Onsite
Bolivia (Plurinational State of)
12 months
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assignment(s)

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General
Description of assignment title
IUNV Officer – Water and Environmental Health

Assignment country
Bolivia (Plurinational State of)

Expected start date
15/01/2024

Sustainable Development Goal
6. Clean water and sanitation

Volunteer category
International UN Volunteer Specialist

Host entity
UNICEF

Type
Onsite

Duration
12 months
(with possibility of extension)

Number of assignments
1

Duty stations
La Paz

Details
Mission and objectives
El Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia y UNICEF trabajan actualmente en el Programa de País 2018 – 2022 que tiene el objetivo de apoyar en la reducción de las brechas de desigualdad —especialmente en los pueblos indígenas— y lograr que los niños, niñas y adolescentes constituyan un elemento fundamental para el desarrollo sostenible de Bolivia.

Las prioridades del programa de país responden al análisis de la situación de la niñez y la adolescencia en Bolivia, a los resultados del examen programático sobre el género de 2016 y a varios marcos normativos, concretamente al Código Niña, Niño y Adolescente, a la Convención sobre los Derechos del Niño y a la Convención sobre la Eliminación de Todas las Formas de Discriminación contra la Mujer.

El Programa de País contribuye a la implementación de la Agenda Patriótica 2025, al Plan de Desarrollo Económico y Social 2016 – 2022, al Plan Plurinacional de la Niña, Niño y Adolescente, al Código Niña, Niño y Adolescente y a planes sectoriales clave del Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia. También aporta a los cinco resultados del Marco de Asistencia de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo (MANUD) 2018 – 2022 acordado con el Estado boliviano. Asimismo, a los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible y al Plan Estratégico 2018 – 2021 de UNICEF.

Context
UNICEF strives to build a world in which the rights of every child are realized. lt provides long-term humanitarian and development assistance to children and mothers in developing countries. UNICEF defends the Convention on the Rights of the Child and works to ensure the equality of discriminated persons, particularly girls and women. Their interventions are framed in the Sustainable Development Goals and in the progress promised in the Charter of the United Nations.

UNICEF has been working in Bolivia since the 1970s through a Basic Cooperation Agreement signed with the Government. The current Cooperation Program between the Plurinational State of Bolivia and UNICEF covers the period 2013-2017 and the new Country Program 2018-2022 (CPD).

The 2018-2022 Cooperation Program between the Plurinational State of Bolivia and UNICEF aims to strengthen National and Sub-national institutional capacity for the provision of safe and quality water, sanitation and hygiene services to children, adolescents, and their families, as well as the empowerment of the population in the adoption of healthy hygiene and sanitation practices, especially in rural areas.

The main lines of action in Water, Hygiene, Sanitation in articulation with Environmental Health are the following:

– Participation and social mobilization for the adoption of healthy practices of hygiene and the community management of services of water and sanitation in the rural areas.
– Institutional strengthening for the provision of water, sanitation and hygiene services in communities, health centers, schools, child development centers.
– Strengthening intersectoral work between the Ministry of Environment and Water and the Ministry of Health (Environmental Health Management Programme) for the control and monitoring of water quality for human consumption.

The Country Program has the necessary resources to implement the actions and results presented.

Task description
Under the direct supervision of the Wash Specialist, and in coordination with the Health Officer, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

– Provide technical assistance to counterparts at the municipal level with the Environment Division, to strengthen the integrated management of water delivery and sanitation services in the intervention municipalities of the program.

– Provide technical assistance to the Environmental Health Management Program (SEDES) from the Ministry of Health in the process of Water Surveillance for human consumption.

– Facilitate the articulated work between UNASVI and the Environmental Health Uniy for the development of the monitoring and control component of water for human consumption.

– Promote at municipal level the coordinated work between the Environment Division, the Municipal Health Headquarters and the District Education Directorate to ensure the provision of water and sanitation services in Health Centers, Child Development Centers and Schools.

