Background

In 2019, the UN Country Team in Uzbekistan conducted a Common Country Analysis (CCA) to build evidence base and underpin analytically the design of the new Cooperation Framework for 2020-2025.   The CCA provided with integrated, forward-looking and evidence-based joint analysis of the context for sustainable development in Uzbekistan. As per the UNSDG Guidance, the UN CCA is not a one-off event. It should track situational developments and inform the UN system’s work on a continuous basis; and beyond the initial CCA report for the Cooperation Framework, the CCA must be kept up to date … with any major change in national circumstances (e.g., new political risks, changing human rights context, disasters, population displacements, etc.). [1]At a minimum, it should be updated at least once annually so that at any point in time, the UN system should be able to obtain an up-to-date view of the country context in all its sustainable development dimensions.

The 2019 CCA covers the period until 31 December 2019 only, and hence it didn’t  capture the latest evidence and analysis of the disruptive impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the lives of the Uzbek people, the economy, employment, incomes, health, education, gender equality, human rights, and SDG progress, in general.

In May 2020, the UNCT and six International Financial Institutions developed a Socio-Economic Response and Recovery Offer (the Offer) to the Government of Uzbekistan outlining consolidated multilateral deliverables to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The offer is guided by the UN Secretary-General’s policy brief “Shared Responsibility, Global Solidarity” and highlights ongoing and planned support by participating partners in seven priority areas, with the overarching aim to cushion the knock-on effects on millions of people’s lives, their livelihoods and the real economy, thereby preserving positive reform momentum and progress toward the national Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Offer provides a quick analysis of recent evidence on the immediate, short-, and medium-term impact of the COVID-19 induced crisis across seven priority areas – health, macroeconomic stability, social protection, jobs, education, social cohesion, and data; as well as outlines data collection and rapid analysis/assessment undertaken by UN and development partners to effectively respond and hasten recovery and build back better. The plethora of the data to be generated by development partners will provide a sound basis for the CCA update.

In this regard, the UN RCO is hiring an international consultant who will facilitate the process of updating the CCA to reflect the dramatic and largely unforeseen changes in the country context caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as other developments (progress and/or changes) that impact the country’s sustainable development trajectory.

[1] The UNSDCF Companion, Package Attachment #1 (p.13)

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the Head of the UN Resident Coordinator's Office the CCA facilitator will provide a substantive support to the UNCT Uzbekistan and UN CCA Team in updating the Common Country Analysis. He/she will have the overall responsibility for preparation of a quality COVID-19-sensitive update on the CCA report. The consultant will be guided by and work closely with the UNCT and UN CCA Team throughout the CCA update process. On a daily basis, he/she will be supervised by the Development Coordination Officer/Economist from the UN Resident Coordinator's Office.

In his/her work, the consultant will also be guided by the UN SDCF Internal Guidance and its Companion Package. Under the current assignment, the following roles and responsibilities will be carried out by the consultant:

• Familiarize with the UNSDCF Internal Guidance and its Companion Package with Annexes on in part of the CCA;
• Review the 2019 CCA, the Multistakeholder COVID-19 Socio-Economic Response and Recovery Offer (the Offer), and Uzbekistan’s first SDG Voluntary National Review report[1];
• Undertake close desk review of all available and relevant data, information, studies, and analysis that were produced and/or published in 2020, which hilghlight any significant change to the country context, risk dimensions, SDGs, as well as overall development trajectory of the country;
• In consultation with UNRCO, propose, discuss and present the structure of the COVID-19 sensitive CCA Update report;
• Hold bilateral and/or focus group discussions (online, remotely) with key stakeholders, including UNCT, UN programme staff, development partners, and national counterparts from Government and civil society, to discuss, solicit, and validate any new or emerging data, information, and trends;
• Prepare and present/discuss the draft report on COVID-19-sensitive CCA Update;
• Revise the draft CCA Update report as per the comments, questions, and feedback from UNRCO, UNCT, and DCO/PSG;
• Submit the final CCA Update report that is data-driven, evidence-based and reflects joint analysis of UNCT and stakeholders;

The CCA Update report must assess and analyze the impact of the COVID-19 crisis accross the following aspects/areas/issues:

• The country context with regards to the SDGs and progress towards achieving the 2030 Agenda.
• National vision for sustainable development, the key national priorities and main challenges in achieving the SDGs.
• Leave No One Behind Principle: situation of groups left behind or at risk of being left behind, as well as the root causes for these groups and the legal barriers that exclude them as well as the key issues related to human rights, gender equality and women’s empowerment.

