Result of Service

This consultancy will follow-up on the recommendations of an analytical paper that was produced on CREWS programming in FCVs, which focused on identifying gaps and opportunities for CREWS to strengthen its programming processes. This position will ensure continuation of this work and produce the operational procedures to be used for CREWs programming in FCV contexts.

Work Location

Home-based

Expected duration

As soon as possible – 28/02/25

Duties and Responsibilities

BACKGROUND Established in December 1999, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) is the designated focal point in the United Nations system for the coordination of efforts to reduce disasters and to ensure synergies among the disaster reduction activities of the United Nations and regional organizations and activities in both developed and less developed countries. Led by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction (SRSG), UNDRR has over 150 staff located in its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and in regional offices. Specifically, UNDRR guides, monitors, analyses and reports on progress in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, supports regional and national implementation of the Framework, and catalyzes action and increases global awareness to reduce disaster risk working with UN Member States and a broad range of partners and stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector, parliamentarians and the science and technology community. Many countries facing frequent disasters – such as floods, storms, heatwaves and droughts, or conflict-induced emergencies – also host high numbers of displaced persons and migrants, including internally displaced people (IDPs) and refugees. These populations are particularly vulnerable due to factors such as the locations in which they reside, lack of stable shelter, restricted access to services and social protection, language barriers, limited access to disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation initiatives and limited visibility in national and local data systems. Early warning and early action (EWEA) systems, which aim to reduce disaster impacts through timely and preventive action, often fail to adequately account for internally displaced populations, migrants and refugees. This gap in EWEA systems can leave the most vulnerable populations exposed to disproportionate risk. UNDRR, the lead for Pillar 1 of the Early Warning for All initiative (EW4All), is working with the other pillar leads – the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), pillar 2 lead, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), pillar 3 lead, and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), pillar 4 lead, along with other partners to support countries to achieve the Early Warning for All objective: all people no matter their status are protected by early warning systems as urgently as possible in order to save lives and reduce preventable losses and damages. The Initiative prioritises countries in fragile, conflict, and violence-affected (FCV) situations, where, underinvestment in early warning systems (EWS) and a higher proportion of vulnerable populations, increase the risk of leaving people behind. Notably, in FCV contexts such as Chad, Niger, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan, EW4All is actively engaged, addressing the unique challenges these countries face through diverse funding mechanisms and tailored programming portfolios aimed at strengthening EWS and building resilience. There is a critical need to develop guidance and practical operational tools to ensure that internally displaced persons, migrants and refugees are properly integrated into EWEA systems. This involves improving data collection, exposure and vulnerability analysis and coordination mechanisms, promoting coordinated cross-border actions, adapting protocols to include displaced communities, and ensuring that their specific vulnerabilities and capacities are considered in early warning systems and broader disaster risk reduction efforts. DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES Under the supervision of the EW4All Programme Management Officer, Risk Knowledge, Monitoring and Capacity development Branch (RKB), and in collaboration with the Global Disaster Risk Reduction Programme Lead at the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and in consultation with the EW4All Global Pillar Leads (WMO, ITU, and IFRC), the consultant will undertake the following: 1. Literature Review and Gap Analysis: o Conduct a desk review of any relevant existing literature on EWEA systems, disaster risk reduction frameworks, and the levels of which different mobile populations (internally displaced persons, refugees and migrants) may be included in these. o Identify existing practices and key gaps in current systems and approaches regarding the integration of different mobile populations (internally displaced persons, refugees and migrants) across different settings (camps and camp-like settlements, temporary accommodations, urban and peri-urban locations, etc.). 2. Stakeholder Consultations: o Engage with key stakeholders and prospective end users (EW4All partners, government agencies, donors, humanitarian actors including the cluster system and the global cluster coordinators group, data collection actors (IDMC, IOM-DTM, REACH-IMPACT, DRC, IFRC), WMO regional centers, NMHSs, and WCM, NGOs and civil society, internally displaced persons, refugees and migrants , and host communities etc.) to gather insights on current practices, challenges, and opportunities for integrating internally displaced persons, migrants and refugees into EWEA systems. This may be through an online consultation/focus group discussion, or virtual interviews 3. Development of Operational Guidance and Toolkit: o Draft clear and practical guidance on how to integrate internally displaced persons, migrants and refugees into early warning systems (indicative length around 10-15’000 words). Leveraging on existing research, the guidance should cover key aspects such as:  Recommended processes to ensure risk analysis identify specific needs of IDPs, refugees and migrants  Recommended data collection and sharing protocols, and data protection specific to internally displaced persons, refugee and migrants  Recommended criteria and considerations for including internally displaced persons, refugees and migrants in early warning dissemination and early action decision-making and implementation processes  Proposed methods to address the specific vulnerabilities of internally displaced persons, refugees and migrants  Considerations for strengthening cross-border coordination in early warning and early action systems o Develop a toolkit with relevant practical checklists, presentations, templates, and tools for operationalizing the guidance at local, national, and cross-border / regional levels 4. Validation of Guidance: o Present the draft guidance and toolkit to the Interpillar Technical Group on EW4All , as well as key agencies such as IOM, UNHCR and DRC, for feedback and validation o Revise the document based on feedback This consultancy is home-based and covers a period of 30 working days.

Qualifications/special skills

An advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in disaster risk management, migration studies, social sciences, environmental studies, or related field is required. A first level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. A Ph.D. is desirable. A minimum of 15 years of experience in fields related to migration, displacement, early warning systems, disaster risk reduction, or climate change adaptation is required. Experience in conducting research, stakeholder consultations, and drafting operational guidance or analytical reports is required. Experience working in fragile and conflict-affected settings is desirable. Experience working with UN systems and procedures, or those of any similar international organization, and engaging with government and non-governmental organizations, is desirable. Previous experience in working in complex working environments and cross-border coordination challenges is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this consultancy, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable.

Additional Information

Due to the high volume of applications received, only successful candidates will be contacted.

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.