Project Management Consultant (DRR)

Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. Placing women’s rights at the center of all its efforts, UN Women leads and coordinates United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments to gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It provides strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors. 

In line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2023-2027), and the UN Women Nepal’s current Strategic Note (SN) 2023-2027, UN Women Nepal has identified “Environmental Sustainability, Climate and Disaster Resilience” as one of its key priorities highlighted in Outcome 1.3 that “By 2027, more people, especially women, youth, children, and the most marginalized and poor, increasingly benefit from and contribute to building an inclusive, sustainable, climate-resilient, and green society and reduced impacts of disasters at federal, provincial, and local levels”.

Under the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Humanitarian portfolio, UN Women Nepal is currently engaged in a joint program called Institutionalization of Urban Preparedness, Earthquake Preparedness and Response in Western Region of Nepal (I-SUPER), in collaboration with UNDP and UNICEF. This program is aimed at provincial and local governments in Sudur Paschim, Lumbini, and Karnali provinces, focusing on earthquake preparedness. The objective of the project is to enhance disaster preparedness and strengthen the response capacity of provincial and municipal governments in the western region of Nepal, enabling them to lead coordinated and inclusive emergency preparedness and response actions, thereby mitigating the risk of imminent earthquakes and other urban disasters. This project is being supported by ECHO-HIP to strengthen the gains of earlier Strengthen Urban Preparedness and Earthquake Response in Western Region of Nepal (SUPER Project), which was implemented in 2021-2023.  The SUPER project has been instrumental in integrating the Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) lens into disaster risk reduction management at multiple levels. Through technical support, the project has strengthened various provincial and local DRR policies, plans, and frameworks, ensuring they are viewed through a gender and inclusion lens. Additionally, the project has actively engaged in policy advocacy, advocating for the centrality of gender, social inclusion, and intersectionality within DRR efforts. Conducting gender analysis, women’s safety audits, gender audits, and policy dialogues and consultations has been a key focus in the project’s location. Furthermore, the project has provided training sessions on gender responsive DRR and protection in emergencies to stakeholders.

In addition, the project has contributed GEDSI inputs to various disaster preparedness frameworks and response plans, including those for the Provincial disaster preparedness framework, Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan of Nepalgunj, Business Continuity Plan, and Earthquake Response Plan of Dhangadhi. Furthermore, the project has actively participated in and facilitated various simulation exercises under the SUPER Project. To institutionalize these achievements, the project aims to establish and implement a Task Team at both the provincial and local levels, led by relevant government authorities with support from the I-SUPER project. To bolster this initiative, UN Women is in the process of deploying a consultant who will collaborate with I-SUPER Project provincial coordinators and local staff. The consultant’s role will be to support the development and functioning of GEDSI in DRR Task Team across three I-SUPER provinces (Sudurpaschim, Karnali, and Lumbini) and select three municipalities at local levels. Hence, the DRR and GEDSI Task Team is being established to reinforce GEDSI gains in disaster risk reduction efforts, particularly through the SUPER Project and similar initiatives.

Duties and Responsibilities

Organizational Setting, Reporting, and Collaborators:

The consultant will report directly to the Programme Specialist, who serves as the primary point of contact for contractual and payment matters. Monthly progress reports and meeting minutes of Task Team meeting are to be submitted by the consultant to the Programme Specialist at the end of each month. It is also essential for the consultant to adhere to the agreed-upon deadlines for deliverables. In instances where there may be delays in submission, strong justifications must be provided. Any challenges or concerns encountered while working with the Task Team and implementing the Action Plan should be promptly communicated to the Programme Specialist.

Description of Responsibilities/Scope of Work:

1. Task Team Facilitation and Support the Endorsement of Local Level Plans:

• Facilitate the formation of a Task Team in project locations. 
• Support in integrating GEDSI in various local level plans and policies on Disaster Preparedness.  
• Monitor the implementation of various plans and policies developed under SUPER Project

1. Code of Conduct Development:

• Develop a code of conduct for the Task Team.
• Share the code with the Programme Specialist for feedback and finalize it.

1. Capacity Building and Advocacy:

• Review capacity building material and advocacy messages for DRR stakeholders in consultation with the Task Team

• Develop key advocacy messages targeting local community on gender inclusion and DRR.
• Conduct gender-responsive training materials, deliver advocacy messages into Nepali.

Gender-responsive training using the training material already developed during SUPER Project.

1. Technical Support on Monitoring:

• Develop a monitoring format to track the Task Team’s performance.
• Provide technical support for the preparation of an inclusive and GEDSI-informed Provincial Earthquake Response Framework (PERF).

1.  Facilitation of Meetings:

• Coordinate with Task Team members and the secretariat to set up monthly meetings.
• Facilitate meetings ensuring proper recording of information, learnings, and challenges.

1. Capacity Assessment and Training Delivery:

• Carry out capacity assessments of the Task Team and government counterparts.

1. Case Study Collection and Collaboration:

• Collect GEDSI-related case stories from project locations to showcase intervention results.
• Collaborate with provincial and local women’s networks to raise awareness among women and marginalized groups on gender inclusion and DRR.

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel:

This is a home-based assignment. The consultant will be required to frequently travel to project locations and extended periods of stay in the field. Given the consultant’s crucial role in establishing systems and procedures for the effective functioning of the Task Team, the consultant will travel to each project location as per confirmed meeting.

If consultants are required by UN Women to travel beyond commuting distance from their usual place of residence, UN Women will provide an airline ticket, or if not, the consultant will be entitled to reimbursement of airfare for UN Women authorized travel, upon presentation of used airline stubs in an amount not to exceed the economy class fare or excursion fare, if applicable. For UN Women authorized travel, the consultant will receive a daily subsistence allowance at United Nations authorized rates when traveling. Other necessary travel related expenses may be reimbursable on the basis of UN Women’s current practice and authorized rates.

Competencies

Required Skills and Experience