Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist

Contract

This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

During the Second Indochina War (1964-1973), more than two million tons of explosive ordnance were dropped on Lao PDR, making it, per capita, the most heavily bombed country in the world. Today, much of the country is still contaminated with cluster sub-munitions and other Unexploded Ordnance (UXO). Their presence also negatively affects socio-economic development, by preventing safe access to agricultural land and increasing the costs, of all development projects due to the necessity of expensive and time-consuming clearance of UXO from the land.

The NRA was established in 2005, becoming operational in 2006, by the Government of Lao PDR with the task of coordinating and regulating the overall management of the UXO sector in Lao PDR, including national, commercial and humanitarian operators.

The NRA leads the country’s policy formulation with regards to the UXO/Mine Action sector, accredits operators, coordinates operational activities, manages information and data on UXO, and manages quality of operations in the sector.

The UXO Lao in 1996, with support from UNDP, UNICEF and other partners. The organisation undertakes surveys to identify UXO contamination; clearance of land; roving tasks to respond to UXO discovery by the public; and risk education activities in affected areas.

UXO Lao’s national office is in Vientiane and serves provincial offices in the nine most heavily impacted provinces – Attapeu, Champasak, Huaphanh, Khammuane, Luang Prabang, Saravane, Savannakhet, Sekong and Xiengkhouang.

The NRA and UXO Lao is coordinated under the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare and the Minister is also the Chairman of the NRA Board.

The UNDP provides the programmatic and technical support necessary for the national institutions within the UXO sector (NRA and UXO Lao) to pursue the targets set out in the UXO Sector Five Year Work Plan, as well as the NRA’s strategy for accelerated survey activities.

Under the direct supervision of Head of UXO Unit, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

1. Support the development of Monitoring & Evaluation functions at UXO Sector level, through the capacity building support to the National Regulatory Authority for the UXO/Mine Action Sector in Lao PDR (NRA). a. In 2022, with the support of UNDP, the NRA Office is planning to create and de-velope a new Monitoring & Evaluation Unit, to benefit all operators / operations of the UXO Sector. The UN Volunteer will support UNDP and national counterparts in developing the unit’s systems and procedures.

2. Support the review of the Lao National Unexploded Ordnance Programme (UXO Lao) Op-erational plans and the operational records in the national database (Information Manage-ment System for Mine Action = IMSMA). a. The UN volunteer will support this in-depth joint review of the UXO Lao Operational Work Plans (Survey & Clearance tasks). S/he will also support the review within UXO Lao Vientiane of the operational records in IMSMA of UNDP-funded opera-tions, before UXO Lao Vientiane transfers the data to the NRA National Database. This will include the desk review of all supporting documents, in preparation of the field monitoring missions, and to report after the field monitoring missions.

3. Support the joint field monitoring missions among UNDP / NRA / UXO Lao. a. The UN volunteer will be required to undertake missions to project sites as required and approved by the UNDP Country Office. Regular field monitoring of UXO opera-tors would assist the NRA & UXO Lao to: i. Reinforce good working relationships and mutual understanding between UXO operators, provincial NRA offices and local authorities; ii. Support in the assessment of the compliance of UXO operators with the ac-tivities and approaches outlined in the project documents and operational work plans; iii. Collect valuable local context information and feedback about the effects of implementation of the NRA’s official policies and technical guidelines, and how NRA policies interact with those of other Government of Lao PDR sec-tors; iv. Support the assessment of the satisfaction of local authorities and individual landowners with the UXO sector’s contribution to rural development and community health and safety; v. Gather information (task work plans and reports, photographs and testimony from UXO operator staff, local authorities and/or landowners) to produce case studies for use in internal and external reports and presentations.

The UNV will also support the preparation of improved plans and develop project proposals in the future, based on practical information gathered during field monitoring missions.

☒ Accountability ☒ Adaptability and Flexibility ☒ Building Trust ☒ Client Orientation ☒ Commitment and Motivation ☒ Communication ☒ Creativity ☒ Empowering Others ☒ Ethics and Values ☒ Knowledge Sharing ☒ Leadership ☒ Planning and Organizing ☒ Professionalism ☒ Respect for Diversity ☒ Vision ☒ Working in Team

Monitoring & Evaluation

The position will be based in the capital, Vientiane. Living conditions in Vientiane are comfortable but residents must make concessions due to the tropical climate and under-developed infrastructure, including health facilities.

Vientiane is a relatively safe place to live in, with violent crime incidents very rare. However, single females should be vigilant if moving alone during the dark and it is best advised to move in groups.

The biggest hazards relate to traffic accidents, hence utmost care should be exerted when in traffic, especially when riding a motorbike. Volunteers must have a motorbike licence to ride a motorbike in Lao PDR.

The Vientiane entertainment scene is still quiet and in order to avoid feeling lonely the person should be proactive in forming friendships, and hence should be ready to make the best of e.g. the UNV Buddy Programme.

There is a wide range of housing options in Vientiane located within easy reach of the UNDP office. Houses or apartments are usually of good standards. All basic commodities can be bought in Vientiane and its immediate vicinity. The UNV Office in Laos will assist the UNV in finding adequate accommodation. House shares with 3-4 people are most common but single apartments are also available.

Vientiane’s city centre is full of restaurants, shops, bars and internet cafes which many line up along the Mekong river.

Laos is a former French colony but is looking towards modernism despite its huge historical and cultural legacy.

Surrounded by China and Thailand, Laos has managed to establish a business-friendly environment over the years. It thus attracts foreign investment and provides many professional opportunities to expatriates.

Lao people are friendly and show tolerance and an open-minded approach to visitors in their country; but their culture and values should always be respected.

Lao is a unique and mysterious country. It provides for an interesting and enriching environment, but also requires a mature level of cultural awareness, as well as some commitments to make life comfortable and affordable. Therefore, flexibility and the ability and will to adapt is necessary to live in a lovely yet developing country.