CLOSED: Consultant - Tsunami appeal evaluation

Background

The International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) is a multi-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder platform to enable societies to increase their resilience to natural, technological and environmental disasters and to reduce associated environmental, human and economic and social losses. A range of United Nations organizations and international partners participate in cooperation with Governments and civil society organizations. In adopting ISDR, the United Nations General Assembly (Res/54/219) endorsed the establishment of an institutional framework for its implementation consisting of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Disaster Reduction (IATF/DR) and the inter-agency secretariat (ISDR secretariat).

The main functions of the secretariat are policy coordination, advocacy and information management, at the international and regional levels, to ensure synergy between disaster reduction strategies and those in the socio-economic and humanitarian fields.

For the first time United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) has been involved in a US$ 10.5 million Tsunami Flash Appeal Initiative "Evaluation and Strengthening of Early Warning Systems in Countries Affected by the 26 December 2004 Tsunami". This was also the first time that implementation of a Flash Appeal supported a multi-country disaster risk reduction initiative following a major disaster. The Initiative provided an overall integrated framework for strengthening early warning systems in the Indian Ocean region. A major highlight of the Initiative was the establishment of partnership and coordination mechanisms across a wide range of partners and donors, providing an example of an integrated apparatus to support the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action.

The Initiative was facilitated and coordinated by ISDR Platform for the Promotion of Early Warning” (UNISDR-PPEW), currently administered by the UNISDR secretariat.

Activities focused broadly on early warning system development and preparedness and promoted a “people-centred early warning system” emphasizing (i) enhanced community level risk knowledge, (ii) monitoring and warning service, (iii) communications and dissemination of understandable warnings to those at risk and (iv) response capability and preparedness to act by those threatened aspects. Sixteen partner organizations implemented and completed activities by 31 December 2007.

With the closure of all Flash Appeal activities and receipt of final reports by all implementing partners, as per the agreement set out at the launch of the initiative, a final evaluation will be undertaken.

A Team Leader for the evaluation has already been identified, but it has been agreed that further consultants are needed in order to broaden the expertise in the team, and bring more in people with more regional and national expertise in relation to Early Warning.

Specific Functions/Tasks/Duties

• Review relevant documentation for their assigned country, including other relevant evaluations, and through this review assist the Team Leader finalise the methodology for the evaluation in-country, and identify key stakeholders for the Evaluation Team to meet. (to be undertaken in December/early January). This includes research, analysis, and presentation of information gathered from diverse sources.
• Help prepare for the work of the evaluation team in the country by contacting these stakeholders and arranging individual meetings as appropriate.
• Prepare and assist in the facilitation of at least one broader stakeholder consultation as part of the evaluation. The purpose of these consultations will be to encourage discussion on what has been achieved in relation to Early Warning in each country since the Tsunami, the contribution made by the ISDR to this process, and the major lessons learned.
• Organizes and prepares written outputs, e.g. assist in writing the first draft of the Evaluation Report.
• Perform other duties as requested.

Expected outputs

• Detailed evaluation plan to be ready before the start of field work in Sri Lanka.
• Agreed contributions to the draft evaluation report to be submitted to the Team Leader no later than February 7 2009
• Comments on final report by February 27 2009

Performance Indicators

• Stakeholder meetings facilitated
• Submission of mission report
• Comments to final report submitted

22 days work is envisaged for the consultant, which will be roughly divided as follows:
Document review & preparation: 9 days (December/early January)
Participation in field work: 8 days (mid-January)
Follow-up & report writing 5 days

Qualifications

Education: University degree in ecomonics, social, political science, development studies, business administration or equivalent combination of education and experience in other related areas. A combination of relevant academic qualifications and experience may be accepted.

Experience: At least 7 years progressively responsible professional experience in the areas associated with this position or related fields.

Language: Excellent written and spoken English. Knowledge of local languages a plus.

Other skills: A strong knowledge of, and previous experience in, Early Warning & Disaster Risk Reduction issues – covering both social, institutional, and (ideally) some of the technical issues. A wide range of contacts with key stakeholders (e.g. relevant senior Government staff, aid donors, INGOs, national NGOs. A proven record of undertaking similar evaluations. Strong facilitation skills.