Background
Myanmar is committed to implement the Sendai Framework for Action on Disaster Risk Reduction and meet its targets. Myanmar is co-chair of ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management Working Group on Recovery along with Indonesia and led the process of developing the ASEAN Disaster Recovery Reference Guide. To improve planning and management of recovery processes, the Government constituted the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Working Committee. However, all the functions relating to disaster recovery were not established and defining clear roles in recovery assessments, planning, implementation, monitoring and funding has been a challenge. Lack of technical capacity, human and financial resources, awareness, lack of inter-ministerial convening power and limited presence below State /Region level make it challenging for the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Working Committee to perform wide-ranging responsibilities and coordinate the work of line ministries. In addition, there is a high reliance on international experts for several aspects of recovery planning and implementation.
Through the Governance for Resilience and Sustainability Project (GRSP), the “Building Capacities for Resilient Recovery-Phase II” initiative will contribute to the strengthening of national capacities and systems to plan and manage recovery processes. Strengthening national capacities will result in “building back better and safer” thus contributing to building the resilience of the country and its communities in the face of disaster and restoring sustainable development pathways.
Output 1 of this initiative aims to improve the enabling environment for recovery through enhanced institutional arrangements and streamlined mandates. This is achieved through reviewing existing institutional arrangements, capacity and mandates (functions, roles and responsibilities of the Government authorities) to identify options for improvement. This includes also to analyse the existing policy framework, including financial and monitoring mechanisms to support recovery, to identify any gaps and provide technical support to the development of new or improved policies and mechanisms.
Output 2 aims at strengthening capacities of government authorities and other relevant stakeholders in implementing a resilient recovery. This output aims to enhance the Government capacity through training, awareness, development of tools and guidelines and testing tools in practice. Small-scale exercises will be carried out as case studies for learning.
With the purpose of supporting the government in developing a National Recovery Guideline to provide a comprehensive operational tool to systematise the recovery planning and implementation in the country, the consultant will support UNDP to:
- Gather lessons learnt on post disaster recovery stocktake existing practices for recovery with identification of gaps and needs in Myanmar
- Organizing discussions with relevant development partners and other actors, including the private sector
- Desk review and literature review good practices and tools developed in other country, with a special focus on the one that share similarities with the Myanmar context
- Support in reviewing existing legal, policies and institutional arrangements related to recovery in the country
- Support in reviewing roles and responsibilities of relevant working committees of the National Disaster Management Committee that are involved in recovery functions
- Review of government rules and regulations for rehabilitation and reconstruction-related tasks, including financial rules and regulations
- Organize multi-stakeholder consultations on recovery practices in Myanmar
- Review and analyse tools developed till date on rehabilitation and reconstruction
- Provide recommendations and technical input inputs for developing a zero draft of the recovery guideline
- Support the organization of trainings (two) on Recovery in the DMTC and on PDNA, in collaboration with the UNDP global team
Duties and Responsibilities
With the technical guidance of the Disaster Risk Reduction Specialist and under the overall supervision of the Project Manager/Chief Technical Advisor from UNDP Country Office, the national consultant will:
Support DDM in the initiation process for preparing the National Recovery Guideline, including:
Support the establishment of a government -led working group to guide the development of the Recovery Guideline
Desk review and literature review of good practices and tools developed in other countries, with a special focus on those that are similar with the Myanmar context
Support in reviewing existing legal, policies and institutional arrangements relevant for recovery in the country
Support in reviewing roles and responsibilities of relevant working committees of the National Disaster Management Committee that are involved in recovery functions
Review of government rules and regulations for rehabilitation and reconstruction-related tasks, including financial rules and regulations
Review and analysis of tools developed till date on rehabilitation and reconstruction
Review of government rules and regulations for rehabilitation and reconstruction-related tasks, including financial rules and regulations
Assisting DDM facilitate, and participating in, the technical working group meetings overseeing the preparation of the Recovery Guideline and other relevant departments
Facilitate coordination and dialogue among different involved stakeholders, including development partners and private sector
Work closely with other UNDP staff and support in organizing one to one consultations with key involved staff from different departments.
