Pacific Children Climate Risk Index – Disaster Risk Management (CCRI-DRM) Coordination Consultant, Pacific Multi-Country Office, Suva, Fiji, 12 Months

Contract

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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, water.

We operate in the Pacific, specifically in the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. These 14 Pacific island countries are home to 2.3 million people, including 1.2 million children and youth. They inhabit more than 660 islands and atolls that stretch across 17.2 million square kilometers of the Pacific Ocean. This area is comparable to the combined size of the United States of America and Canada. Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu are classified as Fragile States according to World Bank/OECD criteria.

All 14 Pacific Island countries and territories have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. However, only a third are on track with reporting obligations. You can explore the different areas of our work at the link provided here: www.unicef.org/pacificislands .

Background of Assignment:

The Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) are among the most affected and vulnerable areas to the impacts of climate change, environmental degradation, and biodiversity and habitat loss. The 2021 World Risk Index identifies five PICTs among the 20 most at-risk countries in the world (Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Fiji and Kiribati). While its collective greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions account for less than 0.01 per cent of global emissions, the Pacific region is at the frontline of the adverse impacts of climate change. People in the Pacific Small Islands Development States (SIDS) are three to five times more at risk than those in other parts of the Asia-Pacific region. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the Pacific region is being affected by rising temperatures, a larger proportion of the most intense tropical cyclones, storm surges, droughts, changes in precipitation patterns, sea level rise, coral bleaching and invasive species, all of which are already detectable across both natural and human systems. In addition, the region is exposed to non-climatic hazards, with 73 per cent of the population and 65 per cent of economic stock exposed to seismic hazards.

Composed of 14 Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs), the region is home to over a million children. Children and young people are hit hardest by disasters and climate change impacts, which threaten food security, increase water scarcity, force families from their homes, and increase the risk of conflict and public health emergencies. They face loss of livelihoods, disruption of education and limited access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), health and nutrition, and child protection services. There is also a greater risk of exploitation, abuse, violence and family separation.

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 (DRR) and climate change adaptation, preparedness planning, and wider development agendas. The availability of coherent, accessible, and updated information is considered a priority to inform decision makers and promote processes of climate change adaptation, DRR and more sustained and resilient development. Those efforts should be based on a shared analysis of risks, including multiple shocks and stress threats, both natural and human-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.

In 2021, UNICEF undertook the first comprehensive analysis of climate risk from a child's perspective. Called the Children's Climate Risk Index – Disaster Risk Model (CCRI-DRM), it ranks countries based on children's exposure and vulnerability to climate and environmental hazards, shocks and stresses. The CCRI-DRM is a composite index developed based on exposure to hazards and socio-economic vulnerabilities data with a focus on children. It is devised to help understand and measure the likelihood and specific areas where climate and environmental shocks and stresses may lead to erosion of development progress, the deepening of deprivations, and humanitarian crises 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.

In the second phase, the CCRI-DRM is being calculated at subnational levels covering in addition some countries of the Pacific Islands region that were not included in the first phase due to data availability limitations. The overall intention is to support the establishment of a national-led, multistakeholder framework on the nexus between children’s climate, environment and disaster risks and the development of their full potential in the Pacific Islands. The CCRI-DRMs subnational assessment in the Pacific Islands are envisaged to capture the following components:

• Subnational CCRI-DRMs for Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Kiribati.
• Country specific interactive platforms, making the Pacific CCRI-DRMs publicly accessible.
• Multi-stakeholder technical platforms guiding the production and update of the Pacific CCRI-DRMs and the analysis and use of its’ results.
• CCRI-DRMs analytical reports 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, DRR, resilient development.

The Pacific CCRI-DRMs respond to the need for an integrated climate, environment and disaster risk information system for governmental institutions at national and subnational levels that brings together data from data sources existing in various institutions and provides them and humanitarian and development partners up-to-date, context-specific information at subnational level on children’s vulnerabilities, including those related to health, education, WASH, 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.

UNICEF Pacific is seeking a dedicated, proactive consultant to work closely with UNICEF Pacific and their Field Offices (FO), and Government and Non-Government partners of Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Kiribati to develop a theoretical framework for the CCRI-DRM models, facilitating the identification of country-specific indicator data sets and the construction of the CCRI-DRM index indicators and models with government line ministries, and the preparation of tools, procedures, and documentation for the development of the CCRI-DRMs. Once risk is understood and informed by data, high-level sectoral briefs will need to be prepared to inform sector priorities for the mainstreaming of climate resilience and mitigation/adaptation investments.

How can you make a difference?

The purpose of this consultancy is to support UNICEF Pacific and the governments of Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Kiribati to develop CCRI-DRMs contextualized to their country specific context, ensuring a high level of engagement and ownership by national authorities and other stakeholders. For this assignment, the consultant will work with UNICEF 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 and subnational level. Subsequently, an interactive open-source visualization platforms presenting the subnational risk models and underlying indicators data 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 development investment priorities. While the Pacific CCRI-DRMs will share common principles, the four CCRI-DRMs will be independent and developed bilaterally with national governments, institutions and other stakeholders, ensuring that each model reflects and captures the specific vulnerabilities and climate and disaster risks for children in each context.

She/he will work under the general guidance and supervision of the WASH Specialist, engaging and working closely with UNICEF Pacific programmatic areas, UNICEF Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Kiribati Field Offices (FO), and national government institutions. The process will primarily engage and coordinate with the climate change and disaster management authorities in each country (the Climate Change Division under the Office of the Prime Minister in Fiji; the Ministry of Climate Change Adaptation, Meteorology & Geo-Hazards, Energy, Environment and Disaster Management in Vanuatu; the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology in Solomon Islands; and the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Agriculture Developments in Kiribati), involving other governments institutions such as the Statistics Divisions, the Meteorological Services and sectoral line ministries (from the areas of health, nutrition, education, WASH, child protection, and social protection, among others).

Please refer to the ToR VA TOR. 2023.CEED.CCRI-DRM coordinator.pdf for further information on the deliverables and the timelines.

GUIDANCE FOR APPLICANTS:

All applications for this consultancy must include a separate financial offer along with the technical proposal.

The financial proposal should be a lump sum amount for all the deliverables and should show a break down for the following:

• Daily consultancy fees – based on the deliverables in the Terms of Reference above
• Miscellaneous- to cover communications and other costs.

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

Education:

• An Advanced University degree in social sciences, public policies, statistics or related fields. In lieu of an advanced degree, a Bachelor may be accepted with 2 additional years of relevant experience.

Experience, Skills and Language:

• At least 5 years of relevant professional experience related to the development of information systems, management and analysis of quantitative data.
• Experience in the statistical system, GIS, data exchange and information sharing mechanisms/structures in developing countries; this experience being in climate and disaster risk management areas and Small Islands Development States will be a strong asset.
• Knowledge of national and local governance and climate change and disaster risk management is an asset.
• Experience of working with government partners.
• Experience designing and facilitating inter-institutional working groups and participatory processes engaging a diverse range of stakeholders, including governments.
• Experience in researching and preparing written analytical reports in an accurate, concise and timely manner.
• Analysis skills and quantitative and qualitative synthesis of information.
• Work experience serving in a developing country is required. Work experience in the Pacific Islands region is an asset.
• Experience working in UNICEF, or a UN system agency is an asset.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.

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

Remarks:

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/individual contractors 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.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract 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 and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors 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.

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