Re-advertisment: International Consultant Specialist: Climate, energy and environment issues and child rights (4 months), Antananarivo, Madagascar

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

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, hope

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. For more than 70 years, UNICEF has been working in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. As the world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, safe water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation and HIV and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

Climate change, energy access and environmental degradation are equity issues, with children and young people often being the most vulnerable and affected. Addressing climate change, disaster risk, energy access and environmental degradation is therefore vital for building a more sustainable future for children. In addition, it is imperative that we integrate our actions on the SDGs and our humanitarian responses. Each of the five Outcomes Areas of the UNICEF Strategic Plan 2022-2025 – health, nutrition, education, child protection, WASH and social protection- is affected in some way by climate change, disaster and/or environmental degradation. Fortunately, each stream of UNICEF work also presents opportunities to act on climate, energy, environment and/or disaster risk reduction (DRR) in order to deliver more sustainable results. There are major implications of climate change, disaster, lack of energy access and environmental degradation for children. UNICEF has strong potential to strengthen the response to these issues.

UNICEF Madagascar is planning to conduct Climate Landscape Analyses for Children (CLAC), examining the baseline situation of climate, energy environment and DRR-related issues affecting children and how they relate to UNICEF’s priorities. The report looks at stakeholders, government policies and relevant programmes in the country. It will also provide recommendations on how the UNICEF Country Office could further incorporate and strengthen work on climate, environment, energy and DRR-related issues in its country programme

How can you make a difference?

S/he will be responsible for collecting, compiling and reviewing key resources and coordinating the information gathering and review processes. In addition, the incumbent will also provide overall support in preparing the study by researching specific issues and drafting individual sections. If needed, the incumbent will liaise with the climate, energy and environment teams in ESARO and HQ/NY for support, feedback and coordination.

The Contractor will follow UNICEF’s CLAC guidance note (to be shared by UNICEF). A thorough desk review will be required to examine country specific working documents, reports, studies, research, regulations and other legal frameworks in force. The desk review will also include UNICEFs global and regional reports as well as country specific data detailed in these for the country (i.e. reports such as the CCRI, mapping and analysis of NDCs, etc.). Interviews with key stakeholders at national level will include Government officials, United Nations agencies (UNICEF, UNDP, UN Habitat, UNEP, FAO, etc.), donors, civil society (including youth organizations), and the private sector. Analysis and additional research will be conducted to answer specific questions and, if necessary, to fill information gaps. Following analysis and collection of secondary data, the results will be validated in a workshop.

The key questions to be answered in the CLAC include:

• What are the main CEED issues affecting the country?

• What risk analysis exists (climate change, natural hazards, environmental, economic, conflict, etc.)? Are they child sensitive and aim to protect the rights of children and adolescents? Does the analysis go down to the subnational and local levels? Has the analysis been used to inform any action to date?

• What are the main factors related to CEED in the country that would most affect livelihoods, capacities and opportunities for children and adolescents? Which groups of children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable? What will be the impact on children (especially the most vulnerable) if the risks of the above factors are not mitigated at associated timelines?

• What are the government strategies/priorities on CEED issues? Do they converge or are they separate? What are the budgetary commitments? Which are the partners / counterparts involved and do they work together? (e.g. NDMA, Min of Environment, private sector, etc.)

• Do government or sector strategies/priorities on CEED areas take into account children’s rights? Do children’s right strategies/priorities take into account CEED?

• What are the ongoing initiatives on CEED issues? Do ongoing CEED initiatives benefit children?

• Who are the main players in CEED initiatives?

• How are children and adolescents engaged, consulted in CEED initiatives? Have any results been achieved through their meaningful engagement?

• What are the capacities that exist at the national and provincial levels to reduce the risk associated with CEED?

• What are the opportunities and gaps in the design of CEED plans and strategies to protect the rights of children and adolescents?

• How do the CEED issues identified affect UNICEF’s current and planned initiatives?

• How can UNICEF support inclusion of child needs in Government CEED strategies and plans?

• How can UNICEF address gaps in CEED programming to benefit children?

The key questions to be answered in the CLAC are included in the ToR in the follow link: ToR CLAC Consultant VA.pdf

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

• Advanced university degree in geography, environmental science, natural resource management, meteorology, social and economic development, or related areas. Alternatively, a degree in communications or journalism with demonstrated expertise on environment-related issues can also be considered.
• Earlier CLAC experience highly desirable.
• Excellent writing skills
• Excellent research skills
• Demonstrated expertise in child rights or any of UNICEF’s main areas of work (health, WASH, nutrition, child protection, social policy, education, gender, HIV/AIDS) is considered an asset.
• Proficiency in both French and English is mandatory.

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/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.

Remarks:

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

Female and French-speaking candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

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.