Consultant for Climate & Environment

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion and gender parity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified candidates, irrespective of nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, gender identity and sexual orientation, as well as persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. UNICEF’s office is accessible to a certain extent, and employees are entitled to reasonable accommodations that are needed for ensuring equitable working conditions.

The environmental degradation and climate change effects have a significant impact on children. Their physical and mental development, as well as their status within the society, make them particularly vulnerable to environmental harm that can have irreversible, lifelong and transgenerational consequences. Adverse environmental conditions and pollution are major contributor to childhood deaths, illnesses and disability, particularly in developing countries. Children are particularly vulnerable to certain environmental risks, including air pollution, inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene; hazardous chemicals and waste, radiation; climate change-floods, landslides and heatwaves; as well as emerging threats like e-waste. Unfortunately, the Serbian environmental legislative framework, both national and local, does not sufficiently recognize children as a particularly sensitive group, nor does it contain provisions that would provide children with an additional degree of protection, or specifically refer to children in realizing their right to a healthy environment. Even though decisions related to environmental issues greatly affect the quality of life and the future of children and young people, they rarely have the opportunity to participate in the processes of decision-making.

In June 2023, the Program of Adaptation to Climate Change with Action Plan (NAP) draft was introduced for public consultations and hopefully will be adopted by the end of the 2023, providing an opportunity to address child rights issues more in-depth and as it deserves, as well as, to reinforce the prevention and response to climate-change related hazards. Involving youth as active participants of the consultative process for NAP and other policies on the national and local level will increase ownership over these important processes by young people, sensitise them for long term action and increase sustainability of the interventions. In addition, raising awareness of all relevant stakeholders will further improve the quality of the response and resilience of the population.

Work Assignment Overview:

The Consultant for Climate & Environment will support the UNICEF Serbia programme teams with technical expertise to ensure that youth, health, nutrition, WASH, climate resilience, and other efforts are technically sound, linked to global and regional climate & environment efforts, and seizing emerging opportunities for promoting this agenda for the benefit of children and young people in Serbia.

Duration of the assignment: September 2023 – December 2024 (part-time, remote)

Task description:

1. Support UNICEF’s engagement around the lead-up to COP28 and post-COP28 events.
2. Support UNICEF’s engagement on bringing forth a child rights perspective around the National Adaptation Plan, Nationally Determined Contributions, Chapter 27 and other relevant national and local policies, including children and youth.
3. Support UNICEF engagement in strengthening local policies for addressing climate hazards and WASH bringing forth child and adolescents’ rights perspective.
4. Support UNICEF’s engagement in advancing local and business activation in reducing and mitigating the impact of air pollution bringing forth the child and youth rights perspective.
5. Following a climate donor mapping to be completed by October 2023, support the Country Office to engage in donor proposal development, and consultations with stakeholders and potential partners.
6. Develop information packages for youth and parents on environmental/climate impact on children and youth inclusive of related climate hazards linked to WASH.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• A university degree in Environmental Sciences, Social Sciences, International Development or Public Administration.
• A minimum of 5 year of relevant work experience in areas related to children’s rights, environmental issues, international development, children’s health, and/or climate change and sustainable energy.
• Knowledge and working experience in environmental issues related to air pollution and climate change impacts, with the special focus on the situation in Serbia.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting or facilitating participatory monitoring, evaluation and learning initiatives.
• Proven capacity to work with cross-functional teams in collating, managing, sharing knowledge and learning.
• Excellent analytical and writing skills, as well as advocacy and presentational skills.
• Experience in working within UNICEF or other UN/international entities and/or familiarity with the work of UNICEF is an asset.
• Fluency in both Serbian and English are required.

How to apply:

The application must include a financial proposal in RSD as a separate document, providing the following information:

1. Daily rate (all costs included, e.g. health insurance, pension, usage of mobile phone),
2. Daily travel allowance for an overnight stay in Serbia (including accommodation),
3. Transportation costs per km (for travel within Serbia).

Important notes:

• Please do not forget to specify your name in the financial proposal file while saving (to be uploaded online under the “Financial Proposal” tab).
• Please do not indicate financials anywhere else in the online application form, please mark "n/a” or “00" under the fee-related questions in the online application form.
• Incomplete applications will not be taken into consideration.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be notified and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

For every child, you must demonstrate UNICEF's core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability.

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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.