Background

Project Title

Building the Resilience of Persons with Disabilities to Cope with Climate Change in the Asia Pacific Region

Project Description 

Context

It is well established that climate change is one of the major challenges facing humanity, with impacts that are potentially devastating – whether it be increased severity and frequency of storms, sea level rise, or changing weather patterns. This affects the poorest and vulnerable populations most severely. Research has shown that persons with disabilities, who make up 15% of the world population are disproportionately affected by climate change impacts due to their livelihood circumstances, socio-political isolation (perpetuated by stigma, discrimination, inaccessible infrastructure/information and exclusion), and related information asymmetries. Constraints and exclusion from related decision-making processes aggravate their vulnerabilities.

Climate change will make climate events such as hurricanes, cyclones, storms, droughts, and floods worse, amplifying the impacts, along with making access to natural resources, transportation and emergency shelters difficult.  On the other hand, lack of identification of specific needs of persons with disabilities add extra challenge for them to receive the required support. In the Asia-Pacific region, which is highly prone to extreme climate events and disasters, persons with disabilities face disproportionately high levels of risk of susceptibility. Evidence shows that persons with disabilities are between two and four times more likely to be killed during disasters than others. Persons with disabilities were 2.45 times more likely to have been injured during Tropical Cyclone Pam which struck Vanuatu on the 13th March 2015 causing an estimated US$ 449.4 million in damages (equivalent to 64.1% of the GDP of Vanuatu. Very few persons with disabilities had assistive devices, and adults with disabilities had poorer access to disaster risk reduction efforts compared to adults without disabilities.

At the global level, a number of conventions highlight the importance of including the needs of persons with disabilities, and the Asia-Pacific region is making some progress in this regard. However, despite these international agreements, further progress is needed at the country level to fully realise the equal rights of persons with disabilities as it relates to climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction. 

At the country level in Cambodia, Nepal, Philippines, and Thailand, there has been some progress in strengthening the resilience of persons with disabilities to address climate change and reduce risks related to disasters, yet many challenges continue to exist. 

While there is a growing focus on the impacts of climate change on livelihoods, health, migration, access to water and sanitation, persons with disabilities are referenced (if at all) only under the heading of vulnerable groups, with insufficient attention given to the specific challenges they face (let alone attention to the issues facing groups with different types of disabilities). Furthermore, persons with disabilities are not privy to opportunities to participate in the design, implementation, and monitoring of CCA policy frameworks. 

This renders persons with disabilities extremely vulnerable to climate change, and in a situation where they continue to be at an inherent disadvantage in responding effectively to climate impacts and climate events. Governments do not have the data or systems in place to effectively assist persons with disabilities or disabled peoples’ organizations to enhance their resilience or reduce their risks to disasters.

Project Overview

In October 2018, the Adaptation Fund endorsed a pre-concept for a multi-country project led by UNDP under the UN Climate Resilience Initiative A2R umbrella on building resilience for persons with disabilities. The pre-concept covering Cambodia, Nepal, Philippines, and Thailand was informed by consultations and workshops previously conducted by country offices and relevant stakeholders and duly endorsed by relevant National Designated Authorities.

The proposed five-year project aims to build the capacity of participant countries to more effectively take actions in improving the resilience of persons with disabilities to climate change and climate-related disasters. The project will work with persons with disabilities and disabled people’s organizations to build their capacity on climate change and raise awareness so they can be empowered, and work with government and the private sector to design effective climate change policies and strategies that are inclusive and address the concerns of persons with disabilities.

The project has three components:

• Component 1: Capacity Building for disabled people’s organizations, persons with disabilities, and governments to address climate change, and enhance institutional frameworks
• Component 2: Early warning infrastructure and last mile services targeting the specific needs of persons with disabilities to better manage and reduce vulnerability of climate change induced risks
• Component 3: Knowledge generation, codification and dissemination of the effectiveness of targeted measures to reduce the vulnerability of persons with disabilities to climate change risks

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Following the Adaptation Fund’s endorsement of the pre-concept, a full proposal will be developed for submission in August 2019.

