Background

Due to their small size and narrow resource bases, Small Island Development States (SIDS) are import-dependent economies. On a per capita basis, waste generation in SIDS is rising. In 2014 it was slightly lower than in OECD countries (1.29 kg/capita/day, compared to 1.35 kg/capita/day), but as of 2019 is 2.3 kg/capita/day, 48% higher than that of OECD countries[1].

As SIDS progress import-dependent development pathways, the quantities and variety of products that are being imported (ranging from mercury containing thermometers to plastic [food] packaging, from second hand electronic products to motor vehicles, from agricultural chemicals to industrial chemicals) is rapidly increasing. This is leading to the generation of a large variety of different types of hazardous and toxic wastes which SIDS do not have the technical capacity or required treatment facilities to address alone[2]. Waste volumes are also increasing due to changing consumption patterns, and the disposal of these growing levels of imports of non-biodegradable materials. The disposal of non-biodegradable materials, and industrial and agricultural chemicals pose an increasing challenge[3].

The remoteness of the Indian Ocean SIDS makes the export and logistics of recyclables and hazardous wastes challenging and costly. The tourism sector and related job opportunities are important to the Indian Ocean SIDS economies but come with the challenges of increased waste volumes (in particular plastics), especially during tourism peak seasons. Waste management and recycling systems currently in place often cannot deal with the increase in supply/demand. In addition, the agricultural sector and health care sector also come with their challenges, as a significant number of products used in these sectors end up generating hazardous wastes and/or lead to chemical emissions to air, water and soil.

Priorities that are common among Indian Ocean SIDS and that will be addressed through the ISLANDS programme applying national and regional approaches, include:

1. Improving import and export control of hazardous chemicals and products containing them;
2. Implementing integrated national and regional waste management systems focusing on Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM), Health Care Waste Management (HCWM) and hazardous wastes (including PCBs, POPs containing products like e-waste, end-of-life vehicles, etc.);
3. Building capacity for the assessment and introduction of safer/greener alternatives in supply chains (agriculture, tourism, health care);
4. Reducing marine litter by reducing waste generation and improving waste management systems;
5. Phasing-out Hg/POPs-containing products.

As one of the Implementing Agencies of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), UNDP is supporting developing countries to develop and implement projects aimed at such challenges and planned activities to overcome those in Maldives as a part of a regional programme for the Indian  Ocean, and, at a broader and global level, will coordinate work with the parent programme (PFD) and other regional programmes in the Asia-Pacific and Caribbean Oceans which will be managed by UN Environment as the lead GEF agency in partnerships with FAO, Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) and implementing partners such as the Basel Convention Regional Center for the Caribbean region and Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment (SPREP) for the Asia-Pacific region.

With this background, and in order to support such efforts of the Governments of Mauritius, Comoros, Maldives and Seychelles, UNDP in its capacity as the Implementing Agency for the GEF, requires the support of a national PPG Phase Technical Consultant. The Technical Consultant is requested to support the Project Preparation Grant (PPG) phase during which the detailed preparation of the country project in Maldives.

Objective of the consultancy

Under the guidance of the PPG National Technical consultant, the national SESP (Social and Environmental Screening Procedure) and gender consultant will be further guided by the International Impact Assessment and M&E Expert, as well as the International Stakeholder Engagement and Gender Expert. The consultant will act as an advisor and technical resource person with respect to integrating SESP and gender considerations into the project’s planned activities. These elements are important since the proposed work relates to management/disposal of hazardous chemicals and wastes and may carry social implications in terms of job access in informal waste processing sectors, or occupational health considerations when working in such business.

This Specialist will report directly to the PPG National Technical consultant and will work under the overall guidance of UNDP-Maldives, aforementioned international experts, the UNDP/GEF Regional Technical Advisor/Specialist on Chemical Management in UNDP Regional Bureau of Asia Pacific (RBAP), in close coordination with the Ministry of Environment of Maldives.

The consultant will work in close cooperation with the relevant local Maldives agencies (ministries, research institutions, NGOs) and other stakeholders relevant for the subject-matter of the project and will support the creation of conditions conducive to strengthening the national ownership of the project.

[1] SIDS Waste Management Outlook, 2019, IETC (not available online as of 12 March 2019)

[2] Cleaner Pacific Strategy, https://www.sprep.org/attachments/Publications/WMPC/cleaner-pacific-strategy-2025.pdf

s[3] GEO SIDS Outlook 2014

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the National Technical Coordinator and UNDP programme analyst, in coordination with Ministry of Environment, the SESP consultant will bear the following responsibilities.

1. Review the available documentation on the project, including the project PIF and draft UNDP Project Documentation.
2. Assist in finalizing relevant SESP related sections of the UNDP Project Document including integration of SES and Gender work into project document
3. Under the guidance of the international expert on Impact Assessment and M&E; assess potential impacts, identify, and develop appropriate risk management measures, in line with UNDP’s Social and Environmental Standards (SES)

• ?Desk Review Report

Draft summary report on potential social and environmental risks expected to result from project’s activities, with a draft road map on how the project has to address those risks.

