BBRSO117999: Consultancy for a Gender Responsive Evaluation of the Impact of Structural Adjustment Programmes and relevant National Policies on Small Holder Famers, Fisherfolk and Small Busi

Contract

This is a International Consultant contract. More about International Consultant contracts.

Background

To apply, interested persons should upload the combined* Technical Proposal/Methodology (if applicable), CV and Offeror’s Letter to “UNDP Jobs” by navigating to the link below and clicking “APPLY NOW”, no later than the date indicated on the “UNDP Jobs” website. Applications submitted via email will not be accepted**: -

UNDP Job Site – https://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?cur_job_id=95066 (cut and paste into browser address bar if the link does not work)

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NOTE: The Financial Proposal should not be uploaded to “UNDP Jobs” **.

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The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development presents a major opportunity for Caribbean countries to make an effective transition to balanced, holistic, and people-centered growth, thereby advancing in a comprehensive manner, a profound agenda through an inclusive, resilient, SDG-consistent and sustainable development strategy and approach. The broader scope of the SDG agenda is particularly important for the Caribbean, as a strategy that pursues goals comprehensively is indeed a pre-requisite for an effective ‘Human Security’ approach.

However, in the Caribbean, the context for such strategy and for achieving these goals is challenging, and increasingly so. Despite middle income status and medium to high human development classification, the region has recently experienced poor growth performance (also because of recurrent and devastating natural disasters) resulting in the gradual build-up of unsustainable levels of debt, and thereby creating the unavoidable requirement for structural adjustment programmes and initiatives that risk turning back the clock on recent human security gains. In addition, the high level of accumulated debt contributes to poor regional GDP performance and diverts resources to amortization and interest payments, and thus away from health, education, infrastructure, administration of justice, social protection, food and nutrition security and other areas that are drivers of growth and development and determinants of human security.

Growing poverty and income inequality also represent major challenges, with joblessness and vulnerability disproportionately affecting marginalized groups, and in particular youth. While the region has made significant advances in addressing gender inequality, this remains a major challenge and has cross-cutting negative impacts. The result is that the Caribbean suffers both ‘feminization’ and ‘juvenilization’ of poverty, with the flip side of high levels of crime involving youth.

Climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, reducing the cost of energy and strengthening sustainable agriculture and food security represent additional major challenges and are key to sustainability and growth, and thus human security.

Similar priority issues have been confirmed in the Caribbean “Barbados Plan of Action” (BPA) and the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action Pathway (the SAMOA Pathway referred to above) adopted at the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing in Samoa in September 2014. The Plan of Action also stresses the interconnection of priorities, as does the Human Security concept.

In response to the above, the UNDP Multi-country Office for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean is a participating agency in the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security project Building Effective Resilience for Human Security in the Caribbean Countries: The Imperative of Gender Equality and Women Empowerment in a Strengthened Agriculture (and related Agri/Fisheries Small Business) Sector.

The project aims through a combination of policy reform advocacy, technical support, and services to contribute to human security for farmers and small agro-and fisheries business entrepreneurs, many of whom are women.

Three categories of beneficiaries will benefit from the project’s activities through direct households and community support in Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada and Saint Lucia for a duration of 3-years. Small grant support will be offered for livelihoods development and will target approximately 2,500 farmers, fisherfolks and small-business entrepreneurs with at least 50% women and 25% under 40 years, reaching 12,500 people. Pilot and demonstration activities in areas of disaster preparedness and mitigation, climate change adaptation and value chain development will be implemented in 50 community groups, reaching 30,000 people. The policy reform and institutional strengthening contribution of the project, will aim to improve the environment for institutional farming, fishing and fisheries sectors related small-business sectors throughout the 14 CARICOM countries, positively impacting the livelihoods of those who directly and indirectly depend on these sectors. Associated Ministries and the National Gender Machineries and Focal Points will also become beneficiaries.

Successes from the project will provide major impetuses for a broader recognition of the priorities of gender equality and women empowerment for enhanced resilience, stronger economic growth, a more inclusive society and strengthened human security.

Duties and Responsibilities

The contractor is expected to work collaboratively with other teams conducting work on behalf of UNDP as directed, or in/on behalf of the beneficiary countries as determined important by national governments or UNDP. Outlined below are the expected task components for this consultancy.

