Background

In Ukraine, the destructive effect of disasters, caused by natural hazards while exacerbated by the climate change processes and various anthropogenic factors, is growing. According to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU), the losses caused by disasters in 2020 increased by more than six times compared to the figure from 2019 (from ca. 1.6 billion to ca. 9.9 billion UAH). The lion’s share of this increase is attributed to the drought in Odessa Oblast, the wildfires In Zhytomyr Oblast, the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone and Luhansk Oblast, and to the flash floods in the western regions of Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, Ternopil and Transcarpathia.  

The global studies have shown that different groups of women and men are affected differently by these phenomena—e.g., women are more likely to die during a disaster, while have on average fewer resources to recover from them[1]. Differences can be caused by different roles assigned to women and men and related gender issues, gender bias and discrimination. In addition, vulnerable groups of women and men possessing fewer resources (the poor and marginalized, people with disabilities, older women and men, large families, single mothers, etc.) may have additional needs in terms of preventing, overcoming consequences and recovering from disasters. Therefore, those working in disaster risk reduction and recovery must have the knowledge and skills to integrate a gender perspective in their activities alongside policy- and decision-makers demonstrating the political will to mainstream it. Those disaster risk reduction and recovery practitioners in Ukraine include both government officials involved in the official national disaster risk reduction (DRR) framework of the Unified State System of Civil Protection and the non-governmental actors active in the field.

For the purpose of the requested assignment, the gender perspective can be described using and integrating the concepts of gender awareness and gender sensitivity, defined by the European Institute for Gender Equality as follows[2]:

• gender awareness—ability to view society from the perspective of gender roles and understand how this has affected women’s needs in comparison to the needs of men;
• gender sensitivity—understanding and taking account of the societal and cultural factors involved in gender-based discrimination in diverse spheres of public and private life.

Currently, there is a lack of information available in Ukraine on the levels of gender awareness and gender sensitivity among DRR practitioners. Collecting such information will provide for an opportunity to develop work plans aimed at increasing the knowledge and developing the skills across the professional community to further effectively introduce a comprehensive gender perspective  in disaster risk reduction and recovery.

The United Nations Development Programme in Ukraine (UNDP Ukraine) implements a project ‘Strengthening Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery in Ukraine’ (hereinafter—the Project) aimed at enabling progress towards communities in Ukraine are less vulnerable to natural disasters and extreme weather events, experience decreased losses in lives, economic losses, livelihoods and health as a result of disasters. Project activities are focused at ensuring that necessary capacities and institutional mechanisms are achieved at the national and sub-national levels, while ensuring impact at the community level, through producing the following outputs featuring a gender and human rights perspective as a cross-cutting theme:

• Output 1. National government has improved policy frameworks and plans for Disaster Risk Management, coherent with Climate Change Adaptation policies that respond to the needs of women and men from diverse groups, especially the most vulnerable.
• Output 2. National and local authorities have capacities to integrate and implement gender-responsive DRR measures.
• Output 3. Target communities, including the most vulnerable, have necessary capacity, knowledge tools and financing mechanisms to build resilience, and to prevent and better recover from natural disasters based on the principle of leaving no one behind.

Another linked priority for the Project is Climate Change Adaptation.

Following on the premise, the Project seeks to identify knowledge gaps and areas for supporting capacity development for gender responsive Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation.  Current focus within this effort is to assess the levels of gender awareness and gender sensitivity among DRR practitioners working within the Unified State System of Civil Protection, as per the respective Regulation[3]. Within the System, an assessment of gender awareness and gender sensitivity should involve SESU as the recognized national competent authority in civil protection—and therefore the key System’s element, which is also the focal Ukraine’s state institution for the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR), which in turn is the primary relevant UN-wide instrument and multilateral platform.

In this context, UNDP is recruiting an Expert with relevant experience and track record to conduct an assessment of gender awareness and gender sensitivity in the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. The assessment design, to be prepared and used in this assignment, should be convertible into a standing tool adaptable for rolling out across a wider DRR community of practice in Ukraine.

[1] Making Disaster Risk Reduction Gender-Sensitive: Policy and Practical Guidelines. UNISDR, UNDP and IUCN, 2009.

[2] A-Z Index. Glossary & Thesaurus. European Institute for Gender Equality. URL: https://eige.europa.eu/thesaurus 

[3] Regulation on the Unified State System of Civil Protection. Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 11 dtd January 09, 2014. URL: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/11-2014-%D0%BF#Text

Duties and Responsibilities

2. Duties and Responsibilities

The incumbent will design and implement an assessment to measure gender awareness and gender sensitivity in the State Emergency Service of Ukraine with the focus on civil protection management staff. S/he will work under the supervision of Project Manager and in liaison with the Team Leader of UNDP Energy and Environment portfolio as well as, as applicable, the individual contractors performing the roles of Recovery Advisor and of Policy and Legal Expert under the Project. The incumbent will be responsible for delivering the following functions:

• Determine the level of gender awareness and of gender sensitivity among civil protection management staff at the national, sub-national and local levels, including in the performance of their duties.
• Identify gaps in the knowledge of civil protection management staff on gender equality and applying gender-based approaches in the performance of official duties and work out recommendations to further address these gaps.
• Study the political will of government officials to apply gender-based approaches in disaster risk reduction and recovery policies.

