Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion Consultant

Position description

The ultimate results include 1) baseline data on existing GEDSI framework within the WRP Programme, 2) meaningfully mainstreaming gender equality, disability and social inclusion into the WRP Program implementation, and 3) promoting and ensuring social safeguards are integrated into the WRP Programme.

Duties and Responsibilities

Created in December 1999, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) is the designated focal point in the United Nations system for the coordination of efforts to reduce disasters and to ensure synergies among the disaster reduction activities of the United Nations and regional organizations and activities in both developed and less developed countries. Led by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction (SRSG), UNDRR has over 140 staff located in its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and in regional offices. Specifically, UNDRR guides, monitors, analyses and reports on progress in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, supports regional and national implementation of the Framework and catalyzes action and increases global awareness to reduce disaster risk working with UN Member States and a broad range of partners and stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector, parliamentarians and the science and technology community. The Weather Ready Pacific (WRP) Programme being implemented under SPREP was endorsed by the Pacific Island Forum Foreign Ministers in 2021 and aims to reduce the human and economic costs of severe weather, water and ocean events across Pacific Island communities, by strengthening national meteorological and hydrological organisations and their partnerships with national disaster management organisations. Its implementation plan was adopted at the Pacific Island Forum (PIF) Leaders’ Meeting in November 2023 and covers five key result areas (KRA): KRA 1: Management and Coordination, KRA 2 Production of Forecasts and Warnings, KRA 3: Communication and Delivery of Forecasts and Warnings to End-users, KRA 4: Infrastructure, and KRA 5: Capacity and Training. The implementation plan links closely to the Early Warning for All (EW4ALL) initiative launched by the UN Secretary-General in 2022 and its high-level Executive Action Plan which was released at COP27 later that year. In addition, the 6th Pacific Meteorological Council (PMC) meeting in August 2023, concluded in the Namaka Declaration that “WRP will be the key vehicle for EW4All delivery in the Pacific”. The GEDSI consultant is expected to provide technical guidance and support to the implementation of the WRP in the Pacific by mainstreaming gender, equity, disability and social inclusion into the planning, design, management, coordination and implementation of the WRP program activities and investments. The consultant will also support the development and implementation of social safeguarding tools and measures to ensure the timely assessment and management of potential risks and impacts of the WRP activities and investments.

Specifically, the consultant will deliver the following outcomes:

• Mainstreaming gender equality, disability and social inclusion into the WRP Program – Integrate GEDSI priorities and approaches across the Weather Ready Pacific (WRP) programme cycle to enhance inclusion and equity.
  • Review the existing programme documents, plans and strategies, and update them to enhance integration of GEDSI throughout the programme cycle consistent with the SPREP GEDSI Policy.
  • Provide strategic advice, recommendations and reporting support to the Programme Manager and Programme Management Unit (PMU) to ensure programming advances gender equality, disability and social inclusion in line with donor and partner priorities and are reported to the WRP Steering Committee.
  • Prepare GEDSI implementation plan and monitoring tools linking to the overall WRP M&E framework. 
  • Draw on existing training packages to prepare GEDSI training module with a focus on early warning systems.
  • Support capacity development of WRP PMU on GEDSI approaches through in-person/virtual training.
  • Enhance community participation in project activities and decision making across the WRP programme.
• Ensuring social safeguarding in the WRP Programme.
  • Undertake an assessment of the WRP Programme to identify baseline gaps and areas for targeted gender capacity building and training.
  • Develop and deliver a Gender Awareness, Capacity Building and Opportunities for Mainstreaming training Programme to WRP Programme staff.
  • Lead social safeguards due diligence activities for the Weather Ready Pacific (WRP) programme and support their compliance. This includes: (i) supporting the integration of social safeguard requirements in the WRP programme design, planning, implementation and monitoring; and (ii) supporting the implementation of environmental and social assessments and management plans under WRP programme.
  • Supervise and coordinate the promotion and integration of social aspects such as gender, child protection, HIV/AIDs, social inclusion, prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA), and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) prevention and response, at all stages of WRP programme implementation.
  • Work closely with the PMU and Environmental Safeguard Officer to ensure the full integration and harmonization between the environmental requirements and the social aspects.
  • Support awareness raising and capacity development of WRP staff, partners and contractors on social safeguarding policies and standards.
  • Undertake project site visits (when required) to assess compliance and revise social safeguards standard accordingly.
  • Support the setup and operationalization of complaint mechanisms. And ensure that they are addressed in accordance with social safeguards standard operating procedures (SOP) and policies.
  • In coordination with the Environmental Safeguards Officer and WRP Programme Manager, follow up on any social safeguarding-related complaints and propose risk management solutions

Qualifications/special skills

• Advanced degree in Gender Studies, Social Inclusion, Disability Inclusion, International Development, Public Administration, Public Policy or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• Minimum seven (7) years of demonstrated experience in the development and implementation of Gender, Disability and Social Inclusion related policies and programs in the Pacific are required.
• Experience in supporting the implementation of social safeguards in program development is required.
• Experience designing and conducting gender and social inclusion analyses, as well as integrating and implementing findings into program design, planning and implementation is required.
• Experience engaging local stakeholders, including CSOs, and other local and national government officials in gender, disability and social inclusion initiatives in the Pacific is required.
• Experience in supporting disaster risk reduction, early warning systems and humanitarian work in the Pacific is desirable.
• Experience working with the UN system or similar international organizations in the Asia-Pacific region is desirable.

Languages

• Fluency in English is required.

Application instructions

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