Consultant to conduct a Climate Landscape Analysis for Children (CLAC) in the Sultanate of Oman

Consultant Programme & Policy Medical & Health

Contract

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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, clean, safe and sustainable environment

Climate Change is increasingly becoming one of the major challenges of our time with virtually every child on the planet being affected either by natural disasters, environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, rising temperatures and more. Climate Change is also an equity issue, with children and young people impacted differently based on their location, ethnicity and level of ability. As well, Climate Change is not gender neutral or ability-driven but rather amplifies already existing inequalities in relation to livelihoods, health, and safety. Addressing Climate Change issues is therefore recognized in the Sustainable Development Goals as well as UNICEF’s 2022-2025 Strategic Plan as existential threats to a child’s ability to survive, grow and thrive.

Climate Change projections for the Sultanate of Oman indicate that the country will experience higher temperatures in the coming decades, with more frequent heat waves and cyclones. Furthermore, low rainfall, combined with limited natural freshwater sources, has placed Oman as one of the most water-stressed countries in the region. In response, Oman has directed its efforts towards climate change mitigation and resilience, focusing on clean energy transition and the need for energy infrastructure resilience (as seen in the National Energy Strategy) to help in the “implementation of global commitments in regarding mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change” according to Oman’s Vision 2040 Report. The National Strategy for Adaptation and Mitigation to Climate Change and the First Update to the Second Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) also recognize the need for mitigation measures to be taken against the impact of Climate Change.

With the Nationally Adaptation Plan (NAP) and the government’s support for climate risk and impact assessment indicated in numerous other policy measures, including in Oman’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, Oman has become a regional player within the field of Climate Change mitigation – reflected within the election of the Environment Authority’s Chairman as President of the United Nations Environment Assembly in March 2024 for a two-year timeframe. Oman has also taken steps in recognizing the impact of Climate Change on vulnerable communities including children, women and persons with disabilities, as reflected in the First Update of the Second NDC.

In general, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is predicted to have the highest average temperature increases and an increased number of extreme weather events. According to UNICEF’s Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI), the Sultanate of Oman faces medium-high to extremely high overlapping climate and environmental hazards, shocks and stresses. Oman has an overall ranking of 97 out of 163 countries, placing it at “medium-high” in terms of children’s vulnerability and risk. Hence there is a risk that children and young people in Oman may experience the effects of Climate Change, particularly heat waves and the flooding of wadis caused by more frequent extreme weather events.

How can you make a difference?

The Consultant will lead the production of Climate Landscape Analysis for Children (CLAC), in consultation with the Environment Authority, UNICEF Oman and key stakeholders. The CLAC Report for the Sultanate of Oman is intended to:

• Conduct a mapping of stakeholders,
• Identify government policies and relevant programmes in country,
• Recognize the expected and unexpected consequences of Climate Change on children and young people and how to protect them and,
• Provide recommendations on how stakeholders could further incorporate and strengthen work on Climate Change related issues that directly, and indirectly, impact children and young people in the short and long terms.

Scope of Work & Methodology

The Consultant will be responsible for collecting, compiling, and reviewing key resources and coordinating the information gathering and review process. The Consultant will undertake key informant interviews with key national stakeholders as well as consultations with children and youth on the topic. The Consultant will analyse the information and provide recommendations for the Government and other key stakeholders, including UNICEF Oman.

The Consultant will follow UNICEF’s CLAC guidance note (to be shared by UNICEF). A thorough desk review will be required to examine country-specific working documents, reports, studies, research, regulations and other legal frameworks in place. The desk review will also include UNICEF’s global and regional reports as well as country-specific indicators detailed in these for the country (i.e., reports such as the Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI), mapping and analysis of NDCs, etc.). Interviews with key stakeholders at national level will include Government officials, United Nations agencies, UNICEF Oman’s Business Leadership Circle members, private partners, civil society (including children, youth and women’s organizations), the private sector and private individuals (children and young people). Analysis and additional research will be conducted to answer specific questions and, if necessary, to fill information gaps. Gendered, geographical (remote) and disability-focused dimensions of Climate Change will be considered throughout the analysis. All analysis, findings and recommendations will be validated in workshops.

As needed, the Consultant will liaise with the climate, energy and environment team in UNICEF’s Regional Office and/or UNICEF Headquarters in New York for support, feedback and coordination.

Expected Products

1. Inception Report:

A proposed methodology with list of the interviews and group discussion needs, research questions, CLAC report outline and workplan.

2. Desk Review and Baseline CEED, children and youth report:

A brief synthesis and general implications as well as identify knowledge and information gaps for the country’s sustainable development, with a focus on issues as they relate to children and young people. The work should start from information collection and review all relevant material including, but not limited to the following with a view of assessing child-rights and CEED linkages:

Country-specific Documents

• National sector policies and strategies such as, for example, National Plan for Disaster Risk Reduction, Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) with child and gender considerations, National Adaptation Plan (NAP), Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs), Climate Change policy frameworks, socio-economic policy frameworks, related national development plans.
• Relevant national laws and legislation as well as regional agreements.
• Climate Change related research, studies, or analysis covering the country, including climate-related projections.
• Past, on-going, and planned Climate Change initiatives and programmes from public, private and social sectors

UNICEF Documents

• UNICEF’s analysis produced by the UNICEF CO including: Situation Analysis for Young People (SitAn), Emergency Preparedness Platform (EPP), Guidance for Risk-Informed Programming (GRIP), Child Centered Risk Assessments (CCRAs), etc.
• Previous CLAC reports prepared by UNICEF country offices in similar contexts.
• Relevant global policies, strategies, analysis (e.g. global Climate Change strategies and guidance, Strategic Plan, NDC mapping, etc.).

