Empleos en el PNUD

Although Swaziland is categorized as a lower-middle income country, most of its human development indicators share common characteristics to those of low income countries. Approximately 52% of its population of just over one million is under the age of 20 years, and 78.9% live in rural areas. The incidence of poverty increased from 66% in 1995 to 69% in 2001 but declined to 63% in 2010. Key socio-economic indicators have deteriorated in the past decade, as captured in Swaziland’s falling Human Development Index score. The reasons behind these trends are many and complex including drought, macroeconomic imbalances, HIV and AIDS, soaring unemployment, food insecurity, externally driven shocks and fiscal deficits. 

In her endeavour to advance development, Swaziland has prepared a National Development Strategy (NDS) which defines the vision for the period 1997-2022. Furthermore, faced with the challenges of increasing levels of poverty, the Government of Swaziland formulated the Poverty Reduction Strategy and Action Programme (PRSAP), which is a critical component for the implementation of the NDS The process of formulating the PRSAP started in 2001 and led to a Prioritised Action Programme on Poverty Reduction in 2002. The PRSAP itself was finalized in 2006, and was launched by His Majesty in 1st April 2008.
Since late the 2008, efforts have been made to re-focus government’s priorities to improved service delivery, particularly in education, health, agriculture and food security, water and sanitation, and combating HIV and AIDS and poverty. Yet, there have been substantial lags between the diagnosis of development issues, strategy and overall policy formulation on the one hand, and effective implementation on the other. Government has identified the inadequacy of the institutional framework and capacity as one reason for these implementation gaps.

To address the identified implementation challenges, the Government is engaged in restructuring the planning and budgeting framework, based on the Sector Wide Approach (SWAp). Alongside this, the Government also decided and established Sector Working Groups (SWGs) aimed to serve as the platform for ensuring the participation of all stakeholders in the formulation of sector programmes based on the principles of SWAp. Seen from this perspective, SWAp is basically a means of implementing the PRSAP and monitoring the achievement of its goals. Overall, the  decision taken aims to enhance government’s coordination and facilitation of the involvement of other stakeholders in the planning and budgeting process through SWAp where applicable (PBC Circular No 1 of 2008 for the budget preparation of FY 2009/2010). This process has already started with four key priority sectors: health, education, agriculture, and water and sanitation. The ultimate aim is to expand the coverage of SWAp to other sectors as experience accumulates and coordination capacity develops. In a nutshell, this is a step forward in reforming the planning system of the country.

The primary objective of the consultancy is to enhance the implementation of SWAp by conducting an in depth assessment of the progress made thus far and based on the results of the assessment introduce effective  measures that will revitalize the overall initiative of SWAp as the feasible means of implementing the country’s PRSAP. More specifically, the consultancy aims to:

• Better improve the development planning and budgeting process for poverty reduction in Swaziland through strengthening the SWGs and their capacity to successfully formulate and implement SWAp.
• Provide the MEPD and concerned sector ministries with viable policy and programmatic recommendations to better play their respective strategic leadership and coordinating roles in re-strengthening SWGs in the key sectors determined by the government, namely education, health, agriculture and food, and water and sanitation.
• Identify key constraints and challenges facing the on-going SWAp as well as stipulate  potential opportunities and possible solutions  that will help to promote the implementation of  the SWAp in other sectors.
  
• Propose optional measures for enhancing the roles that could be played through the SWAp to effectively implement the recently adopted government strategies like the Economic Recovery Strategy (ERS). 
  

• Produce an inception report reflecting the situation of the SWGs of the four priority sectors and a work plan agreed with the Head of the Poverty Reduction, and Monitoring and Evaluation Division and the MEPD Poverty  Advisor and approved by the Chief Economist to take the work forward.
• Review the establishment and state of strength of SWGs as viable mechanisms for the adoption and implementation of SWAp to the development planning system in the country including the state of commitment of senior officials at MEPD and  sector ministries levels.
• Assess the state of practical relevance and completeness of the Generic Guidelines/Terms of References (including those developed by the SWGs) for the proper operational functioning of the SWGs as well as indicate as to whether there is a need to develop a standard TOR for SWGs in relation to the planning and budget cycles.
• Review the performance of the four sector SWGs in terms of government ownership and leadership, better stakeholders coordination and constructive policy dialogue, reduction of transaction costs, delivery of results and synergies, use of country systems, resource mobilization, funding arrangements and predictability.
• Assess the sector development policies, strategies and action plans including policy and legislative issues (if applicable) of the four priority sectors in terms of alignment and integration (to the basic national policies, strategies, MTEF), quality, target setting, implementation and cost setting capacities, etc. Also, review the applicability of the Sector Development Plan (SDP) Format.
  
• Review the PRSAP pillar matrices and their alignment with SWGs mechanisms and evaluate the SWAp approach for the achievement of the PRSAP objectives as well as its potentials for providing inputs in revising the NDS.
  
• Assess the state of SWAp/SWGs institutionalization as well as the familiarization  and knowledge of the fundamental tenets of the approach among the various stakeholders at different levels.
• Evaluate the viability of documentation and recording practices of the different activities of the SWGs related, but not limited, to setting activity plans, facilitation of meetings, workshops, recording of proceedings, consolidation of presentations, reports of monitoring results, correspondences and overall predictability of activities.
• Review the work load SWAps pose on the PPOs of the sector ministries and the viability of providing secretarial support so that planners will concentrate on  strategic development issues.
• Assess the capability and mix of skills of SWGs in terms of preparing sector strategies, action programmes including mainstreaming of cross-cutting issues, budgeting, and monitoring and reporting to stakeholders as well as conducting constructive dialogue, consultations, negotiations and collaborative efforts. Also, based on the identified gaps, propose time-lined capacity development intervention programmes aimed at improving the effectiveness of SWGs/SWAps.
• Conduct workshop to review the experience of the SWGs activities, exchange constructive ideas and to plan the way forward.
• Submit draft midterm report and final report reflecting the findings of the consultancy service both in soft and hard wares.
• Undertake other functions and activities as MEPD might indicate.

Deliverables:

• Within the first week, produce an inception report reflecting the overall status of SWAp and detailed work plan agreed with the Head of the Poverty Reduction, Monitoring & Evaluation Division and Poverty Advisor and approved by the Chief Economist to take the work forward;
• Conduct periodic briefing sessions on work progress to the Principal Secretary of the MEPD;
• By the end of the second  week, produce the first draft report of the SWAp assessment process and conduct a workshop to derive common consensus on key issues; and
• Before the end of the assignment, submit the final version of the SWAp assessment report both in hard and soft copy to the Chief Economist and DRR at UNDP.
  

• SWAP expert and skilled in development issues;
• Have strong ability to analyse and synthesize information from different sources, and to draw from it key themes and issues;
• Familiar with operations of the central government and line ministries;
• Have ability to, and experience of managing and leading teams;
• Capable of working with very little supervision, taking own initiative and control of programmes and to implement tasks to accomplish stated goals and objectives through effectively delivered results;
• Working with government in  Sub-Saharan Africa will be an advantage;
• Hard-working and easily adaptable to new cultural working environments;
• Strong interpersonal skills and facilitation skills are required, as well as persistence and initiative in pursuit of strategic goals and ability to work in a team.

• A Master’s degree in development economics, or a related development area.

• 10 years of relevant development experiences especially in development planning, poverty reduction strategies/programmes.
• S/he should in particular be conversant with economic management concepts and instruments such as PRSPs, MTEFs, SWAPs, national budget, program budgeting, etc. Familiarity with international/regional development frameworks with a bearing on the Swaziland development context such as the MDGs and NEPAD would be an advantage.