Comprehensive Disaster Risk Analysis (including humanitarian aspects) for The Bahamas

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

Result of Service

1. Situational Analysis for The Bahamas 2. Spotlight for The Bahamas

Work Location

Home based

Expected duration

3 months

Duties and Responsibilities

Background Created in December 1999, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) is the designated focal point in the United Nations system for the coordination of efforts to reduce disasters and to ensure synergies among the disaster reduction activities of the United Nations and regional organizations and activities in both developed and less developed countries. Led by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction (SRSG), UNDRR has over 140 staff located in its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and in regional offices. Specifically, UNDRR guides, monitors, analyses and reports on progress in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, supports regional and national implementation of the Framework and catalyzes action and increases global awareness to reduce disaster risk working with U.N. Member States and a broad range of partners and stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector, parliamentarians and the science and technology community. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) serves as the focal point in the United Nations system for the coordination of disaster reduction and to ensure synergies among disaster reduction activities. Among other priorities, UNDRR’s Regional Office for the Americas and the Caribbean (ROAMC) assists the region’s countries through their national focal points to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 to meet the Sendai Framework’s Target (e) of substantially increasing the number of countries with national and local disaster risk reduction strategies by 2020 and specifically its globally agreed indicator E1 regarding the adoption and implementation of national DRR (disaster risk reduction) strategies in line with the Sendai Framework. In this regard, UNDRR-ROAMC supports countries through the development of DRR strategies and plans, or in the case of the Caribbean, what are referred to as Country Work Programmes (CWPs) in the context of CDEMA (Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency)/CARICOM (Caribbean Community) participating States, in coordination with regional partners such as the CDEMA. A special focus on the impact of disasters on vulnerable groups is essential for the effective implementation of the Sendai Framework and the achievement of its different Targets. The Caribbean region is highly exposed to multiple hazards, including from increasing inter-regional migration due to the humanitarian crisis in Haiti (see https://reliefweb.int/report/haiti/addressing-next-displacement-crisis-making-americas) and ongoing migration from Venezuela. Combined with existing exposure and vulnerability to multiple hazards, the context is one of potentially great losses, even to the extent of exceeding many of the countries’ GDPs (gross domestic product), thus challenging the overall sustainable development of the region. Moreover, climate change increases the frequency, intensity and unpredictability of impacts, making it even more important for all countries across the Caribbean region to possess strong capacities to manage the existing and emerging risks and to avoid the creation of new ones. Alignment of DRR and climate change adaptation (CCA) action based on comprehensive risk analysis becomes essential. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates the urgent need for more comprehensive risk analytics to improve understanding and management of changing risk dynamics and complex drivers of systemic, compound and cascading risks, especially in the context of recent warnings about an emerging displacement crisis in the Caribbean and the Americas. A multi-stakeholder dialogue and action necessary to refine, extend and enhance the ability to understand and manage systemic risks is warranted in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the Caribbean. Progress in risk-informed sustainable development will only be accelerated by incorporating a more systemic risk lens for the analysis of Country Work Programmes (CWPs) and DRR plans and strategies, including incorporating additional hazard types such as biological risks. Based on this context, UNDRR is providing direct technical support to Caribbean countries for the development and implementation of CWPs / DRR plans and/or for the development of risk analyses with a systemic risk approach that seek to enhance the alignment with CCA and sustainable development efforts, and to integrate different hazards -including biological ones-. In this context, the Government of The Bahamas, through the Ministry of Disaster Management of The Bahamas, in collaboration with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), is currently engaged in the implementation of the Comprehensive Disaster Management Strategy and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. The Plan facilitates key stakeholder and sector contributions towards CDM (Comprehensive Disaster Management) and is aimed at reducing loss and vulnerability due to hazard events. Duties and Responsibilities A consultant is being sought to provide the Ministry of Disaster Management of The Bahamas, CDEMA and UNDRR with technical assistance to prepare documents aiming to support the implementation of the Comprehensive Disaster Management Strategy and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction in the country. The consultant will be required to