National Consultant: Subnational Children’s Climate Risk Index & Disaster Risk Model, Pretoria, South Africa, 9 months (Home-based)

Contract

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Health | UNICEF South Africa

BACKGROUND

Disasters, climate change, and environmental degradation present significant and escalating threats to the well-being of children globally and in South Africa. In the country, extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and intensity, with an understanding that the current and expected changes in climate affect provinces and districts differently, with some areas already experiencing an increase in certain shocks like flooding, while others more impacted by drought, storms or wildfires. The South African National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy calls for a Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment Framework across key adaptation sectors, as well as increased research output and technology uptake to support planning and implementation of climate related initiatives.

In 2023, UNICEF commissioned a Climate, Energy and Environment Landscape Analysis for Children (CEELAC), which examined the baseline situation of climate, energy and environment-related issues affecting children in South Africa, and how these issues are addressed in the country’s development priorities and national policies and strategies. Using this robust evidence as point of departure, UNICEF has identified the need for a closer look at the concrete risks for children at the subnational level. In order to protect the lives, health and well-being of children and strengthen the resilience and capacity of their communities to adapt essential social services to a changing climate, more frequent/extreme disasters and a degrading environment, a comprehensive child-inclusive subnational risk assessment along with data systems and policies that work across development and disaster management to identify and prioritize the most vulnerable children and services are needed. This data and analysis can be used to inform multiple purposes: disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, preparedness planning, and wider development agendas. The availability of coherent, accessible, and updated risk information is considered a priority to inform decision makers and promote processes of climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and more sustained and resilient development. Those efforts should be based on a shared analysis of risks, including multiple shocks and stresses threats, both natural and man-made threats, and using an integrated, multi-sectoral approach. This will facilitate planning and prioritization of risk areas and a better understanding of the underlying causes of increased risk levels.

South Africa has historically been affected by climate shocks and stresses of distinct nature, intensity, and range. The country is facing more frequent heat waves, longer dry spells and increasing rainfall intensity. Climate zones across the country are already shifting, ecosystems and landscapes are being degraded, wildfires are becoming more frequent, and overused natural terrestrial and marine systems are under stress.

Flooding and droughts are the main disasters facing South Africa in recent years. These have already caused a tragic loss of life, extensive damage to property and infrastructure and loss of livelihoods. These climate related episodes have a strong impact across multiple economic and social sectors. As a result, families face loss of livelihoods, children face disruption of education and limited access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene, health and nutrition, and child protection services. There is also a greater risk of exploitation, abuse, violence, and family separation.

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision of the UNICEF programme officer for Climate Action , the purpose of this assignment is for a consultant to support UNICEF and the Government of South Africa in developing a Children’s Climate Risk Index -Disaster Risk Model (CCRI-DRM) at the sub-national level. For this assignment, the consultant will work with UNICEF South Africa and relevant government and non-government partners to identify, compile and analyze existing data sources and platforms to capture 1) climate and disaster risk and 2) vulnerability, especially for children, families, and their communities to these risks at the national, provincial and district level. Subsequently, an interactive open-source visualization platform presenting the subnational risk model and underlying indicators will be embedded or developed with support from UNICEF that will assist with prioritization and planning for risk mitigation and adaptation – as well as inform preparedness and investment priorities.

The CCRI-DRM is a composite index that helps to understand and measure the likelihood that climate, environmental and other types of shocks and stresses lead to the erosion of development progress, the deepening of deprivations, and humanitarian crisis that affect children and vulnerable households and groups. It seeks to identify which areas are at risk of deepening child deprivations and humanitarian situations affecting children as a result of their exposure to these shocks and stresses, and to understand the underlying factors that could contribute to these risks. The development process for a CCRI-DRM Subnational risk model is a consultative process which determines the specific components of risk relevant to the local context and practical needs as well as identify available and relevant data. Emphasis will be placed on the use of the CCRI-DRM assessment model and the interactive platform, providing direct technical assistance to government institutions to include child sensitive climate and disaster risk data and analysis in their planning and programming procedures.

The overall objectives of the Subnational CCRI-DRM are to support the establishment of a national-led, multistakeholder framework on the nexus between children’s climate and disaster risks and the development of their full potential in South Africa. The CCRI-DRM subnational assessment is envisaged to capture the following components: • A subnational Children’s Climate Risk Index - Disaster Risk Model for South Africa, based on the well-established methodology INFORM (https://drmkc.jrc.ec.europa.eu/inform-index) • Making use of relevant platforms including the UNICEF Geo-Sight, an interactive platform making the CCRI-DRM model and underlying indicator data, as well as other relevant indicators open source and publicly accessible. See example from Kenya: https://geosight.unicef.org/project/kenya-ccri-drm-dashboard • A multi-stakeholder technical platform guiding the development and update of the CCRI-DRM and the analysis and use of its’ results. • A CCRI-DRM analytical report to support the alignment and coordination of planning and programming efforts of national actors with informed by identified child vulnerabilities and risks from climate, environmental and other shocks and stresses and climate changes. • The promotion and facilitation of the use of evidence on climate, environmental and disaster risks to support climate change mitigation and adaptation, emergency preparedness and response, disaster risk reduction, resilient development.