– Participate and provide technical assistance in the analysis of the situation of Early Childhood in the municipalities of Cochabamba, UNICEF intervention area, in coordination with the other sectors and under the coordination of the Responsible of Result 1 of the new Country Program (Chief Child Survival and Development).

– Support the processes of evaluation and follow-up to the implementation of the planned actions with the sectors involved.

– Prepare relevant technical reports and at the request of their supervisors

Eligibility criteria
Age
27 – 80

Nationality
Candidate must be a national of a country other than the country of assignment.

Requirements
Required experience
3 years of experience in general.
– Two years of minimum experience in health and/or WASH areas;
– Working experience with civil society organisations

Area(s) of expertise
Health

Driving license
–

Languages
Spanish, Level: Fluent, Required
English, Level: Working knowledge, Desirable

Required education level
Bachelor degree or equivalent in Water Engineering and/or Environmental Health;

Competencies and values
– Integrity and professionalism
– Accountability
– Commitment to continuous learning
– Planning and organizing
– Teamwork and respect for diversity
– Communication
– Adaptability and Flexibility,
– Commitment to Continuous Learning

Other information
Living conditions and remarks

Bolivia – a founding member of the United Nations – is a land-locked country with an area of 1,098,581 square kilometers (roughly equal to that of France and Spain together). lt is bordered by Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Peru. A variety of geographical features, such as dense jungles, important rivers, vast plains and some of the highest mountain ranges in the world are found in Bolivia.

Geographers normally divide the country into three main regions. The Altiplano or high plateau, lies between the eastern and western ranges of the Andes, at an altitude of over 3,600 meters above sea level; in the surrounding mountain ranges, several peaks rise above 6,000 meters.

The Altiplano covers about 27 per cent of the total area of the country and contains about 45 per cent of its population. The main cities in this region are La Paz (the seat of Government) and the traditional mining centers of Oruro and Potosí.

The Valleys lie between elevations of 1,200 and 2,500 meters above sea level, bordering the Altiplano and mountain ranges to the south and east. The principal cities of this region, which covers about 14 per cent of the total area of the country, and has about 29 per cent of ¡ts population, are Sucre (the judicial capital), Cochabamba and Tarija.

The third region, the northern and eastern Lowlands, covers 59 per cent of the total area and contains only 26 per cent of the population. The principal city is Santa Cruz which has grown rapidly in economic and political importance in the last three decades. The lowlands lie between elevations of 160 and 500 meters above sea level.

There are wide variations in climate, depending on the altitude. The Altiplano is a cool, semi-arid zone with annual rainfall of 300-600 mm, two-thirds of which falls between December and March. Summer begins with the rainy season. Snow occurs infrequently at altitudes below 4.500 meters, but hailstorms are common, particularly at the end of summer. Winter, however, (June-September) is characterized by cloudless weather and sunshine.

The average temperature in La Paz is 11º C (52º F) with little difference between summer and winter. However, there is a considerable variation between day and night temperatures, and between sunny and cloudy days.

Temperatures in the valleys vary in relation to altitude. The Amazon basin (known as the Chapare) has a much higher rainfall.

The lowlands may be divided into two fairly distinct climatic zones. To the south of Santa Cruz there is a wide temperature range from 0º C to 40º C (32” F to 104* F). To the north of Santa Cruz lies the area of influence of the Amazon, with high temperatures and humidity throughout the year and an annual rainfall of 1,100-1,900 mm.

In Bolivia, almost all the characteristics of a developing country are present. In fact, despite the diversity and abundance of natural resources- in particular, great agricultural and mineral potential – the country has not been able yet to secure adequate living conditions for the majority of its population.

Inclusivity statement
United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

Reasonable accommodation
UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for UN Volunteers with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the recruitment process and afterwards in your assignment.

Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements
In addition to duty station-specific vaccine requirements, appointments are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the appointment. It does not apply to UN Volunteers who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their contracts.