Antecedentes

The Guiana Shield Facility (GSF) is a multi-donor funding facility to be set up and operated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Guyana country office during the period 2010-2014. The aim of the GSF is to support the conservation and sustainable development of the ecosystems of the bio-diverse 250 km2 Guiana Shield eco-region  through supporting activities needed to ensure the ecological integrity of the eco-region. The GSF is consistent with UNDP Human Development vision, values and objectives.

The Guiana Shield eco-region is reported to have the world’s highest percentage of intact tropical rain forest, with some 80-90% still in pristine condition. There is a variety of unique ecosystems as well as a wealth of economically valuable goods and services and high human cultural diversity. In ecological terms, the Guiana Shield eco-region is of immense importance to the region and world. Furthermore, the region is endowed with natural resources such as oil, gold, diamond, bauxite and tropical hardwoods. The ecosystems of the eco-region have in recent times been increasingly threatened by many problems that are common to all countries of the Guiana Shield.

Threats to the ecological integrity of the Guiana Shield eco-region have been recognised as including (il) legal deforestation, (il) legal mining, water pollution, social and health problems connected to mining, poaching of wildlife, poverty, weak institutional capacity and external debt, all of which other cause governments and local populations to choose economic activities which are quick, short-term income generators but may not be sustainable.

The UNDP, in collaboration with international partners, has developed a strategy for supporting the long-term conservation and sustainable development of the Guiana Shield eco-region. In recognition of the vital importance of building national ownership and forging regional cooperation for the conservation and sustainable development of the eco-region, the UNDP and partners have focused on setting up a funding facility to support the institutionalisation of an eco-regional approach, to incentivise the long-term delivery of globally important ecosystem goods and services for the improvement of social well-being, and to conserve the eco-region.

The UNDP and the European Union (EU) launched in August 2010, a Guiana Shield Facility for the Guiana Shield eco-region towards its conservation and sustainable development. While significant resources have been mobilised to date for this goal, they remain insufficient to address a number of extant and emerging national and regional which if not addressed urgently or in the near term, could undermine past and current efforts to consolidate the integrity of the last remaining frontier forests in the Americas and indeed the world.

In order to promote a more efficient approach and increase resource mobilisation for the conservation and sustainable development of the Guiana Shield eco-region, the UNDP and the EU have established a Joint Management and Multi-donor action that respond to these objectives.

The overall objective is to promote and support the conservation and sustainable development of the Guiana Shield eco-region

Specific Objectives:

• The GSF to be a long-term forum and vehicle to address national and overarching regional, in particular, environmental issues related to management of the ecosystems of the Guiana Shield eco-region
• To maintain the GSF as a sustainable financial vehicle for the conservation and sustainable development of the Guiana Shield eco-region.
• To support the exchange of knowledge and capacity building to enhance the conservation and sustainable development of the Guiana Shield eco-region. In order   to maximize global environmental benefits, it includes provisions of cross-cutting issues.

To achieve the above objectives, a number of operating principles are proposed for the design and structure of the GSF covering three broad domains: a) national and regional environmental priorities; b) sustainable financing; and c) exchange of knowledge and capacity building. The GSF recognizes that, for its project interventions to achieve their global environmental objectives, particular attention should be paid to gender equality and women´s empowerment. It is based on the assumption that responsibility of any biodiversity conservation initiative relies on ensuring that the development and implementation of proposals, under national and international conservation policies, contribute to equality and equity, through the creation of possibilities for equitable opportunities and benefits for both women and men.

Regime of payments and fees

• The professional, who submits an expression of interest to work in the above described capacity, should set their expectations at daily rate payment in dollars of the United States of America and their availability.
• The contract signed as individual contract agreement does not involve any fees in advance at the beginning of the consultancy. Payment will be made on the satisfactory delivery of the results in Section III supported by a certification of payment and supervisor’s approval. 
• Travel costs will be paid by the project.

30 days work between 1 August to 15 September 2011.  Home-based plus travel as needed

Deberes y responsabilidades

The main objective of this consultancy is to carry out a study on main gender issues related to biodiversity conservation in Guyana, in order generate detailed data to strengthen national level efforts to improve the strategic orientation of GSF activities.  The work will build on available information, rapid surveys, and UNDP’s national and regional reports on the issue.

The consultant will provide substantive backstopping to the GSF during the research process. S/he must be attuned to the relationship between the technical and policy aspects of gender, conservation and sustainable development, S/he will produce a report of no more than 50 pages  including the following issues:

• International framework on gender equality and conservation of biological biodiversity
• Conceptual framework on gender, conservation and sustainable development based on the assumption that gender equality is a condition for success of conservation and that conservation of biological diversity is an opportunity to promote equality and equity.
• Identify gender issues relevant for conservation highlighting the decisive socio-political, economic and cultural aspects of conservation: poverty, agro-diversity, water, markets, forests, etc.
• Provide data disaggregated by sex on the use of biological resources, on access to biological resources and resource-use regimes; on control over biological resources and resource-use regimes; on management and distribution of benefits arising out of the use of biological resources and traditional knowledge, and on threats to biodiversity,  on the anthropogenic causes behind such threats.
• Analyze from a gender perspective existing national and local policies, strategies and action plans and elaborate on the added value of gender mainstreaming into national conservation policies.
• Mapping main stakeholders involved in biodiversity conservation on gender mainstreaming, including women´s networks or groups, and analyze institutional structure and capacities for gender mainstreaming.
• Identify good practices of different actors  at policy, programmes and projects level.
• Conclude with a number of recommendations on how to mainstream gender at policy and programmes level, and provide practical guidance on the issue. 
  

Competencias

The consultant must have a solid understanding of key gender, conservation and sustainable development   issues and   methodological and technical knowledge, including:

• Strong analytical, writing and communication skills
• Excellent knowledge of all thematic areas related to management of the ecosystems biodiversity particularly from the          developing country perspective
• Proven track record of work in the LAC region related gender and environmental activities
• Strong knowledge of the methodological approach being implemented by the project
• Excellent organizational skills
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills; commitment to team work and to working across disciplines
• Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to critical feedback
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
• Able to work independently with no supervision
  

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

Education:

• Post-graduate degree in social sciences or another relevant field (e.g., labour economics, gender environment)

Work experience:

• Training in the field of gender and development – a good indication of whether or not the consultant has the relevant expertise
• Normally 5–10 years’ experience of conducting gender studies, preferably also in relation to environmental issues
• Publications or field reports on gender issues that credit the consultant
• Ability to work in a team – this is essential for gender analysis work, as the consultant will have to liaise with many different groups at different levels, including policy makers, managers, field workers, technical experts
• Ability to communicate non-verbally and to decipher hidden meanings in responses is important. Good observation techniques are advantageous
• Experience in participatory appraisals from a gender equity perspective.

Language requirement:

• Fluency in written and spoken English