FPIC Specialist

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

FAO is committed to building transformative partnerships and proactively engaging with key stakeholders in its work, including family farmers, Indigenous Peoples, parliamentarians, academia, research institutions, UN organizations and civil society. In the case of Indigenous Peoples, the 2010 FAO Policy on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples provides technical support to guide units in Headquarters and FAO regional and country offices. The 2010 policy aligns FAO´s work with the 2007 UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) is at the core of both the FAO Policy and UNDRIP. In order to comply with UNDRIP, main donors and UN agencies have incorporated FPIC in their corporate policies, project cycles, and safeguards as a prerequisite when working with Indigenous Peoples. Through its newly updated Framework for Environmental and Social Management (FESM), FAO sets out key Environmental and Social Standards (ESSs) to guide the safeguarding of risks around its projects. ESS 8 (Indigenous Peoples) recognizes that the traditions and knowledge of Indigenous Peoples provide opportunities to overcome many of the challenges that the world will face in the coming decades. Indigenous knowledge and food systems are of particular significance in the face of increasing food demand and adaptation to climate change. An agenda that pursues global food security, sustainable natural resources management and poverty alleviation is incomplete unless it addresses the needs of Indigenous Peoples. Amongst several objectives, ESS 8 aims to promote the rights of Indigenous Peoples to self-determination and development, avoid adverse impacts on Indigenous Peoples from FAO activities, and ensure that FAO programmes and projects are designed in partnership with Indigenous Peoples, with their full, effective and meaningful consultation and participation. In FAO programmes and projects involving Indigenous Peoples, compliance with FPIC standards and process is a prerequisite during their design, formulation, implementation and monitoring. Guidance is provided by a 2016 practitioners manual. Over the years the number of projects requiring FPIC processes in FAO have increased exponentially due to the importance of climate related funding.

Enabling sustainable production landscapes in Eastern Highlands and Western Highlands Provinces for Biodiversity, Human Livelihoods and Well-being, Papua New Guinea

GCP/PNG/011/GFF focuses on conserving biodiversity in Papua New Guinea’s Eastern and Western Highlands Provinces, which host globally significant flora and fauna. The region faces threats from biological resource use, agriculture, climate change, and unplanned land use. To address these, PNG's government has shifted towards inclusive, community-based protected areas (PAs) involving customary landowners. This project aims to conserve threatened species and habitats, improve PA management, and support sustainable livelihoods. Key outcomes include enhanced land use decision-making, strengthened value chains for sustainably harvested products, improved biodiversity conservation, integrated land use management systems, and effective knowledge management. The project, overseen by PNG's CEPA and executed by the Wildlife Conservation Society with FAO support, aligns with national climate change objectives and engages multiple stakeholders.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the Head of Office in FAO Papua New Guinea, the FPIC Specialist reports directly to the Chief Technical Advisor. She/He works closely with the Land Governance Specialist in the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP), as well as the Project Task Force Team of GCP/PNG/011/GFF.

Technical Focus

The incumbent will support the implementation of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) for the project “Enabling sustainable production landscapes in Eastern Highlands and Western Highlands Provinces for Biodiversity, Human Livelihoods and Well-being”, Papua New Guinea. In a broader context, the experience of exercising FPIC will be used to both inform country office staff and prepare them for future programming that will require a similar process.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Confirm the communities in project sites that should be included in the exercising of FPIC; • Provide technical support in the design of a cost-effective FPIC process to be carried out for the entire range of project activities in each community involving the development of a draft consent form that is approved by FAO Safeguards Unit and guidance to report on the FPIC process. This process should follow FAO policy, namely the six-step process as outlined in its practitioner’s manual; • Ensure that the design and implementation of the FPIC process is also gender responsive, in particular catering the voices and needs of women community members; • Identify customary practices and rules that need to be respected during an FPIC process. For example, any cultural or religious festivals that require the process to momentarily pause during their duration. Furthermore, the process should account for local decision-making structures; • Prepare a budget for the FPIC process; • Support the production of documentation to seek out an independent third-party service provider to carry out the FPIC process, commencing with a call for an expression of interest from relevant parties. This provider should also carry out training support to the country office, under further support from the RAP Safeguards Task Force where necessary, to improve understanding of the FPIC process; • Join at least part of the conduct of the FPIC process, in collaboration with the service providers; • Oversee the production of necessary documentation by the service-provider that will record the process and the resulting community decisions on consent. Ensure that parties agree on timeframes for sharing documentation, methods for how materials are to be shared (for instance: designated recipients, oral and written formats), languages and translations; • Produce a report with recommendations and training guidance for the PNG country office to support future FPIC processes as new projects go through design and implementation phases; • Liaise with the Safeguards Task Force at FAO Regional Office in Asia and the Pacific as necessary, including any needs for backstopping support on the FPIC process; • Perform other duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree in international relations, social sciences, economics, agricultural sciences or any other discipline relevant to the work of the Organization; • Three years of relevant experience in project and programme management; • Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of English. • National of Papua New Guinea or resident of the country with valid work permit.

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus • Teamwork • Communication • Building Effective Relationships • Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Extent and relevance of knowledge and experience in working with Indigenous Peoples at Global, Regional and country levels, Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), and UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; • Extent and relevance of experience in the analysis and formulation of projects that include Indigenous Peoples; • Extent and relevance of practical and theoretical knowledge of FAO’s project cycle and FAO’s Environmental and Social Management Guidelines; • Extent and relevance of experience in the application of the FPIC process during FAO project design and implementation; • Familiarity with international frameworks related to FPIC and the rights of Indigenous Peoples; • Relevance of experience in providing technical assistance to project proponents at national, sub-regional and regional levels with regard to project development, results-based management, monitoring and evaluation planning, and monitoring for project impact; • Relevance of experience in preparation of projects and programmatic approaches and in results-based monitoring and supervision of multidisciplinary projects; Good analytical and conceptual skills with ability to write project documents and papers and ability to analyse and integrate diverse information from various sources; • Extent and relevance of experience in organizing and developing training tools and information materials; • Knowledge of FAO’s Project cycle, Environmental and Social Framework and Field Project Monitoring and Information System (FPMIS);

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Added 2 hours ago - Updated 2 hours ago - Source: fao.org