Afghanistan: Context Analysis of Environment

Jun 17, 2018 | Swedish Committee for Afghanistan
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Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) is one of the largest development organisations working in Afghanistan. SCA’s operations in Afghanistan encompass programmes for education, health, support to persons with disabilities and rural development. The main target group is the population in rural areas, especially women and girls. Operations are led by five regional offices in Mazar-e Sharif, Taloqan, Maidan Shar, Jalalabad and Ghazni, with support from the management office in Kabul (KMO). SCA activities include both service delivery as well as advocacy work and capacity development. SCA has started the implementation of its new 4-years Strategic Plan 2018-21 with increased focus on moving from a needs-based to a rights-based approach, including strengthening its gender and human rights prospective.

1. Context and Problems addressed

Afghanistan’s government has warned that climate change is putting [1]“the foundation of the country’s economy, stability, and food security under threat”. Yet the very real risk posed by climate change to Afghanistan's development is usually overshadowed by the more immediate and visible concerns around conflict and economic crisis. The current insecurity and conflict have a significant negative impact on economic activity and on the ability of the state to deliver services to its citizens.

Due to highly unstable security environment and the extreme poverty, the country’s natural resources and ecosystem functions are being rapidly degraded by uncontrolled water extraction, overgrazing and deforestation. This is indirectly caused by factors such as the lack of security, the absence of regulatory framework, migration, land tenure practices and uncontrolled development. Climate change will most likely add extra pressure to already fragile arid/semi-arid ecosystems, and the human impacts on climate change are likely to be particularly severe in Afghanistan due to the importance of natural resources for rural livelihoods.

The environmental situation strongly affects people’s health and wellbeing. Over 80% of the population lives in rural areas. This part of the population depends heavily on a functioning ecosystem and is very vulnerable to droughts, climate change and local degradation in the form of soil erosion and the pollution of soil and water. Also, populations in the growing urban areas in Afghanistan suffer from severe air pollution, lack of sanitation and inadequate access to safe drinking water. Health problems caused by environmental problems throughout the country include malnutrition, respiratory diseases and asthma.

SCA regards environmental sustainability as a cross cutting issue and wants to ensure that it is systematically mainstreamed in programmes and projects. SCA’s programme outputs and outcomes depend on direct interface with communities through implementation of a complex range of activities. Many activities entail utilisation of a variety of physical inputs, follow diverse operational mechanisms, and produce a multiplicity of intended and sometimes unintended consequences.

Mindful of potential negative impacts during implementation of community-based infrastructure projects, SCA wants to systematise use of environmental checklists to examine impact on trees, wildlife, agriculture, erosion, water resources, flooding, and human health during design, implementation/construction and use/operation phases. SCA teams are interested in expanding their scope of work to include community sensitisation to environmental issues and generate collective action that contributes to conservation and sustenance of environmental goods and services. SCA teams may also be interested in implementing projects that enhance community resilience against risks that emanate from climate change and environmental degradation in ecologically fragile areas.

2. ASSIGNMENT

2.1 Analysis Purpose and Objectives

Purpose

Given the potential impact of climate change and environmental degradation on the country, as well as its limited institutional capacity to plan for and respond to these impacts, it is critical that organisations such as SCA engage with environmental issues. The purpose and scope of the assignment will be to unpack the context of environmental policy and programme, specifically in the light of SCA’s strategic objectives, and present possibilities for SCA to engage with environment policy and programmes.

The context analysis should be conducted in the light of SCA’s current approach for promoting rights-based perspectives on economic, social and cultural issues including matters related to sustainable development, environment protection and conservation, and environment justice. Indeed, integrating this perspective into the analysis would require identification of rights and responsibilities of different actors and target groups, and uncover gaps in restitution of rights and fulfilment of duties and obligations with regard to well-being of persons, who are especially vulnerable to environmental degradation and ecological extremities.

Objectives

  • Specifically, this context analysis will include assessing the current environmental context and status of regulatory framework, including the work of National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), development organisations and civil society in Afghanistan. The study will entail mapping key interventions, and describing approaches used by other stakeholders;
  • Alongside, the context analysis will also entail a thorough appraisal of SCA’s internal capacities and opportunities for environmental mainstreaming in policies, programs and activities. This includes staff capacity, follow-up or complaint mechanism, and recommendations on how to help SCA improve its internal compliance and capacity both in the area of environmental mainstreaming and protection;
  • A dual assessment of external and internal variables that contribute to environment policy and programmes will facilitate SCA to make sound choices in terms of its own interventions. The analysis will include recommendations on entry points for SCA engagement.

2.2 Scope of the Analysis

The consultancy assignment will focus on both the external context analysis of the environmental situation in Afghanistan as well as SCA’s internal organization, work and capacity in relation to environment.

The external environmental work will be focused on assessing the current environmental situation in Afghanistan, applicable regulatory framework, capacity of NEPA, ongoing activities and actions by other stakeholders, such as civil society, international organisations and UN agencies.

