National Consultant- Climate Resilient WASH Programming

Contract

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Background:

Ensuring access to climate resilient water and sanitation services in households, schools and healthcare facilities is a key component of UNICEF’s work. However, much work is needed to support the WASH sector to increase the demand for, and availability of, community resilient services. Preliminary assessment of secondary information shows that Bangladesh faces one of the highest degrees of vulnerability to climate change impacts, with floods, cyclones, diseases (such as dengue) and droughts, salinity intrusion, water scarcity being the most prominent and common type of hazards. This high vulnerability is paired with relatively low readiness to deal with the impacts and is reflected in the ND-GAIN index where Bangladesh ranks 160 out of 181 countries. Average temperatures are projected to increase by 1.4 °C and 2.4 °C by 2050 and 2100 respectively, resulting in an almost permanent state of heat wave. Furthermore, Bangladesh ’s average cyclonic activity (already one of the highest in the world with on average one severe cyclone every three years) is expected to rise with increasing sea-surface warming and sea level rise and significant impact on populations. As the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) has pointed out, taking children’s rights and their views into account would lead to more ambitious and effective policies on environmental protection. Effective responses to climate change and environmental degradation for and with children and young people are thus an essential component of UNICEF’s words and actions and a cross-cutting priority in UNICEF’s Strategic Plan 2022-2025. The Consultant will support the UNICEF WASH programme to access and analyse climate science and to understand the implications for the design of climate resilient WASH services.

Work Assignment Overview:

Tasks/Milestones:Deliverables/Output:Timeframe:1. Conduct ideation exercise and develop Project Proposals for Climate resilient WASH Programming.

• Desk review and conduct ideation of Pipeline Financing Proposals for Climate resilient WASH Programming together with WASH team.
• Develop of Pipeline Financing Proposals for Climate resilient WASH Programming together with WASH team.
• Develop a mother Climate Resilient CN and Proposal with sections on (i) Water Component (ii) Sanitation Component (iii) WASH -in – Scholl Component (iv) WASH – in – Healthcare Facilities Component and (v) Hygiene Component.
• Develop Climate Resilient WASH Project Proposals for bi-lateral donors, The Adaptation Fund (AF), The Global Environment Facility (GEF), Climate Investment Fund (CIF).
• Support facilitation of GCF – CN submission and development of Readiness Proposals

July to December 20242. Represent WASH Section at relevant climate change platforms /networks.

• Represent WASH Section at relevant ministries, government and non-government agencies, national platforms / networks (such as, SP3 group, Local Consultative Groups), UNICEF focal points and platforms at regional and global level etc.
• Documentation of meeting discussion / action points, update section and follow-up actions.
• Conduct coordination with all sections to deliver more collaborative CR programmes.

July 2024 to June 20253. Knowledge Management and Advocacy for Climate Resilient WASH Programming.

• Development of Technical Notes, Advocacy Notes of Climate Resilient WASH Services and Systems for (i) Government (ii) International Financial Institutions and (iii) Bi-lateral donors.
• Support evidence generation the impact of climate change on children and on the safely and sustainability of water and sanitation services, and key hygiene practices.
• Carry out assessments of the sources of climate science data for Bangladesh and the applicability of these (or not) to the design of climate resilient interventions for UNICEF.
• Support the assessment of climate resilient water and sanitation services and the identification of steps to be taken in the design of CR WASH Programming.
• Engage with MoEFCC and support revision of Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to integrate CR WASH.
• Review the draft Climate Rationale and provide further inputs to finalize the climate rationale.

September 2024 to March 20254. Provide climate resilience aspects for WASH programming.

• Work closely with all team members in ensuring climate resilience aspects in all WASH Programming.
• Support revision of existing WASH documents including School standards to make those climate sensitive, designing interventions to make those climates resilient.

July 2024 to June 20255. Support the capacity building/training on climate science and the application to WASH services.

• Desing a ToT training Module on climate science and the application to WASH services and Climate Resilient WASH Programming for Government Officials and sector actors.
• Facilitate ToT training Module on climate science and the application to WASH services and Climate Resilient WASH Programming for Government Officials and sector actors.
• Organize webinars for internal staff members on climate resilient WASH programming, monitoring and reporting.

January to June 2025Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• A masters/An advanced university degree in the fields of climate change/environment/ or a field relevant to climate, environment, and WASH.
• Fluency in English (oral and written) is required.
• A minimum of five years of professional experience in climate science, climate financing, development of pipeline project WASH proposals and/or related areas linked to key basic climate change adaptation and mitigation with focus on Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).
• Experience in working in climate financing institutions like Green Climate Fund (GCF), Adaptation Fund (AF), Global Environment Facility (GEF), Climate Investment Fund (CIF) etc, UN and other bi-lateral donor agencies in providing technical leadership and facilitating collaboration among relevant agencies on Climate Change, Environment or related any technical areas.

Administrative Details:

Assignment duration: 12 months

Work Modality: Work from UNICEF House, Dhaka

Payment: Payment will be made upon successful completion of each deliverable with certification from supervisor