National platform for disaster risk reduction toolkit consultant

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

Vacancy Notice number: ISDR/C/14/2010
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 One of the Hyogo Framework for Action emphasizes the need to “ensure that disaster risk reduction (DRR) is a national and local priority with a strong institutional basis for implementation”. It further recommends establishing “DRR institutional mechanisms (national platforms) with designated responsibilities”.

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 the 14 to 16 April 2010, in order 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.

Since the mid 90’s African countries began developing multi-stakeholder national coordination mechanisms for disaster management and response, the first being Ethiopia (1995) and Mozambique (1999). Since the establishment of the UNISDR regional Office for Africa in 2002, another 23 African countries established multi-stakeholder national coordination mechanisms, focusing on disaster risk reduction rather than on disaster response and relief, which are often referred to as national platforms for disaster risk reduction.

To enhance the functioning of national platforms for DRR and to facilitate the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action, the UNISDR Secretariat in Geneva and the UNISDR Regional Office for Africa, under a project on “Strengthening National Platforms for Disaster Risk Reduction in Africa”, funded by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany is developing a Toolkit for National Platforms, which will provide a compilation of reference sheets and samples, as well as matrixes and other tools, which can be directly adapted to the national context, which will facilitate the implementation of key activities habitually expected to be carried out by national platforms.

The UNISDR Regional Office for Africa is seeking a consultant to complement an existing outline of the Toolkit for National Platforms with practical tools, such as task sheets, matrixes, outlines of work plans and practical examples. This will result in the finalization of the English version of the Toolkit, which will be piloted in the English speaking project countries, before being translated into other languages.

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 the consultant will:

1. Draft an outline for the Toolkit for National Platforms which combines the existing chapters with additional material to be developed under the consultancy.
2. Draft additional material and harmonize layout of the existing and additional parts, to make the Toolkit coherent, giving special attention to DRR financing mechanisms, safer schools and hospitals and the linkage with climate change adaptation.
3. Consult with the UNISDR Regional Office for Africa and selected national platform members for approval.
4. The training kit will be piloted in the English speaking project countries; suggestions should be made on how to introduce the Toolkit at national level.

Key Deliverables:
1. Develop additional chapters for the Toolkit for National Platforms to make it more practical and
user-friendly.
2. Integrate existing and additional chapters into a harmonic end product and finalize layout.

Timeframe:
• Work plan with list of reference materials: within l week after the starting date
• Outline of Toolkit: within two weeks after start date
• First Consultation with selected African national platform stakeholders: within three weeks
after starting date
• Development of additional chapters: between four and six weeks after starting date
• Consultation with UNISDR and submission of draft Toolkit: within seven weeks after
starting date
• Final changes: within eight weeks after staring date
• Final delivery of Toolkit: 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 development studies, social sciences, environmental sciences, disaster management or other related fields.

Work experience:
Minimum 10 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.