VAC-11452 Social and Environmental Safeguard Specialist

Project background:

• Water resources management is a pressing issue in Yemen due to its arid climate & limited water availability. Yemen faces significant challenges in this regard, including limited agricultural productivity, high levels of malnutrition & vulnerability to natural disasters. With BMZ funding through the German development bank (KfW), our clients Yemen & KfW have established a partnership focused on enhancing water resources management & food security in the country. These collaboration aims to address the critical challenges faced by Yemen in these areas & contribute to sustainable development. In addition, KfW & our client in Yemen acknowledge the importance of addressing food security concerns in the country. To tackle these issues, the KfW & our cleints partnership focuses on promoting sustainable agricultural practices, supporting small scale farmers & strengthening local food systems. By enhancing agricultural productivity & ensuring access to nutritious food, these initiatives contribute to reducing hunger & poverty in Yemen. Recognizing the urgent need to address these challenges, KfW & our cleint have joined forces to implement an integrated water resources management project that aims to enhance the resilience of agriculture & food security in Yemen. The project (integrated water resources management to Enhance Resilience of Agriculture (ERA) & food security) includes the construction & rehabilitation of water infrastructure to increase agricultural production, promoting access to markets & empowering women in agriculture value chain in Yemen. The overall objective of the project is to enhance the livelihood resilience of poor Yemenis who depend on primary water sources for productive uses. This objective of this 3 year project will be achieved by investing in new water harvesting infrastructure aimed to augment existing supplies to efficiently capture surface water as well as sustainable groundwater such as small to medium surface & sub surface dams, dykes, weirs, etc. The objective will also be achieved by rehabilitating existing damaged or unmaintained infrastructure which could include community cisterns, shallow wells, canals, soil erosion control measures, bank protection, low tech agricultural infrastructure, flood protection structures (gabions, terraces & embankments).

• Our client in Yemen now seeks to hire Social & Environmental Safeguard Specialist to provide support to the implementation of the project activities described above.

Objectives:

• The overall objective of the consultancy assignment is to support the project team to ensure compliance with KfW & our clients Social and Environmental Standards (SES), review the Environment & Social Commitment Plan (ESCP), relevant documents & inception consultation findings, conduct consultations & site visits at the targeted districts whenever necessary & develop the ESMF, associated ESMPs & other plans fully considering social & environmental risk management requirements stipulated in the project document.

Specific duties will include:

• To conduct desk reviews for the documents of the proposed sub projects & the findings from the inception workshops at the four districts, to carry out environmental & social analyses for the environmentally sensitive sub projects according to regulations of the government of Yemen, the World Bank & our client.

• Prepare the inception report summarizing the objectives, scope & outputs of the assignment & methodology for achievement of the outputs, documents review, proposed meetings & visits, findings & setting out a detailed planning of the assignment, including the schedule of visits.

• To establish contact with the local & national officials in the key ministries who are responsible for environmental regulations oversight including Ministry of Agriculture, irrigation & Fisheries Ministry of Water & Environment & Environment Protection Authority.

• To conduct field visits for selected number of sub projects in the targeted districts accompanied by PM staff members or focal points from these districts, to assess & analyze the existing environmental & social baseline data on site & the potential environmental & social impacts associated with the proposed sub projects.

• Describe roles & responsibilities as well as institutional & implementation arrangements for the identified mitigation measures & develop a monitoring plan for implementation of mitigation measures.

• To conduct consultations at the targeted districts in coordination with focal points & Community Mobilizers.

• To identify the sub projects that need community mobilization & awareness programs & propose such awareness programs for implementation before, during & upon completion of the sub projects.

• To provide the results of the environmental & social impact analysis in the form of an ESMF document & sub project specific ESMP, to be submitted to the KfW.

• The Social & Environmental Safeguard Specialist will work under the direct supervision of the Project Manager & the Specialist will be required to carry out field visits to collect data & they will be subject to the approval of the Project Manager.

• Previous experience in undertaking environmental & social impact assessments.

• Previous experience in developing & / or implementing environmental & social safeguard strategies for organizations or projects.

• Knowledge in social & environmental safeguards & policies of UN & as well World Bank’s regulations is a distinct asset.

• Experience in conveying complex technical information to diverse stakeholders, including farmers, women & IDPs.

• Excellent & proven working experience in the country, dealing with international, regional & local contractors & partners.

• Proficiency in English & Arabic both oral & writing.

• This role has no team management responsibility.

• Payment will be made against submission & approval of deliverables mentioned in section 6 above.

• Qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply for this role.