National Consultant: Urban Policies Expert (Re-Advertisement)

Result of Service

The service will ultimately result in mainstreaming The People Centred Smart City Approach (PCSA) in the current National Urban Policy (NUP) document of Egypt and in the scaling down methodology.

Work Location

Cairo, Egypt

Expected duration

4 months

Duties and Responsibilities

ORGANIZATIONAL SETTING UN-Habitat, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities. It is the focal point for all urbanization and human settlement matters within the UN system. BACKGROUND UN-Habitat and the New Urban Agenda (NUA) The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the United Nations programme working towards a better urban future. Its mission is to promote socially and environmentally sustainable human settlements development and the achievement of adequate shelter for all. Mandated by the UN General Assembly in 1978 to address the issues of urban growth, it is a knowledgeable institution on urban development processes, and understands the aspirations of cities and their residents. For forty years, UN-Habitat has been working in human settlements throughout the world, focusing on building a brighter future for villages, towns, and cities of all sizes. Because of these four decades of extensive experience, from the highest levels of policy to a range of specific technical issues, UN-Habitat has gained a unique and a universally acknowledged expertise in all things urban. This has placed UN-Habitat in the best position to provide answers and achievable solutions to the current challenges faced by our cities. UN-Habitat is capitalizing on its experience and position to work with partners to formulate the urban vision of tomorrow. It works to ensure that cities become inclusive and affordable drivers of economic growth and social development. In October 2016, at the UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development – Habitat III – member states signed the New Urban Agenda. This is an action-oriented document which sets global standards of achievement in sustainable urban development, rethinking the way we build, manage, and live-in cities. Through drawing together cooperation with committed partners, relevant stakeholders, and urban actors, including at all levels of government as well as the private sector, UN-Habitat is applying its technical expertise, normative work and capacity development to implement the New Urban Agenda and Sustainable Development Goal 11 – to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. Urbanization is a key driver of development. Hence, sustainable planning and governance of urbanization is crucial to accommodate the rapid population growth, empower cities to optimize the value of urbanization and ensure even development, inclusion and equality. Rapid urbanization presents a unique opportunity to lift millions out of poverty when managed sustainably. However, inadequate urbanization management, doubled with rapid population growth has adversely affected quality of life leading to lack of adequate housing, and increasing inequality. These conditions contribute to diseconomies (e.g., congestion, pollution, displacement) that overtime negatively affects the overall city prosperity, efficiency, productivity and competitiveness. UN Habitat in Egypt Established in 2005, UN-Habitat Egypt Programme has been providing technical support to national counterparts on a wide range of urban issues. Adopting an integrated approach, UN-Habitat Egypt has supported reforming and improving urban planning and management through three main sub-programmes, namely; urban planning and design; urban policies, legislation and governance; and urban basic services and mobility. Urban Policy, Legislation and Governance Programme The Urban Governance, Policies and Legislation Programme in Egypt works towards to tackling the multi-dimensional urbanization context with a special attention to urban management, urban planning, urban economy where all stakeholders are empowered and enabled to engage and play their expected role(s). The programme is working with all stakeholders and on different levels to find new appropriate, realistic and context driven ways of making sure that the urbanization processes are providing acceptable spatial standards and services. The programme is also working towards enhancing the capacity of relevant actors in reforming the legal and institutional framework governing urban development; promoting the empowerment of local government; enhancing land tenure security; establishing processes for participating and inclusive planning process; enhancing local economic development and social entrepreneurs. The programme provides legislation enhancement and policies development support on the national level in order to replicate and scale up all of its successful interventions. National Urban Policy Programme (NUPP) National Urban Policies (NUPs) and Subnational Urban Policies (SUPs) have been recognized internationally as an instrument for the implementation and monitoring of global urban agendas such as the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement, and the New Urban Agenda. These agendas have recently acknowledged