International consultancy for development of Tajikistan Youth for Water and Climate Plan, 16 w/ds, Dushanbe, Tajikistan

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, hope,

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy, and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias, or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic, and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education, and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfil their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. Therefore, the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

The leadership of youth is pivotal in holding governments to account to address the impacts of climate change on water resources. Addressing climate change necessitates coordinated governmental action alongside informed efforts by individuals. Hence, it is imperative to enhance both formal and informal education on climate change and sustainable lifestyles. Moreover, there is a need to advocate for sustainable production and consumption practices while empowering youth to serve as environmental advocates in their communities.
From the perspective of youths, water and climate rights hold significant importance as these issues directly impact their present and future well-being. As the inheritors of the planet, young people are increasingly aware of the urgent need to address environmental challenges, including water scarcity, pollution, and climate change. They recognize that their future quality of life depends on how these issues are addressed today.
Child’s right to participate, as enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), is crucial in the context of water and environment. The CRC affirms children’s rights to express their views freely and have those views considered in matters affecting them. In the context of water and climate rights, this means that young people should have a seat at the table when decisions are made about water management, environmental policies, and climate action.
Tajikistan faces significant challenges related to water management and climate change. As a mountainous country, it is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including changes in precipitation patterns, glacial melt, and increased frequency of extreme weather events. Additionally, water scarcity and access to clean water are pressing issues affecting communities across Tajikistan. Recognizing the importance of youth engagement in addressing these challenges, the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources in collaboration with the Committee of Youth and Sport and the Committee of Environment Protection and with technical support of UNICEF seeks to develop the Tajik Youth for Water and Climate Plan with leadership by the Youth for Water and Climate Network.
The Government of Tajikistan demonstrates a strong commitment to emphasizing the significance of water and sanitation for children, youth, and mothers in a changing climate. In alignment with this, UNICEF Tajikistan is dedicated to assisting the government in both the establishment of a youth network focusing on water and climate and preparation of the plan which will be presented at the Youth and Children’s Water Forum planned on the 10 June 2024. Through collaboration with the Government of Tajikistan, UNICEF will play a pivotal role in rallying children and young individuals from Tajikistan providing them with a platform to articulate the profound impact of access to safe WASH on their present lives and future prospects.

How can you make a difference? 

The primary objective of this consultancy is to develop a comprehensive Tajik Youth for Water and Climate Plan that engages and empowers youth in addressing water-related challenges and climate change impacts. The plan should:
1. Identify key water and climate challenges facing Tajikistan, with a focus on youth perspectives and experiences.
2. Outline strategic objectives and actions to address these challenges, leveraging the unique strengths and capacities of youth and in alignment with national plans/priorities and international commitments.
3. Propose mechanisms (including governance) for youth engagement, participation, and leadership in water and climate initiatives at local, regional, and national levels.
4. Provide recommendations for building youth capacity, raising awareness, and promoting education on water management and climate resilience.
5. Establish monitoring and evaluation frameworks to track progress and impact of youth-led interventions.

Description/scope of the assignments:

Work assignment:

Advocate for every child you will have… 

Education:

• University degree in environmental science, water resources management, climate change, international development, environmental management or a related field.

Work experience:

• At least -3-5 years of experience in youth engagement. Previous experience on water and climate is preferable.

Expertise/Skills:

• Demonstrated expertise in youth engagement, participatory planning, and stakeholder consultation processes.
• Proven experience in developing strategic plans, policy documents, or frameworks related to water and climate resilience.
• Familiarity with the context and challenges of Tajikistan, particularly in relation to water management and climate change.
• Strong analytical, communication, and facilitation skills.

Language:

• Excellent proficiency in English (written and oral) while knowledge of Tajik and Russian is an advantage.

Interested candidates shall submit the following documents:
1. Profile (CV)
2. Technical proposal describing approach/methodology to achieve the tasks of ToR workplan with concrete timeframes
3. Financial proposal in USD indicating all-inclusive fee, indicating fee per day and cost of the travel (Annex 3) Annex 3 Financial proposal.docx. This consultancy requires 1 trip to the Country Office with approx. 10 days.

Applications must be received in the system by 28 April 2024 on the UNICEF website.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

 To view our competency framework, please visit here. 

 UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. 

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.