Climate change, manifesting in the form of intensified cyclones, storm surges, and sea-level rise (SLR), is accelerating saltwater intrusion into the freshwater resources of the coastal belt of Bangladesh. Climate change-induced soil and water salinity is projected to adversely impact freshwater dependent agricultural livelihoods (leading to loss of productivity or livelihoods) as well as the availability and quality of drinking water in the vulnerable coastal communities. Among the vulnerable coastal communities the women and socio-economically marginalized groups such as Indigenous groups are more vulnerable given their specific livelihood circumstances, their socio-political isolation perpetuated by unequal power dynamics, and related information asymmetry and constraint in decision making processes. A large portion of the coastal population of Bangladesh is highly exposed to climate change impacts. Particularly, climate-induced increases in the salinity of soil and freshwater aquifers (through sea level rise and cyclone-driven salt water inundations) pose a significant threat to agriculture-based livelihoods. Both Khulna and Satkhira experience extreme and increasingly common weather phenomena such as tropical cyclones, storm surges, floods and droughts on regular basis. These events severely impact the agriculture sector, drinking water supply, homes and infrastructure in both districts, putting people’s lives, livelihoods and assets at risk. The vulnerability of coastal communities to these changes in their environment is shaped by the topography, by virtue of being low-lying and pervaded by river networks, due to pervasive poverty, and due to limited enabling environment to allow the shift towards alternative, climate change resilient livelihoods. Between 16 and 35 percent of people living in Khulna and Satkhira are extremely poor. Gender inequality prevails in these districts through various social and cultural norms that shape women’s day-to-day activities as well as their capacity to adapt to climate change. For example, women have less decision-making power within the household and the workplace and are expected to manage the household and care for the family. Compounding these factors, climate change aggravates the burden of unpaid care work, creating a cycle, which undermines their climate change resilience. The project is targeted to support an estimated 245,516 people directly from 56,264 households including 579 Indigenous Peoples/Ethnic Minority households (0.19% of the total households) and seeks to offer targeted support to women and adolescent girls in two coastal districts – Khulna and Satkhira in Bangladesh, by- - Providing skills training and assets for a selected number of fisheries and agriculture-based climate-resilient livelihoods, and promote market linkages for these livelihoods options;
- Providing potable water solutions for a selected number of most salinity-affected wards within the districts, not currently covered by other interventions, through Rain Water Harvesting System (RWHS) at the institutional, community and household levels and pond based system with filtration treatment technologies at the community level; and finally
- Strengthening institutional capacity, knowledge and learning on the climate-risk informed management of livelihoods and drinking water security.
By improving the water security and livelihood options of women in the target districts, the project aims for gender-responsive results regarding women’s access to resources and decision-making power and support women in taking the lead in building community adaptive capacity. The project “Enhancing adaptive capacities of coastal communalities, especially women, to cope with climate change induced salinity” [Gender-responsive Coastal Adaptation (GCA)] funded by GCF/GOB/UNDP, has already identified 8 livelihood options as gender responsive and climate change resilient livelihoods. These came from a long list of 38 livelihood options gained from community-level assessments and the assessment of the best practices in comparable settings down to 17 considering salinity and cyclone resilience and fresh water dependency, followed by a comprehensive screaming of those options with the different aspects of the livelihood options- (i) profitability and market potential/value chain access; (ii) gender responsiveness and transformation potential; (iii) socio-economic considerations and community acceptance; and (iv) environmental impacts. Finally accepted 8 livelihood options which are including- (i) crab farming and trading (ii) crab nursery (iii) aqua-geoponics (iv) hydroponics (v) plant nursery (vi) sesame cultivation (vii) homestead gardening (viii) crab and fish feed processing. A total of 1017 groups (details breakdown are provided in Table 1) will be formed with 25 members in each group and each group will be trained on 3 livelihood options out of eight and will be given input support for 3 production cycles for 2 selected livelihood options based on beneficiary preference. OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT The main objective of the assignment is to develop a climate risks and impacts and Adaption Scenarios Model (ASM) of coastal livelihoods. The ASM will be used to implement the project activities in order to mitigate potential risks and adverse impacts on women and Indigenous Peoples/Ethnic Minorities in the Project area. It will also intend to build the adaptive capacities of women in coastal communities of southwest Bangladesh and enable them to take up resilient, adaptive livelihoods in the face of climate-induced salinity. The specific objectives of the assignment are - To identify the Key Hazards, Vulnerabilities and Risks due to Climate Change in coastal regions, for women and adolescence girls.;
- To identify the Key Impacts of climate change (Changing Live, Losing Livelihood);
- To explore the Settlements and Infrastructure;
- To help/facilitate coastal poor households and communities taking gender-responsive and climate risk informed livelihood decisions;
- To facilitate promotion of climate adaptive Knowledge Attitude and Practices (KAP) into livelihood planning of project households and communities; and
- To facilitate the Adaptation Strategies of coastal livelihood for Reducing Vulnerabilities due to Climate Change.
