Consultants with expertise in Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate Change and/or Conflict sensitivity to carry out Child centred Risk and Climate Analyses in West and Central Africa (English or French speaking)

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.

PURPOSE OF EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI)

UNICEF is integrating risk-informed programming into all country programmes. We are seeking to build up additional capacities for Child centred risk analysis and its application to programme design and implementation, which can be deployed flexibly to meet the increasing needs of UNICEF Country Offices and their partners in the West and Central African region.

BACKGROUND

Many countries in West and Central Africa are characterised by manifold challenges to fulfil child rights with high levels of malnutrition, insufficient immunization to major epidemics, issues in terms of access to school and quality education and insuffient WASH services and open defecation related challenges. Furthermore, many countries have high rates of violence against children, incl. gender-based violence, insufficient birth registrations, and suffer from child labour. These deprivations of child rights are further compouned by increasingly high levels of risk affecting the most vulnerable children. Shocks and stresses, such as violent conflict, natural hazards as well as climate change, epidemics, economic downturns and food price hikes, are compounding vulnerability and reducing resilience of children and their communities.

UNICEF is committed to risk-informed programming along the nexus of humanitarian and development interventions by applying key components of climate action, sustainable energy access, disaster risk reduction and action to reduce fragility, prevent crisis and build peace. Based on an analysis of risks and shock impact on children and social service delivery mechanisms, we adapt our programmes to strengthen individual and systemic resilience. 

SCOPE OF WORK

UNICEF is seeking qualified individual consultants to carry out analyses of shocks and stresses, vulnerabilities and capacities to manage negative impacts focusing on children and social service sectors. The exact scope of work will be determined with respective UNICEF Regional or Country Offices to identify the appropriate modality (comprehensive Child Risk and Impact Analysis (CRIA), Climate Landscape Analysis for Children, child-sensitive Conflict Analysis or a blend of those). Consultants may be asked to co-facilitate related workshops (GRIP/CLAC workshops) to present findings and to collaboratively identify concrete action points to risk-inform UNICEF support sector/ cross-sectoral programmes (integration into the design and implementation of UNICEF programmes to strengthen resilience of children, communities and social service delivery systems).

Applicants are invited from individuals with technical expertise in the following areas:

1. Multi-Hazard Risk Assessment with good understanding of related methodologies:

• Geospatial multi-hazard risk analysis and mapping
• Disaster Loss and Damage assessments (multi-sectoral, sex/age-disaggregated)
• Disaster risk analysis
• Conflict analysis
• Climate risk analysis
• Field-based analysis of local-level vulnerabilities and capacities such as Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment

2. Understanding of the differential direct/indirect impact of multiple shocks and stresses on vulnerable children

• Individual vulnerability as per age/gender/poverty level
• Systemic vulnerability of critical social infrastructures and services incl. related climate and risk governance

3. Workshop facilitation including stakeholder verification of risk analysis
4. Design, planning and monitoring of risk-informed programmes with child focus
5. Results based management and risk informed programming

  PERIOD OF ASSIGNMENT

This call for applications is related to developing a pool of consultants for the West and Central African Region. Expressions of interest will be screened for potential inclusion in the pool.

Individuals who are placed on the applicant pool may be contacted to submit proposals based on Terms of Reference for specific assignments. The period, type, deliverables and accountabilities of each assignment will be determined by the Terms of Reference.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

Qualified individual consultants who meet the following requirements are invited to submit their application.

• Advanced university (Master's) degree or equivalent professional experience in social sciences, economics, development studies or related field.
• Minimum 8 years of relevant experience in international development or humanitarian affairs preferable with a focus on high-risk contexts
• Solid experience carrying out multi-sectoral risk analysis, climate risk analysis and/or analysing conflict contexts, as well as preferibly in designing climate and disaster risk management and/or social cohesion programmes
• Excellent analytical skills with strong background in research design, research methodology and data collection in the areas of multi-sectoral climate and disaster risks and/or fragility and conflict and their multidimensional impact on communities, children and systems.
• Excellent understanding of the concept of resilience building, incl. knowledge of United Nations’ positioning on the same
• Good understanding of key normative frameworks, governance mechanisms and overall approaches towards disaster risk reduction (Sendai Framwork), climate change action and/or conflict sensitivity and peacebuilding
• Demonstrated excellent writing and presentation skills either in English or in French with good working knowledge in English
• Knowledge and understanding of child rights and human rights-based approach to programming
• Demonstrated excellent organizational and facilitation skills with ability to meet deadlines. Experience facilitating child-centered consultations will be an advantage.
• Proven ability to work in a team and in an intercultural environment, with minimal supervision
• Familiarity with UNICEF programming and planning generally and specifically with UNICEF Guidance on Risk-Informed Programming and Results-Based Management will be an advantage
• We are seeking consultants for mainly the 24 countries covered by UNICEF West and Central Africa Regional Office. Applicants are requested to list those countries in which they have previous work experience.
• Ability to work in French, Portuguese or Spanish, required for some countries, will be an advantage
• Availability to carry out both remote/home-based and in situ work/ missions in WCAR in the next 2-6 months and beyond.

View the competency framework.

Learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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 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.