Result of Service

The consultant will contribute to an enhanced policy environment for disaster risk reduction and the institutional capacity to deliver early warning systems that have a strong integration of gender equality, disability, and social inclusion.

Work Location

Vientiane, Lao PDR

Expected duration

May-Nov 2024

Duties and Responsibilities

Created 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/ASG), UNDRR has over 140 staff located in its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and in regional offices. UNDRR guides, monitors, analyses, and reports on progress in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. It 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. One of the UNDRR’s strategic areas of work in Lao PDR is to support the country’s efforts to strengthen disaster risk governance, particularly, to develop, implement and finance national and local strategies and plan to promote concrete actions for climate and disaster risk reduction across multiple development sectors. In November 2022, the UN Secretary General launched the Early Warnings for All (EW4ALL) initiative to advance the efforts to protect everyone in the world by the end-to-end multi-hazard early warning system (MHEWS). UNDRR, together with WMO, leads the global coordination of the EW4ALL in close collaboration with International Telecommunication Union (ITU), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Society (IFRC), and some regional entities such as Economic and Social Commissions for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) to support the country-level efforts to elevate the investment for early warning systems enhancement. The Government of Lao PDR has developed a country roadmap for EW4ALL in 2023. The roadmap lays out the countries’ priorities over the period from 2024 to 2027 to strengthen all aspects of end-to-end multi hazard early warning systems that are disaster risk knowledge and management; detection, observation, monitoring, analysis, and forecasting; warning dissemination and communication; and preparedness and response capabilities. In Lao PDR, the DMH is responsible for monitoring and forecasting early warnings, while the MoNRE and MoLSW disseminate these messages to the public. The MoLSW oversees disaster management policies, strategic planning, and coordination among stakeholders. Evaluating the effectiveness of early warning messages, user information utilization, and individual reactions is essential for understanding their role in reducing risks and saving lives and properties. One of the vital elements of an effective MHEWS is to ensure the reach of early warnings and their effectiveness among the end users that are particularly vulnerable to disaster events. It is important to understand the perspectives of women, persons with disabilities, and particular age groups (older persons and children), and other minority groups who may not have regular access to early warnings. The national perception survey’s findings are expected to improve the clarity, accuracy, timeliness, and precision of early warnings, and aid decision-makers to make informed choices. The perception survey will be conducted by a team composed of a team leader, information management analyst and enumerators who will be working together with the government. This perception survey is an initiative jointly carried out by UNDRR, WMO, and World Food Programme (WFP) Lao PDR in support of the implementation of the national EW4ALL roadmap 2024-2027. The team leader will work with an information management specialist to undertake the following key responsibilities. – Collaborate closely with the DMH, MoNRE, and the Department of Social Welfare of MoLSW to gain a thorough understanding of the specific needs and priorities for early warning system perception survey and how the findings of the survey can be utilized in informed planning and decision making by the government. – Lead the assignment and provide technical support to DMH/MoNRE in the development of the methodology and survey design aligning with the different policies and strategies already adopted by the government. – Work closely with the information management analyst and enumerators together with UNDRR, WMO, and WFP throughout the assignment to ensure a well-coordinated approach of work to deliver quality results. The consultant will be based in Lao, PDR and work closely with UNDRR’s Climate and Disaster-Resilient Development Specialist based in Vientiane, Lao PDR under the supervision of Programme Management Officer, UNDRR Regional Office for Asisa and the Pacific (ROAP). Specific Tasks: – Lead the team to ensure timely execution of activities and assure the quality of both activities and reports. – Conduct a literature review to understand and document the strategic priorities, policy linkages, and the status of early warning systems in Lao PDR. – Design a robust methodology to conduct the perception survey and explore tools for gathering both qualitative and quantitative information from the targeted groups and relevant stakeholders. – Facilitate multi-sectoral coordination at both vertical and horizontal levels to enhance understanding of early warning forecasting and messaging in the country. – Maintain regular coordination and consultation with designated officials from MoNRE, MoLSW, as well as with the WMO, UNDRR and WFP to update work plans, monitor progress, receive inputs, and ensure smooth execution of tasks. – Design and conduct focus group discussions and interviews questionnaire/checklist with women, persons with disabilities, older persons, children, and ethnic minorities to gather insight on their current perceptions and reactions to weather forecasts and early warning messages. – Develop a survey questionnaire to accurately capture user perceptions of weather forecasts and early warning systems, focusing on receipt, utilization, and response to weather forecasts and early warning messages/information, as well as their effectiveness in reducing disaster risk. – Conduct a comprehensive assessment of deficiencies in weather forecasts and early warning information, including timeliness, regularity, language, accuracy, reach, and clarity of disseminated messages, from the perspective of users. – Assess user perceptions of weather forecasts and early warning systems, including receipt, utilization and response to weather forecasts and early warning messages/information. – Document current perceptions and reactions of the users particularly from women, persons with disabilities, older persons, children, and ethnic minorities regarding the receipt of weather forecasts and early warning messages. – Provide a set of recommendations for improving weather forecasts and early warning messaging based on the findings of the survey and assessment.

Qualifications/special skills

An advanced university degree in social science or natural science disciplines is required.A first-level university degree with at least 2 additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. A minimum of 5 years of experience in undertaking or managing research projects, related to social/behavioral science climate change, disaster risk reduction/management, natural resources management, early warning systems is required. Experience in designing methodologies for surveys, research studies, or social science research is required. Knowledge of and experience working in Lao PDR’s policies, mechanisms, and procedures of disaster risk governance and forecasting and early warnings systems is desirable. Experience working within the UN system in the field of early warning system, climate and disaster risk reduction, emergency preparedness and response, humanitarian development-peace collaboration, response, recovery, gender, and disability is desirable. Well-proven analytical and writing skills are required.

Languages

Fluency in English is required and Laotian 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.