3. Deliverables and implementation schedule

In the course of the assignment, the incumbent will be responsible for the production of specific deliverables as follows:

4. Payment schedule

Schedule of payments upon deliverable provision per cent the lump sum:

Deliverable 1 – 30%;

Deliverable 2 – 35%; and

Deliverable 3 – 35%.

5. Monitoring / reporting requirements:

Work-progress reporting/monitoring meetings will be held with the consultant on a weekly basis. UNDP will be the final authority to control the quality and evaluate the work. No reports or documents should be published or distributed to third parties without approval of UNDP.

The consultant will work under the daily supervision of the Project Manager and will interact with UNDP to receive any clarifications and guidance that may be needed. The satisfactory completion of each of the deliverables shall be subject to endorsement of the Project Manager.

The Consultant will duly inform UNDP of any problems, issues or delays arising in the course of implementation of assignment and take necessary steps to address them. All reports and results are to be submitted to the UNDP in electronic form (*.docx, *.xlsx, *.pptx, and *.pdf or other formats accepted by UNDP).

Competencies

Skills

• Strong managerial and leadership skills, notably planning, organizing, coordinating and controlling, problem solving and decision-making;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, good knowledge and experience in handling of web-based management systems;
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines;
• Excellent analytical skills;
• Excellent writing, proficient communication and organization skills.

Corporate competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling 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 favouritism;
• Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Required Skills and Experience

6. Experience and qualification requirements

Education

• At least Master’s degree or equivalent in social science especially gender studies, political science or closely related fields;

Experience

• At least 3 years of first-hand experience in gender aspects, in particular, with gender equality, women’s rights, women empowerment, gender budgeting or similar areas within the sustainable development agenda or vice versa;
• Proven prior experience of at least 2 years in developing and implementing research projects or analytic writing assignments on gender topics confirmed by at least two written samples;
• Experience in disaster risk reduction, building resilience, humanitarian action or/and climate change adaptation and their gender/human rights nexus would be an advantage.

Languages

• Knowledge of English and Ukrainian languages is required.

7. Documents to be included when submitting the proposals

Applicants shall submit the following documents:

8. Financial proposal

Contracts based on lump sum

The financial proposal will specify the lump sum and payments will be made to the Individual Consultant based on the schedule of payments upon provision of the agreed deliverables.

Travel costs

Should any travel be necessary in connection to this TOR, UNDP will reimburse the expenses based on the duly authorized travel details, including travel and per diems.  In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.

In the case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

9. Evaluation criteria

Criteria A: Education – 15 points max

At least Master’s degree or equivalent in social science especially gender studies, political science or closely related fields

 {15 pts – PhD degree in the relevant field or higher; 13 pts –Master’s degree in the relevant field};

Criteria B: Work Experience –  45 points max

1. At least 3 years of first-hand experience in gender equality, women’s rights, women empowerment, gender budgeting or similar areas within the sustainable development agenda; -  20 points max

{20 pts – 4 years and more; 15 pts – 3 years);

2. Proven prior experience of at least 2 years in developing and implementing research projects or analytic writing assignments on gender topics confirmed by at least two written samples; – 20 points max

{20 pts – 4 relevant samples and more; 18 pts – 3 relevant samples; 16 pts – 2 relevant written samples};

3. Experience in DRR, Climate Action, building resilience, humanitarian action and their gender/human rights nexus; - 5 points max

{5 pts –proven experience; 0 pts – no experience};

Criteria C: Technical Skills – 10 points max

Language Skills – 10 points max:

Knowledge of the Ukrainian and English languages

{10 pts – Fluency in English and Ukrainian; 5 pts - working knowledge of English and fluency in Ukrainian}

Maximum available technical score - 70 points.

10. Evaluation method

 Cumulative analysis

Contract award shall be made to the incumbent whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and

b) having received the cumulative highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

* Technical Criteria weight: 70%

* Financial Criteria weight: 30%

Only candidates obtaining a minimum 70% from the maximum available technical score (49 points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation

The maximum number of points assigned to the financial proposal is allocated to the lowest price proposal and will equal to 30. All other price proposals will be evaluated and assigned points, as per below formula:

30 points [max points available for financial part] x [lowest of all evaluated offered prices among responsive offers] / [evaluated price].

The proposal obtaining the overall cumulatively highest score after adding the score of the technical proposal and the financial proposal will be considered as the most compliant offer and will be awarded a contract.