• SESP

Conduct the Social and Environmental Screening Procedure (SESP) defined by SES, to identify potential social and environmental risks and their significance and to determine the Project’s risk category (Low, Moderate, High).

• ESIA

If the project is assigned a medium-risk categorization, the consultant will be required to conduct a targeted Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) to identify and assesses the potential social and environmental impacts of the higher risk activities and evaluate alternatives. Annex 1 provides an indicative ESIA outline.

If the project is assigned a high-risk categorization, the consultant should identify and focus the ESIA on key issues and establish a logical roadmap to guide the full ESIA to be conducted during project inception stage.

• ESMP

For either a medium or a high-risk project categorization the consultant will be required to develop an Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP). The ESMP consists of the avoidance, mitigation, monitoring and institutional measures – as well as actions needed to implement these measures. This is informed by the ESIA process. Annex 2 provides an indicative ESMP outline.

         4. Under the guidance of the International Stakeholder Engagement and Gender Expert, carry out national level stakeholder                   analysis and consultations, and develop a gender strategy for the project.

• Desk Review Report

1. Work closely with the International Stakeholder Engagement and Gender Expert to carry out national level stakeholder analysis and consultations and ensure that they are complete and comprehensive.
   • Conduct consultations with the key stakeholders including women organizations on the gender issues related to the project and collect the stakeholders’ feedback. Incorporate the comments into the Project Results Framework and gender strategy.
2. Develop a participatory gender analysis examining the different needs, roles, access to and control over resources of women and men impacted by the project within the local context and across stakeholder groups; collect gender responsive baseline data relevant to project planning and monitoring; identify the share of female and male direct beneficiaries.
   • Assess potential negative impacts of the project on gender equality and specific activities to mitigate and/or minimize them and incorporate into SESP process.
   • Advise the international and national consultants and the UNDP National Project Officer to ensure that stakeholders consultations with relevant public (and private) authorities and civil society organizations related to the gender aspects take place

• Gender Strategy

Draft a gender strategy for the project and ensure that gender considerations are mainstreamed into all relevant components of the project document. The strategy should include a gender action plan with indicators, targets and time bound outputs to advance women’s empowerment and promote gender equality. The proposed gender related targets, activities and outputs should be realistic and achievable within the project implementation period.

• Conduct consultations with the key stakeholders including women organizations on the gender issues related to the project and collect the stakeholders’ feedback. Incorporate the comments into the Project Results Framework and gender strategy.
• Assist the project development team in identifying and developing partnerships with local women’s NGOs/CSOs and relevant national stakeholders.

Expected Activities and Products

The Consultant will be remunerated upon delivery of the products listed below.

Duration of consultancy

The consultancy has a duration of approx. 30 working days over 15 months. After initial deliverables are completed, the consultant would then remain on stand-by to address any GEF comments which would be received after submission of endorsement package. The delay in the delivery of the products will have consequences on the payment and the recommendations for inclusion in the UNDP roster.

The start date will be counted from the day after the contract is signed. Delivery before the set time limit does not entail additional compensation, but it will be favorably valued.

Work location

Home-based.

The costs associated with travel to regions necessary to complete the products described in the ToR will be borne by the project.

Confidentiality  

The contractor should keep strict confidentiality on all the information that has become available within the framework of this contract, except that which is public. 

Evaluation of proposals  

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on Cumulative analysis. The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as having received the highest score out of set of weighted technical criteria (70%), and financial criteria (30%).

Financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal received by UNDP for the assignment.

Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 70 points)

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Final selection based on interview

Competencies

• Professional knowledge of environmental regulations and normative acts in Maldives.
• Experience in working with government, private sector and civil society on SESP aspects.
• Experience in working with government and civil society on gender related topics.
• Experience in gender related data collection and processing.
• Experience in international project proposal writing and implementation is an asset.
• Prior experience with UNDP is a strong advantage.
• Proficiency of spoken and written English.
• Ability to present ideas in writing in a clear and concise way.
• Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;
• Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback.
• Excellent communication and IT skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• University degree in in environmental protection and/or policies, natural sciences, development, social sciences or similar disciplines. Master’s degree in related fields will be considered an advantage.

Experience

• Experience in formulation and implementation of social and environmental safeguards procedures in environmental and other programmes.
• Experience carrying out gender analysis, developing gender action plans or gender mainstreaming.
• SESP related experience in GEF projects will be considered as advantage.
• Experience in projects in the field of human rights and environmental protection, waste management, and other relevant fields is an asset.

Language requirement

• Fluency in written and spoken English and Dhivehi is required.

Application process

Interested individuals must submit the following as proposals in order to demonstrate their qualifications:

• A letter indicating why the candidate considers himself/herself suitable for the required consultancy
• Submission of an updated detailed Personal CV or P11 form which can be downloaded from  http://sas.undp.org/documents/p11_personal_history_form.doc
• At least two references from recent previous jobs or three references contact details
• Financial proposal indicating Daily consultancy fee

Note: Please note that UNDP jobsite system allows only one uploading of application document, so please make sure that you merge all your documents into one single file.