Kirabati: Individual Consultant – To support Women’s Resilience to Disasters Programme implementation, UN Women Kiribati Office

Mar 6, 2023 | United Nations Women
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Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

 The Fiji Multi Country Office (MCO) covers 14 Pacific countries, with field offices/presence in 6 countries, and six ‘focus countries’ (Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Tonga, and Samoa). Each field presence is led by a national Country Programme Coordinator with a Programme Officer in Tonga. UN Women, in partnership with Pacific Islands Governments, regional organizations, CSOs, donors and UN agencies, focuses on delivering within four interlinked programme areas:

• Women’s Political Empowerment and Leadership (WPEL)
• Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE)
• Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG)
• Gender and Protection in Humanitarian Action (GPiHA) and Disaster Risk Reduction

Women’s Resilience to Disaster (WRD)

Disaster risks converge with critical socio-economic vulnerabilities, environmental degradation and climate change making the Pacific a disaster hotspot. Disasters and climate change are widening inequalities and undermining poverty reduction in the region. Threats such as COVID-19 are further exacerbating the inequalities and hardships faced by women and girls including those with disabilities. Women and girls face greater vulnerability and exposure to disasters, yet women remain largely ignored and their capacities unleveraged in conventional resilience building processes. As a result, women are generally absent in the development of resilience strategies and decision-making processes for prevention, preparedness, and recovery. This is compounded by significant gaps at the global, regional and country level in relation to the availability and use of sex, age and disability disaggregated data (SADDD), knowledge sharing on women’s resilience; an enabling environment for building women’s resilience (including capacities, leadership and funding); translation of commitments into action; coordination and private sector partnership; and a need for transformative change to tackle the underlying drivers of disproportionate risk.

UN Women’s WRD programme proposes a comprehensive package for building women’s resilience to disasters, climate change and threats (including COVID-19).   The aim of the WRD Programme will be to render women’s and girls’ lives and livelihoods disaster-resilient, contributing to sustainable and secure communities, by promoting gender responsive prevention, preparedness, and recovery systems, plans and tools; and by enabling targeted action to help women and girls withstand hazards and threats, recover fully from disasters and increase their resilience to future risks.  The expected end-of-programme outcomes (EOPOs) are:

1. Prevention, preparedness and recovery systems, plans and tools are gender-responsive through women’s leadership in DRR, women’s enhanced influence in DRR decision-making, enhanced gender capacity of DRR and climate resilience stakeholders, increased access to knowledge, guidance and expertise on gender-responsive disaster resilience, and strategic partnerships and networks for women’s agency and leadership in DRR; and
2. Women and girls are prepared to withstand natural hazards, climate change and COVID-19, recover from disasters and increase their resilience to future risks, through gender-responsive early warning systems, gender targeted and mainstreamed services for women’s resilience, women’s informal and formal climate and disaster resilient businesses, women’s increased access to climate and disaster resilient livelihoods and strategic partnerships for resilient livelihoods.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objectives of the assignment

UN Women Fiji MCO is looking for a consultant to support the Ministry of Women, Youth, Sport, and Social Affairs’ (MWYSSA) develop a training package and deliver the training of trainers. This training will include:

• Inclusive and Gender-responsive DRR Training Manual
• Facilitators guide and
• Training tools (PPT, Posters, IEC)

For this purpose, the Consultant will work in close coordination with MWYSSA as the government focal point and in consultation with other key stakeholders in government, CSOs and local communities.  The consultant will also seek technical inputs and guidance from government agencies including MWYSSA, and Ministries responsible for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change.

The Consultant will work with the Kiribati WRD Team, under the direct supervision of the WRD Kiribati National Programme Coordinator (NPC) in consultation with WRD Programme Team at the Fiji MCO. In the absence of the NPC Kiribati, the Consultant will work under the direct supervision of the UNW Kiribati Country Programme Coordinator in consultation with the WRD Programme Team at the Fiji MCO.

Scope of Work/Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant is expected to develop a Training Manual, Facilitator’s Guide and Training tools and deliver a ToT for Ministry staff on Gender, DRR and climate change.

For this the consultant is expected to undertake a desk-based review of all training documents/ modules and materials on to understand existing training capacities and knowledge within MWYSSA and other key stakeholders, relevant national policies, strategies, and international commitments.

The consultant will also carry out consultations with key stakeholders in government, women-led and community-based organisations on the proposed manual outline below to ensure relevance and fit for purpose.

