Organization: UN Children"s Fund
Country: United States of America
Closing date: 29 May 2015
Background
The concept of resilience has gained traction in the international aid community as the social and economic costs of disasters, armed conflicts, epidemics and other calamities has continued to rise. The duration, scale, and cost of humanitarian interventions is growing. Chronic and high vulnerability levels amplify the impact of shocks and stress, however, many of the shocks and stresses are predictable and their consequences can be mitigated or prevented. In order to ensure better results that are sustainable both development and humanitarian programs must focus on adaptive programming that is risk[1]informed, including addressing the structural and underlying causes of vulnerability.
UNICEF defines resilience as “the ability of children, households, communities, and systems to anticipate, prevent, adapt to, withstand, and overcome stresses and shocks in ways which advance the rights of every child, with special attention to the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children”. UNICEF is committed to strengthening its involvement in systematic reduction of vulnerability to crises, both natural and man-made, through risk-informed country programmes that help build resilience at the institutional, community, and individual levels. UNICEF Offices at all levels will identify, assess, manage and report on critical risks. This will include identification of roles and accountabilities; implementation of risk mitigation procedures; and facilitation of trainings for managers and staff to develop and promote risk-informed decision-making across the organization. A major emphasis in this area is building resilience by strengthening national capacities. UNICEF supports governments to undertake risk-informed budgetary planning, management and auditing to improve preparedness, prevention and response to shocks and cumulative stresses at both national and subnational levels.
Risk-informed Education Programming
Crisis has a powerfully destructive impact on children’s education access, completion, and learning achievement. States affected by conflict, disaster, displacement and other crises are the furthest away from achieving development goals. While current approaches have undoubtedly played an important role in maintaining a lifeline to learning, the evidence indicates that they are not sufficient to meet the needs of children affected by crisis. UNICEF has programmed for many years in risk prone contexts and has advanced programmes for disaster risk reduction, peace-building, climate change adaptation, and social protection. However, under the new Strategic Plan, UNICEF aims to scale-up these experiences and integrate them systematically into its development programmes and humanitarian action.
UNICEF is currently developing a Basic Package on Risk Informed Programming which will include guidance and practical tools to support country offices to (1) identify hazards and threats (2) assess risks (3) apply risk-informed approaches to planning and programming. The education sector will be contributing to this package as well as developing expanded guidance and tools related to risk management. To advance outcomes against 2014-2017 Strategic Plan, the Education sector is working to ensure education plans and programmes are risk-informed and risk-responsive. The Peacebuilding, Education and Advocacy Programme (PBEA) has in recent years developed and implemented conflict analyses that led to the design of conflict-informed education programmes in fragile and conflict-affected countries. Good practices related to Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation have also been developed and implemented in many country programmes, helping to bridge humanitarian and development approaches.
Purpose
To develop “How to” guidance and tools for the Education component in line with UNICEF’s multi-sectoral basic package for risk-informed programmes. The guidance and tools will inform and lead UNICEF Country Offices on developing risk-informed Education programming at national and sub-national levels, especially at key stages of programming such as annual work planning, new country programme development, mid-term review, and regular monitoring exercises. The guidance, checklists and tools will also help to support UNICEF and its implementing partners (i.e. governments, UN agencies, NGOs, etc.) to analyze risk and understand how to adapt education policies and programmes with the aim to build the resilience of systems, communities, schools and children.
Main Responsibilities and Tasks
· Desk Review and Background Paper
o Conduct basic research and literature review on global, regional and national approaches to risk and resilience in countries affected by crises; including an overview of existing frameworks, resources, tools and available cost-benefit analyses.
o Highlight education related resources focused on prevention, preparation and mitigation of risks associated with shocks, hazards and stresses due natural hazards, violence and conflict, and other crises (e.g. economic shocks, epidemics)
o Hold consultation meeting with reference group for feedback and revision, and for reaching consensus on the concepts to be highlighted in the forthcoming guidance document and practical tools
· Guidance document and practical tools for risk-informed/resilient education plans and programmes
o Design and develop simple, practical guidance that will link to appropriate conceptual frameworks and thematic resources and outline process for ensuring plans and programmes are risk-informed
o Design and develop user-friendly, easily adaptable tools including i) check-list for risk assessment, ii) costing templates, iii) responsive programming examples, iv) menu of M&E indicators
o Hold consultation meeting with reference group for feedback and revision of both guidance document and tools
· UNICEF Education Component of the Basic Packagefor Risk-Informed Programming:
- Develop the Education component of UNICEF’s Basic Package for Risk-Informed Programmes Work, conferring with relevant sectors and cross-cutting issue teams
- Participate in consultation meetings with UNICEF sectors involved in risk-informed programming
Duty Station
Remote/Home-based. The consultant will be available by email, telephone and Skype to facilitate inputs to and production of the document. Travel may be required (TBD).
Timeframe: Start date:15 June 2015 (approx.) End date:15 October 2015
[1] Risk is the relationship between vulnerability & capacity (level of social, economic & political capital etc.), exposure (people’s location) & the shock
Minimum Qualifications and Competencies
· Advanced university degree in social science, education, or a closely related field
· Minimum of 8-10 years of responsible experience at the mid-management level in planning and implementing education programmes with either the UN, or International Organizations
· Proven experience of integration of disaster risk reduction and/or peacebuilding into humanitarian and development education programming
· Excellent analytical and writing skills
· Experience developing guidance and tools
· Proficient in Publisher, Excel and Microsoft Suite
- Fluency in English (verbal and written). Knowledge of another UN language an asset.
How to apply:
How to Apply
Applicants are requested to send their submissions to <**pdconsultants@unicef.org>with subject line: **Risk-informed/Resilient Education Programming – Consultancyby 29 May 2015, 5:00pm EST.
Applications must include:
· Cover letter,
· CV, and
· P-11 form (http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/P11.doc )
Please indicate your ability, availability and daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a daily/monthly rate will not be considered. Joint Applications of two or more individuals are not accepted.
*Please see deliverables in attached chart.
UNICEF is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
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