Result of Service

The Evaluation Team will submit a concise evaluation report. Actual duration of the assignment is 45 days (within a period of 8 months) to be delivered as follows: Inception Report (30%) Draft report (40%) Final Evaluation Report (30%)

Work Location

Home based with field visits

Expected duration

8 months

Duties and Responsibilities

ORGANIZATION SETTING The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the United Nations systems designated entity for addressing environmental issues at the global and regional level. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. This consultancy is located at Headquarters in the Evaluation Office which reports directly to the Executive Director. The consultant reports to the Evaluation Manager and the Director of the Evaluation Office. THE PROJECT Tropical deforestation is a major contributor to climate change and erodes resilience to it. Tropical deforestation is a key source of greenhouse gas emissions. When forests are cleared and trees are burned or decay, the carbon stored in them is released into the atmosphere. It is estimated that emissions from forests and land amount to 10% of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, when rainforests are cleared, more carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere, and less carbon captured and stored. Through photosynthesis, trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and hold it in their trunks and branches. Tropical deforestation also undermines international poverty reduction and sustainable development efforts. Tropical rainforests provide food, water and livelihoods to a significant proportion of the world’s population. Protected upland watersheds are a source of clean drinking water. Forest plants are used in thousands of natural medicines. While the threats to tropical rainforests are substantial, action to protect, restore and sustainably manage tropical rainforests can be a catalyst for realizing sustainable development, food security, equality, peace and human rights. Where indigenous and community rights over forests are secure, there is less deforestation than under other management and regulatory regimes. While the COVID 19 pandemic affected everyone, it has had especially devasting consequences on vulnerable groups who are already at risk. Climate change and environmental degradation significantly impact groups that are already vulnerable or disadvantaged, such as people living in remote areas, the elderly, migrant workers, women, children and youth, poor people, those with chronic health conditions, indigenous peoples, those marginalized through stigma and discrimination, people targeted by racism. The COVID pandemic has also impacted persons with disabilities, those in fragile and conflict-affected zones, sexual and gender minorities, environmental human rights defenders, refugees and asylum seekers. Across these groups, the pandemic has significantly impacted women and girls, across every sphere – from health and economy, to security and social protection. Since the pandemic, societies have realized that there is a window of opportunity for green recovery from the pandemic by promoting healthy and restored forests in an integrated approach. In addition to building resilience against future pandemics, forests are also an essential component of sustainable and resilient food systems, contributing to the four dimensions of food security and nutrition (availability, access, utilization and stability) both for the forest-dependent communities and globally. THE EVALUATION In line with the UNEP Evaluation Policy and the UNEP Programme and Project Management Manual, the Terminal Evaluation is undertaken at operational completion of the project to assess project performance (in terms of relevance, effectiveness and efficiency), and determine outcomes and impacts (actual and potential) stemming from the project, including their sustainability. The Evaluation has two primary purposes: (i) to provide evidence of results to meet accountability requirements, and (ii) to promote operational improvement, learning and knowledge sharing through results and lessons learned among UNEP and the main project partners. Therefore, the Evaluation will identify lessons of operational relevance for future project formulation and implementation, especially where a second phase of the project is being considered. Recommendations relevant to the whole house may also be identified during the evaluation process. THE EVALUATION TEAM For this Evaluation, the Evaluation Team will consist of an Evaluation Specialist who will work under the overall responsibility of the Evaluation Office represented by an Evaluation Manager, in consultation with the UNEP Project Manager, Fund Management Officer and the Subprogramme Coordinator. Specific responsibilities for the Evaluation Consultant: In close consultation with the Evaluation Manager, the Evaluation Consultant will be responsible for the overall management of the Evaluation and timely provision of its outputs, data collection and analysis and report-writing. More specifically: 1. Inception phase of the Evaluation, including: • preliminary desk review and introductory interviews with project staff; • draft the reconstructed Theory of Change of the project; • prepare the evaluation framework; • develop the desk review and interview protocols; • draft the survey protocols (if relevant); • develop and present criteria for country and/or site selection for the evaluation mission; • plan the evaluation schedule; • prepare the Inception Report, incorporating comments until approved by the Evaluation Manager. 2. Data collection and analysis phase of the Evaluation, including: • conduct further desk review and in-depth interviews with project implementing and executing agencies, project partners and project stakeholders; • (where appropriate and agreed) conduct an evaluation mission(s) to selected countries, visit the project locations, interview project partners and stakeholders, including a good representation of local communities. Ensure independence of the Evaluation and confidentiality of evaluation interviews; • regularly report back to the Evaluation Manager on progress and inform of any possible problems or issues encountered and; • keep the Project Manager informed of the evaluation progress. 3. Reporting phase, including: • draft the Main Evaluation Report, ensuring that the evaluation report is complete, coherent and consistent with the Evaluation Manager guidelines both in substance and style; • liaise with the Evaluation Manager on comments received and finalize the Main Evaluation Report, ensuring that comments are taken into account until approved by the Evaluation Manager; • prepare a Response to Comments annex for the main report, listing those comments not accepted by the Evaluation Consultant and indicating the reason for the rejection; and; • (where agreed with the Evaluation Manager) prepare an Evaluation Brief (2-page summary of the evaluand and the key evaluation findings and lessons). 4. Managing relations, including: • maintain a positive relationship with evaluation stakeholders, ensuring that the evaluation process is as participatory as possible but at the same time maintains its independence; • communicate in a timely manner with the Evaluation Manager on any issues requiring attention and intervention. The Evaluation Consultant shall have had no prior involvement in the formulation or implementation of the project and will be independent from the participating institutions. The consultant will sign the Evaluation Consultant Code of Conduct Agreement Form. The Evaluation Consultant will be selected and recruited by the UNEP Evaluation Office through an individual consultancy contract. Comprehensive terms of reference will be shared with the consultant separately.

Qualifications/special skills

A first level university degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in environmental sciences, international development or other relevant political or social sciences area is required. An advanced degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in the same areas is desirable. The years of experience is reduced by 2 for candidates who possess a master’s degree in the related field. A minimum of nine (9) years of technical / evaluation experience is required, preferably including evaluating large, regional or global programmes and using a Theory of Change approach. A good/broad understanding of faith-based (religious-based) organisations is desirable. Good/broad understanding of forest management, climate change, and indigenous people is desirable. A background in theology is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this consultancy, fluency in English is required and knowledge of French, Portuguese or Spanish is desirable. NOTE: ”Fluency” equals a rating of ”fluent” in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and ”Knowledge of” equals a rating of ”confident” in two of the four areas.

Additional Information

Not available.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.