Consultant for Early Warning Systems in Fragility, Conflict, and Violence (FCV) Contexts

Consultant Environment Finance & Economy

Overview

Develop early warning systems tailored for FCV contexts

You have:

• A master's or doctorate degree in meteorology, hydrology, disaster risk management, climate change adaptation, international development or a related field is required.
• A first-level university degree with a minimum of 2 additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• A minimum of five (5) years of experience in research and/or practice related to early warning systems, disaster risk management, climate change adaptation, conflict, and other relevant fields is required.
• Experience in research, analysis, and report writing is required.
• Demonstrated experience working with government officials and non-governmental organizations is required.
• Experience in working in complex working environments is desirable.
• Experience in working in the UN system or any other similar international organization related to disaster risk reduction, climate change, or sustainable development is desired.
• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of French, Spanish, or another UN language is desirable.

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

Result of Service

• Constituency-specific recommendations, or policy briefs, produced for development of EWS in FCV contexts • An orientation session including slidedeck on EW in FCV contexts developed for inclusion in EW4All workshops by end April 2024 • Advocacy and communication pieces in support of EWS-EA in FCV contexts developed • Case study reports developed capturing operational learning, including appraisal of operationalization • Learning incorporated in a revised/updated handbook.

Work Location

Homebased

Expected duration

01/04/24 - 14/02/25

Duties and Responsibilities

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, under the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative, aims to help protect all people with multi-hazard early warning systems (EWS) by the end of 2027. Recognizing the critical gaps in EWS implementation, particularly in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) facing high vulnerability to climate change impacts, the initiative prioritizes concerted action in these regions. Within this group, several countries are also experiencing fragility, conflict, and violence (FCV) which presents specific challenges, including those listed below: • Lack of Infrastructure: In many crisis areas, basic infrastructure such as roads, electricity, and internet connectivity may be severely compromised. This makes it difficult to install and maintain the necessary equipment to detect and monitor potential disasters. It also makes it more difficult to communicate warnings quickly and effectively to the population at risk. • Limited Access: Conflict areas can be dangerous and difficult to access, making it hard to install and maintain early warning equipment. • Data Availability and Quality: Data collection efforts may be compromised, leading to significant gaps in historical and real-time data needed for effective early warning systems. Additionally, the quality of the data that is available may be poor due to the challenges of collecting accurate information in such settings. • Trust and Cooperation Issues: Conflict often erodes trust between different groups, which can make cooperation difficult. This can impact the effectiveness of early warning systems, which often require collaboration between different stakeholders, including local communities, government agencies, and international organizations. • Humanitarian and security Constraints: The presence of armed groups may hinder the efforts of agencies to set up warning systems or respond effectively to disasters. Humanitarian actors may face restrictions on their operations, and efforts to evacuate or assist people can be complicated by security concerns. • Resource scarcity: Resources for disaster risk reduction are often scarce in conflict settings, as focus and funding are usually directed towards immediate humanitarian relief and security concerns. This can mean that the necessary investment in early warning systems and other preventative measures is lacking or not prioritized. • Population displacement: Conflict and violence may lead to significant population displacement, which can complicate disaster preparedness and response. Displaced populations may not be familiar with the local risks, and their temporary settlements may be particularly vulnerable to hazards. Despite these challenges, there are examples of successful implementation of early warning systems in crisis settings. For example, Yemen, which has been experiencing civil war, has seen efforts from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to establish an early warning system to help predict and prepare for locust infestations. Sudan, a country prone to drought and flooding and affected by conflict, has seen initiatives such as the Community-Based Flood Early Warning System implemented by Practical Action, a UK-based NGO which helps communities prepare for and mitigate the effects of flooding. Despite the ongoing conflict in Syria, there have been attempts to implement early warning systems for drought, one of the issues that intensified the conflict initially. For example, the World Food Program (WFP) has been working on systems that monitor weather patterns and crop production to provide early warnings of potential food insecurity. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, there have been efforts to implement early warning systems for volcanic eruptions, especially in the area around the active Mount Nyiragongo volcano. Early warning systems in crisis settings share some key characteristics. They do not rely solely on government institutions to deliver early warnings and early action, but often require support from international organizations and NGOs. Additionally, they must address the political instability and security risks associated with conflicts that significantly challenge the implementation and maintenance of these systems while also promoting a high degree of community engagement. The building of trust and cooperation between different stakeholders also characterizes early warning in FCV settings. Effective early warning and early action require sustained planning and collaboration between local communities and officials, international organizations (in particular, humanitarian agencies), the private sector and civil society groups. Despite the challenges, the dividends of investing in early warning in FCV are especially important in conflict areas where populations are often highly vulnerable due to factors such as displacement, malnutrition, and lack of access to healthcare. By providing an early warning and promoting early action, these systems can help to protect infrastructure and resources that are critical for both the population and the ongoing humanitarian response. This could include roads, hospitals, water treatment plants, and food storage facilities. At the same time, early warning systems can reduce the burden on humanitarian response efforts. This is especially important in conflict areas, where humanitarian resources are often already stretched to the limit. In addition, by helping to mitigate the impact of these disasters, early warning systems can potentially help to prevent the escalation of conflict. The process of setting up and operating early warning systems can promote trust and cooperation between different groups, including different factions in a conflict. This can have positive benefits for conflict resolution and peace-building efforts. Finally, early warning systems are a key component of building resilience to disasters. They empower communities and authorities with the knowledge to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters effectively. Early warning systems in these contexts need to be nuanced to the capacities of institutions there. It is recognized that there is no ‘ideal model’ EWS, particularly in these contexts and that whilst long term capacity development remains the priority, warning capacity is also needed immediately to protect lives, livelihoods and to reduce suffering. To address these challenges, the UNDRR-WMO Centre of Excellence, along with EW4All implementing partners IFRC and ITU, seeks a consultant to co-produce and co-design tailored approaches for EWS in FCV-affected countries. The objective is to establish a common vision, approach, and suggested working arrangements to effectively deliver EW4All in FCV contexts. Under the supervision of the UNDRR-WMO Centre of Excellence Secretariat, the consultant will be expected to: • Tailor recommendations on EWS in FCV contexts for different EWS constituencies through targeted policy papers– including Pillar leads, NMHSs and donors • Develop an orientation session on EW in FCV contexts for inclusion in inter alia EW4All Pillar 1 workshops, addressing key issues, challenges and opportunities for application • Develop methods for capturing process learning (case study reports), and appraise operationalization of the handbook • Capture operational learning and incorporate into an update to the handbook • Curate and develop advocacy and communication pieces in support of EWS-EA in FCV contexts

Qualifications/special skills

A master's or doctorate degree in meteorology, hydrology, disaster risk management, climate change adaptation, international development or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with a minimum of 2 additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. A minimum of five (5) years of experience in research and/or practice related to early warning systems, disaster risk management, climate change adaptation, conflict, and other relevant fields is required. Experience in research, analysis, and report writing is required. Demonstrated experience working with government officials and non-governmental organizations is required. Experience in working in complex working environments is desirable. Experience in working in the UN system or any other similar international organization related to disaster risk reduction, climate change, or sustainable development is desired.

Languages

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French, Spanish, or another UN language is desirable.

Additional Information

Due to the high volume of applications received, only successful candidates will be contacted.

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.

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Added 2 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: careers.un.org