Organizational Context

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with a network of 191-member National Societies. The overall aim of the IFRC is “to inspire, encourage, facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by National Societies with a view to preventing and alleviating human suffering and thereby contributing to the maintenance and promotion of human dignity and peace in the world.” The IFRC works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters, health emergencies and other crises.

The IFRC is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (Movement), together with its member National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The work of the IFRC is guided by the following fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.

The IFRC is led by its Secretary General, and has its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The Headquarters are organized into three main Divisions: (i) National Society Development and Operations Coordination; (ii) Global Relations, Humanitarian Diplomacy and Digitalization; and (iii) Management Policy, Strategy and Corporate Services.

The IFRC has five regional offices in Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas. The IFRC also has country cluster delegation and country delegations throughout the world. Together, the Geneva Headquarters and the field structure (regional, cluster and country) comprise the IFRC Secretariat.

Job Purpose

Central Asia faces moderate humanitarian needs. The region is particularly vulnerable to natural disasters, including floods, landslides, and earthquakes, compounded by climate change impacts such as rising temperatures, glacier melt, and more frequent extreme weather events. Inefficient cross-border water management and local tensions over water and pastureland access have led to recurring disputes, including border clashes between countries, which exacerbate regional instability and socio-economic
challenges.

Despite some national efforts, the socio-economic vulnerabilities of communities in Central Asia remain significant, particularly in remote areas. The lack of comprehensive disaster preparedness and risk informed strategies undermines the resilience of these communities, leaving them ill-equipped to cope with recurring disasters. Localized climate-induced disasters and underdeveloped infrastructure further strain national capacities, necessitating enhanced disaster risk management and anticipatory action.

In order to inform the IFRC Country Cluster Delegation in Central Asia to design a multicomponent action with water management projects aimed at addressing critical water access, quality, and sustainability challenges in the target areas, and develop programming on water management and disaster preparedness IFRC CCD in CA is aiming to improve capacities to ensure a robust and evidence-based project design, primary and secondary data collection on water resources, usage, and related issues is
required.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Project objectives

The main goal of this consultancy is to gather, analyze, and present relevant secondary data to guide the design of Disaster Risk Reduction, water management, and health-related initiatives. The consultant will deliver insights aligned with programmatic priorities, ensuring that the proposed projects are evidence-based and effectively address identified needs aligned with the potential action requirement.

Desired outcomes

The consultant will be expected to deliver the following:

1. Data Collection Report: A report in English summarizing the findings from secondary data collection with focus on water scarcity issues and disaster preparedness.
2. Analysis and Recommendations: A final report in English with detailed analysis and specific recommendations for the water management actions and projects, ensuring the alignment with the potential proposal priorities.
3. Presentation: A presentation of findings and recommendations to the project design team highlighting key insights and suggested actions.
4. Proposal Development support: Provide inputs for developing the project proposal in coordination with IFRC programme teams with updated statistics, evidence-based information and information on other partners working in the same areas or in the same sectors. Incorporate lessons learned and best practices from similar initiatives.

The consultant will ensure that all materials have the same look and feel. The production will include up to two rounds of edits/revisions before being finalized.

Specific/Detailed tasks

The consultant will:

1. Review call for proposal document to ensure alignment with its priorities and guidelines.
2. Conduct a desk review of existing secondary data sources, including reports, research studies, and datasets related to water scarcity, disaster preparedness, and health issues in the country/countries.
3. Identify and map stakeholders, ongoing initiatives, and key gaps in water management and disaster risk reduction.
4. Analyze the collected data to highlight trends, challenges, and opportunities for intervention.
5. Develop clear and actionable recommendations for water management and disaster preparedness programming.
6. Draft sections of the proposal, incorporating evidence based insights and aligning with IFRC strategic priorities.
7. Prepare and deliver a presentation to the IFRC team summarizing key findings and recommendations.

Duration of Assignment

The consultancy will cover a working period from 13 January 2025 to 12 of February 2025.

The total number of working days should not exceed 10 working days. These days may be scheduled flexibly within the specified period to accommodate the project needs.

Experience

Qualifications and Experience

The consultant should possess the following qualifications and experience:

• Advanced degree in Environmental Science or a related field.
• Proven experience in data collection and analysis for climate action, water-related projects and disaster risk management.
• Familiarity with proposal development guidelines and requirements.
• Strong field research and community engagement skills.
• Excellent analytical, writing, and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated expertise in grant writing
• Proficiency in relevant software for data analysis and reporting.
• Familiarity with the country context and similar initiatives.

Time Allocation, for budget purposes

The consultancy period is between 13 January 2025 – 12 February 2025. The total number of days will not exceed 10 working days.

Management of consultancy
The consultant will be managed by IFRC.

Notes: The consultant will be contracted by the IFRC and the standard contractual terms will apply.