·The country’s implementation of its commitments under all relevant internationally agreed  norms and standards, UN Charter values, as instrumental to achieving Agenda 2030.

• Regional, subregional and cross-boundary factors affecting the country’s progress in the 2030 Agenda, as well as the synergies and complementarities with regional and continental strategies and frameworks.
• The multi-dimensional risks and threats that could potentially impact the country’s development trajectory across the political, development, humanitarian, peacebuilding and human rights spectrum.
• Any other potential risks, gaps and challenges that may set back the country’s progress on the 2030 Agenda and prevent resilience, stability, long-term inclusive development, human rights and peace.

[1] https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/index.php?page=view&type=30022&nr=2180&menu=3170

Competencies

• Shares knowledge and experience and provides helpful feedback and advice;
• Conceptualizes and analyzes problems to identify key issues, underlying problems, and how they relate;
• Ability to identify beneficiaries’ needs, and to match them with appropriate solutions;
• Excellent communication and interview skills;
• Excellent report writing skills;
• Responds positively to critical feedback and differing points of view;
• Ability to handle a large volume of work possibly under time constraints;
• Focuses on result for the client and responds positively to feedback

Required Skills and Experience

Education: Advanced degree in social sciences, preferably economics, political science, international development, public or business administration, human rights or similar.

Experience: 

• A minimum of 10 years of professional experience specifically in the area of international development initiatives and development organizations;
• Extensive knowledge of, and experience in applying, qualitative and quantitative analytical methods and in a wide range of analytical approaches;
• Robust technical competence in undertaking complex analysis which involve use of mixed methods;
• Strong comprehension of sustainable development concept and knowledge of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs;
• Excellent writing and analytical formulation skills with demonstrated experience in preparing CCAs or similar analytical documents;
• Strong understanding of the development and political context and working experience in Uzbekistan or in the CIS region or Central Asia;
• Knowledge of UN role, UN reform process and UN programming at the country level; 
• Grounded familiarity with and application of participatory and innovative methods of data gathering and UN Guiding/Programming Principles: i) Leave no one behind; (ii) Human rights-based approach; iii) gender equality and women’s empowerment; iv) resilience; v) accountability; and vi) sustainability

Language Requirements: Excellent knowledge of the English language, spoken and written. Knowledge of Russian or Uzbek is an advantage.

UNDP is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified female candidates, people with disabilities, and minorities are highly encouraged to apply. UNDP Gender Balance in Management Policy promotes achievement of gender balance among its staff at all levels.

Application Process:

Interested candidates need to apply online by clicking “Apply Now” button and upload requested documents (Technical Proposal/Methodology, CV/P11 form, Offeror’s Letter of confirmation and Financial Proposal merged into one single file) in Part 5 of Procurement Notice no later than end of 09 September, 2020 (New York time).  Please combine all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows to upload maximum one document. Your on-line applications submission will be acknowledged to your email address provided in application. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. In such cases, please resubmit the application, if necessary.

You can review detailed Procurement Notice, Terms of Reference and download templates from the UNDP Procurement Notices Site following the link http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=69383.  (cut and paste into browser address bar if the link does not work).

Application submitted via email, incomplete applications or received after the closing date (September 09, 2020) will not be given consideration.

For more detailed information about UNDP Uzbekistan please visit our website at www.uz.undp.org.  UNDP is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified female candidates, people with disabilities, and minorities are highly encouraged to apply. UNDP Balance in Manage Policy promotes achievement of gender balance among its staff at all levels.

Requests for clarification must be sent in writing to pu.uz@undp.org,  ensuring that the reference number above is included in the subject line. UNDP shall endeavor to provide such responses to clarifications in an expeditious manner, but any delay in such response shall not cause an obligation on the part of UNDP to extend the submission date of the Proposals, unless UNDP deems that such an extension is justified and necessary.