Historique
In 2005, Tajikistan completed its National Capacity Self-Assessment (NCSA) in order to identify the priority cross-cutting capacity development needs of the country to meet and sustain obligations under the three Rio Conventions. One top priority identified in the NCSA was the need to strengthen environmental learning and stakeholder involvement in order to mobilize all sectors on Rio Convention themes. This priority cross-cutting need was the objective of an earlier cross-cutting capacity development (CCCD) project implemented in 2012. Another top priority was to strengthen the environmental management information system to facilitate more informed decision-making to meet Rio Convention obligations. This strengthened information system would serve to inform decision-making across sectors on environmental priorities and create synergies and partnerships that aid achievement of Rio Conventions obligations.
Tajikistan has made significant progress in strengthening its environmental policy and programming framework since the completion of its NCSA. The country has adopted 13 laws and bylaws pertaining to environmental protection and has taken important steps to integrate global environmental obligations within its national developmental strategies. For example, the Third Poverty Reduction Strategy identifies the need for climate change adaptation activities at the sectoral level. Another example is found in the 2013–2015 Living Standard Improvement Strategy which gives individual ministries a basis for carrying out high-priority actions on environmental issues.
The project was strategic in that it responds to a targeted set of underlying barriers to environmental management towards the goal of meeting and sustaining global environmental outcomes. Specifically, the project catalyzed cooperation and coordination that has previously been limited by narrow institutional mandates and obsolete methods of analysis and decision-making. This project facilitated new partnerships between policy and decision-makers across environmental focal areas and socio-economic sectors while actively engaging other key non-governmental stakeholders. This project was innovative and transformative in that environmental and resource management at the sub-national level lacks institutional authority in the baseline. The strategic value of the project lies in developing technical capacities on how to structure and implement policy interventions that better respond to Rio Convention obligations.
The UNDP Country Office in Tajikistan was the implementing agency for this project and key partners for project implementation are CEP GRT and NBBC. Project was developed in accordance with agreed policies and procedures between the UNDP and the Government of Tajikistan. In line with GEF rules and procedures, UNDP established the necessary planning and management mechanisms and facilitated government decision-making. To catalyze implementation of project activities and timely delivery of project outputs NBBC was assigned as one of the key project partners. The project was designed to be complementary to other related projects under implementation in Tajikistan, including those supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). Given the number of ongoing projects in the country, careful attention was given to coordinating project activities in such a way that activities are mutually supportive and opportunities capitalized to realize synergies and cost-effectiveness.
This project conforms to Programme Framework CD-5 of the GEF-5 Cross-Cutting Capacity Development Strategy, which calls for the strengthening of capacities to monitor and evaluate environmental impacts and trends. Through a learn-by-doing and adaptive collaborative management approach, the project strengthened targeted institutional and technical capacities to generate information for improved monitoring of global environmental trends and thus enable more informed decisions on policy interventions. The project contributed to the development of capacities to implement and manage global environmental guidelines.
The project was consistent with the programmatic objectives of the three GEF thematic focal areas of biodiversity, climate change and land degradation, the achievement and sustainability of which is dependent on the critical development of capacities (individual, organizational and systemic). This project was also consistent with Tajikistan’s United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2010-2015, and responded directly to Output 2.3: There is a more sustainable management of the environment, energy and natural resources. The project was also well-aligned with Tajikistan's programme for implementing the Millennium Development Goals, particularly MDG7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability.
Devoirs et responsabilités
Goals and objectives:
The scope of the evaluation will cover all activities undertaken in the framework of the project. The evaluator will compare planned outputs of the project to actual outputs and assess the actual results to determine their contribution to the attainment of the project objectives. It will also attempt to evaluate the efficiency of project management, including the delivery of outputs and activities in terms of quality, quantity, timeliness and cost efficiency as well as features related to the process involved in achieving those outputs and the impacts of the project. The evaluation will also address the underlying causes and issues that contributed to targets not adequately achieved.
The key product expected from the terminal evaluation is a comprehensive analytical report written in English that should follow the requirements indicated in Annex F. The terminal evaluation report will be a stand-alone document that substantiates its conclusions, recommendations and lessons learned. The report will have to provide convincing evidence to support its findings/ratings. The report, together with its annexes, will be submitted in electronic format in both, MS Word and pdf format.
The review will take place in the consultant´s home office with one mission to Dushanbe, Tajikistan, with approx. 5 days in-country mission in total (estimated mission dates: June 2017). The consultant should submit a request with all the meetings planned during the mission at least 7 working days prior to undertaking the mission.
Duties and responsibilities:
The International Consultant will be responsible to assess the extent to which the project is achieving impacts or progressing towards the achievement of impacts. Specifically, International Consultant is expected to undertake the following tasks and produce following deliverables:
- Desk review of documents, development of Inception Report, consisting of draft methodology, detailed work plan and Terminal Evaluation (TE) outline (No later than 2 weeks before the evaluation mission);
- Debriefing with UNDP CO, agreement on the methodology, scope and outline of the TE report (1 day);
- Interviews with project implementing partner, relevant Government, NGO and donor representatives and UNDP/GEF Regional Technical Advisor (maximum 3 days);
- Field visit to the pilot project site and interviews (2-4 days);
- Debriefing with UNDP (1 day);
- Development and submission of the first TE report draft (Within 3 weeks of the evaluation mission). The draft will be shared with the UNDP CO, UNDP/GEF (UNDP/GEF IRH) and key project stakeholders for review and commenting;
- Finalization and submission of the final TE report through incorporating suggestions received on the draft report (within 1 week).
The International Consultant is expected to frame the evaluation effort using the criteria of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and impact, as defined and explained in the UNDP Guidance for Conducting Terminal Evaluations of UNDP-supported, GEF-financed Projects. A set of questions covering each of these criteria have been drafted and are included with Terms of Reference . The International Consultant / Evaluation Team Leader is expected to amend, complete and submit this matrix as part of an evaluation inception report, and shall include it as an annex to the final report.
For detailed information, please refer to annex 1- Terms of Reference of the below link.
Compétences
Corporate Competencies:
- Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
- Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
- Treats all people fairly without favoritism;
- Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.
Functional Competencies:
- Knowledge and practical experience of the political, social and environmental factors and issues related to disaster risk management, climate change mitigation in Central Asia, preferably in Tajikistan;
- An independent, reliable, responsible self-motivator able to work under pressure;
- Excellent communication, team-building and diplomatic skills to develop partnerships;
- Good knowledge of UNDP programming policies, templates and requirements.
Qualifications et expériences requises
Education:
- Advanced (Master or PhD) degree in Environmental Science or a related field.
Experience:
- Knowledge of or experience with UNDP and/or GEF monitoring and evaluation policies and procedures.
- Previous experience with results-based monitoring and evaluation methodologies.
- Recent experience in evaluation of international donor driven development projects
- Proven experience in environmental monitoring and in the implementation of environmental monitoring policies.
Language:
- Excellent English writing and communication skills. Knowledge of Russian will be an advantage.
Application Procedure:
Please follow the link to the Individual Consultant Procurement Notice:
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.