The internal analysis work will consist of assessments on the status of SCA’s environmental mainstreaming work in both policies and programs, staff capacity and follow up mechanisms to address capacity constraints. The consultant will produce a comprehensive analysis report for both the external context analysis and SCA internal organization environmental work with all the annexed indicated under the Output/Deliverables for the assignment. The analysis work will be carried out at the national level Kabul and in the field, Mazar and Ningarhar.

3. METHODOLOGY

The SCA Strategic Analysis Taskforce (SATF) will be responsible for overall management of the assignment, who will select one of its member as focal point for leading the assignment, and facilitate the work of consultant.

Although the analysis is to be carried out by an expert consultant, for broader discussion and deeper analysis a reference group consisting members from relevant units will be established and convene as and when needs arise.

The consultant will carry out the analysis according to the ToR and will include necessary tools and exercises to meet study objectives. Some of these tools and areas of enquiry include, but are not limited to, the following: (a) secondary literature review, (b) SCA internal literature review, (c) key informant interviews, (d) surveys, and (e) focus group discussions.

Detailed methodology, including the design of data-collection tools and formulation of specific questions will be the responsibility of the consultant.

4. Outputs/Deliverable

  • Inception report containing a detailed context analysis methodology with accompanying work plan and tools;
  • Analysis report on the status of environment-related policy and programme at country level which will include information of the on-going environmental work carried out by relevant government departments, UN agencies and development organisations, including good practices that can serve as recommendations for SCA’s engagement;
  • Assessment report of the status of SCA in relation to environmental mainstreaming work, policies, mechanisms, programs, methods including capacity and training needs of concerned programme staff. This section will include key recommendations for SCA to initiate and consolidate environment mainstreaming;
  • Presentation of analysis, results and recommendations at a special post-analysis workshop to be attended by SCA management and Head of Programmes;

SCA Inputs

  • Gathering documentary materials relevant to environmental work in Afghanistan
  • All relevant SCA organisational and programme documents – including policies, strategies, project plans, situational analyses and evaluations
  • Accommodation, subsistence and transportation costs for the duration of the work carried out in Afghanistan

5. DURATION AND WORK SCHEDULE

The duration of the consultancy assignment will be total of 23 working days and will take place between June to September 2018.

Proposed schedule:

  • Documentary review and preparation of methodology and assessment tools and questionnaire – 3 days
  • National level, Interviews in Kabul (Such as SCA KMO, Sida, Government agencies, other organizations) – 4 days
  • Fieldwork – 10 days
  • Collation and analysis of data, report writing – 4 days
  • Presentation of findings and workshop discussion of results at a stakeholder seminar on completion of the process –2 day
  • Draft report to be submitted no more than 7 days after completion of fieldwork
  • Final report to be submitted within 5 days of receiving feedback and comments

6. BUDGET AND PAYMENT

6.1 Fees

The Consultant shall specify the fee per working day (8 hours) including all taxes, social costs and VAT.

6.2 Reimbursables

The consultant is to specify anticipated reimbursable costs. The details of the budget for reimbursables shall be indicative only. Revisions and re-allocations will be decided in a dialogue with SCA, along the course of work. CA will arrange local transport and accommodation in Afghanistan.

6.3 Invoicing and Payment Procedures

An advance payment of 30% of the total costs will be settled as soon as SCA has approved the workplan. A second instalment of 30% will be settled after completion of field work as indicated in the schedule. The final instalment 40% of the total amount will only be paid once SCA has approved the Final Report. A final invoice should be submitted upon the completion of the assignment.

7. CONSULTANT QUALIFICATIONS

The environmental analysis will be carried out by an individual Afghan or International expert, or a team of Afghan and International consultants with specialized knowledge and research expertise in environment and climate change context, issues, policies and environmental mainstreaming in development cooperation work. The consultant will have the following experience and qualifications:

  • Significant experience of conducting environmental research, analysis including experience in environmental mainstreaming in the context of development cooperation in Afghanistan;
  • Sound theoretical knowledge of development theory and/or experience of project management for an NGO or UN agency in delivering development projects;
  • Practiced in the use of participatory methods for conducting research and planning;
  • Considerable professional experience of working in Afghanistan at the community, village and district levels with a clear understanding of traditional forms of social organisation and systems of local governance, as well as official systems of local administration;
  • High level of competence in the English language – particularly in writing, and in case of National consultant, fluency in both Dari and Pashto is required;
  • Strong communication skills with the ability to communicate detailed concepts clearly and concisely both in writing and verbally.

8. APPLICATION SUBMISSION

8.1 Documentation and information required**

The consultant should present a CV with relevant experience and background for the assignment and the following information:

  • Detailed workplan
  • Description of the approach and methodology applied
  • Budget indicating Consultant fee per day, all costs included
  • Two studies/reports similar to the assessment
  • Three references, one preferably related to the work

Questions concerning the announcement can be requested from the contact person indicated below until 10 May 2018. In addition SCA reserves the right to take references on the proposed candidate.

8.2 Final date of Submission

The application, including all required information is to be submitted to evaluations@sca.org.af at the latest 22 June 2018.

9. CONTACT INFORMATION

For further information, kindly contact: Atanu De, atanu.de@sca.org.af