National Consultant – Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) Survey on At-Risk Youth Empowerment and Social Cohesion in Liberia
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
Consultant Consultancy Locallly Recruited The Position:
Liberia’s civil war, which ended two decades ago, left deep socio-economic divisions. Many young people who were either born and/ or grew up during the conflict continue to feel marginalized from peace dividends and economic opportunities. The use of illicit drugs has risen sharply, with an estimated 30% of Liberian youth regularly using illicit drugs and substances contributing to rising violence, crime, and community tensions.
The Disarmament, Demobilization, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration (DDRR) program, which ended in 2009, did not adequately address drug use, mental health, or psychosocial needs, leading to an intergenerational cycle of addiction and vulnerability. A 2022 Ministry of Youth and Sports, UNICEF and UNFPA assessment estimated that two in every ten young people abuse drugs. Given that 75% of Liberia’s population is under 35, substance abuse poses serious threats to public health, peace, and security.
In response, the Government of Liberia and partners launched the At-Risk Youth Empowerment Programme (AR-YEP) in June 2022 under the theme “Reclaiming Our Youth for a Better Liberia.” This ten-year initiative, now integrated into the National Drug and Substance Abuse Programme (NADSAP), seeks to rehabilitate and reintegrate youth struggling with drug use within the 15 political subdivisions.
In 2023, with funding from the UN Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), the UN and the Government of Liberia initiated the project “Enhancing Social Cohesion through Rehabilitation and Empowerment of Marginalized Youth in Liberia.” Jointly implemented by UNICEF, WHO, and UNFPA, the project targets Montserrado and Grand Bassa counties, focusing on building agency and resilience of marginalized youth, promoting trust and communication between youth and communities and strengthening peacebuilding and social cohesion
To inform programming , the project will conduct a Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) Survey to generate evidence on youth perceptions, community attitudes, and behavioral practices related to illicit drug and substance use, rehabilitation, reintegration, peacebuilding and social cohesion.
How you can make a difference:
UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The UNFPA Strategic Plan for 2026-2029 articulates the organization’s response to a complex global environment, providing a roadmap for resilience and renewal. It is designed to accelerate the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This mandate is pursued through a focus on four interconnected outcomes: ending the unmet need for family planning; ending preventable maternal deaths; ending gender-based violence and harmful practices; and adapting to demographic change through evidence and rights-based policies.
In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.
UNFPA is seeking candidates who transform, inspire, and deliver high-impact and sustained results and ensure effective external relations, communications, and partnership-building and resource mobilization in a rapidly changing development and funding landscape. We need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them, and who commit to delivering excellence in programme results.
Job Purpose:
The KAP Survey will provide baseline evidence and generate results at outcome levels to:
● Inform the design of future interventions at national and sub-national levels.
● Strengthen advocacy with government, development partners, and communities by providing credible data.
● Identify misconceptions, stigmas, and harmful practices that perpetuate youth marginalization.
● Capture positive community-driven practices that can be scaled up.
● Establish benchmarks for monitoring progress and evaluating impact
Objective:
The overall objective is to generate evidence on knowledge, attitudes, and practices relating to at-risk youth, illicit drug use, rehabilitation, reintegration, and peacebuilding and social cohesion.
Specific objectives include:
● Assess knowledge of youth and communities on drug prevention, rehabilitation services, and referral pathways.
● Explore attitudes of communities, institutions, and youth toward reintegration, peacebuilding, and social cohesion
● Identify prevailing practices around drug use, coping strategies, and social reintegration
● Generate sex- and age-disaggregated data to identify vulnerabilities and opportunities.
● Provide actionable recommendations for programme design, advocacy, and policy engagement.
Scope and Nature:
The survey will cover Montserrado and Grand Bassa Counties and target:
● Marginalized youth (including active users and those in recovery), their families, and peer groups.
● Communities where at-risk youth reside, including local leaders, traditional and religious actors.
● Grass-roots organizations such as youth and women-led CBOs and CSOs.
● Institutional actors: Ministry of Gender and Children and Social Protection, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Youth and Sports, law enforcement (LNP, LDEA, LIS), Justice actors, County Superintendents and service providers
Key Tasks:
The consultant will:
1. Conduct an inception phase, including a desk review of relevant literature and programme documents.
2. Develop survey methodology and tools
3. Train and supervise enumerators.
4. Lead quantitative and qualitative data collection.
5. Ensure adherence to ethical standards, confidentiality, and informed consent.
6. Analyze data disaggregated by age, sex, disability status, and geography.
7. Prepare the final KAP Survey Report with actionable recommendations.
8. Present findings at a stakeholders validation workshop.
9. Incorporate stakeholders feedback and finalize;
Deliverables:
Methodology:
Qualifications and Experience:
Master’s degree in social sciences, public health, behavioral sciences, or related fields.
Knowledge and Experience:
● 5–7 years’ experience in research, monitoring & evaluation, or surveys in development, humanitarian, or public health contexts
● Proven track record in conducting KAP surveys, baseline studies, or social/health research.
● Expertise in both quantitative and qualitative research methods.
● Experience working with At Risk youth, marginalized groups, and survivors of SGBV.
● Strong knowledge of Liberia’s socio-political and cultural context.
● Proficiency with data collection and analysis tools (Kobo Toolbox, ODK, SPSS, Stata, R, NVivo).
● Familiarity with ethical research standards in social research.
● Excellent analytical, writing, and presentation skills.
● Strong analytical and reporting skills, with the ability to translate data into practical recommendations.
● Excellent communication and facilitation skills, including training enumerators.
● Ability to work independently and meet tight deadlines.
● Cultural sensitivity and ability to engage diverse stakeholders
Languages:
English
Duration of the work:
The consultancy will last 45 days from contract signing to the delivery of the final report (October to November 15, 2025)
Supervisory arrangements:
The consultant will work under the supervision of the UNFPA Liberia Data and Evidence Specialist in close coordination with the Programme Coordinator, At-Risk Youth Joint Programme.
Remuneration and Expenses:
The payment for consultancy services terms will be made in three instalments:
1. First installment (30%): Due upon submission of an Inception Report (detailing methodology, sampling, tools, and work plan), completion of the stakeholder engagement workshop, and development of data collection tools (questionnaires).
2. Second installment (30%): Due upon submission of draft report and presentation of key survey findings
3. Final payment (40%): Due upon submission of validated and approved final survey report.
UNFPA will cover all costs related to the delivery of this assignment, including field travel (DSA) and logistics within the two counties (Grand Bassa and Montserrado).
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. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. 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 here to learn more.
Disclaimer:
Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.
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.
