Emergency Response Officer

Details

Mission and objectives

UNDP works in 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty while protecting the planet. We help countries develop strong policies, skills, partnerships and institutions so they can sustain their progress
The primary and overarching objective of United Nations Development Programme in Kenya is the eradication of poverty in the context of sustainable development, including the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals, and promotion of United Nations fundamental principles. A core dimension to the work of UNDP in Kenya is on Democratic Governance given the national focus on governance reforms. UNDP supports the country’s efforts towards achieving the Vision 2030 Political Pillar, which envisions a democratic system that is issue-based, people-centered, results oriented and accountable to the public. This Political Pillar gears to transform the country’s political governance across five strategic areas; The Rule of Law, Electoral and Political Processes, Democracy and Public Service Delivery, Transparency and Accountability, Security Peace Building and Conflict Management. These strategic areas are anchored in the Constitution, promulgated in August 2010 marking a major milestone in the democratic journey of Kenya and set a new threshold in terms of people-centred development.

Context

The project is looking at strengthening national risk information systems through disaster loss accounting databases and risk assessments to inform planning processes and monitoring. As for other national level interventions within this project, this activity is focusing on five (5) countries in Africa: Kenya being one of them. Kenya faces multiple hazards and the impact of disasters is costing its development gains leading to the diversion of development programs to respond to their effect.
Disaster loss and damage has been taking a particular highlight the last few years with the discussion and adoption of the Loss and Damage Fund during COP28. Within the context of the project, situations are quite different between the five countries. Already in Ethiopia and Kenya, however not up to date, the development and implementation of a disaster loss and damage database within DesInventar have proven instrumental in transforming disaster management strategies from the local to the national level. In other countries such as Burundi, there is no such database yet. Furthermore, data sometimes exists, but collected with different tools and aggregated in different platforms (e.g., DesInventar, EM-DAT, PDNA, HPBA, FAO tool on agriculture sector, etc.).
However, whatever the situation, there is still inadequate availability of climate and disaster risk data including on loss and damage, to inform development plans and investments. Few countries collect systematically, analyse and utilise disaster and climate risk data to inform their development plans and policies. National and local disaster loss and damage data, disaggregated by sex, age, and disability, which is critical to gender-sensitive and socially inclusive risk assessments, disaster preparedness and response, early warning and early action, public investment planning, poverty alleviation and many other disaster risk reduction measures, is still unavailable in most countries.

Task description

• Gather and consolidate existing disaster loss and damage data from various sources such as Desinventar, EM-DAT, PDNA, HPBA, and sector-specific tools like the FAO’s agricultural tool. This task ensures that all relevant data is systematically collected and available in one place for ease of access and analysis, providing a comprehensive foundation for informed decision-making.
• Support the design, development, and management of a comprehensive loss and damage database that is user-friendly and accessible to relevant stakeholders. This involves creating a robust database that can efficiently store, process, and retrieve data, supporting disaster risk management activities and enhancing the overall capacity to respond to and mitigate disasters.
• Conduct training sessions and workshops for government officials, data collectors, and other stakeholders on how to use and maintain the loss and damage database. This task aims to build local capacity, ensuring that the database is sustainably managed and utilized, thereby empowering stakeholders to effectively contribute to disaster risk reduction efforts.
• Support to analyse collected data to identify trends, patterns, and gaps, preparing regular reports and visualizations to inform decision-making and policy development. This task provides actionable insights that can guide disaster risk reduction strategies and development planning, ensuring that data-driven decisions enhance resilience and mitigate future risks.
• Facilitate coordination and communication between the Ministry of Interior, other government agencies, UNDP, UNDRR, and other relevant stakeholders to ensure alignment and collaboration. This task enhances cooperation and information sharing among key stakeholders involved in disaster risk management, fostering a cohesive approach to reducing risks and improving response strategies.
• The volunteer will work with the Ministry of Interior to integrate the loss and damage data into national and local development plans, policies, and investment strategies. This task ensures that disaster risk data informs broader development objectives, helping to build resilience and promote sustainable development through informed planning and policy-making.
• Implement a monitoring and evaluation framework to assess the effectiveness of the database and its impact on disaster risk reduction and recovery efforts. This task involves continuously improving the database and its use in policy and decision-making processes, ensuring it meets the needs of all stakeholders and remains an effective tool for disaster risk management.
• In cooperation with other levels of response, authorise the release of related information, communications, advocacy products and statements to internal and external partners as well as to the public
• Represent the host entity to external stakeholders, including local health authorities, UN agencies partners, international, governmental and nongovernmental organizations/institutions donors and partners, with respect to the country’s operations
• Support documentation and reporting of the key activities and response practices; facilitate updating of the preparedness plan