Date of issue: 21 November 2008 / ISDR/C/14/2008
Post Title & Level:Consultant (Risk and Progress Update for Disaster Risk Reduction in Africa)
Duty station:anywhere in virtual contact
Vacancy Notice number: ISDR/C/14/2008
Deadline for applications:24 November 2008
Date of entry:15 December 2008
Duration:3 months, with possibility of extension
United Nations Core Values:
Integrity ● Professionalism ● Respect for diversity
Background and Context:
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.
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.
Disaster risk reduction requires the engagement of organizations and actors from diverse specializations, spanning the development, humanitarian and technical/environmental fields, and the development of coherent strategies, programmes and policies across these fields and tailored to the circumstances and needs of specific sectors. The concepts and tools of disaster risk reduction offer significant means to protect development gains, to reduce the demands for humanitarian relief and response, and to cope with the future changes in risks arising from climate change.
To facilitate the ISDR in Africa, the African Union and the NEPAD Secretariat led a partnership in 2003 that developed the African Regional Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction. In compliance with a request by the 2004 Africa Union Summit, the Programme of Action for the Implementation of the Africa Strategy 2006-2010 was developed and was endorsed by the 2005 African Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Reduction, and, adopted by the Eight Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union. This Session of the Executive Council further endorsed the holding of biennial ministerial meetings on DRR to provide continuing oversight for implementation of the Programme of Action.
In 2005, the global community agreed on strategic directions and a set of five priorities in the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 (HFA) to further expand and strengthen actions at all levels to reduce disaster risks and build the resilience of nations and communities to disasters. As a key activity in harnessing global support for the HFA, the First Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction was held in June 2007 in Geneva with participation by National Governments, National Platforms for DRR, regional partners, UN agencies, civil society organizations and expert institutions. Preceding the Global Platform session, the First Consultation of the African Regional Platform for DRR was held in Nairobi in April 2007 as a regional forum for coordinated actions to reduce disasters and to provide a common forum for coordinated national participation in the Global Platform.
The Second Consultation of the Africa Regional Platform and Ministerial Conference on DRR in Africa will be held as a joint event under the auspices of the African Union early 2009. In order to adequately plan for this important event, the African Union Commission and UNISDR will organize a Preparatory Meeting for the Second Ministerial Conference that will take place in Nairobi over the period 1-5 December, 2008. At this event, the 2008 progress report on HFA implementation, incorporating information from the on-line process, will be disseminated and reviewed and Africa’s participation in the Second Global Platform planned.
Monitoring and reporting on progress is an essential feature of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA). In particular, the HFA calls on ISDR partners (particularly states) and the secretariat to prepare periodic reviews of progress and to identify gaps and challenges in implementation. Consequently, the ISDR secretariat presented the Disaster Risk Reduction: 2007 Global Review to the first session of the Global Platform in June 2007. Building on the experience of the 2007 exercise, the ISDR system will publish and launch the first biennial Global Assessment Report (GAR) at the second session of the Global Platform in June 2009.
To help generate information on progress in DRR, the UNISDR launched anISDR system-wide HFA Reporting Framework that includes templates for progress reporting as part of an online reporting mechanism. The online system facilitates online monitoring of submissions and progress reporting by countries and tracking of results within a common database, across years.
The results of country submission for 2008 have been systematized by the UNISDR office. To produce a regional status report from these data and information, UNISDR desires to recruit a consultant to prepare a report on progress in implementation of the HFA in Africa which will utilize the results of the on-line HFA monitor process, the outcomes of the preparatory meeting in December 2008 and other sources of information to update a status report on DRR in Sub-Saharan Africa region that was prepared in 2007 by the African Union, UNISDR and the World Bank.
Objective, functions and responsibilities
Objective
The objective of the consultancy is to enhance knowledge on the status of DRR in Africa, identify challenges and make recommendations for action in a report as a contribution of the ISDR system in Africa into the preparation of the GAR for the Second Global Platform in June 2009.
General function
Under the overall authority of the Director of UNISDR, the guidance of the Deputy Director of UNISDR and direct supervision of and reporting to the UNISDR Regional Coordinator for Africa, the Consultant will analyze and interpret responses of the on-line questionnaires on HFA progress reporting submitted by countries, identify problems, constraints and issues in HFA implementation in Africa and prepare conclusions and suggest recommendations from the analysis to enhance progress in DRR in Africa.
