Technical support to the Latin American and the Caribbean 2022-2023 Disaster Risk Reduction Statistics Working Group

Result of Service A web portal with information and related tools to support improving capacities of Latin American and Caribbean countries to have consolidated and statistically valid information and data from different sectors to measure progress in the implementation of global agendas focused on sustainable development, disaster risk reduction, climate change and extreme weather events, in keeping with the 2022-2023 SCA (Statistics Conference of the Americas)/ECLAC biennial workplan of regional and international cooperation activities with regard to Tools for the Production of Disaster-Related Indicators.

Final report and product submitted for approval by the executive committee of SCA/ECLAC on the results of the 2022-2023 working group on Tools for the Production of Disaster-Related Indicators and in keeping with SCA/ECLAC guidelines, including guidelines for the functioning of working groups and guidelines for gender mainstreaming in the working groups.

Work Location Home based

Expected duration 6 months

Duties and Responsibilities Background

Created in December 1999, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) is the designated focal point in the United Nations system for the coordination of efforts to reduce disasters and to ensure synergies among the disaster reduction activities of the United Nations and regional organizations and activities in both developed and less developed countries. Led by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction (SRSG/ASG), UNDRR has over 100 staff located in its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and in regional and liaison offices. Specifically, UNDRR guides, monitors, analyses and reports on progress in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, supports regional and national implementation of the Framework and catalyzes action and increases global awareness to reduce disaster risk, working with the UN Member States and a broad range of partners and stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector, parliamentarians and the science and technology community. UNDRR works with a large network of partners. UNDRR’s regional office for the Americas and the Caribbean is based in Panama City and works with national governments, intergovernmental organizations and several stakeholders.

In November 2017, a Working Group for Disaster Risk Reduction and Disaster-Related Indicators was created through the Statistics Conference of the Americas for 2018-2019 with the Paraguay and Peru National Statistics Offices (NEOs) as country coordinators, together with UNDRR and ECLAC (Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean) as Technical Secretariat. In this initial period, the DRR (disaster risk reduction) working group produced a theoretical framework to strengthen DRR monitoring and reporting. Subsequently, in 2020-2021 the group developed a document on institutional and methodological recommendations, accompanied by a matrix for country-level diagnostics of available information and information sources and information needs.

2022-2023 Working Group overall objective:

Strengthen disaster risk reduction related statistical information management practices in line with the disaster-related SDG (Sustainable Development Goal) and Sendai Framework indicators.

2022-2023 Working Group specific objectives:

- Promote the institutional and methodological recommendations for estimating disaster risk as per the Sendai Framework and relevant SDG indicators.

- Strengthen Sendai Framework implementation reporting processes, integrating experiences surrounding the role of statistics in SDG implementation.

- Provide a regional interactive online toolkit with available reference materials through a web portal (using an existing platform). - Enhance the technical and methodological capacities to generate quality statistical information on data disaggregated by sex, age, disability, income and territorial level in reporting on the indicators.

- Increase integration and coordination between national statistical and disaster risk management systems, among other key actors.

2022-2023 Working Group expected outcome:

- Enhanced capacities of LAC (Latin America and the Caribbean) countries concerning consolidated and statistically valid information and data from various key sectors to measure progress in implementing the global agendas on sustainable development, disaster risk reduction, and climate change and extreme weather events.

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant will report to the Programme Management Officer responsible for Sendai Framework Monitoring in the Regional Office for the Americas in coordination with the coordinating members of the Latin American and Caribbean Working Group on Measuring and Recording Indicators Related to Disaster Risk Reduction. Technical support for this position will be provided by the Regional Office for the Americas and by the Environmental Statistics Unit of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). Additional technical support will also be provided as relevant by participating member countries through their national statistics offices as well as other supporting agencies.

This consultancy will also support UNDRR’s Regional Office for the Americas in line with UNDRR, UN Country Implementation Plans (CIPs), UN INFO (digital platform used by UN Country teams to boost transparency and accountability for development coordination, managed by the UN Development Coordination Office (DCO)), and SDG LAC (ECLAC) statistics-related data management strategies.

The selected candidate’s work programme will be refined with the selected candidate and UNDRR’s regional office and in coordination with the 2022-2023 Working Group members, with consideration given to advances to date.

The incumbent will carry out the following duties and responsibilities:

- To provide overall technical support to the Latin American and Caribbean Working Group and ensure that the Working Group meets its planned activities as follows, with flexibility for adjustments that could arise during implementation.

- Prepare a regional diagnosis on the state of progress in measuring indicators and identifying challenges and opportunities.

- Develop the online interactive version of the Matrix of Requirements: Institutional and Methodological Recommendations for Measuring Sendai Framework and disaster-related SDG indicators.

- Systematize successful experiences and good practices from LAC on the role of NSOs (National Statistical Offices) in DRM (Disaster Risk Management) for inclusion in the toolbox and web portal.

- Systematize other institutional tools and methodologies to strengthen measures to be made available through the web portal.

- Create and launch the web portal.

Qualifications/special skills A first-level university degree in social statistical analysis, applied statistics to climate change, disaster risk reduction, sustainable development or related fields is required. At least 5 years of progressive work experience in applied statistics relevant to disaster risk reduction, climate change, sustainable development or related fields is required. - Proven experience working in multi-country processes and multicultural context is desirable. - Experience in leading and facilitating participatory disaster risk reduction policy formulation processes is desirable.

Languages Fluency in English and Spanish is required. Knowledge of another UN language is desirable.

Additional Information *FEMALE CANDIDATES ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY. UNDRR values diversity among its staff. We welcome applications from qualified women, men, and people with disabilities.

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.