Consultancy – Support in the Integration of Climate, Energy, Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction (CEED) throughout the Development Processes of Strategy Notes and Country Programme Document – LACRO, Panama City

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, an advocate

 

How can you make a difference?

Background:

Latin America and the Caribbean is one of the world’s regions most vulnerable to a diversity of natural hazards which have in parts been intensified by climate change: hurricanes in Central America and the Caribbean; torrential rains and flash flooding across the continent; prolonged droughts in Central and South America; cold waves in the mountainous regions; large scale fires in South America; and volcanic activity and earthquakes along the Pacific coast and in the Caribbean. These disasters result in forced displacements and expose children to increased risk of exploitation and abuse. Environmental sustainability and climate change issues affect the realization of fundamental rights of the child. Clean and healthy environment that sustains life on earth is critical for children’s survival, health, development, and well-being. Climate change is an inter-generational equity issue as current and future generations of children and youth will be the most affected by lack of climate actions today. If current trends continue, key social sectors, land areas and ecosystems of Latin America and Caribbean region will be significantly affected by climate change, drastically reducing possibilities for human and social systems to adapt to the effects of climate change.

The LAC region is already grappling with high human and economic costs of climate related extreme and slow-onset events and their negative impacts on health, education, food, nutrition, water resources, fisheries, cities, and migration. The COVID-19 epidemic has hit hard in the region, creating additional social and economic strains to children, adolescents, and their families as well as on related services and systems. Countries in the region may be faced with having to confront a major climate-related disaster at a time when they are firmly focused on COVID-19 response and recovery.

As crises have multiplied, the international community is considering what could be achieved if global investments were directed towards reducing risks, maintaining and fostering peace, averting crisis before it manifests, and seizing opportunities for environmentally sustainable development and the empowerment of young people. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development builds upon the Millennium Development Goals, the Hyogo Framework for Action and global agreements like the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) 2015–2030 and the Paris Agreement, that inspire and necessitate stronger risk-informed programming and promoting environmentally sustainable development. The approach is increasingly integrated, recognizing the mutually reinforcing nature of economic, social and environmental objectives in inclusive societies.

The UNICEF Country Programme Document (CPD) summarizes UNICEF’s contribution to national efforts to achieve the child-related goals in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to fulfill obligations towards the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The CPD is based on national development priorities and aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, the UNICEF Strategic Plan 2018-2021, Gender Action Plan 2018-2021 and regional priorities.

The CPD is informed by the Situation Analysis, Gender Programmatic Review, multi-hazard risk or conflict analyses, recommendations from human rights treaty bodies and the Universal Periodic Review; as well as the achievements and lessons learned of previous cooperation programme.

The UNICEF Strategic Plan 2018–2021 (SP) outlines efforts to foster resilient development through risk-informed programming – including investment in national and sub-national risk assessments and preparedness. The SP output related to risk reduction is Focus Area 4, Every Child Lives in a Safe and Clean Environment, which “confirms the organization’s commitment to supporting countries to adopt child-sensitive policies, strategies and programmes that address risks associated with disasters, climate, conflict and public health emergencies”. The SP outlines a specific ‘change strategy’ (1.c.1) focused on enhancing coherence and connectedness between at-scale capacity for humanitarian action and longer-term programming, including through “risk-informed programme design”.

UNICEF’s Procedure on Linking Humanitarian and Development Programming (May 2019) made risk-informed programming, preparedness, and system-strengthening mandatory and set out organizational standards for measuring and monitoring progress at country and global levels.

The risk of suffering a disaster or humanitarian crisis in LAC will be a constant factor to take into account when programming, urging the need for climate change adaptation, risk management, and resilience.
The new generation of CPD in the region will incorporate Humanitarian Action as critical cross sectoral intervention: (a) health, education, child protection and social protection system strengthening for resilience (Climate, Energy, Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction) and emergency preparedness, (b) capacity development of service providers to reach the most excluded and vulnerable children with quality programmes, (c) strengthening the capacities of children, families and communities for engagement in monitoring.

“Risk-informed programming” refers to development humanitarian programming that is informed by a robust risk analysis and characterized by a proactive commitment to reduce, mitigate or manage risk and its impacts. UNICEF is particularly concerned with identifying risks that might erode development progress, deepen deprivation or lead to humanitarian crisis affecting children and vulnerable groups.

The guidance for Risk-informed programming recognizes that strategic planning is a dynamic and iterative process that must adapt to local requirements and opportunities. To be most influential, GRIP is best applied during the design of new UNICEF Country Programmes of Cooperation and United Nations Development Assistance Frameworks and/or as a means to guide major programme reviews that may result in the authorization of adjustments to programmes and partnerships.

