Download Terms of Reference (TOR) for Individual Consultant

United Nations Children’s Fund
(UNICEF Bangladesh)
Terms of Reference (TOR) for Individual Consultant/ Contractor
Position Title: National Consultant (Climate Change)
Proposed Level : NO-C
Duration of Contract: 35 working days between July 2016 and November 2016
Duty Station:
Dhaka
Work Plan Code Number: 5070/A0/04/001/021/006
1. Background
Bangladesh, with its low elevation, severe tropical storms and high population density, globally is one of
the countries most vulnerable to climate change. Climate change and variability have already had an
impact on the lives and livelihoods of people living in coastal areas and in arid and semi-arid regions of
Bangladesh. In addition to the vulnerability to natural disaster, the high reliance of the population on
agriculture will result in income loss and severe damage to human wellbeing.
These changes are threatening the significant achievements Bangladesh has made over the last 20 years
in increasing incomes, reducing poverty and in achieving self-sufficiency in the production of rice, the
country's staple food crop. The impact of climate change may also hamper Bangladesh in making
progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
According to projections included in the Fifth Assessment Report (2013) of the Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change (IPCC), the monsoon rainfall in South Asia is predicted to increase significantly,
causing higher flows in the river systems. Therefore Bangladesh, especially the northern and western
parts of the country, are likely to experience a higher frequency and intensity of natural disasters, including
floods, tropical cyclones, storm surges and droughts. The changes in temperature, rainfall distribution, and
salinity intrusion linked to climate change are likely to change the ecosystem by damaging the natural
habitat and threatening its survival.
Moreover, land degradation in Bangladesh is estimated to affect 5.0 million hectares (over 33% of the total
land acreage)1. A large part of the population lives in ecologically fragile parts of the country and is thus at
heightened risk for the impact of climate change, e.g. through damage to economic assets and livelihoods
will be dramatic. Sea levels are also predicted to rise by as much as 3.5 metres2 by 2100, leading to a
huge loss of productive land in a country where nearly a quarter of the territory is less than 2 metres
above sea level. Flooding of large parts of the country and other effects of climate change are also leading
to increased migration from heavily affected areas to already crowded urban spaces.
Children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of climate change due to their
underdeveloped physiology and immune system, as well as their sensitivity to high-impact negative events
during the early stages of their development. This is heightened by their lack of agency and voice in most
societies. Disasters, many of which are exacerbated by climate change and which are increasing in
1
Department of Environment, Ministry of Environment and Forest, 2005, National Action Plan for Combating Desertification.
IUCN – The World Conservation Union - Bangladesh Country Office.
2
Pethick, John; Orford, Julian, Rapid rise in Effective Sea-Level in southwest Bangladesh: Its causes and contemporary rates.
In: Global and Planetary Change, Vol. 111, 12.2013, p. 237–245
frequency and intensity, significantly impede progress towards sustainable development, with women,
children and people in vulnerable situations disproportionately affected.
Environmental degradation undermines children’s rights to live sustainable and resilient life, and children
will shoulder burden of climate change effects, although they have least responsibility for the causes of
climate change, which raises issues of intergenerational injustice. UNICEF is committed to ensuring
protection of children from harmful effects and promoting the rights of every child.
Given Bangladesh’s vulnerability to the effects of climate change, and children’s heightened, in 2015 the
UNICEF Bangladesh Country Office commissioned a study on the impact of climate change on children in
Bangladesh which also identified programmatic recommendations on mainstreaming climate change in
programmatic interventions. This study informed the development of the 2017-20 UNICEF-GoB Country
Programme which includes a focus on climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction.
Against this background UNICEF is seeking to engage a national consultant to operationalise the
mainstreaming of climate change and disaster risk reduction in UNICEF’s programming. The consultant
will develop a fundraising proposal on climate change programming for UNICEF Bangladesh and to inform
the mainstreaming of climate change and disaster preparedness and the operationalisation of these
issues in the upcoming 2017-20 Country Programme in Bangladesh. This assignment will build on the
evidence generated in the study on the impact of climate change on children in Bangladesh.
2. Purpose of Assignment:
The purpose of this assignment is to develop a fundraising proposal on climate change programming for
UNICEF Bangladesh and to inform the mainstreaming of climate change and disaster preparedness and
the operationalisation of these issues in the upcoming 2017-20 Country Programme in Bangladesh. The
deliverables produced under this assignment will be shared with staff members in UNICEF and relevant
staff working on climate change and related issues in the Regional Office for South Asia and Headquarters.
They may also be shared with key Government counterparts and other partners who are implementing
programmes related to children and climate change/disaster preparedness.
10. Description of assignment: (outline the activities and tasks that are to be executed and completed
within the estimated timeline. Outline how task/activities that are to be carried out by consultant and are
linked to results and overall objectives and goal of the programme)
Major Tasks and responsibilities:
Deliverables
Time Frame
Desk review of key documents, including
UNICEF’s study on climate change in
Bangladesh and global UNICEF guidance
on programming in climate change affected
areas as well as child-centred DRR
Inception Report
5 working days
Provide technical support to the
development of a policy brief on children
and climate change and organisation of a
launch event
Inputs to Strategy Notes
and Programme documents
(4)
10 working days
Conduct quality control of the strategy note
on climate change and DRR in UNICEF
programming in Bangladesh
Strategy note submitted
10 working days
Develop a fundraising proposal on UNICEF
interventions on climate change and childcentred DRR
Total
Fundraising proposal
submitted
10 working days
35 working days
11. Qualifications (Education, Work Experience, Special skills and/or knowledge, Competencies required
for the assignment):
The consultant will be required to have the following qualifications and experience:
Education : Advanced university degree in social science, development studies related to climate change
or environmental studies
Work Experience:
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A minimum of ten years of professional experience in providing technical inputs on international
initiatives on climate change adaptation, mainstreaming climate change, disaster risk reduction;
Experience in designing social sector programmes that are sensitive to climate change and
disasters;
Strong track record of conducting research (desk-based and interviews) independently with minimal
supervision;
Solid experience in writing fundraising proposals and raising resources from donors and good
understanding of donor landscape on climate change-related issues;
Prior experience in working on climate change in Bangladesh and good knowledge of climate
change issues in Bangladesh is essential;
Proven skills in analysis and synthesis and ability to communicate on complex issues clearly and
succinctly orally and in writing;
Ability to develop strong working relationships with colleagues and partners;
Proven experience interacting with senior level informants at national and sub-national level.
Language requirements: Excellent command of written and spoken English and Bangla.
How to apply: Interested candidates who fully meet the requirements of the position may please forward
their updated P-11 and CVs at [email protected] by 10 July 2016 for review. Only short listed
candidates will be contacted.