Result of Service

The consultant is expected to:

• Conduct research and consultation work towards the drafting of selected chapters of the vision’s report with a focus on goals related to state-building, sustainable peace, and social cohesion.
• Draft 25-30 pages (3 chapters) in the Yemen Vision for Recovery report based on the outcomes of the socio-economic dialogue on recovery in Yemen in the following three (3) topics: State-building, sustainable peace, and social cohesion, which include:

– Provide context for each one of the three goals and how each goal contributes to the attainment of the vision for recovery.
– Provide analysis on the priorities of each goal and the associated strategies to attain those priorities.
– Present and discuss findings with stakeholders in validation meetings.

Work Location

Remotely

Expected duration

3 months

Duties and Responsibilities

Background:
With a protracted conflict like the one in Yemen, there is a great need to address the impact of the conflict and start planning for recovery. The fragmentation of State institutions remains a major obstacle to establishing peace and preventing relapse into conflict. The challenges facing Yemen and its recovery from the ongoing conflict are immense. Development challenges such as weak governance and institutions, poverty, illiteracy and natural resources (mis)management, predate the current conflict. The nature of the conflict in Yemen shows the vicious cycle of lack of development being a driver of conflict and the conflict exacerbating those development challenges.

As part of its mandate to promote human development in the Arab region and as a response to the dire conflict in Yemen, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN ESCWA) launched the Yemen Vision for Recovery and Development in 2022, which aims to support Yemenis in developing a national vision for recovery and sustainable development by:

– Providing a space for a technical dialogue on recovery and sustainable development among Yemeni experts and stakeholders to develop a consensus-based socioeconomic vision for recovery to inform efforts of local and international development actors for recovery and reconstruction. Evidence-based research will be conducted to inform the process of identifying goals, priorities, and implementation strategies and policies.
– Building institutional capacity to translate vision outcomes into action through technical assistance, capacity building and strengthened partnerships. Civil servants will be trained through institution-building programmes to achieve the vision’s strategic goals.
Given this context, ESCWA aims to recruit a consultant to assist our Yemen Vison for Recovery and Development Project with drafting the recovery vision report based on the outcomes of the socio-economic dialogues on recovery in Yemen led by ESCWA. The socioeconomic dialogue identified goals, priorities and strategies for recovery in Yemen.

The recovery vision report would be informed by those outcomes in addition to providing an in-depth country level analyses and contextualization of the dialogues’ outcomes Specifically, the consultant will assist with research and consultation work towards the drafting of the vision’s report with a focus on goals related to state-building, sustainable peace, and social cohesion.
The vision for recovery shall function as a long-term blueprint for recovery and development that will aim for transitioning Yemen from the state of conflict into sustainable development. This report should provide an outline of priority intervention areas for recovery, and the institutional infrastructure and capacities required to realize the vision’s goals. The vision report will be then shared with the public and stakeholders in a report-launch after the conclusion of the dialogue and validation meetings.

Objectives:
The main objective of the assignment is to contribute to the drafting of the recovery vision report as part of the Yemen Vision for Recovery and Development

Duties and Responsibilities:
This Consultant is administered within the Governance and Conflict Prevention Cluster of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).

ESCWA intends to contract a home-based expert to:

• Provide analysis of social and economic development in a post-conflict setting with a focus on state-building, sustainable peace, and social cohesion.
• Contribute to the drafting of the Yemen Vision for Recovery report based on the outcomes of the socio-economic dialogue on recovery in Yemen in the areas of state-building, sustainable peace, and social cohesion.
• Engage in discussions with the Yemen Vision for Recovery and Development team.
• Participate in validation meetings, in-person or virtually, to present and discuss findings with stakeholders.

Qualifications/special skills

Master’s degree or equivalent in Economics, Development Studies, Political Science, Law, International Relations, Statistics, or any other related social science degree is required.

All candidates must submit a copy of the required educational degree. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
A minimum of five years of work experience in political affairs, development, public administration or related issues is required.
Knowledge and practical application of theories and concepts related to political affairs, social development and social policy, including ability to use approaches and techniques to address difficult problems is required.
Strong analytical capacity and the ability to identify, analyze and articulate difficult issues/problems is required.
Strong research skills, including ability to evaluate and integrate information from a variety of sources using standard methodologies and analytical techniques, draw conclusions and assess impact on the social development and policy issues is required.
Knowledge of the Yemeni context, including its social and governance structures as well as institutions is required.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat; and Arabic is a working language of ESCWA.

For this position, fluency in English and Arabic is required.

Note: “Fluency” equals a rating of ‘fluent’ in all four areas (speak, read, write, and understand) and “Knowledge of” equals a rating of ‘confident’ in two of the four areas.

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.