International Consultancy to support Risk informed, climate calibrated, and context-sensitive national planning on DRR

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, care

Turkmenistan, a country in Central Asia, is highly prone to natural hazards with earthquakes, doughts, floods, and mudslides posing significant risks to the survival and well-being of children. Lessons from the 1948 earthquake in the capital city Ashgabat and other major emergencies world-wide highlight the importance of strong preparedness and early-action capacities to enable rapid life-saving interventions. The Climate Change, and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) is at the top of the agenda of the Government of Turkmenistan and reflected in a number of policy and strategic documents including the recently adopted Programme for Socio-Economic Development of Turkmenistan (2022–2052), which embodies important priorities for the well-being of children and families. The National Plan of Action on Realization of Children’s Rights (2018–2022) covers a broad spectrum of child rights in light of climate-induced risks and threats. The National Climate Change Strategy and the Sustainable Development Goals nationalized by Turkmenistan establishes relevant baselines and targets and provides the frameworks and mechanisms for implementation and monitoring the results.
To protect the most deprived and vulnerable population, help to stregthen resilience for natural disasters, and increase emergency preparedness UNICEF and National Red Crescent Society of Turkmenistan signed the Programme Document (PD) jointly implementing the second phase of regional project “Strengthening Local and National Capacities for Emergency Preparedness and Response in High Earthquake Risk and Natural Hazard Prone Countries of Central Asia”, funded by USAID/BHA.

In the framework of the above cooperation the technical support will be provided to the national partners in Risk informed, climate calibrated, and context-sensitive national planning enabling to combat climate change impacts and DRR. The national partners need to be equipped with the Methodology to assess the national disaster risks focusing on the needs and rights of children considering the possible disaster scenarios and consequences. The DRA methodology will foster the revision and updating the sector DRR plans integrating the needs and rights of children, adolescents, and young people, including the comprehensive school safety.

Therefore, UNICEF’s interventions at national, regional and sub-regional levels in emergency preparedness and response and DRR will aim at enhancing capacities of the national partners in:
1. Risk informed, climate calibrated, and context-sensitive national planning;
2. Local risk management with regional governments, local private sector, and young people;
All approaches will be of gender and risk-informed, promoting community engagement and accountability and protection from sexual abuse and exploitation nature.

For more information about UNICEF Turkmenistan please click here  

How can you make a difference? 

The scope of work for the international consultancy is focused on supporting the Government of Turkmenistan in initiating the development and implementation of the risk informed, climate calibrated, and context-sensitive national planning focusing on Local risk management. The interventions will engage the regional authorities, local private sector, and young people. The key objectives of the consultancy are:

1. To provide technical support to the national partners in establishing a coordination mechanism to introduce the child-sensitive approaches in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation interventions;
2. To contextualize and introduce the Disaster Risk Analysis (DRA) methodology enabling to assess the national disaster risks focusing on the needs of children and considering the possible disaster scenarios and consequences;
3. To support capacity building of the national partners strengthening implementation of DRR plans and applying multi-sectoral child-sensitive approach to disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation;
4. To support the national partners in revision and updating the sector DRR plans integrating the developed Disaster Risk Analysis (DRA) methodology and focusing on the needs of children, adolescents, and young people;
5. To introduce the Children’s Climate Risk Index & Disaster Risk Model in UNICEF and the ways of its application to the national partners.
The consultancy is needed in the framework of the Workplan of UNICEF and Ministry of Education as the necessary initiative to develop and implement in the context of Turkmenistan in 2024. The proposed interventions will be an opportunity for UNICEF to leverage the momentum and strengthen its collaboration with the government and other partners with the purpose of enhancing the resilience of children and families in shock prone contexts across the region. Introduction and application of the Disaster Risk Analysis (DRA) methodology will ensure that national disaster risk management frameworks have available information on vulnerability for risk-informed planning, and then use this information to address the unique differentiated needs of vulnerable populations, ensuring inclusive and child-responsive disaster preparedness for slow and fast onset events. The involvement of the National Red Crescent Society of Turkmenistan (NRCST) in the implementation will enhance the resilience of children and families in shock prone contexts of Turkmenistan.