The Individual Contractor is responsible for supporting the implementation of activities towards the achievement of the project Building Effective Resilience for Human Security in the Caribbean Countries - The Imperative of Gender Equality and Women Empowerment in a Strengthened Agriculture (and related Agri/Fisheries Small Business) Sector as follows:

Scope of Works

1. Develop a methodology and undertake a gender responsive study of the impact of structural adjustment proposals and plans on the agriculture and fisheries sector with a focus on women farmers and small business entrepreneurs in particular:

• Develop a comprehensive situational analysis which will include an overview ofinterventions recently undertaken in relation to mainstreaming gender equality into Poverty Reduction Strategies (PRSPS) and structural adjustment policies (SAPS), as well, as the work undertaken by the World Bank and the IMF in general. Additionally, attention to the COVID19 pandemic, as well as results/information gathered from other project activities undertaken by UN Women and FAO, including the project activity for the review of national agriculture and small business support programmes and incentive schemes undertaken by UN Women and the corresponding relevant work undertaken by the FAO must be included. Gender-sensitive value chain analysis/assessments undertaken by FAO are also to be included in the situational analysis
• Undertake a desk review on the impacts of structural adjustment policy and plans on women and men in the agricultural and fisheries sectors (prioritized value chains to be included), to be complimented by the development and implementation of qualitative data collection tools to support participatory research for evidence-based decision making on structural adjustment programme revisions
• The study will include a quantifiable economic assessment of the value-added of the inclusion of greater gender equality and women’s economic empowerment into the design and implementation of structural adjustment programmes. Further, it will support a case for the systematic inclusion of gender equality and women’s economic empowerment objectives in the resilience building and human security strategies in the Caribbean
• Using the findings and recommendations of the impact and economic study, prepare Advisory Notes for use by national partners. These Advisory Notes will be used to support the development and implementation of national advocacy activities in order to mitigate the negative impacts of structural adjustment programmes on smallholder farmers, fisherfolk and small business, with a focus on women farmers and small business entrepreneurs. Advisory Notes should be finalized information/knowledge products ready for distribution electronically as informed by Government counterparts, and in a format approved by UNDP.

1. Assessment of National policies impacting farming and fishing, with a focus on the negative impacts on small holder farmers, fisherfolk and related small business, and on women farmers, fisherfolk and the related small business entrepreneurs in particular:

• Using the results of the aforementioned activity on the impact and economic study of structural adjustment programmes, design a methodology for review of national policies including the undertaking of a desk review inclusive of quantitative and qualitative information, to be complimented by the development and implementation of qualitative data collection tools to support participatory research for evidence based decision making on policy and planning revisions in the agriculture sector including fisheries and related small business
• This assessment should also focus on the impact of national policies on value chains identified as priority by each country. Information on the identified value chains will be provided by UNDP
• Using the findings and recommendations of the policy assessment, prepare Advisory Notes for use by national partners. These Advisory Notes will be used to support the development and implementation of national advocacy activitiesinorder to support national partners in their efforts to catalyze the revision of relevant policies related to smallholder farmers, fisherfolk and small business, with a focus on women farmers and small business entrepreneurs. Advisory Notes should be finalized information/knowledge products and ready for distribution electronically as informed by Government counterparts and in a format approved by UNDP.

Institutional Arrangements

The consultant will report directly to the Cluster Manager of UNDP’s Poverty and Governance Portfolio, and under the direction of the UNDP Resident Representative.

Reporting Requirements

Deliverables must be submitted in an easily editable/accessible format e.g. MS Word, Excel etc. and as agreed is necessary for the type of deliverable and method of distribution

The consultant will be expected to provide regular updates on the progress of the work, any challenges being encountered, or risks foreseen, proposed or taken mitigation measures, and where UNDP/national support may be required.

Communications

The consultant must have their own office equipment including a reliable working laptop, running up to date software, and must submit deliverables using Microsoft applications no older than Windows 7.

Competencies

• Agriculture economist with proven ability in gender responsive policy and programme analysis on structural adjustment programmes in the agriculture sector to include fisheries and related small business with a focus on women’s participation in the same
• Proven research experience in gender responsive quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis for informing gender responsive structural adjustment programmes and finance modalities
• Proven knowledge and experience in applying gender analysis in policy and programming on the socio-economic impacts of structural adjustment on persons in the agriculture sector in the Caribbean including fisheries and related small business with a focus on women farmers, fishers and small business owners
• Previous experience developing communications/advocacy materials for policy makers and public education
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English are required
• Strong analytical and writing skills with proven skills in policy recommendations and problem identification and solving
• Ability to work independently and respond to feedback in a timely and professional manner
• Proven experience working within the Eastern Caribbean specifically, or the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) generally is an asset

Required Skills and Experience

Post-graduate degree (preferably, Masters or PhD) in agricultural economics, or related fields in one or more of the following areas: natural resource and environmental economics, economics, agricultural policy, gender studies, climate finance, public policy