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, safety.

Purpose of Activity/Assignment

Children and families across Europe and Central Asia (ECA) face multiple risks due to disasters caused by natural hazards and climate change impacts, such as floods, extreme weather events, disease outbreaks and conflict. These pose significant threats to vulnerable populations, particularly children. In 2023, 450,000 people in the Western Balkans and Central Asia were affected by floods and landslides. In the first half of 2024, floods and mudflows impacted over 100,000 people in Central Asia. Additionally, approximately 92 million children in Europe and Central Asia experience heatwaves, 32.4 million face water scarcity, and 7.5 million are exposed to floods (CCRI, UNICEF, 2021). In 2022, Europe experienced the second warmest year on record for the region. For some countries in southwestern Europe, it was the warmest on record (WMO 2022). Around half of the children in Europe and Central Asia – or 92 million are exposed to high heatwave frequency. This is double the global average of 1 in 4 children exposed to high heatwave frequency.

Many of these disasters are predictable and Anticipatory Action (AA) can save the lives of vulnerable children and families by using tools such as forecasts, risk analysis, early warning information, predictive analysis, pre-planning and pre-arranged financing. The recent experiences of COVID-19 and the Ukraine War have amplified the need to assess and anticipate compounding risks and associated cascading impacts. Taking AA can reduce the impacts of disasters on vulnerable populations and enable fast, cost-effective and dignified responses, ultimately saving lives and protecting development achievements.

Guided by the Core Commitments for Children (CCC), UNICEF prioritizes actions that will reduce the impact of humanitarian crises on children. UNICEF is working towards institutionalization and scaling up AA to save lives, reduce needs and protect development gains for the vulnerable people, including children and youth.

UNICEF is committed to working with partners to better protect children and communities from the adverse effects of disasters, mitigate the impacts of these risks and enhance resilience through AA. UNICEF is actively enhancing its own and partners’ capacity to contribute to AA across different contexts for diverse crises like droughts, storms, floods, and epidemics key sectors such as WASH, Nutrition, Education, Child Protection, Health, and Social Policy (cash) and cross-cutting areas including gender, disability inclusion and accountability to the affected population.

UNICEF has developed its corporate framework/approach for institutionalization and scaling up of AA. It aims to be child centered, using a holistic approach that helps protect the most vulnerable children and their families from foreseeable crises. Early actions will be undertaken in an age, gender and inclusion-sensitive manner to help strengthen the resilience of communities coping with the cumulative impact of conflict, climate shocks and pandemic/epidemic. UNICEF adopts a no-regrets approach to AA, aware that triggers based on forecasts might sometimes give false alarm/activation.

To ensure organizational commitment to scaling up AA in the Europe and Central Asia region, the Regional Office is adopting a multi-phased approach to define pathways for AA. Covering 22 countries from Central Asia to Europe, the region involves multiple stakeholders, including civil society organizations, Non-Government Organizations, and the donor community. DRR and preparedness initiatives, including AA-related projects, are context-specific and multi-faceted. For e.g. countries are implementing School Safety programs, community based DRR interventions, engaging with partners on strengthening early warning systems and shock responsive social protection systems.

In order to effectively plan, design, and implement scalable AA interventions, or provide technical support to government partners to strengthen AA actions, UNICEF Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (ECARO) will conduct a mapping and feasibility assessment of AA in the region. The selected countries to be focused on for the initial mapping and feasibility assessment include Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kyrgyzstan, Kosovo, Serbia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The selection of countries is based on the risk scale of climate-induced hazards, biological and socio-political context and existing partnerships/entry points with partners, including the Red Cross/Crescent, Civil Protection Agencies, donor conditionalities (BHA) and ongoing initiatives linked to AA.

To support these interventions, UNICEF ECARO is hiring an international consultant to support the Emergency Section with the mapping and Feasibility Assessment of Anticipatory Action for the 6 selected countries.

Scope of Work

Under the supervision of the Emergency Specialist, the consultant will provide technical support to UNICEF ECARO in mapping the existing needs, capacities, and available mechanisms required for implementing anticipatory action (AA) in six countries in the Europe and Central Asia region, and developing recommendations for country offices to advance child-sensitive AA, with an aim to effectively plan, design, and implement scalable AA interventions and provide technical support to government partners to strengthen AA actions.