Specific responsibilities, duties and tasks:
The Consultant will
1)update the Report on the Status of Disaster Risk Reduction in the Sub-Saharan Africa Region (January 2008) by the Commission of the African Union, UNISDR and the World Bank with relevant information, particularly the on-line submissions on the 2008 on-line questionnaire for HFA reporting
2)compile the data from the on-line process into a matrix indicating progress in each of the five priority areas of the HFA by each country and for each sub-region (IGAD, ECOWAS, ECCAS and SADC)
3)identify challenges to the HFA reporting process, particularly completing the on-line questionnaire tool
4)determine the adequacy of information and analysis provided by countries to indicate progress in HFA implementation and recommend ways of improving the quality and timeliness of information and reporting on HFA progress in Africa, including issues relating to performance indicators
5)make recommendations for the development of a regional database on national programmes in DRR to form the basis for a DRR resource inventory
6)draft Terms of Reference for any studies that the consultant considers necessary to improve the process and outcome of reporting on HFA progress in Africa
7)work with staff of UNISDR Africa regional office to develop an outline of the summary report to be submitted by the office to the Second Global Platform
8)make recommendations for accelerating progress in DRR through HFA implementation in Africa
9)Make recommendations for the Agenda of the Ministerial Conference (March 2009), participate in the Conference and record additional information and recommendations resulting from the conference, and amend the status report. Prepare summary of Conference findings.
10)Organize information sessions (including with media) during the Ministerial Conference)
Scope and coverage of the report
The report will contain sections on:
1)a regional risk up-date onpatterns and trends in global and regional disaster risk, particularly the occurrence and distribution of hazard events, against which progress in reducing disaster risk can be assessed in Africa
2)a review of progress in national disaster risk reduction and management through HFA implementation by countries identifying gaps, challenges and needs relating to development of institutional frameworks and commitment, risk assessment, monitoring and early warning, risk knowledge management, sectoral risk reduction, and, preparing for effective response
3)how key thematic issues of relevance for DRR in Africa are being addressed in national disaster management processes,for example gender, food security, urban risk, and climate change.
4)recommendations for enhancing the quality and timeliness of HFA reporting in particular and DRR in general in Africa
5)country DRR profiles based on the format in Annex 3 of the Report on the Status of Disaster Risk Reduction in the Sub-Saharan Africa Region (January 2008) by the Commission of the African Union, UNISDR and the World Bank
Reporting requirements
The Consultant shall report directly to the Coordinator of the UNISDR Africa regional office. The Consultant shall submit assignment reports according to the following schedule:
- Inception report: 2 weeks after commencement
- Draft status report: eight weeks after commencement
- Final status report: two weeks after receiving comments from UNISDR
- Conference summary: two weeks after the Conference.
Competencies:
- Knowledge and understanding of the concepts, principles and approaches to disaster risk reduction
- Familiarity with the operation of inter-governmental organizations and international development partners
- Practical experience in programme management and demonstrated planning and organizational skills
- Good analytical, research and problem-solving skills
- Ability to plan own works, work to tight deadlines
- Ability to establish and maintain productive working relationships with various partners
- Solid computer skills
- Effective communication skills
Qualifications:
Education: Advanced university degree in economics, development, management, public policy or related fields or equivalent relevant experience andor the equivalent combination of academic qualifications and experience.
Experience: At least 7 years of progressive professional responsibility in areas associated with this post, such as economic development, sustainable development, environmental management, humanitarian action, social policy and organizational management.
Language: Ability to speak, write and understand both English. French is an asset.
Applicants will be contacted only if they are under serious consideration.
Applications from qualified female candidates and from nationals of non- and under-represented countries are particularly encouraged.
Please email the following documents to the ISDR secretariat at :
1. Cover letter, explaining why you consider yourself qualified and motivated for this particular assignment.
2. Completed P-11 Form.
It would be appreciated your stating your full name and the ISDR consultancy vacancy notice number (ISDR/C/14/2008) as the subject in your e-mail of application.
Please note that applications received after the deadline will not be accepted.