UNDP is contracting a Technical Consultant to develop the country-level proposal, with focus on the Philippines component.

The proposal development will entail incorporating comments provided by the Adaptation Fund Technical Review Committee and further solicit inputs from stakeholders through the conduct of the country-level consultations.

The country-level consultations and workshop endeavor to explore and identify key gaps in existing climate change adaptation activities as they relate to persons with disabilities, by continuing to build on previous exercises of consultations conducted by the country office and identify activities to support the design of the proposed project. In addition, the workshop would serve as a platform to identify relevant stakeholders, implementing partners, resources required, performance and M&E indicators, budget, and other information necessary to develop the country level interventions under the project.

These consultations will, consequently, feed into the proposal development for the Adaptation Fund (AF), in addition to a broader project/programme aimed at building resilience for persons with disabilities with funding and support sources from other bilateral donors. 

The consultations will include a combination of desk research, site visits, meetings and engagements with relevant stakeholders and should be conducted between April to May 2019, with the aim of developing the full proposal for country-specific interventions to be included in the Adaptation Fund proposal and the broader proposal. In April/May 2019, a stakeholder workshop will be organized in-country to validate the country proposal after the country specific stocktaking and workshops are complete.

Duty Station

The Consultant is not expected to report on a daily basis to UNDP-ISD Philippines office based in Mandaluyong City but shall be available on an on-call basis.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the ISD Programme Manager and ISD Programme Analyst, the Technical Consultant shall:

• Develop work plan and map out stakeholders to be included in the consultations and workshops
• Conduct desk research and review relevant documents
• Develop concept notes and design for planned consultations and workshops
• Facilitate conduct of consultations, meetings and focus group discussions with identified partners and stakeholders to solicit inputs in developing the proposal and prepare presentations as necessary
• Develop country-specific proposal, which includes the following information and analysis:

Baseline Information:

4.1.      Country overview: Description of the country national circumstances, economy, geography etc.

4.2.      Climate Change Risks and Impacts: Climate drivers, past trends in climate and extreme events; climate risk profile of the country, projected/future trends, climate change risks, impacts.

a.    Disaster risk profile

b.    Climate Change profile – national communications

c.    Climate Change impacts on naturals hazard risk, various economic sectors, natural resources and ecosystems

d.    Specific impacts relevant for people with disabilities

          i.    Economic

          ii.    Social

          iii.    Political

e.    Observed damages and loss of life

f.     Enumeration and quantification of impacts

4.3.      Baseline Scenario/Investment: Biophysical (project location/area, geology, topography, soils, hydrology, hydrography, ecology) and socio-economic (population, demographics, institutional structures, gender, indigenous groups, stakeholder views).  Document previous and current, ongoing efforts/initiatives relevant to disabled persons/development. Please include lessons learned/best practices from these efforts.

4.4.      Policy and Legislation: Some indicative questions below

a.    What are the legal frameworks in relation to main challenges facing people with different types of disability rights (sight, hearing, mobility, intellectual/psychosocial) in disaster response and implementation of the Convention of the Rights of People with Disabilities in each country? 

b.    Are there national plans/strategies on disability? Adaptation to climate change?  How well do they currently address issues related to DRR and CCA?

c.    What, if any, legal provisions (laws, decrees) specifically address disability-inclusive DRR and CCA? Can these challenges best be solved?

d.    To what extent do relevant government policies, plans, processes related to DRR and climate change (at central and local level) specifically address the needs of Persons with Disabilities (generally) and of the needs of groups with different disabilities?  What gaps exist between the challenges identified in a. above and the degree to which they are addressed by such policies, plans and processes?

e.    In the current status of climate change adaptation planning, what is the status of inclusion of vulnerable groups including persons with disabilities in policies and planning? For example, some National Communications (as submitted to UNFCCC) have specifically mentioned the inclusion of persons with disabilities, or there is a component to addressing the issues of persons with disabilities in the support of the development of the National Adaptation Plan(s).

