Gender and Sustainable Livelihoods Analyst

The 2021 Global Climate Risk Index ranks Vietnam 13th among the countries most affected by extreme weather events between 2000 and 2019 as a result of climate change. The country’s marine and coastal resources are under pressure, with the health of marine ecosystems declining. The combined impacts of climate change-induced sea level rise, ocean acidification, overexploitation, and degradation of marine ecosystems is putting 50 million people living in Viet Nam’s 28 coastal provinces at risk and threatening their on-going economic activities, especially women and vulnerable coastal communities.

The Government of Viet Nam has made significant efforts in responding to climate change, including adoption of the National Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan; the Green Growth Strategy and Implementation Plan; legal frameworks and policies on disaster risk reduction; and the revised Law on Environmental Protection. In the latest National Determined Contributions (NDC, 2022), the country made the further unconditional commitment to reducing greenhouse missions, setting a target of 15.8% with its own effort and 43.5% through international support, compared to business-as-usual. The Government has also promulgated the National Strategy on Biodiversity to 2030 and Vision to 2050 to increase the area of protected areas, ensure the integrity of the natural ecosystems, conserve biodiversity, and at the same time, contribute to the socio-economic development towards green growth and climate change responsiveness. 

UNDP is collaborating with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the three participating provinces of Binh Dinh, Soc Trang and Thua Thien Hue to implement the “Viet Nam Climate-Smart Coastal Communities” (VNCSCC) Project funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) between 2024 and 2030. 

The project’s ultimate outcome is to improve resilience to climate change of vulnerable coastal communities, particularly women, and enrich marine and coastal biodiversity in Viet Nam. The project will have three specific objectives: 

• Enhance performance of government and vulnerable coastal communities, particularly women, to apply gender-responsive climate information and risk-informed planning for climate change adaptation with environment co-benefits.
• Enhance performance and leadership of women and women-led organizations to initiate nature-based solutions (NBS)  for sustainable ocean economy and livelihoods, with co-benefits for adaptation and biodiversity conservation.
• Enhance performance of government, and women and women-led organizations from nature-dependent communities in protecting biodiversity and ecosystem services with climate change adaptation and mitigation co-benefits.

Under overall guidance of Assistant Resident Representative (ARR)/Head of Climate Change and Environment Unit (CCEU) of UNDP Viet Nam, the Gender and Sustainable Livelihoods (GSL) Analyst will contribute technically to the development, implementation and innovation of the climate resilience portfolio of CCEU/UNDP Viet Nam and the integration of gender equality and gender responsive NBS across the portfolio.

Under the supervision of the Programme Management Specialist responsible for the VNCSCC Project, the GSL Analyst will assume a technical lead role on project activities related to gender equality and gender responsive Nature-Based Solutions for sustainable marine economy and livelihoods, particularly under the 2nd specific objective (2nd component) of the project mentioned above. 

The GSL Analyst will provide technical support to MARD and the provinces/project staff in the MARD Project Management Unit (PMU), provincial PMUs, Technical Advisors and support staff for the successful implementation of the project. As a core member of the VNCSCC team, the GSL Analyst will work closely with the Senior International Technical Advisor, Project Officers at CCEU and Regional Technical Advisors in Bangkok Regional Hub to ensure and enhance the project’s multiplied impacts, performance and compliance. 

Reports to: VNCSCC Programme Management Specialist on VNCSCC and ARR/Head of Climate Change and Environment Unit on other gender work of CCEU and Viet Nam Country Office.
 

The GSL Analyst has three main functions:

• Lead, foster development and provide technical advisory support on interventions related to gender equality and gender responsive nature-based solutions (NBS) for sustainable marine economy and sustainable livelihoods.
• Lead the implementation of the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Strategy and Action Plan of the VNCSCC Project, including monitoring and reporting.
• Contribute to UNDP’s gender integration in climate change programming in Vietnam.

