Individual National Consultancy Review of Climate Action

The project “Child-Friendly Policies and Plans for the Period 2023-2026” between Ministry of Planning and Investment and UNICEF is expected to enhance the institutional capacity of the Ministry of Planning and Investment in policy formulation and implementation based on evidence. This aims to better fulfill children’s rights, particularly in planning, resource mobilization, implementation, and monitoring of socio-economic development plans, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and national targeted programmes (NTPs).  The Department of Science, Education, Natural Resources, and Environment (DSENRE) of the Ministry of Planning and Investment is the national focal point for implementing sustainable development and green growth. It is also responsible for formulating and monitoring socio-economic development plans (SEDPs) and medium-term public investment plans in the fields of education and training, science and technology, and natural resources and environment. Under this project, DSENRE/MPI in conjunction with UNICEF designed activities with a focus on promoting children’s rights in the implementation of sustainable development goals, green growth, environmental protection, and climate change response.

Therefore, within the project framework, DESENRE/MPI and UNICEF plan to recruit national consultants to support the DSENRE to review provincial plans of action on sustainable development, climate change response, environmental protection and green growth (2021-2030) for three provinces: Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, and Ca Mau with a focus on social and children’s issues. This assignment aims to propose strategic, practical and specific recommendations for the three provinces to better implement these plans in the future, especially in the new planning cycle (2026-2030).

Specific objectives include:

– Assess the extent to which social, women’s and children’s issues are addressed in the programs and action plans on green growth, climate change response, environmental protection, and sustainable development in the provinces of Sóc Trăng, Cà Mau, and Bạc Liêu.

– Provide specific and practical recommendations to better address social, women’s and children’s issues in the programs and action plans on green growth, climate change response, environmental protection, and sustainable development for the years 2024-2025 and for the period 2026-2030 in the three provinces of Sóc Trăng, Cà Mau, and Bạc Liêu.

– Provide technical support through consultation workshops and share research results with the three provinces to better address social, women’s and children’s issues in the programs and action plans on green growth, climate change response, environmental protection, and sustainable development for the years 2024-2025 and the five-year plan for the period 2026-2030.

The method/approach:  This assignment will adopt an approach of document review, qualitative methods including stakeholder consultation, interviews and case study to reviewing and assessing the implementation of social, women’s and children’s issues in the programs and action plans on green growth, climate change response, environmental protection, and sustainable development in the three provinces of Sóc Trăng, Cà Mau, and Bạc Liêu. Information and data will be collected through reports and all relevant publications from local authorities and relevant parties, key informant and in-depth interviews with individuals, ministries, departments, agencies, and localities about the implementation of the programs and action plans on green growth, climate change response, environmental protection, and sustainable development in three provinces.  In each province, the consultants are expected to develop 1-2 case studies illustrating how climate change and extreme weather events affect families with children and women, and how public policies and plans could better support and strengthen their resilience.

Key questions to be addressed during data collection, compilation, analysis, and assessment include:

• How have programs, plans on green growth, climate change response, environmental protection, sustainable development, and related policies been developed in the past years (2021-2024)?
• What is the progress of implementing programs and plans on green growth, climate change response, environmental protection, and sustainable development to date?
• How does the implementation of programs and plans on green growth, climate change response, environmental protection, and sustainable development impact children and vulnerable groups regarding social issues?
• To what extent are children’s and women’s well-being and social issues reflected in the objectives and main contents of programs and plans on green growth, climate change response, environmental protection, and sustainable development? What are gaps?
• To what extent do children and women benefit from the implementation of programs and plans on green growth, climate change response, environmental protection, and sustainable development? What are gaps and reasons?
• To what extent have children been involved in the process of implementing programs and plans on green growth, climate change response, environmental protection, and sustainable development? What are gaps and reasons?
• What needs to be done to better address social, women’s and children’s issues into programs, plans on green growth, climate change response, environmental protection, and sustainable development to promote the achievement of SDG goals in the upcoming years?

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

• At least a master’s degree graduate specializing in climate change and/or environmental management, social science and/or public policy.
• At least 15 years of experience in the fields of climate change, environmental management, children’s issues/social issues/socio-economic/sustainable development or related fields.
• Understanding of Viet Nam’s political environment, legal framework, and policies related to climate action, environmental protection, children/social issues/socio-economic/sustainable development or related fields.
• Have excellent skills and experience in writing reports on social and children’s analysis in climate action, environmental protection, green growth and sustainable development strategies and plans.
• Proficient in both spoken and written English and Vietnamese, with strong interpersonal skills and good relationships with relevant partners

Source: https://jobs.unicef.org/cw/en-us/job/574777