f.     To what extent have Persons with Disabilities been actively engaged in the design and implementation of DRR and CCA policies already? Please provide a list of examples of inclusion (where they exist), and the current status of implementation of those policies, identifying key opportunities and challenges.

g.    Are there currently any disability-inclusive DRR or CCA projects in the country? If so, what factors and processes have hindered or facilitated their success?

h.    What is the degree to which infrastructure designated under DRR policies (transportation, shelters etc.) is accessible to persons with disabilities?   What is the government’s plan to address the adaptation of infrastructure to ensure universal accessibility and to what extent are resources available to implement such a plan?

4.5.      Capacity Building for Disabled People’s Organizations (DPOs) and Relevant Institutions

a.    Prevalence of DPOs, what are the needs, gaps, priorities vis-à-vis CCA for capacity building, what are the relevant institutions and stakeholders, what are their capacity needs etc.;

b.    Who are the key players/organizations/institutions in the countries?

c.    What are the capacity priorities and needs as relates to CCA and DRR?

4.6.      Early Warning Systems and Technology: Indicative questions include:

a.    What is the status of early warning systems in each country? What types of early warning systems exist (provide an inventory of existing EWSs for different hazard types)? How are they managed, where are they located, and which geographical areas are serviced through them? Do EWS actors and companies have existing PPPs or agreements with any private sector telecom service providers in the country, and if so what do those arrangements look like? How are EWs disseminated and what is the information flow?

b.    What needs to be improved? Are there certain geographical areas that are completely cut off from EWS, especially those that are known to be highly vulnerable to hazard risk? Is improvement required in the technology, the maintenance, or the dissemination of this information (paying particular attention to how accessible the message is to those with disabilities or low literacy/education levels)? Is there sufficient technical capacity to make these improvements?

c.    How are communities engaged in the EWs generation/dissemination? What are the protocols in place for response? Are the current early warning systems tailored to persons with disabilities? If so, stipulate how?

d.    Do existing EWS have tie ups with technology companies to provide more tailored solutions in the country?

e.    Are there financial resources, or mobilization commitments from relevant government or private actors to address any of these gaps?

f.     What type of technologies or technological improvements that are under development to assist persons with different disabilities as it relates to early warning systems and disasters? Are there other technologies (available or under development) for people with disabilities which could be adapted or further developed to meet climate change/disaster-related challenges?  If these have been previously identified, what are the factors that have affected the deployment of these technologies? If possible, can you provide examples from previous experiences with disaster relieve as it pertains to EWS and persons with disabilities?

g.    Are there any existing challenge competitions/incubators/accelerators focusing on technology innovation in EWS in each country? Are there existing research centers or innovation labs which have made some headway with prototypes, trainings, or hackathons? What are some of the key actors promoting green/clean-tech innovation (perhaps as academic institutions, or through R&D units in private companies)?

Analysis of Proposal Interventions and Activities

4.7.      Gaps, needs and barrier analysis: Based on Points 1 – 6 above, please identify the key gaps, needs and barriers to the advancement of CCA and DRR for persons with different disabilities in your country. In this section, you may also include barriers not connected to the above points, but as relating to socio-economic factors, gender, and other cultural factors.

4.8.      Analysis of Solutions/approaches: Design process and principles, potential solutions (SWOT/CBA); selection of preferred approach; theory of change.

4.9.      Detailed project description:

a.    Scope of preferred solution, project objective, target sites

b.    Expected Outcomes: The change in conditions, or intended effects of an intervention, usually brought about by the collective efforts of partners. Outcomes are achieved in the short to medium term.

c.    Project outputs: product, capital goods and services which result from a development intervention relevant to the achievement of outcomes

d.    Milestones, indicators to assess progress, M&E and impact evaluation strategy.

