Result of Service

The consultant is expected to produce the following deliverables:

– The detailed results of the undertaken analysis (by mid- to 3rd week of September 2023).
– A paper in English of up to 10 pages in length, presenting in a succinct way the key research findings (by 13 October 2023).

Work Location

Remotely

Expected duration

10 weeks

Duties and Responsibilities

Background:

The Arab Sustainable Development Report (ASDR) is an interagency flagship publication led by ESCWA and produced every four years in support of regional follow-up and review on the 2030 Agenda*.

The 2024 edition of ASDR aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the main policy directions in Arab countries to achieve the SDGs. It reviews existing policies to determine the extent to which they address the main barriers to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda identified in ASDR 2020, and the remaining policy gaps. It also presents progress or regression on SDG targets and indicators per SDG at regional level; examines the key financing challenges and opportunities for achieving each SDG in the region; and sheds light on promising policies, both from the Arab region and from other regions, that aim to improve the situation of the groups most at risk of being left behind (identified in the previous edition of ASDR).

Duties and Responsibilities:

The consultant is expected to carry out the following tasks under the supervision of the Head of the 2030 Agenda and SDG Coordination Cluster:
– Analyze the policy-making context in the Arab region, including the impact of instability, national pressures by civil society and non-state actors such as the private sector; as well as international pressures including by the United Nations and other global influences.
– Analyze the gaps in the policy-making process in Arab countries, benchmarking against the transformations demanded by the 2030 Agenda, including among others:
o Issues of coordination and integration for policy coherence.
o The link between the policy-making cycle and budgeting and financing.
o The role of data for evidence-based policymaking.
o Capacities of institutions.
– Highlight lessons from COVID-19 and other global crises, and the level of adaptability of policymaking in the region.
– Highlight examples of good policy-making practices from countries in different contexts.
– Propose a forward-looking vision for transformed policymaking fit for the 2030 Agenda.

*ESCWA is mandated to produce the report through resolution 322 (EC.2) titled “Strategy and plan of action on the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development” adopted by the Executive Committee in its second meeting held in Amman from 41 to 16 December 2015. The 2020 edition can be accessed at: https://asdr.unescwa.org/.

Qualifications/special skills

A Ph.D. or Doctorate degree in international development, international law, economics, public policy, or related area is required.

All candidates must submit a copy of the required educational degree. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
A minimum of 10 years of professional work experience in development and research projects in the Arab region is required.
Experience in analytical writing evidenced by a record of relevant publications is desirable.
Previous experience with international organizations is desirable.

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 Arabic and English 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.