Support DDM in organizing consultations for collection and validation of inputs for the Recovery guideline, including preparing agendas, summaries, minutes.
Preparing summaries of the technical working group discussion and other meetings
Overseeing and quality checking of Myanmar/English translations, including translation of short documents, when required.
Based on the baseline information, develop in consultation with the government an outline for the National Recovery Guideline
Support DDM in the process of reviewing the Disaster Management Law, if required
Ensure that considerations related to gender equality and inclusion are mainstreamed within the overall process for developing, and the content of, the National Recovery Guideline, including assuring a balanced representation in the consultation process
Support the organization of 2 trainings: one on Recovery to be conducted in the Disaster Management Training Center in Hinthada, Ayeyarwaddy Region, and one on Post Disaster Needs Assessment to be conducted in coordination with the UNDP global team, including:
Facilitate dialogue with DDM for the selection of participants and for fixing the date for the Recovery training and PDNA training
Support the logistics for both training and coordination
Support the facilitators with necessary arrangements
Preparing summaries, minutes and feedback from the training conduction to be integrated in the formulation of the Recovery Guideline
Preparing summaries of discussion, minutes and inputs in Myanmar and English language for the PDNA guideline adaptation in Myanmar context
For these tasks, the national consultant’s inputs will be up to: 10 days inputs on Recovery training and PDNA training; and up to 70 days inputs on the preparatory work for the formulation of the Recovery Guideline.
The consultant is expected to fully support the Department of Disaster Management and will be based in the same building, if possible. Considering the fluidity of the nature of work, it is expected from the consultant to have a certain degree of flexibility and to carry out additional tasks, if required. The consultant is expected to have a good command of English and Myanmar language, both written and oral as the documents that will be produced for the formulation of the Recovery Guideline will be in both languages.
During this assignment, the national consultant is expected to deliver:
Desk review of recovery practices and recommendations
Final agendas and materials for at least two consultation workshop
Summaries of technical group discussions, bilateral consultations and multi-stakeholders meeting, including recommendations
One training on PDNA and one training on Recovery and summaries of inputs from the participants and recommendations to include in the Recovery Guideline
Draft outline of the recovery guideline
Competencies
Corporate competencies:
- Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
- Treats all people fairly without favoritism;
- Promotes the vision, mission and strategic goals of UNDP.
Technical competencies:
- Ability to provide guidance on implementation of the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (ABS), including design and implementation of ABS and traditional knowledge policy and bioprospecting projects;
- Knowledge of environmental issues, NRM concepts, principles and policies and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations;
- Ability to work with multiple stakeholders across a wide range of disciplines.
Functional competencies:
- Development and Operational Effectiveness:
- Ability to contribute to strategic planning, change processes, results-based management and reporting;
- Ability to lead formulation, oversight of implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects;
- Ability to apply development theory to the specific country context to identify creative, practical approaches to overcome challenging situations.
Knowledge Management and Learning:
- Demonstrates practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues;
- Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside of UNDP.
Client Orientation:
- Maintains relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
- Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
- Proven networking, team-building, organizational and communication skills.
Professionalism:
- Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
- Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
- Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure.
- Excellent reporting skills;
Required Skills and Experience
Qualification:
A Master Degree or higher in the field of Disaster Risk Management, Development Studies, Social Science, Geography, or a related field
Experience:
At least 4 years of relevant work experience in Myanmar, in Disaster Risk Reduction with a focus on recovery
Proved understanding of disaster risk reduction and disaster risk management, with a particular focus on recovery coordination, planning and implementation.
Experience in coordination with different range of stakeholders and mostly government counterparts.
Experience working with government agencies, INGOs, UN agencies and civil society.
Language:
Strong and proved command of both written and oral Myanmar and English Language.
Previous experience in oral and written translation of technical material between Myanmar and English languages will be an asset.
Must be a Myanmar national