4.10.   Financial Assessment:

a.    Calculation of project costs: The main items supported by the Adaptation Fund for project management including consultant services, travel and office facilities, total project cost plus the project cycle management fee.

b.    Additionality of financing

c.    Exit plan and financial sustainability

4.11.   Implementation Arrangements: Timeline for implementation, project sponsors, and implementation partners.

a.    What implementation modalities would best serve the needs of the beneficiaries?

b.    Who are the key stakeholders that need to be engaged?

c.    What is the role of private sector?

d.    What is the role of NGOs/communities?

4.12.   Risks and Mitigation Measures: Assessment, assumptions, and mitigation measures.

4.13.   Multi-stakeholder Engagement: Key results of multi-stakeholder consultations.

5.      Facilitate conduct of multi-stakeholder validation workshop to validate draft proposal and further solicit inputs for its finalization

6.      Document outcomes of the consultations and workshops

7.      Finalize country proposal based on inputs from stakeholders and UNDP and following the prescribed template

Institutional Arrangement

The ISD Programme Manager with ISD Programme Analyst shall directly supervise the Consultant. At different points during the contract, the Consultant is expected to liaise/interact/collaborate/meet with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and other stakeholders. As needed, UNDP shall provide logistical assistance to the Consultant in order for her/him to accomplish enumerated outputs.

Duration of Work

The expected duration of work is estimated to be 20 work days spread from April to May 2019.  The target date for the start of work 10 April 2019  and the completion date is 13 May 2019.

Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

1st tranche (15%)

Upon submission and acceptance of:

1) approved workplan;

2) mapping of stakeholders for consultations and workshops; and

3) concept notes and design for planned consultations and workshops

2nd tranche (35%)

Upon submission and acceptance of:

1) draft country proposal; and

2) documentation report for completed consultations and workshops

3rd tranche (50%)

Upon submission and acceptance of:

1) approved final country proposal;

2) documentation of outcomes of validation workshop and copy of presentation/s

Competencies

CORPORATE COMPETENCIES

• Commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision, values and ethical standards
• Sensitivity to cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age differences
• Treat all stakeholders fairly and without prejudice
• Maintains objectivity and impartiality in handling evaluation processes

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES

• Experience in project development, implementation and evaluation--particularly in directly managing results-based monitoring and evaluation methodologies
• Demonstrated experience in conducting evaluation of multi-year and multi-component programmes and projects
• Familiarity with the norms and issues in early recovery and rehabilitation work in disaster-affected areas

• Ability to process large amounts and diverse set of data and documents related to infrastructure development, livelihood, resettlement, disaster risk reduction and management, and governance

• Demonstrated strong coordination and facilitation skills

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to initiate discussions with national/local governmental officials, peoples organizations and communities

• Demonstrated ability to function in a team environment and to deal with complex multi-stakeholder environment

• Demonstrated ability to prepare and present comprehensive reports

Required Skills and Experience

Minimum passing score is 70 out of 100 points.

Education 60 points

• The position requires advanced university degree in Natural Sciences, Natural Resource Management, Climate Science, Engineering, Social Sciences, Economics, Disaster Risk Reduction or any relevant fields.

Experience 40 points

• At least 10 years of demonstrated experience in the area of disaster risk reduction, climate change and dealing with disability issues and vulnerable groups
• Experience in developing successful project proposals is preferred

Language:

• Fluency in written and spoken English  and Filipino

Criteria for selection process:

The offer will evaluated based on the Combined Scoring method – where the qualifications will be weighted a max. of 70%, and combined with the financial offer which will be weighted a max of 30%.

Application requirements:

• Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability (Financial Proposal Template) using the template provided by UNDP;

• Personal Curriculum Vitae, indicating all past experiences from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the candidate and at least three (3) professional references;

Application requirements should be emailed to procurement.ph@undp.org and registry.ph@undp.org on or before  04 April 2019.

Attachments can be downloaded at http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=54202

- Financial Proposal Template and Terms & Conditions for Consultants.

 Incomplete submissions may be disqualified.

In view of the volume of applications UNDP receives, only shortlisted offerors will be notified.