that the challenge and opportunities of urbanization for sustainable development reach beyond the city scale, making it a global priority and a governmental responsibility, that calls for more coordinated and integrated policies. This is illustrated for instance in the introduction in the Agenda 2030 of a landmark goal of exclusive urban focus: SDG – 11: “make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”, with the target 11.a to “support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning”, for which National Urban Policies (NUPs) were recommended as an indicator in their Habitat III Policy Paper 3. Moreover, the New Urban Agenda (NUA) recommends National Urban Policies (NUPs) within local-national partnerships as one of its fundamental drivers of change: “we will take measures to establish legal and policy frameworks, based on the principles of equality and non-discrimination, to better enable prevailing governments to effectively implement national urban policies, as appropriate, and to empower them as policy makers and decision makers, ensuring appropriate fiscal, political and administrative decentralization based on the principle of subsidiarity” (New Urban Agenda, 2016: 89). The National Urban Policy Programme (NUPP), a joint programme of UN-Habitat, OECD and Cities Alliance, therefore answers this recommendation, as it supports governments in implementing the New Urban Agenda (NUA) through the development of National Urban Policies (NUPs) and Subnational Urban Policies (SUPs). The National Urban Policy Programme (NUPP) has been conceptualized to build up capacity for a transparent and inclusive urban policy process by providing tools and technical assistance to governments and stakeholders. In line with the adoption of the New Urban Agenda, Egypt formulated its National Urban Policy (NUP) which is considered as the guiding framework for transforming its urbanization process as a source of wealth by promoting more compact, socially inclusive, better connected, and integrated cities and clusters which are resilient to climate change and foster sustainable urban development. The National Urban Policies (NUPs) has been approved by the Ministry of Housing and the Supreme Council for Development and Urban Planning. People-centered Smart City Approach (PSCA) The People Centred Smart City Approach (PCSA), which this project is aiming to, is a very important aspect which needs to be a) Mainstreamed in the current National Urban Policy (NUP) document; b) Included in the Scaling Down Methodology; and c) Tested and Applied in some selected governorates and cities. UN-Habitat’s people-centred smart cities approach is about ensuring that people’s needs are met using digital technology, commitment to human rights in online and offline environments, promoting digital inclusion in both consultations and in service delivery, and ensuring the use of digital technologies to improve people’s quality of life. The people-centred smart cities Framework presents a holistic approach to developing smart cities that leverages data, technology, and services to empower people. The framework rests on five pillars: Community, Digital Equity, Infrastructure, Security, and Capacity. Each pillar consists of core values, key activities, and recommended actions compiled from international best practices in government, the private sector and civil society. These activities are outlined in a series of playbooks which when taken together help local governments develop smart cities for people that are more inclusive, safe, and sustainable. REPORTING LINE The consultant will work closely with the Urban Governance, Policies and Legislation Programme and under the direct supervision of the Programme Manager, to to fulfill the following tasks: Duties and responsibilities 1- Review the current National Urban Policy (NUP) document and scaling down (subnational) methodology and highlighting entry points for mainstreaming the People Centred Smart City Approach (PCSA). 2- Review UN-Habitat Guide for Integrating Smart City Strategies in National Urban Policy and relevant tools and its relevance to the local context. 3- Mainstream the People Centred Smart City Approach (PCSA) in the current National Urban Policy (NUP) document and on the subnational methodology. 4- Consult with relevant stakeholders on the updated National Urban Policy (NUP) document and the scaling down (subnational) methodology. 5- Prepare a presentation on the mainstreaming of the People Centred Smart City Approach (PCSA) in the current National Urban Policy (NUP) document and on the subnational methodology.

Qualifications/special skills

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Urban Policies, Urban Studies, Urban Planning or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Five (5) years of proven experience in the fields of urban development, urban policies urban planning or a related field is required. Experience working on smart cities is highly desirable. Experience working with governments and/or UN organizations is desirable.

Languages

Fluency in both oral and written English and Arabic is required.

Additional Information

Not available.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.