The following is a proposed structure of the Manual expected to be developed:

Training Manual: Inclusive and Gender-responsive DRR

Module 1:  Concepts and principles of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)

• Session 1: Terminologies and concepts
• Session 2: Disaster risk management cycle
• Session 3: Types of hazards and their risks
• Session 4: Comprehensive Hazard Assessment and Risk Management

 Module 2: Disaster Risk Management Governance in Kiribati

• Session 1: National Disaster Risk Reduction policy and strategies
• Session 2: Early Warning Systems and Awareness
• Session 3: Disaster Risk Management governance structures at national and subnational level
• Session 4: Roles and responsibilities of stakeholders

Module 3: Gender and Social Inclusion in DRR

• Session 1: Terminologies and concepts
• Session 2: Principles of gender, intersectionality, disability inclusion and gender dimensions of disaster risk
• Session 3: Promoting inclusive participation and women’s leadership in community resilience building.
• Session 4: Inclusive, Gender-responsive Disaster Risk Reduction

Module 4:  Integrating Gender and Social inclusion in Community-based DRR strategies.

• Session 1: Community-based disaster risk management approaches.
• Session 2: Strategies for effective, inclusive and gender-responsive Community-based disaster preparedness
• Session 3: Safety and Protection Committees
• Session 4: How to access services for recovery.

Based on inputs and feedback from stakeholders, refine and develop a training manual, facilitator’s guide, and training tools for review by MWYSSA and the Kiribati National Programme Coordinator prior to finalisation.

The consultant is also required to facilitate a Training of Trainers workshop and submit reports, including post-training evaluation report.

Duration of the Assignment

The duration of this assignment will be from March to July 2023 up to 40 working days as per the schedule of deliverables.

Expected Deliverables

The Consultant is expected to deliver the following outputs:

Special Requirements:

The Consultant will be allowed for two (2) return trips to Tarawa, Kiribati - should the candidate be recruited internationally for this work assignment.

Below are the schedules of work for the 40 days of work within the 4 months period:

• The Consultant will be allowed to spend first 6 days remotely for the initial work and carry out Deliverables 1 & 2.
• The Consultant will be required to undertake his/her first mission travel to Tarawa, Kiribati i.e. to spend 10 workdays to carry out, Deliverable 3 and part of the Deliverable 4.  The rest of the 7 days allocated for Deliverable 4 will be carried out remotely.
• Deliverable 5 will require the Consultant to spend 7 days working remotely on the submission of the final version of the Manual. This will be 7 days of the 10 workdays allocated under this deliverable. The other 3 days will be part of the second mission travel which will require the Consultant to be in Tarawa, Kiribati.
• The last deliverables, Deliverables 6 & 7 will be part of the second mission to Tarawa, Kiribati which will require the Consultant to facilitate training in country and submission of the final report utilizing the last 7 days for the Final Report submission.
• The above outlined two mission travels to Tarawa, Kiribati, for 10 days per travel, totaling to 20 working days in country. The remaining 20 workdays will require the Consultant to work remotely.

The assignment should be carried out with the incumbent being responsible for delivering the above outputs and timelines. 

Upon receipt of the final deliverables and prior to the payment of the instalment, the deliverables, related reports and documents will be reviewed and approved by UN Women within two weeks.

All the deliverables should be agreed with UN Women and be provided in English hard and electronic copy.

Inputs

The selected candidate is expected to have her/his laptop, while UN Women Kiribati will provide access to other equipment for the fulfillment of his/her tasks (such as printer, copier).

• MYWSSA will provide the Consultant with all the existing training documents/ modules and materials on gender, DRR and climate change to understand the current capacity, relevant policies, strategies, and national/ international commitments pertaining to gender, disaster risk reduction and climate change.
• MYWSSA will organize an information session for the Consultant on the existing and ongoing activities related to outreach and capacity building on gender, disaster risk reduction and climate change at national and community level.
• UN Women will provide the Consultant with any other relevant background materials.
• The Consultant will be provided a workspace in the MWYSSA.

Management Arrangements:

The Consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Fiji MCO Programme Specialist, Gender & Resilience and in consultation with the Country Programme Coordinator / CPC Kiribati including the respective focal point(s) at MWYSSA. 

Performance evaluation

The Consultant’s performance will be evaluated based on timeliness, responsibility, initiative, communication, accuracy, and quality of the products delivered.

Financial Arrangements

Payments will be disbursed upon submission of deliverable reports as per section V above and as approved and certified by Programme Specialist, Gender and Resilience that the services have been satisfactorily performed.

