This Terms of Reference (ToR) document outlines the purpose and scope of a formative, forward-looking and learning-oriented Evaluation of UNICEF’s #ThisAbility Flagship Initiative in Malaysia. Further to the UNICEF’s State of the World’s Children on Children with Disability in 2013 that pointed to the need to reduce the vulnerability of children with disabilities, UNICEF Malaysia launched a number of initiatives to bring disability into the political and social discourse. Through partnerships with organisations and individuals UNICEF Malaysia created momentum to engage in dialogue on the rights of children with disabilities, and in 2016 #ThisAbility became a flagship priority within the new UNICEF Country Programme 2016-2020. During the flagship period UNICEF committed to make positive changes for children with disabilities in Malaysia so that they are free from discrimination and able to access services to support their growth, development and protection, in line with the United Nations (UN) Agenda 2030 principle of “leaving no one behind”.

With this backdrop, this evaluation seeks to examine #ThisAbility Flagship Initiative from 2016 until its current implementation, but it will also look at the evolution of UNICEF’s work on disability in Malaysia since 2013. The ToR present thus methodological options and operational modalities for an institutional contract of a team of two evaluation consultants (one international and one national). This independent evaluation is commissioned by UNICEF Malaysia; hence, UNICEF is looking for institutions with deep commitment to, and strong background in, the evaluation of social programmes, and particularly disability. Findings and recommendations from this evaluation will inform the direction #ThisAbility should take in the course of the remaining part of the Country Programme, including future evaluation of the flagship. Lessons from the evaluation may inform further cross-sectoral work and integration of disability across all UNICEF programmes, policy-advocacy for children with disability and the application of innovations. The evaluation is expected to being October 2018 and to be completed by January 2019.