International Consultant- One Health

Result of Service Strengthening the environmental dimensions of the One-Health in the West Asia region.

Work Location Home-based

Expected duration 5 months

Duties and Responsibilities Organizational Setting, Purpose, and Objective: The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. The Regional Office for West Asia (ROWA) delivers advisory services and capacity-building support to countries to achieve environmental and sustainable development objectives. The importance of the environment for human well-being and economies is well established. Ecosystems provide critical public health-promoting services; thus, ecosystem degradation may present consequences for human Health. Many zoonotic diseases are strongly connected with ecological dynamics and have their origins in diverse microbes carried by animal reservoirs; almost all known pandemics are zoonoses, i.e., diseases caused by microbes of animal origin. The agenda of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) advocates for integrating the One Health approach, among other holistic approaches, in their national biodiversity strategies and action plans and national health plans, as appropriate, to support the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. To this end, UNEP aims to strengthen the environmental dimensions of human, animal, and plant health, and contribute to the joint objectives of the Quadripartite One Health Alliance between the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), UNEP, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). The UNEP ROWA is seeking to engage an international consultant to contribute to strengthening the environmental dimension of the One-Health in the West Asia region in line with the Quadripartite One-Health Global Plan of Action Track 1 ‘Enhancing One Health capacities to strengthen health systems’ and Action Track 6 on ‘Integrating the environment into One Health.’ The consultant will report to the Regional Coordinator for Nature Action in ROWA. Further, the work will be carried out in close consultation with the Ministries of Environment and Agriculture, WHO, FAO, WOAH, and relevant regional institutions and experts.

Duties and Responsibilities: The UNEP ROWA seeks to engage an International Consultant to contribute substantively to One Health Programme in the region and to perform the following tasks: 1. At the start of the assignment, prepare an inception report and detailed work plan with a proposal on conceptual approach and methodology for integrating one health approach in wildlife and protected area management in the West Asia region. 2. Based on scientific evidence and empirical data, prepare robust environmental (including biodiversity and ecosystems) indicators and aspects to revise existing tools such as a Tripartite Guide to Addressing Zoonoses in the Countries to improve multi-sectoral collaboration in operationalizing One Health. This includes analysis of the available data and evidence, expert consultations (national, international, and MEA secretariats) to identify hotspots in the Arab region for zoonoses such as avian influenza, wildlife trafficking, farming, hunting, and pet trade, including existing mechanism to identify and address health risks emerging from those activities. 3. Prepare policy briefs and knowledge products for the systematic inclusion of environmental considerations into One Health policies and national processes in line with the Convention on Biological Diversity global action plan for biodiversity and Health.

Qualifications/special skills Advanced degree (master’s or higher) in environmental sciences, natural sciences, public Health, sustainable land management, ecosystem and environment Health, natural resources management, or another relevant field.(Required) A minimum of 7 years of work experience in natural resource management, environment management, wildlife and protected area management and One Health or any other relevant field. (Required) Thorough understanding of One Health approaches, One Health Joint Plan of Action, and other related aspects. (Required) Previous experience in policy gap analysis and review and multi-stakeholder engagement and drafting technical reports. (Required) Excellent communication and ability to moderate workshops involving senior-level officers/stakeholders. (Desirable)

Languages Fluency in written and spoken English is required, and Arabic 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.