UNDP Jobs - 30040- Consultancy: Identify good practices in addressing

Consultancy: Identify good practices in addressing human security through Human Development Reports

Location :

Home-based

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

15-Jun-2012

Application Deadline :

28-May-12 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

3 months

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

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

The first Human Development Report in 1990 opened with the simply stated premise that has guided all subsequent Reports: “People are the real wealth of a nation.” By backing up this assertion with an abundance of empirical data and a new way of thinking about and measuring development, the Human Development Report has had a profound impact on policies around the world. Human Development Reports (HDR) at the regional, national and local levels take the human development approach to the regional or country level and are prepared and owned by regional and national teams. National reports are tools for policy analysis reflecting people's priorities, strengthening national capacities, engaging national partners, identifying inequities and measuring progress. They have introduced the human development concept into national policy dialogues — not only through human development indicators and policy recommendations, but also through the country-led and country-owned process of consultation, research and report writing. Over 600 regional, national and local reports have been produced so far in over 140 countries. (More information is available at the HDRO website).

The 1994 global Human Development Report: New Dimensions of Human Security, shifted the focus of security from the protection of the state and its borders by military means to the protection of individuals from a wider range of threats and by a wider range of measures and policies, from the local and community levels to the national and international arenas. Seven key dimensions were identified: economic security; food security; health security; environmental security; personal security; community security; and political security. The Human Development Report Office (HDRO) has promoted global, regional, and national efforts to address conceptual issues and implementation of a Human Security approach, including through the production of national and regional Human Development Reports (HDRs). Good practices and lessons learned were captured in 2006 in the thematic guidance note The Human Security Framework and National Human Development Reports.

The characteristics of HDR process, content, and follow-up complement well the parameters developed by the UN Thematic Trust Fund on Human Security (UNTFHS), particularly the emphasis on bottom-up empowerment, partnerships and integrated approaches that see these issues within a multi-dimensional framework in country-based analysis of human security. In 2007, HDRO and the UNTFSH initiated a project to provide grant support to NHDR teams for adopting the human security methodology. Through the grant application and selection process, NHDR excellence and innovation has been encouraged in such areas as: quality of human security analysis and use of statistics and indicators, with a focus on gender-based inequality and marginalized groups; sustained outreach and advocacy for human security policy impact; and participatory human security processes and national ownership. Grant recipients, selected on a competitive basis and in accordance with a set of agreed criteria, are Benin, Djibouti, Pakistan and Uruguay.

This assignment intends to synthesize recent experience in addressing and analysing human security challenges through regional and national HDRs. The findings of this analysis will be used to stimulate the application of the human security framework in the human development approach at global, regional and national level.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work:

Update guidance materials on the application of the human security perspectives in HDRs in diverse country contexts. The consultant will work in the following areas:

Review of NHDRs: quality of analysis and application of the human security framework:

Assessment of the quality of the analysis in the four NHDRs in terms of: application of the human security methodology; use of a multidisciplinary human development conceptual framework; sound use of statistics and composite indices (if applicable); adequate policy analysis; relevance and concreteness of recommendations; etc.
Review of other NHDRs on human security, published without the grant support, to derive additional lessons learned and identify consistencies and discrepancies in methodologies.

Review of the NHDR process to assess involvement of national stakeholders and influence:

Analysis of the process utilized to prepare the reports to understand how it impacted the analysis, if it contributed to the national debate, and if it provided occasion for national capacity development. Questions to be addressed include:
a) Was the consultation process relevant to reflect on a diversity of national perspectives?
b) Did the process boost national capacities to apply a human security perspective?
c) Did the process inform the national debate on human security priorities?
d) How was the process and the consultations reflected in the final report?
e) Does the process include a sustained follow up to promote the findings of the report and advocate for its recommendation?

Responsibilities:

Responsibility 1:

Assess the quality of NHDRs on human security prepared with or without the support of the grant programme. (3 regional HDRs, 16 national HDRs, including one still in process);
Deliverable: Analytical in-depth review of NHDRs on human security (including the four prepared with the support of the UNTFHS grants). Focus of the analysis:
• Conceptual framework integrating human security and human development;
• Policy analysis;
• Use of statistics;
Expected duration: 3 weeks.

Responsibility 2:

Analyse process and methodology to apply the human security perspective in NHDRs (based on what documented in the report texts and phone interviews if necessary);
Deliverable: Evaluation report of processes and activities implemented by the four NHDR teams to complete the report, including:
• Selection of national consultants;
• Consultation process;
• Capacity development activities;
• Contribution to national debate;
• Sustained follow up after the report launch.
Expected duration: 2 weeks.

Responsibility 3:

Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the grant support project to develop NHDRs on human security;
Deliverable: Summary report of challenges and opportunities in supporting the application of the human security perspectives in NHDRs. This can include interviews with HDRO, UNTFHS, UNDP Country Office and other members of the NHDR teams on:
• Financial arrangements;
• Technical support;
• Feedback (request, inputs and response to inputs);
• Interaction NHDR teams-HDRO-UNTFHS.
Expected duration: 2 weeks.

Responsibility 4:

Collaborate with HDRO and recipient NHDR teams to distil lessons learned;
Deliverable: Synthesis report based on the findings of the analysis detailed above;
Support materials (e.g. PPT) to present the report to HDRO, the UNTFHS and other partners;
Expected duration: 2 weeks.

Responsibility 5:

Advice on how to strengthen the integration of the human security perspective in NHDRs;
Deliverable: Revised guidance material on the application of the human security approach to NHDRs based on previous guidance, the reviewed NHDRs on human security and other relevant publications;
Expected duration: 2 weeks.

Payment:

The payment shall be made in instalments on satisfactory completion of deliverables as detailed in table above.

Competencies

Knowledge of human development and human security and related application in a variety of country contexts;
Excellent ability to independently assess and review analysis and research methodologies conducted by others;
Can strongly support, and build knowledge products such as toolkits, policy briefs papers and other pieces directed at different audiences;
Well developed writing skills and quantitative ability;
Knowledge of and experience in dealing with national and international policy institutions;
Experience in report writing based on stakeholder inputs;and
Fluency in English (written and verbal). Knowledge of French and Spanish is an advantage.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree in Economics, Development Economics, or Public Policy (with focus on economic policy analysis). PhD desirable.

Experience:

Minimum 7 years of full-time, progressively responsible experience in policy research and analysis;
Demonstrated excellence in preparing papers, briefs and other documents for a variety of technical and non-technical audiences;
Demonstrated competence and effectiveness with data analysis;
Demonstrated ability in human security analysis through publications, master’s or PhD level course work and independent research;
Desired experience with international organization;
Desired experience in applying the human security approach and/or in preparing national HDRs.