Regional and Urban Planning Specialist

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Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.

A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.

Office/Unit/Project Description

UNDP, in partnership with the Government, the United Nations System, donors, and other development stakeholders supports stabilization, state-building, governance and development priorities in Afghanistan as well as support the country to achieve the SDGs. The Afghanistan Peace and Development Framework II (ANPDF-II) is fully cognizant of the cumulative effects of conflict, corruption, poverty and inequalities on the development trajectory of the country and how these pre-existing conditions have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 15 National Priority Programs (NPPs) are the key planning instruments through which the ANPDF-II aims to realize its vision and contribute to Afghanistan SDGs.

Several Afghanistan Sustainable Development Goals (A-SDGs) are already aligned with ANPDF II and are grounded in the 15 NPPs. With support from UNDP, the Government of Afghanistan has developed a national SDGs framework which needs further refined to address issues related to data gaps and enable proper monitoring and reporting of SDG targets in Afghanistan at the national and sub-national level.

UNDP Global Mission Statement

UNDP is the UN’s global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP is on the ground in 166 countries, working with national counterparts on their own solutions to global and national development challenges.

UNDP Afghanistan Mission Statement

UNDP helps countries to achieve sustainable development by eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, accelerating structural transformations for sustainable development and building resilience to crises and shock. In Afghanistan, a country in conflict, UNDP works for development and recovery choices that reduce vulnerability and contribute a development perspective to strengthen humanitarian and peace-building responses.

Organizational Context

UNDP is committed to supporting the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GoIRA) with the achievement of its core objectives of self-reliance and peace and helping it to meet the challenge of the transition from a war to a peace economy. To meet these goals, the Government has identified a comprehensive set of national priorities in the Afghanistan National Peace and Development Framework (ANPDF). To achieve the Agenda 2030, the Government has also developed a set of 16 Afghan Sustainable Development Goals (A-SDGs) and ten national priority programs (NPPs) to place the country on a path towards sustainable development. Progress towards self-reliance and peace across the country will be guided and measured by the targets and indicators described in each of these frameworks.

To support the Government’s efforts to implement the ANPDF, NPPs and the A-SDGs, UNDP offers a unique and highly integrated model for sustainable development based mainly on its traditional strengths in three main areas: 

1. Promoting Human Development to improve human wellbeing, resilience and support environmental sustainability.
2. Providing technical expertise in the use of a Multi-Dimensional Poverty approach to reduce vulnerabilities, inequalities, and exclusions.
3. Promoting Human Rights to ensure a fair distribution of development opportunities and benefits in social, political, economic, and environmental dimensions.

In addition, UNDP now has the mandate to support SDG Integration to ensure faster progress on sustainable development and can offer support in four areas, (1) Integrated policy and programming solutions, (2) SDG metrics, data and analysis using state-of-the-art tools for modelling and forecasting, (3) Knowledge and innovation and (4) SDG Financing services to help countries identify innovative ways to expand public and private contributions to reach the 2030 agenda. Lastly, the COVID-19 pandemic has also highlighted an urgent need to adopt a Systems Approach that is orientated towards building Resilience to future shocks through continuously reviewed scenario analyses.

UNDP has the comparative advantage to support cities to address pressing and complex urban issues, its interrelated development choices and consequences for sustainable development. UNDP’s ‘Sustainable Urbanization Strategy’ outlines its unique offers of approaches, mechanisms and tools that have been successful in defining and addressing gaps for the promotion of more competitive and inclusive cities, focusing on factors such as poverty reduction and sustainable livelihoods.

The strategy aims to achieve sustainable urban development that maintains and improves the quality of human life in social, economic and environmental terms while being keen on current needs as much as the future is achieved, and achieving safety and economic justice between regions and achieving compatibility with the environment in protecting natural resources, responsible consumption and rationalization of resources, in addition to achieving justice in Social life and achieving justice in securing public services and facilities for all segments of society.

The Sustainable Development Goal 11 obliges Governments to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. The government of Afghanistan enacted the Municipal Law to enhance urban governance and empower municipalities to deliver services to the citizen as called for in SDG 11.

The lack of leadership and the absence a comprehensive reform policy by the Government coupled with the complex and uncoordinated nature of support offered by various national and international actors   made very little tangible impact on development. Afghanistan with 34 provinces, 274 formal district and around 153 municipalities is still struggling to achieve near to prosperous life for its citizens as defined in SDGs.  Protracted conflict, political instability poverty, corruption, internal displacement, and challenges resulting from COVID 19 pandemic add to fragility in Afghanistan.  The municipal structure is still centralized, municipal election did not take place, municipalities still do not have enough resources to deliver better services to citizens, urban infrastructure is poor in general and in small municipalities does not exist, revenue management practices are not enough to generate sufficient revenue. Thus, corruption increased, citizen engagement in decision making is not at the level to reduce the gap between people and the government.