prepare a comprehensive risk and situational analysis to inform the prioritization of disaster risk management activities, including those related to migration flows from the humanitarian crisis in Haiti. The Comprehensive Risk Analysis/Situational Assessment (CRA/SA) will summarize the different risks the country is facing, and examine current risk information management systems in the country to inform comprehensive risk analysis. The CRA/SA should be informed by the results of the national CDM Audit Report being prepared by CDEMA, and should outline the problems, issues, gaps and needs which must be addressed to better apply a systemic risk lens to guide the implementation of the Comprehensive Disaster Management Strategy and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction in the country. This will include an evaluation of available risk information management systems in the country to inform systemic risk assessment, as well as relevant policy and information about major national programmes being implemented or about to be developed, such as the National Development Plan, the National Adaptation Plan, and the Nationally Determined Contributions. Information for these reports should also be gathered from consultations with relevant stakeholders. Technical support for this position will be provided by UNDRR-ROAMC and CDEMA, with additional support respecting systemic and comprehensive risk analyses from UNDRR’s broader partnership network. The person selected for this consultancy will be home-based. The consultant will report to the Programme Management Officer for the Caribbean Region of the UNDRR Regional Office for the Americas and the Caribbean based in Barbados, and coordinate periodically with designated officials at the Ministry of Disaster Management of The Bahamas and CDEMA. The duties and responsibilities include: 1. Develop of a ‘Comprehensive Risk Analysis/Situational Analysis’ aiming to contribute to the the implementation of the Comprehensive Disaster Management Strategy and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, following the methodologies deriving from the Comprehensive Disaster Management Strategy approach adopted by CDEMA participating States and in alignment with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. Within the CRA/SA, the consultant shall: a. Identify gaps and opportunities for the implementation of the Comprehensive Disaster Management Strategy and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, in line with the National Development Plan, the National Adaptation Plan (NAP), the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) and other policy, plans and strategic documents, as well as with risk financing efforts at the country level and in coordination with the relevant agencies. b. Ensure within the CRA/SA that the status of the integration of multiple hazards and systemic risks, following the Hazard Taxonomy developed by UNDRR and ICS (International Science Council), in different policy, plans and strategic documents, as well in different programmes, projects and activities being implemented in the country is highlighted; and identify gaps and opportunities for their integration. c. Develop a list of available and existing risk information in the country underpinning comprehensive risk analyses, notably in which respects to hazards, exposure, vulnerabilities and capacities, including the source of this information; and identify risk-information gaps. d. Identify opportunities for risk reduction with respect to humanitarian migration flows within the region, including the problems, issues and needs which must be addressed based on information gathered, including from the results of the 2022 CDM Audit Report and other national disaster management and DRM contextual information. 2. Participate in remote work meetings scheduled with country officials, including the Ministry of Disaster Management of The Bahamas, officials, CDEMA, UNDRR, and other stakeholders as necessary, to regularly report on the progress in the development of the different products and to receive technical and strategic guidance, to guarantee the quality of deliverables.

Qualifications/special skills

Master’s Degree in Disaster Risk Management, Risk Assessment, Political Science, International Development, International Relations, Policy Analysis/Development or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with 2 additional years of qualifying experience in regional programme coordination, disaster risk reduction, climate change, or sustainable development may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Additional qualifications in International Law, Development Studies, or Civil Security is desirable. A minimum of three (3) years of experience in disaster risk reduction policy research, international cooperation research, risk assessment or strategy development is required. Experience with government operations and key stakeholders in The Bahamas is required. Experience in the development and review of risk assessments and or strategic planning in the Americas and the Caribbean region is desirable. Experience in working at the research, policy level of the public service or training in disaster risk reduction in the Americas and the Caribbean region is desirable.

Languages

Fluency in English is required.

Additional Information

Due to the high volume of applications received, only successful candidates will be contacted. FEMALE CANDIDATES ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY. UNDRR values diversity among its staff. We welcome applications from qualified women, men, and people with disabilities.

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.