Stakeholder Mapping

Based on the desk review, the Consultant will prepare a PowerPoint presentation (in English) that will include an initial assessment of the Climate Change situation of the country and how it relates to child survival and development.

In addition, the presentation should include a list of stakeholders to be interviewed and associated list of draft interview questions (with additional questions that are child- and youth-friendly, respectively).

Following completion of the PowerPoint presentation, the Consultant will organize a one-day in-person inception workshop (in English) for the Environment Authority, UNICEF and the elected Taskforce members to review the results to date and proposed next steps.

3. Compile additional information related to Climate Change issues:

Based on the inception presentation meeting, the Consultant will follow-up on any action points and conduct interviews and triangulate information from stakeholders with reference materials from the desk review. This will include:

• Follow-up review of additional documents.
• Conduct follow-up meetings as required.
• Conduct interviews of key stakeholders (list approved by UNICEF and EA):
  • Collect additional information, reports, and programming perspectives from key government, development partners, private sector, and civil society (including children and youth-led, children’s rights and children and youth centered organizations).
  • Focus group discussions (ideally with gender parity and geographical considerations) and consultations held with children and young people on Climate Change and identify opportunities on engagement with children and youth organizations and youth voices.

4. Analysis

The Consultant will analyse the impact of Climate Change issues on children and young people within the Sultanate of Oman based off a list of key questions to be agreed upon between the Environment Authority and UNICEF Oman. Questions will cover topics such as main Climate Change issues affecting the county, laws and legislation including climate financing measures, engagement of children and young people, stakeholder involvement and more. The Consultant will then develop strategic recommendations for key stakeholders, including the Environment Authority and UNICEF.

5. CLAC Report

Draft the CLAC Report using the agreed upon localized template (see example in annex):

• CLAC report drafted in line with global CLAC guidance including:
  • Executive summary
  • Introduction
  • Findings
  • Recommendations
  • Annex: Sources of Information (References, list of interviewees etc)

Validation and dissemination workshop:

• Validate the report with stakeholders in a one-day workshop.
• Collect the views and perspectives of both internal and external stakeholders and address them within the draft.
• Invitees, venue and agenda to be arranged and approved in cooperation with the Environment Authority and UNICEF Oman.

Finalize CLAC Reports:

Based on the views and perspectives of both internal and external stakeholders, incorporate changes to a final version of the CLAC report. The revised, formatted and referenced final reports will provide an executive summary (not longer than four pages) with key findings and recommendations. Reports are to be provided in both English and Arabic by the Consultant.

Based on the final approved CLACs, the Consultant will prepare the following additional documents in English and Arabic based on templates/samples to be provided:

• A final CLAC report that clearly articulates the situation for children and young people with respect to the climate crisis and highlight key areas of response for the Government and partners.
• Summary PowerPoint presentation
• A set of communication materials based on the CLAC (e.g. press releases, info-note with visualized assets, social media package, etc.)
• A four-page policy brief presentation with the main findings and recommendations from the report with infographics and engaging language, including providing key points in response to climate financing needs. See Climate Landscape Analysis Policy Brief for Vietnam (UNICEF, 2021).

Expected Products (measurable results)

• The Consultant will closely coordinate with the designated focal points at the EA and UNICEF.
• Assignment in country will be a combination of office/desk work; with frequent consultations, meetings and site visits in country.
• The Consultant is expected to be able to work independently to organize and facilitate internal meetings, external meetings/roundtables, presentations, stakeholder meetings while keeping in direct contact and providing updates to the UNICEF Oman Climate Change Focal Point.
• The Consultant is required to provide their own computer and communications equipment (laptops, telephones, etc.).
• The Consultant must be aware of the conditions of the location of the research as well as translation requirements. In some circumstance, particular security and logistic arrangements are required. Therefore, in presenting proposals, bidders should take these elements into serious consideration. UNICEF is not responsible for any unexpected additional cost or arrangement or translation costs of final documents during the implementation of this assignment.

Work Assignments Overview

Deliverables/Outputs

Timeline

Submit the inception report including conducting the desk review, proposed methodology with list of the interviews and group discussion needs, research questions, stakeholder mapping, CLAC report outline, timeframe, etc.

Inception report

4 days

Desk review: collect and review available information

Preliminary Report

10 days

Provide presentation to the key stakeholders on the preliminary findings

PPT on main findings

3 days

Conduct interviews and group discussions

Interview and discussion findings report

10 days

Submit the draft report including the main findings and key recommendations

Draft CLAC report

10 days

Submit the final report after incorporating all comments and feedback

Final CLAC report

5 days

Produce all other relevant reports and documents

Policy brief public version, ppt and communications packages

8 days

Submit the Arabic versions for all products

Final CLAC report, Policy Brief public version, ppt and communications packages

10 days

Total

64 working days

OFFICIAL TRAVEL INVOLVED

For non-resident consultants, it is required to include the estimated cost of travel in the financial proposal (for 1 return trip to Muscat, Oman). Travel cost shall be calculated based on i) economy class travel, regardless of the length of travel and ii) costs for accommodation, meals and incidentals shall not exceed applicable daily subsistence allowance (DSA) rates, as promulgated by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC at http://icsc.un.org).

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum Qualification Required: Masters

Advanced university degree (Master or PhD) in environmental science, social and economic development, sustainable development, international relations, international environmental law, geography, natural resource management or related areas with a minimum of 8 years’ experience in the environmental field.

Fluency in English and Arabic is required, with ability to translate documents in line with UNICEF standards. Excellent writing and research skills required. Demonstrated expertise in child rights or any of UNICEF’s main areas of work (health, WASH, climate change, nutrition, child protection, social policy, education, gender) is considered an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

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 be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

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Added 1 month ago - Updated 1 month ago - Source: unicef.org