Afghanistan constitutions stipulates that municipalities are established to administer the city with elected mayor and municipal council. Accordingly, municipal law article 4, section 4 describes municipality as legal entity established to administer city affairs and provide services to their constituents, there are numerous challenges to achieve the above stated objectives.  

The government of Afghanistan with support of international partners has made progress in urban governance and development. The municipal law was enacted recently, and many other legal frameworks have been developed. However, Afghanistan has seen rapid urbanization due to migration to cities which has affected the already weak and under-resourced governance and delivery mechanism.   To realize the objective stated in SDGs 11 and the national priority programmes; local governance, to ensure efficient and effective services to the citizens and to create a more conducive environment for growth and development, urban governance will need to tackle the following obstacles.  

• Poor organizational and individual capacity to administer the municipality affairs or lack of commitment to enhance organizational performance.
• Corruption in different formats remains a key challenge to reform agenda in municipalities and poses challenges to service delivery and contributes to lack of trust in government.
• Inability of municipalities to effectively collect municipal revenues and keep proper hard and digital records to ensure transparency. 
• Disconnection between urban development planning and available budget/resources in the absence of fruitful participation or elected bodies
• Lack of openness to use of modern technologies and digital means in municipalities (e-governance)
• Lack of on ownership and participation of people in municipal planning and implementation
• Absence of an effective monitoring, oversight, accountability, and reporting mechanism

Corruption,old and outdated municipal practices, and poor capacity in municipalities have hindered effective service delivery. Each of these factors badly affected urban governance.  Poor managerial capacity and corruption at all level are the key municipal problems that have contributed to a dysfunctional municipal system.  Furthermore, dissatisfaction between citizens and municipalities due to absence of elected bodies and citizen representation in municipal planning and decision making widens the already existing gaps between people and the government. 

  Institutional Arrangement

The International Consultant will work under the direct supervision of the UNDP Resident Representative and in close collaboration with the Peace and Governance Portfolio, and Policy Lab and SDG Integration teams, as well as other units within the UNDP Country Office. UNDP Office will provide office space and internet facility, logistical and other support service including transport and security applicable to UNDP international personnel when based in Kabul. The consultant however is expected to bring his/her own laptop and mobile phone and meet local communications costs (UNDP will provide a local pre-paid SIM card). Costs to arrange meetings, workshops, travel costs to and DSA during field visits (if any), etc, shall be covered by UNDP Office and included in the contract.

Scope of Work

UNDP recognizes that lack of regional and urban planning is a major economic, social and environmental problem of concern in many countries in all regions, including Afghanistan. It contributes to food insecurity, famine and poverty, and can give rise to social, economic and political tensions that can cause conflicts, further poverty and land degradation.

The SDG Integration approach calls for testing innovative solutions to development challenges, therefore, the consultant (Regional and Urban Planning) will provide technical assistance focusing on designing a comprehensive Concept Note and Project Document on Regional and Urban Planning in Afghanistan. These documents will be in complement as well as synergizing with other relevant initiatives in the Country Office.

1. The consultant will work closely with UNDP Portfolios (Peace and Governance; Prosperity; Sustainability and SDG Integration) to develop a Urban and Regional Planning Inception Report to explain the approach and theory of change, which will lead to developing a concept note to be discussed with relevant partners and stakeholders and agreed upon with UNDP. The outcome of the consultation process will support the consultant to develop a full project document that will make use of UNDP available resources and guide notes on the process.
2. The consultant will conduct a thorough consultation with respective staff in the Country Office, especially those working on similar tasks, Afghanistan government officials including but not limited to the Ministry of Urban Development and Land, Provincial Municipalities, IDLG, Office of the first Vice President, and UN and other international and local organizations involved in this thematic area.
3. The consultant will be conducting a desk review of relevant documentation, both National (ARAZI Document) and UNDP specific documents i.e.  Regional Planning Strategy, to lead the and development of a comprehensive Concept Note according to UNDP templates. Based on the Concept Note develop the Project Document as per UNDP templates and guidelines
4. Designing the Concept Note and Project Document on Regional and Urban Planning in Afghanistan will be in complement as well as synergizing with other relevant initiatives in the Country Office. The design of the project will use a multi-level governance approach and will focus on urban-rural interlinkages centered around inclusive and sustainable development. 
5. Design a framework for capacity development would be created to enable local government to access technical support to enhance innovative approaches. As a part of an iterative process in (prodoc) development, interested donor’s funds could be used to create a small Preparatory Assistance project to test the approach in a specific region to serve as initial pilot locations,
6. The consultant will lead, with UNDP support, through the process of designing the project document, a thorough consultation/learning process with relevant ministries and Government bodies, the UN System, academia, civil society, and local communities to ensure inclusive development is achieved and sustained, and to support the goal of leaving no one behind. the Consultant will also stimulate partnerships and help leverage resources from relevant ongoing/planned programmes and projects.

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Maturity combined with tact and diplomacy;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Creates and promotes environment for open communications;
• Leverages conflict in the interest of UNDP and sets standards;
• Shares knowledge across the organization and builds a culture of knowledge sharing and learning