National Consultant to conduct a Climate Landscape Analysis for Children (CLAC), Home-Based, Bucharest, Romania

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Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

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Background and rationale

Climate change, energy access and environmental degradation are equity issues, with children and young people often being the most vulnerable and affected. Addressing climate change, energy access and environmental degradation is therefore vital for building a more sustainable future for children. In addition, it is imperative that we integrate our actions on the SDGs and our humanitarian responses. Each of the core sectors UNICEF has been engaging (e.g. health, nutrition, HIV, water and sanitation, child protection, social inclusion and education) is affected in some way by climate change and/or environmental degradation. Fortunately, each stream of UNICEF work also presents opportunities to take action on climate, energy and/or the environment in order to deliver more sustainable results. There are major implications of climate change, lack of energy access and environmental degradation for children and UNICEF has strong potential to strengthen the response to these issues.

UNICEF has made a systematic effort to step up its work on climate, environment, and sustainable energy for children. The organization has issued an Executive Directive on integrating a climate, sustainable energy and environment focus into country programming, and established environmental issues as a core pillar of its 2022-2025 Strategic Plan. Renewed ambition toward 2030 (Goal Area 4 – Every child has the right to leave in a safe and sustainable climate and environment) including commitment to work on climate change under the Common Chapter with UNDP, UNFPA and UN Women.

UNICEF in Romania is planning to conduct a Climate Landscape Analysis for Children, examining the baseline situation of climate, energy and environment-related issues affecting children and how they relate to UNICEF’s priorities. The report looks at stakeholders, government policies and relevant programmes in Romania. It will also provide recommendations on how UNICEF in Romania could further incorporate and strengthen work on climate, energy and environment-related issues in its country programme.

Methodology

1) Generate a baseline on climate, environment and energy (CEE) and children report

• Adapted outline/structure of the generic template for the CLAC reports developed, tailored to UNICEF in Romania’s context and needs
• Review example reports from other country offices and the global guidance materials.
• Propose any changes needed to accommodate the national context and CO priorities.
• Desk review and provide overview of climate, environment and energy (CEE) baseline
• Conduct a desk review of the CEE issues (including projected changes), stakeholders and policies in the country.
• Provide a brief synthesis of the above, and general implications for the country’s sustainable development, with a focus on issues as they relate to UNICEF’s mandate.
• Review key legislation and policy documents related to climate, energy and environment and UNICEF’s corporate priorities with a view of assessing child-rights and CEE linkages.
• Compile a list and evaluate the activities for the past five years, on-going and planned CEE activities.
• Identify knowledge and information gaps.
• Collect, incorporate and triangulate comments from all stakeholders with reference materials from the desk review.
• Analyse CEE interventions that are relevant to UNICEF programming, including identifying direct threats to current program activities.
• Interviews with UNICEF sections & meetings with key stakeholders in the area of CEE and child rights
• Conduct interviews with UNICEF sections on CEE issues affecting children.
• Provide an overview of the child-CEE nexus, including analysis of implications for UNICEF sectors (i.e. Health, WASH, Child Protection, Education, Child Participation, Disaster Risk Reduction).
• Identify partnerships to support UNICEF program recommendations.
• With reference to climate finance mechanisms, bilateral funding and/ or Government budgets, identify funding opportunities to support CEE-child nexus activities.
• Identify appropriate CEE-child rights linkages and evaluate relevance for potential UNICEF programming options and identify new CEE-Child nexus issues/ themes for CO consideration.
• Prepare and present a ppt with the key findings, conclusions and recommendations for UNICEF in Romania and relevant Government and development partners. Facilitate internal and external meetings/roundtables, and/or consensus building as needed.

2. Identify priority entry points for UNICEF engagement and programming of CEE

• In close collaboration with UNICEF Country Office staff, identify and evaluate potential entry points for UNICEF engagement with CEE

 Key deliverables and timeframe

The work is expected to be carried out within a period of 3 months, during the period 15 March – 15 June 2024. A detailed timeline will be submitted by the contractor as part of the technical proposal.

The individual consultant will be responsible for collecting, compiling, and reviewing the available key resources (web-based), gathering in-country information, and undertaking a key-stakeholders analysis. In addition, the incumbent will work closely with CO management and technical staff in relevant sections within the CO to identify and develop programming options and recommendations for the successful integration of climate, energy, and environment (CEE) issues in the country programme cycle.

If needed, the individual consultant will liaise with the climate, energy, and environment team in HQ/NY for support, feedback and coordination.

Education: Advanced university degree in geography, environmental science, natural resource management, meteorology, social and economic development, or related areas. Alternatively, a degree in communications or journalism with demonstrated expertise on environment-related issues can also be considered.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

•    At least 5 years of relevant experience in development of analytical reports and policy documents related to CEE.

•   Proven experience in qualitative data analysis, legal and policy analysis and report preparation (attach sample of latest relevant reports).

•   Experience in facilitating consultations with government representatives, NGOs, academia, and other stakeholders.

•   Excellent research/analytical skills required.

•    Demonstrated expertise in child rights or any of UNICEF’s main areas of work (health, WASH, nutrition, child protection, social policy, education, gender, HIV/AIDS) is considered an asset.

•    Excellent writing skills required in English and Romanian languages.

•    Previous work experience with UNICEF/UN agencies is considered an asset.

Application procedure:

The application will be made in the dedicated UNICEF platform and it must include:

1. An updated CV focused on the skills and experience matching those requested by the current consultancy.
2. Financial Offer should indicate the GROSS amount in RON  as per the attached template Financial Proposal for national consultant climate.xlsx
3. Recent projects. 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here.  

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors 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 selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. 

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates 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 assignment. It does not apply to consultants 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 consultancy contracts.