National platform consultant (Tanzania)

The deadline has been extended from 23 May 2010 to 30 May 2010

Vacancy notice number: ISDR/C/17/2010
Date of entry: 1 June 2010
Duration: Two months

United Nations Core Values:

• Integrity
• Professionalism
• Respect for diversity

Background:

The International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) is a multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder platform to enable societies to increase their resilience to natural, technological and environmental disasters and to reduce associated environmental, human, economic and social losses. A range of United Nations organizations and international partners participate in cooperation with Governments and civil society organizations.

The implementation of the ISDR is supported by a secretariat lead by the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction. The secretariat main functions are policy coordination, advocacy and information management, at the international and regional levels, to ensure synergy between disaster reduction strategies and those in the socioeconomic and
humanitarian fields.

In January 2005, the World Conference on Disaster Reduction (WCDR, 18-22 January 2005, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan) took place and represents a landmark in worldwide understanding and commitment to implement a disaster risk reduction agenda. This commitment was captured in the Hyogo Declaration and the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters adopted at the WCDR.

The Hyogo Framework is the essential guide for implementation of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction in the coming years and it constitutes an unprecedented conceptual shift that takes account of the complexity of action in disaster risk reduction and the large variety of actors whose inputs are required in the pursuit of this objective. It provides the basic concepts and prescribes and expected outcome; details three strategic goals for disaster risk reduction and a set of five priority areas for action; and assigns tasks to stakeholders at difference operational levels to reach the expected outcome.

Priority Three of the Hyogo Framework for Action emphasizes the need to "use knowledge, innovation and education to build a culture of safety and resilience at all levels". It further stresses the importance of “inclusion of disaster risk reduction knowledge in relevant sections of school curricula at all levels" and "the use of formal and informal channels to reach youth and children with information".

Objectives three and four of the Africa Regional Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction equally highlight the importance to "enhance knowledge management for disaster risk reduction" and "increase public awareness of disaster risk reduction ". National governments in Africa have established national coordination mechanisms, referred to as national platforms for disaster risk reduction to coordinate stakeholders’ initiatives in their goal to implement the Hyogo Framework for Action and the Africa Regional Strategy for disaster risk reduction.

At the Regional level, Africa was the first continent that showed political commitment to disaster risk reduction by formulating in 2004 the “Africa Regional Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction”, “Programme of Action 2005-2010” for its implementation and “Guidelines for Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Assessment in Development”, under the aegis of the African Union Commission, the NEPAD Secretariat, African Development Bank, and with support of the UNISDR and UN partners. These documents were officially adopted at the First African Ministerial Conference on DRR in Addis Ababa in 2005.

The Second Africa Ministerial Conference took place in Nairobi, Kenya from 14 – 16 April 2010, to discuss and agree upon a revised and extended “Africa Programme of Action for the Implementation of the Africa Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction (2006-2015)” to align with the HFA. The new Africa Programme of Action considers emerging challenges and the most frequent natural hazards in Africa such as climate change factors and its possible consequences, gender equity, drought and flood risk reduction. It is conceived to promote concrete activities, expected results and indicators to monitor progress.

The UNISDR Regional Office for Africa is implementing a project to strengthen national platforms for disaster risk reduction in nine project countries in the region, namely Burundi, Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Namibia, Tunisia, Tanzania, Senegal and Madagascar. The project is designed to address needs and priorities identified by national governments as well as by the UN country teams in the respective countries; Tanzania established its national platform for disaster risk reduction in 2005.

Through discussions with the Tanzania National Platform for Disaster Reduction and the UNCT, the integration of DRR into the educational system, particularly in schools, was prioritized for this project. The integration of DRR into the educational system will enhance public awareness on disaster risks and the resilience of people to the impact of natural disasters, which will make it easier for the national platform to coordinate DRR initiatives at community level. In a first activity an analysis of the educational system in Tanzania was carried out, which proposed several ways forward to integrate DRR formally and informally into the educational system and to make use of the recently finalized school manual on disaster risk reduction for primary and secondary schools, and related teachers guides.

As a second step in accordance with the Tanzania National Platform for DRR priorities and the ongoing initiatives by development partners in the country, UNISDR Africa is seeking a national consultant to develop a training kit for teachers and headmasters on the concepts of DRR and the Hyogo Framework for Action and on how to integrate DRR in general and the DRR school manual in specific into their existing curriculum. The training kit will be developed in strong coordination with the Tanzania National Platform for DRR, UNISDR and the UN Country Team in Tanzania.

Duties and responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the Head of the UNISDR Regional Office for Africa, and the direct supervision of the Programme Officer in charge of the project, and in close collaboration with the Disaster Management Unit of the Prime Minister’s Office as chair of the Tanzania National Platform for DRR, the Tanzania Ministry of Education and the relevant focal points in the UN Country Team, the consultant will:

1. Based on the analysis of the educational system in Tanzania, educational material on DRR and the school manuals and teacher’s guides, gather all relevant information which should feed into the training kit.
2. Develop a training kit for a three day training of teachers and headmasters of primary and secondary schools in Tanzania.
3. Consult with the Tanzania National Platform for DRR and relevant development partners to have the training kit approved. The training kit will be piloted by the Tanzania National platform for DRR in cooperation with development partners, and will promote the “safer schools” concept by enabling teachers to communicate information on disaster risks, mitigation measures and the concept of DRR to school children.

Key Deliverable

Develop a training kit for a 3 day training of trainers, targeting school teachers and headmasters of Tanzanian Primary and Secondary schools. The training kit will include clear concepts of DRR and the HFA, suggestions on how to integrate DRR into the curriculum and an introduction of the school manual and teacher’s guide. With the help of the training kit the teacher’s and headmasters will clearly understand the importance of DRR, the roles of and responsibilities of all stakeholders on the country related to DRR, and will be able to effectively use the school manual and teacher’s guide, hence integrate DRR teaching into their daily routine.

Timeframe

-Work plan with list of reference materials: within l week after the starting date
-Outline of the training kit: within two weeks after staring date
-First Consultation with national stakeholders: within three weeks after starting date -Submission of draft tool kit within four weeks after starting date
-Second Consultation with national stakeholders within five weeks after starting date
-Finalization of tool kit within six and seven weeks after staring date
-Final consultation and changes within eight weeks after staring date -Final delivery of tool kit: before completion of consultancy.

Competencies

Professionalism: Ability to respond to changing requirements and assignments given; Ability to identify key strategic issues, opportunities and risks.

Planning and organizing: Effective organizational skills and ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor own work plan.

Communication: Good communication speaks and writes clearly and effectively; Demonstrates openness in sharing information with others and keeping people informed.

Education

Advanced university degree (Masters Degree or equivalent) in meteorology, environmental sciences, disaster management or other related fields.

Work experience:

Minimum 5 years of work experience working with disaster risk reduction, education or related fields. Experience working in African countries will be an added advantage.

Languages

Fluency in spoken and written English is required.