Competencies | a. Strong interpersonal and communication skills; b. Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities skills; c. Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback; d. Ability to plan, organize, implement and report on work; e. Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines; f. Comprehensiveness knowledge of climate change. g. Proficiency in the use of office IT applications and internet in conducting research; h. Outstanding communication, project management and organizational skills; i. Excellent presentation and facilitation skills. j. Demonstrates integrity and ethical standards; k. Positive, constructive attitude to work. l. Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability. | Required Skills and Experience | Education: - Master’s degree or higher in Climate Change and Development, Agriculture, Development Economics, Environmental Economics, Environmental Engineering/Management, Planning, or a closely related field.
Experience: - At least 10 years of relevant experience preferably in the area of climate resilient livelihoods and integrated natural resources planning at national and sub-national levels ; experience in South Asia would be an advantage.
- Comprehensiveness knowledge climate change, adaptive livelihoods, coastal communities of Bangladesh or similar developing countries.
- Excellent interpersonal skills to work in a team.
- Ability to work independently and to deliver high quality framework/report with minimal supervision/feedback.
- Demonstrated command over capturing climate change issues, development of planning, writing professional reports/project documents in English in a timely manner with evidence by submission of sample reports.
- Excellent drafting ability, presentation, and communication skills, both oral and written;
- Skills in facilitation and coordination, entrepreneurial spirit and demonstrated ability to work in an independent manner; commitment to teamwork and to working across disciplines;
- IT literacy, familiarity with e-presentation techniques and ability to operate with on-line web-based applications.
- Work experience in an international organization is an advantage, as is knowledge of UNDP policies and procedures.
Language: - Excellent knowledge of the English language, with exceptional writing, presentation and communication skills;
- Proficiency in other UN languages is an asset
FINANCIAL PROPOSAL Please indicate fee structure: All-inclusive lump-sum fee in the financial proposal. Note: Payments will be made upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR and certification of acceptance by the PMU. The consultant must factor in all possible costs in the “All Inclusive Lump Sum Fee/Daily fee” financial proposal including consultancy and professional fee, DSA for field visits, honorarium, communication cost such as telephone/internet usage, printing cost, transportation, ad-hoc costs, stationery costs, and any other foreseeable costs in this exercise. The cost for organizing scheduled meeting, training, FGDs and KIIs related to this assignment will be borne by UNDP. No costs other than what has been indicated in the financial proposal will be paid or reimbursed to the consultant. UNDP will only pay for any unplanned travel outside of this TOR and Duty Station on actual basis and on submission of original bills/invoices and on prior agreement with UNDP officials. RECOMMENDED PRESENTATION OF OFFER Please submit the below preferred documents with the presentation of offer: - Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability
- UNDP Personal History Form (P11);
- General Terms and Conditions of Hiring an IC
- Technical proposal with clear outline and methodology of the task;
- Financial proposal with breakdown of the cost items.
Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Please group them into one (1) single PDF document as the application only allows to upload maximum one document Document download link: LINK-1) Personal History Form – https://www.bd.undp.org/content/dam/bangladesh/docs/Operatinos/Jobs/P11_Personal_history_form_latest%20version.doc LINK-2) Interest and Submission of Financial Proposal – https://www.bd.undp.org/content/dam/bangladesh/docs/Jobs/Interest%20and%20Submission%20of%20Financial%20Proposal-Template%20for%20Confirmation.docx ANNEXURE Annex A: GCA’s Livelihoods Assessment Report Annex B: GCA’s Gender Action Plan Annex C: Environmental and Social Safeguard Framework |
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