Background

The Green Climate Fund (GCF or the Fund) is a multilateral fund created to make a significant and ambitious contribution to global efforts to combat climate change. The Fund will promote low-emission and climate-resilient development pathways by providing support to developing countries to limit or reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the impacts of climate change.

The Independent Redress Mechanism (IRM) is an accountability mechanism of the GCF. The IRM responds to complaints from people who believe they have been adversely affected by GCF projects or programmes. The IRM also accepts requests by developing countries for the reconsideration of proposals that were denied funding by the GCF Board. the Fund is seeking a consultant for a remote (home-based) assignment which is for n initial 30 working days spread across a 12-month contract period

Role

Accessibility is one of the eight effectiveness criteria for non-judicial grievance mechanisms, first introduced by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)’s Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The IRM’s Procedures and Guidelines stipulate that complaints can be submitted in any language to the IRM, and also require the IRM to ensure that all publicly disclosed reports relating to complaints are translated into the local language of the complainant. In addition to these requirements, the IRM must do all that it can to ensure its accessibility in line with the effectiveness criteria for non-judicial grievance mechanisms.

In 2022, the IRM received two complaints related to concerns over working conditions, access to grievance mechanisms, and community development issues in the Benban Solar Park, with relevance to FP0391.The IRM determined both complaints to be eligible,2 and during the initial steps phase, the Parties opted at the time to move forward with problem-solving to address the complaints.3 During the second joint meeting in December 2023, the Benban Community and the Benban Solar Developers Association (BSDA) settled issues related to community development. As a result, the IRM launched the monitoring phase in relation to the community-related complaint.

Two additional complaints related to employment matters are handled separately through compliance review processes. As of 27 August, one complaint is in a compliance investigation phase and the other complaint is in a compliance appraisal process.

Therefore, the IRM requires a translator and interpreter who can translate and interpret from English to Arabic and Arabic to English. The consultant’s work will relate to the IRM’s ongoing case C-0009-Egypt, and this translation and interpretation assignment involves interpreting virtual calls with the IRM’s stakeholders and translating, reviewing, and editing reports or other relevant materials to be shared with the stakeholders. The consultant may also be asked to join in-person IRM missions to provide interpretation. The initial contract will last one year, subject to extension based on the quality of work, and the consultant will be contacted for translation and interpretation work on an as-needed basis. It is the consultant’s responsibility to confirm his/her availability for an assignment and complete the assignment within an agreed timeframe. The interpreter will need to sign a confidentiality agreement agreeing not to share or disclose any information obtained while performing his/her tasks.

Duties and Responsibilities
(When applying, please indicate if you are submitting your proposal to be a translator, interpreter or both.)
• Simultaneous and/or consecutive interpretation of the IRM’s virtual calls with its parties and stakeholders, especially in relation to C-0009-Egypt;
• In-person simultaneous and/or consecutive interpretation, if needed (travel expenses will be covered by the IRM);
• Translation of the IRM’s reports, communications, and other resources from English to Arabic and vice versa; and
• Reviewing and editing Arabic text.

Required Experience and Qualifications

• Master’s degree in linguistics or Arabic. Sufficient experience may be substituted for a Master’s degree, in which the candidate must have at least a Bachelor’s degree in Arabic;
• Interpretation and translation certification in Arabic;
• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in translation and interpretation;
• Proven track record in providing both simultaneous and consecutive interpretation;
• Extremely high level of independence, integrity and impartiality;
• Demonstrated proven skills and experience in translating professional and legal documents;
• Experience in interpreting/translating issues related to the environment, international relations, development, policy, human rights, complaints, and dispute resolution or demonstrated a good understanding of technical terms and terminology used in those areas is highly desirable;
• Ability to respond to IRM requests in a timely manner; and
• Fluency in English is essential.

Applications from women and citizens from developing countries are strongly encouraged.

The closing date for applications is 30 September 2024, 23:59 (KST). Applications submitted after the closing date may not be considered.

[1] The text for Complaint #1 is available at: https://irm.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/case/complaint-text-c0009-redacted-egypt-redacted.pdf; and for Complaint #2 is available at: https://irm.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/case/complaint-c0009-egypt-complainant02-redacted.pdf

[2] The eligibility reports are available at: https://irm.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/case/determination-eligiblity c0009.pdf and https://irm.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/case/determination-eligiblity-c0009-complainant2.pdf

[3] The initial steps report is available at: https://irm.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/case/initial-steps-report-c-0009-egypt-final-web.pdf