Consultant – SFM Institutional Arrangements

Result of Service - One (1) inception report establishing a timetable and a methodology for the study; - One (1) report comprising an analysis of the integration of disaster related data considerations into legal frameworks and policies in the African region and recommendations for the formulation of interinstitutional agreements (e.g. MOU) to ensure data sharing among different sectors, particularly to ensure reporting in the Sendai Framework Monitor - One (1) template of data management and data sharing agreement / Memorandum of understanding (MoU) - Two (2) case studies showcasing institutional arrangements suitable to accelerate reporting in the Sendai Framework Monitor

Work Location Home based

Expected duration 2 months

Duties and Responsibilities Organizational Context 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 disaster reduction and to ensure synergies among the disaster reduction activities of the United Nations and regional organizations and activities in socio-economic and humanitarian fields. Led by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, UNDRR has around 100 staff located in its HQ in Geneva, Switzerland, and 5 regional offices and other field presences. Specifically, UNDRR coordinates international efforts in disaster risk reduction and guides, monitors and reports on its implementation (particularly through follow-up and review of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030); campaigns to create global awareness of disaster risk reduction benefits and empower people to reduce their vulnerability to hazards; advocates for greater investments in disaster risk reduction to protect people's lives and assets, for increased and informed participation of men and women in reducing disaster risk; and informs and connects people by providing practical services and tools such as Prevention Web, publications on good practices, and by leading the preparation of the Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction and the organization of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Objective of the assignment: Over the last decade, the UN Office for Disaster Risk reduction (UNDRR) has been implementing a regional programme to “Build Resilience to Natural Hazards in sub-Saharan Region Countries and Communities”. Among other important results, the programme has institutionalized disaster risk reduction units at continental level, within the Africa Union Commission (AUC), at sub-regional level, within the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and at national level through national platforms for disaster risk reduction. It also established coordination mechanism through the Africa Working Group for Disaster Risk Reduction (AWGDRR), which brings together all relevant stakeholders from continental to national and local levels. During the 15th AWGDRR held in April 2019 the following action point was identified by participants as way forward regarding EWS in Africa “Establish and operationalize a continental and regional multi-hazard EWS, with information sharing mechanisms in place to link early warning information to early action and improve outreach to communities, including by engaging the media in the process”. This led to the drafting of the “Road map for improving the availability, access and use of disaster risk information for early warning and early action including in the context of transboundary risk management" (2020) which identifies activities and practical recommendations aiming to improve the availability, accessibility and use of risk information at the continental, regional, national and local scales, for the African Union Commission (AUC), the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and four countries - Angola, Ethiopia, UR Tanzania, Zambia - as well as key African stakeholders in the field of DRR. The Road map was endorsed by the AU, EAC, ECCAS, ECOWAS, IGAD, 17 Member States, IOM, FAO, WFP and UNOCHA. It was also supported by donors including EU DG DEVCO (now INTPA), the ECHO Field Office for SADC and East Africa Regions and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Government of Italy. With support from the Italian Government, UNDRR is currently implementing a project aiming at building DRR capacities in Africa through the establishment of impact-based early warning for early action and transboundary risk management function of the African Union. The objective of this project are two-fold (1) establishing an Early Warning System (EWS) which will trigger appropriate and timely early actions in the field of early warning and transboundary risk management, and (2) building the capacity of the AUC, RECs and Member States to effectively collect, exchange and analyze DRR data relevant to impact based EWS for early action and transboundary risk management. In order to monitor and reflect progress made by Member states towards the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030), UNDRR launched the online Sendai Framework Monitor (SFM) in March 2018. The SFM is an accountability tool to assist countries in monitoring, assessing and evaluating progress and challenges in the implementation of disaster risk reduction (DRR) at global, national, sub-national and local levels. The SFM directly contributes to the report on SDGs for DRR related indicators. Furthermore, in Africa, the regional module (new feature launched in 2020) will allow the AUC and RECs to monitor progress against regional DRR frameworks and avoid a duplication of efforts from Member States. In particular, the regional module will contribute to Member States’ efforts to report on the 5 additional targets set in the Programme of Action for the Implementation of the Sendai Framework in Africa (PoA) under the leadership of the AUC. This call for proposal is part of the implementation of activity 6.2 of the project “organization and roll out of continental, regional and national training in the compilation and use of Sendai Framework Monitoring tool to inform coherent policy development and investments in relation to early warning systems, transboundary risk management, climate change adaptation, sustainable development, disaster displacement and migration, conflict prevention”.

Duties and Responsibilities: Under the overall supervision of the Deputy Chief, UNDRR Regional Office for Africa and the direct supervision of the Programme Management Officer, the consultant will undertake the following responsibilities:

• Map and analyse the integration of disaster related data considerations into legal frameworks and policies in the African region, with focus on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation policies and regulatory frameworks.
• Provide recommendations for the formulation of interinstitutional agreements (e.g. MOU) to ensure data sharing among different sectors, particularly to ensure reporting in the Sendai Framework Monitor.
• Propose a template for the design of data management and data sharing agreements / Memorandum of understanding (MoU) for data exchange among sectors to accelerate reporting in the Sendai Framework Monitor.

• Document two case studies showcasing institutional arrangements suitable to accelerate reporting in the Sendai Framework Monitor, including the conduction of semi-structured interviews with DRR stakeholders and SFM Focal Points in the region.

  Qualifications/special skills Academic Qualifications: Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in geography, disaster risk management, international relations, sociology, anthropology or related field is required. A first-level university degree in any of these fields, in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Experience: A minimum of five years of experience in disaster risk reduction, sustainable development, climate change adaptation or related field is required. Previous UN experience is desirable. Previous experience working on data management and disaster loss data bases is desirable. Language: Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of other UN Official languages spoken in the African Region is desirable

  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.