These functions are specifically described as follows:

Effective technical advisory support on interventions related to gender equality and gender sensitive NBS for sustainable marine economy and sustainable livelihoods 

• Provide overall technical advisory support on the implementation of project interventions related to gender equality and gender responsive NBS for sustainable coastal livelihoods.
• Provide technical and ground support to MARD and the 3 provinces in the development of project interventions with regard to:
• inclusive finance schemes for gender responsive NBS to support co-management
• nature positive businesses/investments
• marine plastic waste reduction
• eco-tourism development, including through a women-led community of practice
• cross-sectoral coordination platforms between institutions, communities and women-led organizations
• Provide technical assistance to nature dependent communities and women-led organizations, cooperatives and SMEs on how to promote gender equality and gender responsive NBS to ensure sustainable coastal livelihoods and build their resilience to climate change impacts.
• Provide technical guidance to project partners on effective planning, management and implementation of projects activities associated with technical designs to ensure achievement of quality results, timely implementation and overall targets of the project. 
• Ensure effective partnership and coordination with MARD’s lead partner agencies (e.g. the Department of Fisheries, the International Cooperation Department) and other relevant ministries, institutions and organizations to promote project’s approach and values, to exchange lessons learned, and jointly contribute to the development and adaptation of a comprehensive set of strategies, policies, plans and regulations on gender responsive NBS for sustainable coastal livelihoods.
• Promote synergies and coherence between project components and activities.
• Actively provide input to and participate in, as requested, Project Board meetings and discussions with the donor, implementing partners and other relevant stakeholders, on UNDP’s regular reports on outputs and outcomes as well as project monitoring/ evaluations.
• Provide support on project coordination, reporting and cross-cutting activities, including the preparation of baseline assessments, workplans and annual reports. 
• Actively participate and contribute to knowledge networks and communities of practice, such as the working group on fisheries led by the Department of Fisheries; the Climate Change Working Group (CCWG), and other appropriate networks.

Leading the implementation of the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Strategy and Action Plan of the VNCSCC Project

• Lead on the implementation of the GEWE Strategy and Action Plan, including planning, management, mobilization of expertise/human resource, quality assurance, and monitor and report on its results in compliance with the project’s Performance Measurement Framework.
• Train and provide regular guidance and advice to implementing partners on how to effectively implement the GEWE Strategy and Action Plan. 
• Liaise with GAC’s Gender Equality Advisor on the project’s delivery of gender equality outcomes and the implementation of the GEWE Strategy and Action Plan.
• Tracking progress of the GEWE implementation against the baseline established at the beginning of the project.

Effective contribution to gender integration in UNDP’s climate change and environment portfolio 

• Providing technical advisory support to enhance gender equality integration and NBS/sustainable livelihoods programming within the portfolio of CCEU. 
• Actively participate in and contribute technical inputs on gender integration to the implementation and formulation of relevant projects on climate change and environment.
• Ensure synergies and coherence between the VNCSCC project and on-going/future climate resilience initiatives to bring about larger benefits and impacts.
• Advise and provide substantive inputs to UNDP Viet Nam’s participation and contributions to national, regional and international and fora on gender equality and climate change/environment.
• Promote and experiment innovative approaches on gender responsive NBS/sustainable livelihoods, in collaboration with global and national think tanks and with other team members and colleagues within UNDP in general, and CCEU in particular.

Core competencies:

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work.
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking.
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning.
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process.
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously.
• Engage and Partner:  LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships.
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making. 

People Management competencies:

• UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies 

Business Direction & Strategy             

• System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.

Business Management           

• Results-based Management: Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable result.
• Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.
• Partnerships Management: Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies.
• Communication: Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.; Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels.

2030 Agenda: Planet 

• Nature, Climate and Energy: Climate Change Adaptation: Coastal resilience

2030 Agenda: Planet                 

• Nature, Climate and Energy Climate Change Adaptation: Public and private finance for adaptation solutions