The initiative will support South Africa to respond to the need for an integrated child-sensitive disaster risk information system and platform for governmental institutions at national and subnational levels. The CCRI-DRM platform will bring together data from different sources that already exist across various institutions and subsequently provide humanitarian and development partners up-to-date, context-specific information at subnational level on children’s vulnerabilities, including those related to health, education, water, sanitation and hygiene, child protection and social protection, and their exposure to climate, environmental and other natural and anthropogenic hazards, shocks and stresses and disasters. This will allow for the development of tailored preparedness, mitigation, and response mechanisms informed by subnational risk data and analysis.

SCOPE OF WORK

The consultant will support the development and implementation of the South Africa subnational CCRI-DRM assessment model and interactive platform, from conducting an analysis of stakeholders and relevant initiatives, building stakeholder arrangements, conceptual design, consolidation of the CCRI-DRM indicator data through to the construction of index, including series of consultations and trainings of key national partners. S/he will work under the general guidance and supervision of the Climate Action Officer and engage and work closely with UNICEF programme sector focal points, Government and Non-Government partners, including from UNEP and UNDP to carry out the following specific tasks:

Phase I: Inception

• Conduct a rapid landscape analysis of relevant stakeholders.
• Support the establishment of a multi-stakeholder Steering Committee and Technical Working Group (TWG) to guide and facilitate the development of the CCRI-DRM, while also supporting a lead (or co-leads) in engaging and facilitating inputs of other relevant departments, institutions, and partners. This may among others include supporting the lead (or co-leads) and Technical Working Group with the development of a concept note, work plan, meeting agendas and data sharing agreements.
• Conduct a participatory diagnosis of national capacities to provide reliable, objective, timely and sustainable information to feed the CCRI-DRM model and interactive platform.

Phase II: Data Collection

• Conduct research and review existing tools and sources of shocks and stresses, exposure and vulnerability data and information and work with respective Government and Non-Government partners to identify existing risk factors and available indicators and data sources for the construction of the subnational CCRI-DRM model.
• Facilitate and support the development of the theoretical framework of the country’s subnational CCRI-DRM model and the establishment of indicators and data sources, based on that of the global Children’s Climate Risk Index in consultation with the TWG and relevant other stakeholders.

Phase III: Validation and Dissemination

• Facilitate and support the development and implementation of the South Africa subnational CCRI-DRM model in close collaboration with the TWG, including collection, compilation and cleaning of secondary indicator data; establishing data sharing mechanisms, procedures and tools; constructing the model indices and documenting metadata; managing a review and validation process with the TWG and other stakeholders and making necessary revisions to the model; preparing documentation of the model and it’s results; and presenting and explaining the model and results to TWG and associated stakeholders.
• Support complementary sectoral analysis to support sector decision making.
• Work closely with the TWG and UNICEF information management team throughout the process and deliver training so they can maintain the model and interactive platform and make updates and adjustments in the future.
• Prepare key materials for dissemination of the CCRI, including a presentation and draft manuscript for peer review journal.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Social Sciences, Data Science, Statistics, Public Policy, Development, or related degree *In lieu of an advanced degree, a first University Degree in a relevant field may be accepted in combination with 8 years of relevant experience.
• A minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in related to the development of information systems, management and analysis of quantitative data
• Experience in the statistical systems, data exchange and information sharing mechanisms/structures in South Africa; with this experience related to climate and disaster risk management areas a strong asset
• Knowledge of national and local governance and climate change and disaster risk management, and of the systems in place to respond to risk and vulnerability
• Experience of working with government partners including relevant Departments and stakeholders including UN agencies
• Experience in facilitating inter-institutional working groups and coordination mechanisms with multiple members and associated stakeholders
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel
• Analysis skills and quantitative and qualitative synthesis of information
• Experience in researching and preparing written analytical reports in an accurate, concise, and timely manner
• Experience in organization, facilitation, systematization, and presentation of results
• Skills for facilitating and managing training processes
• Excellent oral and written English skills
• Experience working with open-source GIS technology is an asset

Additional skills

Communication:

• Excellent personal and professional communication and presentation skills
• Strong analytical and communications skills, and a proven ability to draft a wide range of documentation (correspondence, briefing and concept notes, talking points etc.)
• Proven advocacy, analytical and writing skills

Teamwork:

• Strong interpersonal skills demonstrated by the ability to lead and gain the assistance and cooperation of others in a team endeavor
• Ability to build trust through operating with transparency and creating an open, positive, and enabling environment
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment

Technical Competencies:

• Direct experience with the development of subnational risk analysis
• Familiarity with subnational adaptation processes, stakeholders, and technical support teams
• Knowledge of DRR concepts, global policy frameworks and principles and ability to apply them to strategic and/or practical situations
• Knowledge of information management for humanitarian and/or development sector
• Ability to identify and organize programmes to implement solutions and generate resources
• Ability to build strong relationships with both internal and external actors
• Knowledge of a local language is an asset

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants. Consultants are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.