To further support these efforts, LACRO has developed a Regional Strategic Framework on Climate Actions for Children. Additionally, a “Child Inclusive Resilient Development – Key Actions for Governments” was developed to support Country Programmes. In that sense, COs that are in CPD revision or initial processes, have been incorporating “the climate and risk lens”, as such, several countries in the region already carried out situational analysis on climate landscape and children including disaster risk analysis in order to position of and engage to advance climate and disaster risk reduction actions for children.

In 2021 there will be 14 country offices (Executive Board 2022: Belize, ECA, Brazil, El Salvador, Guyana, Surinam, Peru, Haiti, Jamaica, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador Dominican Republic) that either will continue developing or will start their CPD development – including UNDAF/ CCA. In the lead to the CPD development several processes and products are carried and including the SitAn, key evaluations and studies (CLAC, Risk Analysis, etc.) including events like MTR and SMR where discussion pre-empted the development of the CPD. The roadmap for CPD development as agreed and in line with the revised CPD guidelines (CF/PD/PRO/2014-002; Addendum to CF/PD/PRO/2013-005) and December 2016 Guidance on the Development of Programme Strategy Notes.

Purpose of Assignment:

Under the guidance from the Climate and DRR Regional Specialist, the consultant will provide technical support to UNICEF COs to develop and apply localized CEED analysis for the development of adjustment of UNICEF country programmes, including CO Climate, Environment, Energy and Disaster Risk (CEED) informed situation analysis exercises, using different tools (such as SitAn modules, GRIP, CLAC) and the application of climate impact and disaster risk information in programme documents such as Strategic Notes, Country Programme Documents, and the facilitation of meetings / sessions (including on Guidance for Risk Informed Programming (GRIP) and RBM-GRIP) to enhance the use of risk information for child sensitive risk-informed programming by UNICEF in consultation with other entities.

Scope of Work:

Provide technical support to enhance the use of risk information and analysis for child sensitive risk-informed programming, including CO risk-informed situation analysis exercises, using different tools and the application of risk information in programme documents such as Strategic Notes, Country Programme Documents, and the facilitation of GRIP/RBM trainings (for a maximum of 100 working days and 14 COs).

• Consult with LACRO SCE and PME specialists to prepare to support COs events, sessions and documents revisions.
• Prepare and lead the CEED component in any session or training.
• Support and facilitate the integration of CEED in any Strategic Moment of Reflection and reporting;
• Support CO with the CEED integration into the Theory of Change workshops;
• Support CO in coordinating consultation on theory of change as well as review drafts the Programme Strategy Notes to ensure coherence and adherence to the UNICEF relevant guidelines;
• Revise the CPD, including the Results and Resources Framework and the Costed Evaluation Plan, in line with UNICEF guidelines, including comments from country office, regional office and HQs;
• Support CO to develop risk mitigations strategies to be incorporated in CPMP;
• Support LACRO CEED team to develop new ROMP based on advisory work with CO on CPD development and in line with new SP.

Expected products

Activity of the consultancy	Description	Verifiable	Deliverables
Technical support provided to UNICEF CO’s undertaking a child sensitive climate impact and disaster risk analysis and developing their risk informed programmes.	Maximum of 100 working days support provided to UNICEF CO’s to undertake and apply child sensitive analysis for CEED programming, through teleconferences and other exchanges, and the revision of analysis and other documentation, and the facilitation of  training sessions to enhance the use of CEED for different programmatic areas; refinement and adaptation of meeting methodology and materials to country contexts.	Reports documenting the provided support through teleconferences and to revision of documents, among others. Revised meeting materials and hand-outs adjusted to the context; Training reports with main findings and recommendations[1].	Progress reports (maximum 5 pages) on the development of child sensitive climate impact and opportunity (including disaster risk) analysis and its application to CEED programming and the way forward.  Training reports with main findings and recommendations.

 

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Advanced degree in Development, Economics, Social Science or Related Field;
• Sound and up to-date knowledge of UNICEF policies and practices in programme development;
• At least eight years in the relevant programmatic CEED fields;
• Experience in preparing the Country Programme related documents an asset;
• Strong background on Results-Based Management and development of Theory of Change;
• Proven ability to exercise analytical and conceptual thinking;
• Proven skills in facilitation and communication;
• Proven capacity for teamwork;
• Ability to express clearly and concisely ideas and concepts in written and oral form;
• Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English and Spanish. Computer skills, including internet navigation, and various office applications.

Languages:

Fully fluent in English and Spanish

Duration

The consultant will work for 100 days over the period March to October 2021. The exact schedule of activities will be agreed after discussions with the consultant.

Place of work:

The Consultant can work from his/her home base

Supervision:

The Consultant will work under supervision of the CC and DRR Specialist in UNICEF Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (LACRO).

How to apply:

Application should be submitted online and should include CV, cover letter and financial proposal. Qualified candidates are requested to submit daily fees in their financial proposal.

 

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

 

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UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

 

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.