National individual consultant to develop a checklist for mainstreaming disaster risk management in development planning and budgeting, Uganda

National individual consultant to develop a checklist for mainstreaming disaster risk management in development planning and budgeting

Location : UGANDA

Application Deadline : 18-Aug-23 (Midnight New York, USA)

Additional Category : Crisis Response

Type of Contract : Individual Contract

Post Level : National Consultant

Languages Required : English

Starting Date : (date when the selected candidate is expected to start)

08-Aug-2023

Duration of Initial Contract : 15 working days spread over a period of 4 months

Expected Duration of Assignment : 15 working days spread over a period of 4 months

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

Disasters resulting from risks induced by both natural and human deeds have been devastating resources and claiming millions of lives all over the world. Though its epidemiology and impact vary from continent to continent and region to region, there is no continent or place, and community free of risks. These disasters are holding back long-term development endeavours and progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Since disasters are rooted in development failures, it makes the core rationale for integrating disaster risk management into development planning. Social and natural hazards have macroeconomic impacts either directly or indirectly. Directly, through physical damage to infrastructure, productive capital, and stocks. In the longer term, this affects productivity, growth, and macroeconomic performance.

Development efforts of practitioners have failed to address the underlying causes of disasters. Government overwhelmingly engages itself in responding to impacts of disasters as well as treating the impacts of disasters. As a result, disasters have been claiming hundreds of lives as well as remarkable number of resources/elements used by human beings and commendably deteriorating copping capacities of communities.

Uganda is facing a serious threat from multiple natural and human-made hazards that are prevalent. Among them are drought, floods, landslides, earthquake, lightning, hailstorms, windstorms, fires, conflicts, both human and livestock disease outbreaks, crop pest infestations, etc. The country is among the most vulnerable countries where it ranks 14th, and 48th least ready country to particularly hydro-meteorological hazards. The disasters are posing challenges to the nations’ ambition to attaining its Vison 2040 “A Transformed Ugandan Society from a Peasant to a Modern and Prosperous Country within 30 years”. The July 2022 floods in Mbale are estimated to have resulted into losses estimated at USD 20M for the Mbale Industrial Park alone according to the Uganda Investment Authority. As such, disasters threaten to overturn past development gains, undermine the achievement of future targets, and augment the cost of development.

Against this background, for the first time, the third NDP devotes a chapter to Risk Management and elaborates the plans’ risk profile and their likelihood of occurrence. At the same time, the NDPIII captures an objective of reducing human and economic loss from hazards and natural hazards induced disasters under the programme of NRECCWLM.

Albeit the integration of Disaster Risk Management (DRM) in the NDPIII is commendable, there are still gaps in the integration at lower levels of planning (sub-national development plans and Agency strategic plans) and the national budget. All these undermine progress towards building preparedness and institutionalization of DRM/DRR to reduce the losses thereof. One of the drivers of the weak integration at lower levels is the absence of a nationally endorsed checklist to guide respective practitioners on how to undertake natural hazards and disasters integration in development planning and budgeting.

With this in mind, the Office of the Prime Minister through the Department of Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Management, in collaboration with Ministry of Water and Environment, Uganda National Meteorological Authority and UNDP Uganda, has embarked on developing a checklist that will guide the planning and budgeting in the integration of disaster risk management strategies under the project titled, “ Building Resilient Communities, Wetland Ecosystems and Associated Catchment in Uganda.”

Application Process

Applicants are requested to apply online ONLY via http://supplier.quantum.partneragencies.org/ by 17th August 2023. The application documents, instructions and user guide on how to access the Quantum supplier portal can be accessed on https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_negotiation.cfm?nego_id=9547 Candidates are invited to submit applications together with their CVs and proposals for these positions via Quantum Portal. UNDP applies a fair and transparent selection process that will consider the competencies/skills of the applicants as well as their financial proposals. Qualified women and members of social minorities are encouraged to apply. Interested applicants should send an email to: ug.procurement@undp.org for any inquiries.

NOTE: Only applications received via the Quantum portal will be considered.

PLEASE NOTE THAT – UNDP DOES NOT CHARGE ANY FEES AT ANY STAGE OF ITS PROCUREMENT PROCESSES. UNDP HAS ZERO TOLERANCE FOR FRAUD AND CORRUPTION, MEANING THAT UNDP STAFF MEMBERS, NON-STAFF PERSONNEL, VENDORS, IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS AND RESPONSIBLE PARTIES ARE NOT TO ENGAGE IN FRAUD OR CORRUPTION

Duties and Responsibilities

Specifically, the consultant will Draft the DRM mainstreaming guideline/checklist that,

Provides summaries of the existing and projected key DRM issues affecting Uganda by Programme/sector.
Present a clear simple step by step approach on how to integrate DRM in development planning and budgeting.
Enumerate DRM issues/themes for integration in National Development Plans and Annual Budget.
Categorize key DRR/DPM concerns for integration at Programme/Sector and MDA Level.
Highlight key DRR/DPM concerns for local governments.
Indicate the roles of stakeholders/responsibility centers at various levels in the integration of DRR/DPM in development planning and budgeting.
Guide DRR screening.
This will entail,

Drafting of the mainstreaming checklist
Working closely with technical committee drawn from various MDAs and actors for inputs, review, quality assurance and validations.
Organization of validation and consultative workshops at national (1) and regional (4) levels.
Presentation of Drafts to internal Top Management before dissemination to a larger audience.
Competencies

At least 7 years of professional experience in the field of disaster risk management
Demonstrated experience in developing mainstreaming guidelines/checklists.
Strong experience in leading and coordinating discussions and consultations with a range of stakeholders, both national governments, multi-lateral, and bilateral agencies.
Required Skills and Experience

Minimum master’s degree in areas of disaster risk management (preferable), climate change adaptation, social sciences, or other related fields.