Work Assignment Overview: it is expected that, within the consultancy timeframe, the international consultant will perform the following tasks and deliverables to achieve the objectives of the assignment:

1. Analyze the key legal Emergency and DRR legal framework documents and identify the gaps and weaknesses;

2. Convene a one day online seminar to share findings and recommendations of the analysis of DRR legal framework;

3. Design and introduce a coordination mechanism for introduction of child-sensitive approaches in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in the national context;
4. Draft the contextualized Disaster Risk Analysis (DRA) methodology enabling to assess the national disaster risks focusing on the needs of children considering the possible disaster scenarios and consequences;
5. Provide technical support in the development of possible disaster scenarios and consequences aligned with the national context;
6. Convene a one day seminar to introduce the drafted coordination mechanism for introduction of child-sensitive approaches in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in the national context and;
Introduce the Children’s Climate Risk Index & Disaster Risk Model to the Government and UNICEF;
7. Facilitate a series of discussions with the partners to create a space to strengthen implementation of DRR by application of multi-sectoral child-sensitive approach to disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation at national and regional levels;

8. Facilitate a one day seminar to introduce the drafted contextualized Disaster Risk Analysis (DRA) methodology enabling to assess the national disaster risks focusing on the needs of children considering the possible disaster scenarios and consequences;
9. One day consultations with children, youth and adolescents to identify their needs in DRR, CCA or Emergency onsets. Consolidate the findings in the Concept Note ready for discussion and integration in the updated national and regional DRR and DRM plans.
10. Technical support in collaboration with the National Consultant and national partners in reviewing and updating the national and regional cross-sectoral and school DRR and DRM plans integrating the developed DRA methodology focusing on the needs of children, adolescents, and young people;
11. Submit the Final Report containing all developed training materials, concept notes, PPTs and other documents.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• Advanced university degree (Master) in the area of Education/Environment/Geography/Emergency/DRR or another relevant degree;
• At least five years of professional work experience in environment/DRR sector (programme planning, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation);
• Knowledge of international instruments and standards related to the Disaster Risk Analysis (DRA) methodology focusing on the rights and needs of children and adolecsents;
• Strong experience in development and contextualization of Disaster Risk Analysis (DRA) methodology focusing on the rights and needs of children and adolecsents to the national context;
• Good technical knowledge and internationally recognized experience in implementation of environment/climate change/DRR programs;
• Excellent analytical and report writing skills (verified by examination of evidence from previous assignment deliverables),
• Excellent presentation and communication skills (verified by records of work experience in carrying out at least three assignments related to delivering a speech (report) or presentation on the above topics);
• Ability to use information and communication technology as a tool and resource for training programs;
• Ability to lead a revision and updating process of the national and regional cross-sectoral and school DRR and DRM plans integrating the developed DRA methodology focusing on the rights and needs of children;
• Knowledge of the Central Asian region and the related environment/climate change issues and existing risks is required;
• Excellent written and spoken command of English and good knowledge of the Russian language is required (verified by examination of previous written work and interview)

The technical proposal should include

• A cover letter, including
  • Assessment of suitability vis-à-vis the requirements of this ToR;
  • A summary of experience in similar assignments;
  • Links to/attachments of examples of similar work;
• CV of the candidate (including qualifications and experience)

Financial Proposal:

Candidates are expected to submit a lump sum financial proposal to complete the entire assignment based on the terms of reference. The lump sum should be broken down to show the detail for the following:

Number of working days (40 days) x Unit Cost x Total amount in USD

Other: x Unit Cost x Total amount in USD

1 trip:

Travel International (5 workings days in-country visit)
Return airticket
DSA (for Ashgabat)
Other travel related costs

Evaluation Criteria: 

Each proposal will be assessed first on its technical merits and subsequently on its price. In making the final decision, UNICEF considers both technical and financial aspects to ensure best value for money. The Evaluation Team first reviews the technical aspects of the offer, followed by review of the financial offers of the technically compliant candidates. The proposal obtaining the highest overall score after adding the scores for the technical and financial proposals together, that offers the best value for money will be recommended for award of the contract.
A cumulative analysis will be used to evaluate and award proposals. The evaluation criteria associated with this TOR is split between technical and financial as follows:
75 % Technical
25 % Financial
100 % Total

Contents of the Technical Proposal Score
Educational background 25
Relevant work experience with the outcome of the reference checks 25
Languages and knowledge of the local context 25
Total Score: 75 (with passing score 60)

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:  

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.