Communications expert on gender equality and climate change and disaster risk reduction in Asia and the Pacific

Result of Service Under the overall supervision of the Programme Management Officer, Gender and Climate Change, UNEP, the consultant will prepare and deliver key communications outreach deliverables and messages on gender equality and women’s leadership in climate action, renewable energy and DRR as presented under section 3. The consultant will work in close collaboration with the EmPower teams of UNEP and UN Women, regional offices in Bangkok and country offices in Bangladesh, Cambodia and Vietnam and UNEPs climate change team. The consultant will also support the overall EmPower project manager on reporting and/or any required technical support in the project implementation.

The consultant will be responsible to: a) Implement the project Communications Strategy and the work plan in line with UN Women’s and UNEP’s corporate communication policies b) Ensure messaging and enhance awareness among climate change and DRR stakeholders on gender equality and human rights in renewable energy, climate action and DRR at national, regional and global level, communicating evidence from project results c) Drive support towards advancement of women’s and vulnerable communities’ participation in climate change and DRR decision-making through amplifying community level stories

Performance indicators for evaluation of outputs. Completion of all deliverables as per UN Environment Programme’s standards

Work Location Home-based

Expected duration From: 15/02/2021 To: 30/06/2022

Duties and Responsibilities The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

UNEP’s Asia and the Pacific Office geographically serves 41 countries across the region to promote and implement sustainable development solutions. It assists countries of the region pursue sustainability, particularly in their implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development including technical expertise, facilitating access to finance, undertaking cutting-edge science-policy assessments, offering advisory services and strengthening laws, policies, management and governance. UNEP works with national and local authorities, civil society, other UN organizations, research institutions and the private sector to catalyze the efficient use of the region’s natural assets and reduce the degradation of the environment.

To address the underlying vulnerabilities to climate change and strive towards an inclusive climate resilient Asia Pacific, UNEP and UN Women started the implementation of a joint project titled Strengthening Human Rights and Gender Equality through Climate Change Action and Disaster Risk Reduction or “EmPower: Women for Climate-Resilient Societies” project in January 2019, set to continue until December 2022. The project is funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and implemented in three countries in Asia - Bangladesh, Cambodia and Vietnam; and regional level activities across Asia-Pacific to influence the intergovernmental and normative regional processes for climate change and disaster risk reduction to be more gender-responsive.

The Project aims to contribute to the overall Outcome of ‘Implementation of climate change and DRR actions in Asia and the Pacific address key drivers of gender-based vulnerabilities and enhance human rights’. In order to achieve this Outcome, the Programme are investing in five output areas as follows:

• Output 1: Women and marginalised groups are able to exercise their rights to lead, meaningfully participate in, and influence climate change and DRR decision-making processes;
• Output 2: Governments and key stakeholders are able to generate, analyse and use sex, age, and diversity disaggregated data to inform climate change and disaster risks and actions;
• Output 3: National institutions develop, revise and implement climate change and DRR regulatory and policy frameworks and climate change financing to integrate and enhance responsiveness to human rights and gender equality commitments;
• Output 4: Women are able to exercise rights to access and control economic resources, through renewable energy to build resilient and transformative livelihoods;
• Output 5: Regional normative processes, knowledge products and platforms on climate change and DRR integrate and enhance responsiveness to gender equality and human rights.

Across all five outputs as stated above, the objectives of the EmPower communications strategy is to a) Drive support towards advancement of women’s participation in climate change and DRR decision-making and access to climate-resilient livelihoods, b) Enhance awareness among climate change and DRR rights holders at regional, sub regional, and national levels on the effectiveness of mainstreaming gender equality within these thematic areas, c) Communicate results towards evidence building in the field of climate change, DRR, human rights, and the role that women and marginalised groups can play in delivering climate change solutions, and d) Contribute to breaking the gender barriers in areas such as climate change and renewable energy, and challenging the social norms that hold women and marginalised groups down and make them vulnerable to climate change impacts.

The project is seeking a dedicated communications expert to lead the implementation of the EmPower communications strategy and provide support to both teams of UNEP and UN Women in articulating results, outreach and ensure visibility of the project. The communications expert will have experience working in areas of gender, human rights and environment/climate change and will as part of a team of technical staff and programme officers contribute to deliver the goals and targets that have been agreed as part of the project plan.

Qualifications/special skills Skills: - Excellent communications skills - Strong team-working skills, ability to prioritize and manage communications outreach for two UN agencies under one joint project - Excellent skills in writing stories, briefs and producing web content - Strong skills on photography, editing, publishing, digital content graphic design and editing softwares - Media management knowledge is an asset Academic Qualifications: University degree or first degree in communications, journalism, politics, social sciences, humanities and any related field. Experience: A minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in communications for environment, gender equality, climate change and international development - Prior experience in implementing communications strategies, developing print and digital content and leveraging advocacy with CSOs, media organizations and governments - Demonstrable experience working with multi-stakeholders, including with governments, donors and civil society organizations in DRR and climate change and gender equality. - Experience from developing and implementing behavioral change campaigns and of related knowledge is an advantage - Experience in producing briefings, case studies, infographics and other products to facilitate communication of complex environmental issues to a variety of audiences - Familiarity with environmental issues in the Asia-Pacific region Language: Fluency in written and spoken English is required.

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.