Specific tasks and deliverables for the consultancy will include:

1. Provide support to the ECARO to conduct a mapping and feasibility assessment of AA in the region, to support the Emergency Section to understand the existing needs, capacities, available mechanisms, and entry points in each country for implementing AA, based on identified hazards/type of risks prevalent in each country context, and sectoral needs. In doing so, the consultant will:

a. identify the existing mechanisms and early warning systems for forecasting hazards and existing triggers for identified hazards and its usability and applications by different sectors,
b. identify the existing actions and/or availability of systems and mechanisms (within different sectors) to deliver/implement AA interventions,
c. identify the existing capacities, resources and financing mechanisms for AA,
d. provide a mapping of the existing and potential partners in the region,
e. support the team in comprehending the level of understanding of AA among UNICEF staff, government, and key partners.

2. Document existing standard operating procedures and good practices from other countries and partner organizations applicable for the ECA region.

3. Develop recommendations for country offices to advance child-sensitive AA, identifying key entry points for UNICEF to implement AA and support national and local government to support policies, planning, and implementation of AA. In doing so, the consultant will:

a. identify key entry points to support policies, planning, and implementation of AA in multiple sectors including WASH, Child Protection, Health and Nutrition, Education/ECD, Social Protection integrating cross-sectoral priorities on Gender, Accountability to Affected Population, Social and Behavioral Change and with specific focus on children with disability,
b. provide recommendations based on the criteria of urgency of need and ease of implementation, and suggest priority areas and actions accordingly,
c. identify potential barriers and enablers for the suggested priority areas and actions.

Methodology and Approach

The assessment will use a mixed-methods approach. The assignment will involve a desk review of the relevant literature, reports, and project documents. The consultant will also conduct key informant interviews with stakeholders, including government representatives, NGOs, and UN agencies in the selected countries. Country missions will be conducted to gather firsthand data and insights from partners. The consultant is expected to provide a data analysis to identify gaps, opportunities, strategic recommendations, sample SOPs for triggers, protocols for AA activation covering four specific hazards/risk categories as relevant to the context, to identify the entry point of AA. These hazards include 1) Hydro-meteorological (floods, landslides, avalanches, storms) 2) Climatological (extreme temperatures – heatwaves, cold waves; drought, water scarcity, Forest Fires) 3) Biological (pandemic/epidemic) 4) Socio-political.

Throughout the contract duration, the consultant will closely collaborate with Emergency Section of UNICEF ECARO to review progress, challenges, and next steps. The consultant will participate in the preparatory/consultative meetings to ensure the best approach to the implementation of the tasks. Ad-hoc calls may take place as deemed necessary.

Work Assignment Overview

Estimated Duration of the Contract

50 working days between October 2024 and February 2025.

Consultant’s Work Place and Official Travel

The Consultant will be remote/home-based.

As part of this assignment, some international travels are foreseen. The consultant will arrange her/his travel as and when they take place, and related costs will be reimbursed per UNICEF travel policy.

Travel Clause

• All UNICEF rules and regulations related to travel of Consultants apply.
• All travels shall be undertaken only upon the prior written approval by UNICEF.
• The consultant must be fit to travel, be in a possession of the valid UN BSAFE certificate, obligatory inoculation(s) and have a valid own travel/medical insurance and an immunization/vaccination card.

Estimated Cost of the Consultancy & Payment Schedule

Payment will be made on submission of an invoice and satisfactory completion of the above-mentioned deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs are incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines. All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future.

Please submit a professional fee (in USD) based on 50 working days to undertake this assignment, without travel fees as these will be reimbursed as and when they take place.

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

• A relevant master’s degree in one of the following fields is required: disaster management, international development, human rights, humanitarian studies, sociology, or another relevant social science field.
• At least 7 years of relevant experience in disaster risk management/ emergency response/ emergency mapping/ anticipatory action, and relevant fields.
• Demonstrated experience of conducting needs assessments, feasibility assessments and mapping exercises in complex, multi-country contexts.
• Demonstrated experience of producing high-quality reports and other documents to specified deadlines.
• Previous work experience in Europe and Central Asia region is highly desirable.
• Previous work experience in designing and implementing participatory assessments and consultations with a range of stakeholders, including government agencies, NGOs, and community groups is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of child-sensitive AA is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of guidelines and standards for child protection in emergency/humanitarian/development setting is highly desirable.
• Good understanding of the global and regional humanitarian context.
• Excellent analytical and interpersonal skills.
• Strong skills in qualitative and quantitative research methods.
• Fluency in English (oral and written).

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS), and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most marginalized children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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:

Please include a full CV and a Cover Letter in your application, indicate your availability and professional fee (in USD) to undertake the terms of reference above. Applicants are also required to submit a two-page proposal outlining their approach and methodology for achieving the specified deliverables. Applications without a proposal and without a professional fee will not be considered further. 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.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants 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.