Travel

This assignment is a mix of home-based and with two missions to Kiribati for the consultations to develop the Training Package and a second one for the actual ToT delivery.

Each mission will tentatively be for 710 days which needs to be factored in the proposal.

Any additional travel (beyond the two missions), if required, will be ensured by UN Women Fiji MCO with prior coordination. Other travel, including international as well as local travel, must be covered by consultant. 

Competencies

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
• Accountability
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Leading by Example

Functional Competencies:

• Good programme formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation skills
• Good knowledge of Results Based Management
• Ability to gather and interpret data, reach logical conclusions and present findings and recommendations
• Good analytical skills

Required Skills and Experience

Required experience and qualifications. 

The Consultant should fulfill the following requirements:

Education:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Planning, Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate Change, Humanitarian Response, Economics, Public Health, Geography, Sociology, Data Science, Social Science, or other related field is required.
• A first-level University Degree in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. 

Experience and Skills:

• At least 5 years (master’s degree) or 7 years (Bachelor’s Degree of experience in in gender, disability and social inclusion in areas pertaining to disaster risk reduction and climate change (including women’s and persons with disabilities leadership in DRR, DRR policies, and systems, data, and knowledge) in Kiribati or small island states context.
• Proven record of at least 5 years of experience in leading /facilitating consultation meetings with various stakeholders (governmental, non-governmental and donor community).
• At least 5 years of experience and multiple trainings developed and delivered in the areas of gender, climate change and DRR.
• Knowledge of the Pacific and specifically Kiribati is an added advantage.

Language and other skills:

• Fluency in command of written and spoken English is required (as assessed in the P11).
• Knowledge of the other UN Official working language is an asset.

Evaluation:

Initially, individual consultants will be short-listed based on the following minimum qualification criteria:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Planning, Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate Change, Humanitarian Response, Economics, Public Health, Geography, Sociology, Data Science, Social Science, or other related field is required.   A first-level University Degree in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• At least 5 years (master’s degree) or 7 years (Bachelor’s Degree of experience in in gender, disability and social inclusion in areas pertaining to disaster risk reduction and climate change (including women’s and persons with disabilities leadership in DRR, DRR policies, and systems, data, and knowledge) in Kiribati or small island states context.

The short-listed individual consultants will be further evaluated based on a cumulative analysis scheme, with a total score being obtained upon the combination of weighted technical and financial attributes.  Cost under this method of analysis is rendered as an award criterion, which will be 30% out of a total score of 100 points.

Evaluation of submitted offers will be done based on the following formula:

where: 

• T is the total technical score awarded to the evaluated proposal (only to those proposals that pass 70% of 70 points obtainable under technical evaluation);
• C is the price of the evaluated proposal;
• Clow is the lowest of all evaluated proposal prices among responsive proposals; and
• X is the maximum financial points obtainable (30 points)

 Technical evaluation will be represented through desk review of applications. Interviews and/or written tests will be organized if needed only, depending on the short-listed candidates’ qualifications. 

Technical Qualification Evaluation Criteria: The technical part is evaluated on the basis of its responsiveness to the Terms of Reference (TOR).

Financial Evaluation Criteria: In this Second Stage, the financial proposal of candidates, who have attained minimum 70% score in the technical evaluation (at least 49 points), will be compared.

WINNING CANDIDATE 

The winning candidate will be the candidate, who has accumulated the highest aggregated score (technical scoring + financial scoring).

Submission of application

Interested candidates are requested to submit fully completed application on the UNDP Vacancy Site.

Submission Package: 

1. Cover letter explaining the suitability of the consultant: applicants are encouraged to address experience and qualifications listed in the ‘criteria for technical evaluation’.
2. Duly filled Personal History Form (P11) and/or Curriculum Vitae (CV) of consultant including records of experience in similar assignments and specific outputs obtained; P11 can be downloaded at: https://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment
3. Financial proposal – specifying a total lump sum amount for the tasks specified in this Terms of Reference.  The financial proposal shall include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (daily rate and number of anticipate working days and any other possible costs).
4. Please read, use and complete ANNEX I and ANNEX II below to provide the financial proposal.
5. Applications without a complete financial proposal will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment.  UN Women reserves the right to accept or reject any bid.

The consultancy recruitment process will be governed by the rules and regulations of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women).

UN Women Statement on Diversity and Inclusion:

UN Women is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need. 

If an applicant needs any reasonable accommodation to support their participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in the application. 

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United  Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination.  All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel 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).

Deadline of all submission: 14th March 2023