/SRB/RFQ/24/001 – [“Support to development of the Special Report on disability-based discrimination”] Proposals, including both technical and financial proposals, that do not contain the correct email subject line may be overlooked by the procurement officer and therefore not considered.
The total email size may not exceed 20 MB (including email body, encoded attachments and headers). Where the technical details are in large electronic files, it is recommended that these be sent separately before the deadline.
Any quotation submitted will be regarded as an offer by the bidder and does not constitute or imply the acceptance of any quotation by UNFPA. UNFPA is under no obligation to award a contract to any bidder as a result of this RFQ.
The deadline for submission of questions is July 4, 2024, 12:00 CET. Questions will be answered in writing and shared with all parties as soon as possible after this deadline.
Kindly find Price quotation form and other relevant information in the attached file.