National Consultant for Online Event Support

Result of Service The consultant will design and organize all the activities related to the forum, assist in the preparation of the agenda and presentations of each session, disseminate information, liaise with speakers, convene participation, moderate the sessions and ensure the preparation of relevant pre and post event materials for supporting the overall results of the project, facilitating the exchange of experiences and possible strategic lines of action.

Responsibilities: UNEP requires an expert with specific online facilitation skills. Responsibilities includes: - Assistance in liaising with relevant partners in preparation for the forum. - Overall design of activities and facilitation for/during the forum, considering the appropriate methodology and participants for facilitating the exchange of experiences. - Elaboration of concept note and relevant background and reference documentation, draft agenda and programme of session. - Preparation (and distribution) of invitations, and provisional list of participants and speakers with the subsequent follow-up on confirmations. - Conduction and coordination of logistics aspects. - Preparation, validation and consolidation of the report of the forum, with conclusions and possible strategic lines of action. - Monthly activities towards supporting Argentina, Guatemala, Mexico, and Uruguay in the strengthening of environmental rights though the implementation process of the Escazu Agreement in their territory.

Outputs: Carry out the activities described in Clause 2 of the Terms of Reference.

Deliverables: Delivery of a monthly activity report including meeting reports, revised documents, participants lists, graphic materials and power point presentations.

Work Location Initially home-based, then UNEP ROLAC, Panama City, Panama, once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted

Expected duration Twelve (12) months.

Duties and Responsibilities 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 UNEP Latin America and the Caribbean Office (ROLAC), located in Panama City, works closely with the 33 countries of the region and its activities are integrated into the Medium-Term Strategy and the Programme of Work approved by the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA).

Legal and institutional frameworks are key mechanisms for environmental management at the national and regional levels. They provide the structures to set up standards, manage and regulate the environment in terms of developing legal approaches and in mandating various environmental institutions to take up their roles to implement, monitor and achieve environmental compliance. Although countries have over the years put in place national environmental legislation and related institutions, assistance to develop and strengthen their national environmental legislation and institutional capacity to implement environmental law is still required.

Strengthening the institutional capacity of developing countries, and in particular, Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to develop and implement environmental actions including environmental legislation in response to their national environmental management needs is one of the core functions of UNEP and a strong tool for enabling countries to address environmental concerns and to develop and implement environmental laws. In this regard, UNEP´s Environmental Governance Sub programme aims to strengthen the capacity of countries to develop and enforce laws and strengthen institutions to achieve internationally agreed environmental objectives and goals and comply with related obligations.

In this regard, UNEP supports the efforts of Governments to design and implement specific programmes and to formulate legal means to address environmental and sustainable development issues as well as to comply with relevant international environmental standards and obligations, including through legal technical assistance, training and other legal capacity-building activities. Strategic direction in this respect comes from the Fifth Programme for the Development and Periodic Review of Environmental Law (Montevideo Programme V) adopted by the United Nations Environment Assembly under resolution 4/20 in March 2019, as an intergovernmental programme designed to promote the development and implementation of environmental rule of law, strengthen the related capacity in countries, and contribute to the environmental dimension of the 2030 Agenda.

Latin America and the Caribbean is the most dangerous region for environmental human rights defenders. Under the Escazú Agreement, states must ensure a safe and enabling environment for defenders and take action to prevent, investigate and bring to justice attacks against them. In this context and to support the fulfillment of the overall objective of the UNEP Sub-programme on Environmental Governance, the UNEP Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean is recruiting a National Consultant for Online Events Support, aiming to address the challenges and opportunities in the defense of rights and the environment in our region, and analyze and reflect on the situation of environmental defenders in the region, through the organization of a forum (to be held full virtual or hybrid mode, in advance to the convening of the first COP of the Escazu Agreement). Monthly activities to support four countries (Argentina, Guatemala, Mexico, and Uruguay) in the strengthening of environmental rights, considering the rights to access to information, public participation, and environmental justice, as well as the implementation process of the Escazu Agreement in these signatory countries, are also part of the tasks to be performed under this project.

The consultant is expected to work from Monday to Friday, full time, and to be located in the UNEP Latin America and the Caribbean Office (ROLAC), Panama City, Panama, with an expected initial period as home-based depending on national and international travel restrictions due to Covid-19. His/her work will be supervised by the Environmental Governance Regional Coordinator.

Qualifications/special skills Academic Qualifications: - Bachelor’s degree in social science or related fields is required.

Experience: - A minimum of 5 years of experience in coordination/facilitation of face to face and online events is required. - Experience in the environment and sustainable development field in Latin American and the Caribbean Region is preferable. - Experience in environmental law field in Latin American and the Caribbean Region is preferable. - Experience working with United Nations Organizations in the planning and facilitation of events is an advantage. - Proven experience and solid understanding of knowledge management, information management and communications would be asset.

Language: - Fluency in oral and written English and Spanish is required.

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.