Historique
Haiti is one of the countries least resilient to disasters in the world. Risks include cyclones, floods, landslides, drought and epidemics, as well as earthquakes and tsunamis. In 2012 Haiti was named the country most at risk from climate change. High levels of fragility exacerbate the threat raised by natural hazards. Development challenges include: sustained environmental degradation; widespread poverty and inequality; high levels of unemployment; poor water and sanitation and limited health service outreach; food insecurity and malnutrition; weak institutions with limited decentralization; limited social safety nets; political fragility and the lack of social cohesion. All of these render the country highly exposed and vulnerable to disasters, whilst putting significantly strain national coping capacities.
Three years after the devastating 2010 earthquake, and following approximately USD 6 billion investment in recovery and humanitarian aid, lives have been saved and urgent needs met. Equally, government has shown repeated commitment to the issue of disaster resilience at the most senior levels. This has born important results and signs of interest since the earthquake including: reestablishment of capacities for preparedness and response in the aftermath of the earthquake; promotion of seismic risk reduction e.g. through targeted government funding for risk assessments and the validation of seismic risk reduction road-map in 2013; and agreement that disaster risk should be one of the priorities for the new Aid coordination framework (CAED).
However, levels of exposure and vulnerability to disaster risk remain critical. Chronic development problems, continued humanitarian needs, including underlying fragility and high levels of exposure to disaster risk, remain largely unaddressed. Combined with rising indebtedness and high levels of aid dependency, these factors demand a rethinking of international engagement in Haiti. Focused efforts and sustained engagement are required to:
- Build capacity to reduce vulnerability of Haitians to disasters;
- Improve preparedness of national disaster preparedness institutions;
- Help Haiti and its population to develop in a way that reduces rather than adds to disaster risk; and
- Reduce exposure to stress and respond to and recover from disasters and related shocks.
The modalities of development aid need to be rethought to ensure that they address the root causes of disasters and the underlying causes of weak coping capacities. Further focus on the decentralized/local level is needed and community-based coping mechanisms need to be strengthened. In turn, humanitarian action and development aid strategies also need revisiting to ensure that they contribute to the capacity and resilience of Haiti’s institutions and communities rather than supplanting existing national capacities and mechanisms; or exacerbating to disaster risk.
In 2012 UNDP and DFID established an informal but high level group the ‘Political Champions for Disaster Resilience’. In 2012 UNDP and OCHA proposed that this initiative should include a focus on select priority countries where collective effort could serve to demonstrate the positive impact that joint effort in this area could have. Haiti was selected as one of the first focus countries of this group. The focus country approach is will be implemented under the leadership of the RC/HC with the joint engagement and strategic/technical support of UNDP and OCHA.
In April 2013 a high-level visit took place to identify jointly with government key priorities for the next two years. The conclusions and priorities identified as a result of this visit are intended to help contribute to shaping coordinated action for the next 1-2 years:
- Integrating resilience targets into national development planning;
- Setting up a coordination table on disaster risk management to help integrate disaster resilience across sectors;
- Practically demonstrate the building of resilience in an initial targeted geographic areas for common action; and
- Further strengthen Government’s capabilities to lead and coordinate action on disaster risk management, including new legislation and updating the National Disaster Risk Management Plan.
The Political Champions have invited the Prime Minister of Haiti to participate in the next meeting of the group in September 2013. It will be important that by that date there is a clear action plan established with the government to take this agenda forward.
Devoirs et responsabilités
The objective of the consultancy is to work in support and strengthening of the Ministry of Planning and External Cooperation (MPCE) in further referencing disaster resilience in the Haitian Strategic Development Plan (PSDH) and the three year investment plan (2014-2016) and developing indicators to track progress.
Working under the overall authority of the MPCE and the management of UNDP, and in close collaboration with UN partners most particularly the RC/RR/HC and its office, OCHA and UNDP, the consultant will mainly provide support in the following areas:
- Integration of disaster resilience targets into the national development plan - under the leadership of the MPCE and the management of UNDP, the consultant will provide technical support to the process of integrating disaster resilience into the long term development plan including all its pillars as well as developing appropriate indicators. In doing so the consultant will work to strengthen the capacity of relevant government entities and officials to continue with this work after departure;
- Integration of disaster resilience targets into the triennial investment plan - under the leadership of the MPCE and the management of UNDP Haiti, the consultant will provide technical support to the process of integrating disaster resilience and resilience indicators into this shorter term investment plan;
- Strengthen government capacity – Under the direction of the Ministry of Planning, strengthen the capacities of the Planning Ministry as well as other relevant ministries in tracking disaster resilience through SMART indicators;
- If timely, support the establishment of the thematic table on disaster risk management in developing its work plan etc.
Compétences
Core competencies:- Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values;
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
- Highest standards of integrity, discretion and loyalty.
- Strong abilities to analysis and attention to detail;
- Capable of planning, organizing, initiative and autonomy;
- Capacity to work in a multicultural environment and several languages;
- Strong abilities to write evaluation reports, good oral and written communication skills in both French and English.
Qualifications et expériences requises
Education:-
A Master Degree in International Development/Relations; Political Science; Environmental Sciences, Disaster Risk Management and/or relevant fields.
- Minimum of 10 years of working experience in planning related to international development/humanitarian action;
- Monitoring and evaluation experience related to the development of indicators in disaster risk management and disaster resilience;
- Previous experience of working on disaster risk management;
- Experience in working in developing countries and Haiti in particular is an asset;
- Experience of working in humanitarian or recovery contexts is an asset;
- Good computer skills are essential.
- Proficiency in French and English, with excellent writing skills.
Individual consultants are invited to submit applications together with their CV and the financial offer for this position. The application should contain a current and complete C.V. in English with indication of the e-mail and phone contact. Shortlisted candidates will be requested to submit a price offer indicating the total cost of the assignment (including daily fee, per diem and travel costs).
UNDP applies a fair and transparent selection process that will take into account the competencies/skills of the applicants as well as their financial proposals. Qualified women and members of social minorities are encouraged to apply.