Integrated Water Resource Management Consultant

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

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

And we never give up. 

For every child, Protection

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How can you make a difference? 

Scope of Work:

Water insecurity in Afghanistan is manifested through climate change with increased frequency of droughts; conflict and migration over the last 20 years plus population growth and increased demand especially in urban centers and for agriculture. Afghanistan has for decades missed opportunities for development due to both external and internal challenges including conflicts. The country is covered by five river basins. Most of rivers/streams are intermittent and run for only 3-4 months during the wet season.  Therefore, groundwater is a strategic storage, and plays a leading role for various purposes such as: domestic/drinking, irrigation, industries and environmental security, while providing a buffering capacity against climate hazards such as droughts and if managed properly could also assist in mitigating some of the detrimental consequences of flooding. As Afghanistan’s population continues to grow, there is increasing pressure to further exploit groundwater for further development.  This trend will cause further negative consequences on the qualitative and quantitative impacts on groundwater that will challenge their socio-economic development and environmental security.  Afghanistan faces some of the highest levels of natural hazards in the world. This is reflected in its ranking as the 5th most at-risk country out of 191 countries.

In order for Afghanistan to become climate resilient and on a positive developmental trajectory, using water resources as a major driver for change, support over the long term may be required in the overlapping and interrelated dimensions of integrated water resource management viz.

• Understanding of all the components of the water cycle and how they interact with each other or the water balance – especially conjunctive use of surface and groundwater.
• The relationship between land (soils, geology, topography, and geomorphology), land use and demands in water for all uses: and
• Policy and regulation, water infrastructure for supply and resource protection, and institutions and stakeholders.

A national consultation workshop was held on 2-5 October 2023 involving more than 100 participants from various stakeholders. The national consultations workshop brought together experts, stakeholders, and leaders from diverse backgrounds to collaborate in thoughtful dialogue which aimed to explore innovative strategies, share knowledge, experience, and develop practical solutions that will pave the way for a sustainable and equitable water future in Afghanistan.  The deliberations in the workshop resulted to adoption of set recommendations for thematic areas related to i) water resource management ii) water resource development iii) water resources monitoring and iv) Disaster risk reduction including early warning. The participants of the workshop included wide range of stakeholders consisting of officials of national ministries (Ministry of Energy and Water, Ministry of Rehabilitation and Rural Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Land, Ministry of Mines, National Environment Protection Agency); Provincial officials, water users, academia, officials of UN (UNICEF, FAO, IOM, WFP, UNDP, UN-habitat and UNAMA), officials of INGOs and local NGOs and donor partners.

The national consultation workshop resulted into development of vison and outcomes and a set of outputs (which were to be further worked upon to develop a full-fledged longform.

The report of the workshop is provided at the link:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14ZY8mEHg1Qpc_Q2ewFeLN8Bypk2Of5fn/view?usp=drive_link

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12t1Umno_wb-tSd4K-hzvs_ij3hXK2IOU/view?usp=drive_link

Prior to holding the workshop, a desk review of i) existing knowledge base in water resources and ii) existing monitoring system of groundwater and surface water systems was undertaken by UNICEF in collaboration with key partners and the ministries which was used in the discussion /deliberations during the workshop and the report were also vetted in the process.  Both the documents are available at link:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/17uUbRk02DZwTS5-AdUldS2qxfpwGoP/view?usp=drive_link

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OhtLRcC5xdH-3r6G52ImRXkUkgFWwi/view?usp=drive_link

For this reason, this ToR seeks to request a suitably qualified expert in integrated water resource management to assist in developing national roadmap for integrated water resource management for climate resilient water systems and services in consultative manner with key stakeholders.

Scope of Work, Deliverables:

Overall objectives:

Develop Afghanistan national roadmap for integrated water resource management for climate resilient water systems and services.

Specific tasks:

Task 1:

To review the materials used /outputs of work done during the workshop (consultant will be provided with the materials (presentations) /workshop report and two documents) and refine the result structure (log frame).

Time: 1 Week

Task 2:

Develop framework (chapters/sub chapters) of the roadmap document in consultations with UNICEF and with key stakeholders and the framework of the document agreed with UNICEF and MEW.

Time: 1 Week

(Note):  The roadmap to include amongst other things i) stakeholder analysis with role delineation ii) result structure (log frame) and action plan containing short term, medium-term, long-term action including budgets and prioritization).

Task 3:

Draft national road map with action plan /budget (with support of national consultant with respect to unit cost of activities in the context of Afghanistan for budgeting aspects.

Time: 4 Weeks

Task 4:

Incorporate the comments on draft version prepared by the Consultant and shared by UNICEF with related stakeholders.  Sharing will also involve presenting the draft report by the Consultant, online, with various stakeholders, possibly in multiple groups, to facilitate receiving feedback/comments. This would/ lead to development of revised (semifinal version) of the road map.

Time: 1 Week

Task 5:

Present the revised version of the roadmap, in person, in a validation workshop of key stakeholders at Kabul. The cost of holding the workshop will be borne by UNICEF separately. The consultant will have to provide the technical input/facilitation, document the proceedings, and use the input to refine the document prepared before such consultation/s. The consultant will require to travel to Kabul for this validation workshop of duration of one/one and half day. (Agenda/ process of validation workshop to be developed by the Consultant in agreement with UNICEF and UNICEF to send out invitation of the participants and other logistic arrangement for the workshop).

Time:  2 weeks (includes travel time of consultant)

Task 6:

Revise the roadmap based on input during the validation workshop and prepare final version of the roadmap document along with a summary version of the roadmap in word and ready to print version with appropriate layout to be agreed with UNICEF.

Time: 1 Week

Note: Time indicated is the time required on job to calculate the cost of expertise as per time involved on tasks and does not include the intervals /time taken while waiting for feedback and consultant will require to indicate the adequate time in between various processes. It is expected that total time should not exceed 14 weeks.

Key Deliverables:

The following is a summary of the key deliverables:

1. Stakeholder analysis.
2. Log frame consisting of VISION/Outcome /Output/Key interventions (Log frame with both horizontal and vertical logic) based on the deliberations of the national workshop and the expanding/refining the log frame so far developed.
3. Framework of the National Roadmap document (Chapter/sub chapters) for both i) main roadmap document and ii) summary version of roadmap document.
4. Draft National roadmap document with action plan and budgets and related to annexes.
5. Revised version (Semifinal version) of the document following completion of Task 4.
6. Final version of National roadmap document with action plan and budgets and related to annexes.

ii) Summary version (of 10 pages). The document to be shared in two forms.

 a) in word, editable version.  b) in print version with high quality layout as approved by UNICEF.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Hydrogeology, Hydrology, or related technical field
• A minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience in field is required.
• Experience in handling, analyzing, and presenting hydrological and hydrogeological data using GIS and experience of similar writing /facilitation work of developing national level planning/strategy /policy document.
• Facilitation Skills.
• Excellent ability to communicate and present both verbally and in written form to a wide variety of stakeholders.
• Ability to work in a transdisciplinary team and in general be a good team player.
• Fluency in English. 

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

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:  

Interested consultants are required to apply online, indicating availability and all-inclusive lump sum fee to undertake the terms of reference.

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.