UNDP works to eradicate poverty and reduce inequalities through the sustainable development of nations, in more than 170 countries and territories. The Regional Bureau of Asia has the responsibility to guide and support 24 Country Offices in achieving the objectives of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. RBAP staff provides technical advice to Country Offices, governments and other relevant stakeholders; advocates for UNDP corporate messages and represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder for a including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, South-South and Triangular cooperation initiatives, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas.

Rapid and continued economic dynamism has translated into growth and reduced poverty levels in several countries in Asia and the Pacific. Greater foreign direct investments and capital movements, accentuated by higher regional mobility, are reasons for further optimism for future regional growth. This progress has often come at the expense of the human rights of minorities, marginalized and disadvantaged and at-risk groups in the interest of investments and financial gains.

The Rule of Law and Human Rights Team, as part of the Asia Pacific Governance and Peacebuilding Unit of the Bangkok Regional Hub, is currently engaged in promoting the implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). The UNGPs clarify the duty of states and the responsibility of businesses to uphold international norms and treaties on human rights. These Guiding Principles rest on three pillars: 1) the State’s duty to protect human rights; 2) the corporate responsibility to respect human rights and; 3) the joint-responsibility of both the State and businesses sector to provide access to remedy for victims of business-related abuses.

Momentum supporting the implementation of the UNGPs through National Action Plans (NAPs) is developing quickly in the region. Nurturing this, an already well-developed community of industry advocates, human rights activists, and development practitioners are deepening their work on a wide variety of thematic area or industry-specific BHR activities. While leading national and multi-national  corporations are embedding human rights due diligence approaches into their operational policies and  corporate communication profiles.

B+HR Asia: Agents of Change project will specifically focus on promoting youth and media engagement as  key civil society actors and drivers of change in the context of business and human rights (BHR). The project intends to develop a “bottom-up” approach to the promotion of human rights and environmental  protection in business operations. More specifically, the approach employed will harness the power of  youth and media, to act as force multipliers of policy progress already made under the B+HR Asia project,  and thereby ensure greater compliance with the provisions of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and  Human Rights (UNGPs) and international human rights and environmental standards.

Focusing on four Asian countries; Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, and Thailand, the project will  implement a broad range of activities targeting Youth and Media in the area of business, human rights  and economic policy with funding from from the European Union’s Partnership Instrument.

The project, Agents of Change: Youth and Media for Responsible Business Practices, intends to hire a Monitoring and Evaluation associate, to support the administrative and financial tasks to ensure successful delivery and financial reporting. Under the overall guidance of the Business and Human Rights Manager/Specialist, the Monitoring and Evaluation Associate ensures effective delivery of the regional project, by entering and managing data and supporting programme implementation consistent with UNDP rules and regulations. The Monitoring and Evaluation Associate performs other related tasks and assignments within the larger regional programme structure. S/he will work in close collaboration with other programme associates/assistants, operations, programme management unit and project staff in UNDP BRH, UNDP Country Offices (COs) and UNDP HQ as required for resolving complex finance-related issues and for exchanging information.

The Project Monitoring and Evaluation Associate will work under the overall guidance of the Business and Human Rights Project Manager, Governance and Peacebuilding Team, UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub.

• Monitors project progress and participates in the production of progress reports ensuring that they meet the necessary reporting requirements and standards;
• Ensures project’s M&E meets the requirements of the European Union including inputs through EU Partnership Instrument Monitoring System (PIMS) as provided by EU OPSYS and UNDP. Develop project-specific M&E tools as necessary;
• Oversees and ensures the implementation of the project’s M&E plan, including periodic appraisal of the Project’s Theory of Change and Results Framework with reference to actual and potential project progress and results;
• Oversees/develops/coordinates the implementation of the stakeholder engagement plan with particular relevance to regional work including large regional events; assists in the planning of events at the regional level;
• Oversees and guides the design of surveys/ assessments commissioned for monitoring and evaluating project results;
• Facilitates and coordinates the terminal evaluation of the project, including management responses, annual reviews of the project and produces analytical reports from these annual reviews, and learning and other knowledge management products;
• Coordinates and produces Quarterly Reports, annual Progress Reports and the project’s Final Report, and assists in the preparation of any project board meeting with assistance from project manager, programme associate, and specialists.
• The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.