International Consultant - Development of Child-Centered Climate Policy Briefs and CLAC review

The purpose of this assignment is to produce two concise, action-oriented policy briefs and visual tools to support advocacy on child-centered climate adaptation and systems integration, complementing the three existing ones already produced, as well as to finalize the updated Climate Landscape Analysis for Children (CLAC) for Bangladesh.

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For every child, inspiration.

One in three children in Bangladesh, or a staggering 19 million, five million of whom are under the age five, are threatened by devastating floods, cyclones, droughts, and other environmental disasters. Bangladesh’s Children are particularly affected by the impacts of climate change such as direct physical impacts causing injury or death, as well as psychological effects. Additional subsequent resource crises such as water crisis, health crisis, educational crisis, protection crisis and participation crises threaten their very lives.

Preliminary assessment of secondary information shows that Bangladesh faces one of the highest degrees of vulnerability to climate change impacts, with floods, cyclones, diseases (such as dengue) and droughts being the most prominent and common type of hazards. This low vulnerability is paired with relatively low readiness to deal with the impacts and is reflected in the ND-GAIN index where Bangladesh ranks 160 out of 181 countries.  Average temperatures are projected to increase by 1.4 °C and 2.4 °C by 2050 and 2100 respectively, resulting in an almost permanent state of heat wave. Also, Bangladesh ’s average cyclonic activity (already one of the highest in the world with on average one severe cyclone every three years) is expected to rise with increasing sea-surface warming and sea level rise and significant impact on populations. For example, Cyclone Sidr November 2007 left more than 2.3 million households affected, and 3,500 people dead and more than 55,000 people sustaining physical injuries. Heavier and longer Monsoons also contributes to the increase in floods.

Cyclones and floods damage and destroy houses, essential infrastructure, local ecosystem, embankments, coastline, and people’s livelihoods as well as prose a heightened risks of injuries, deaths and illnesses. A total of 16.5 million of Bangladesh’s children live near rivers or in coastal areas highly exposed to flooding. The climate impacts affect children, esp. girls, access to education and safety (safe sanitation facilities, inadequate emergency shelter, longer water collection routes, etc.). In nutrition, wasting and stunting rate increases after cyclones due to food insecurity

Where crops and vegetables are destroyed and cannot be produced due to water salinity in coastal locations.  Diarrhea, cholera and typhoid are prevalent among children after cyclones and floods, while children are exposed to sexual abuse in cyclone and flood shelters by pedophiles or orphaned when they lose parents in such disasters. Finally, cases are reported of children forced into child marriage due to poverty and poor socio-economic condition as a result of climate change-induced disasters.

The lack of such critical services deprive children and girls from fully exploiting their full potential and life opportunities. While exposure to climate (intensity and frequency) gives a first indication on the impact on children, other risk intensifying factors (poverty, inequality, gender, disability, fragility, humanitarian stress, violence, conflict) define a child’s vulnerability to climate risks. Children are more vulnerable than adults when exposed to climate risks because of their limited coping capacities and means to respond to climatic changes which are further dependent on the availability of resources with their households. Poorer households are more likely to use negative coping mechanisms (e.g. depletion of assets, reduction of food consumption or purchase of lower nutritional value food, less use of medical services and commodities, allowing children to drop out of school to contribute to income generation). If not addressed, projections suggest that climate impact can rise extreme poverty in Bangladesh by another 15 per cent by the year 2030.

How can you make a difference? 

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

The purpose of this assignment is to produce two concise, action-oriented policy briefs and visual tools to support advocacy on child-centered climate adaptation and systems integration, complementing the three existing ones already produced, as well as to finalize the updated Climate Landscape Analysis for Children (CLAC) for Bangladesh.

These deliverables will strengthen UNICEF’s policy advocacy and programming, including contributions to the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) 3.0 and related national frameworks. To enable evidence-informed advocacy, the consultant will help communicate climate–child risks and policy options in accessible, visually compelling formats that support resource mobilization, government dialogue, and donor engagement.

The key objectives of the consultancy are to:

• Translate evidence and policy priorities into communication tools for decision-makers, UN actors, and donors.
• Provide actionable recommendations from UNICEF Bangladesh to showcase its climate programming and maximize its impact on children and vulnerable communities.
• Review, update, and finalize the Climate Landscape Analysis for Children (CLAC) incorporating feedback from UNICEF ROSA and relevant sections, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s strategic climate priorities.

Scope of the Work

Under the overall guidance of the Chief of Field Services and in close collaboration with the Programme Specialist – Climate and relevant sector teams, the consultant will:

1. Review and Update the CLAC
   1. Review the existing Climate Landscape Analysis for Children (CLAC) for Bangladesh.
   2. Conduct consultations with relevant UNICEF sections (Health, WASH, Education, Child Protection, Nutrition, etc.) to ensure sectoral inputs are reflected.
   3. Incorporate feedback received from management, Section Chiefs, regional office and headquarters on the shorter version of the CLAC.
   4. Update, incorporate all feedback from sections, ROSA and HQ and finalize the CLAC, ensuring consistency with the NDC 3.0, UNICEF’s policy briefs, and other current climate programming and that all products are aligned with UNICEF branding.
2. Develop Advocacy and Policy Products
   1. Review relevant literature and UNICEF documentation, including the finalized CLAC, sector-specific NDC 3.0 targets, U-Report findings, and other national and sectoral policy documents.
   2. Synthesize key risks and opportunities for integrating child-sensitive climate action in at least three sectors: Health, Education, and Nutrition/Child Protection.
   3. Draft two sector-specific policy briefs (5 pages each):
      1. 1 policy brief on Climate, Emergencies, DRR and Climate Risks
      2. 1 policy brief on Climate and Child Protection
      3. Produce one infographic summary for each policy brief, highlighting key messages and data in a visually engaging format.
      4. Develop an advocacy slide deck (minimum 10 slides) summarizing findings and recommendations from both briefs, for use with government counterparts, development partners, and donors.

     If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:   Consultant_TOR_CLAC.pdf

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Master’s degree in public policy, Economics, Communication, or Environmental Studies. 
• Work Experience: At least 5 years’ experience developing briefs, reports, or advocacy tools for UN or development partners.
• Strong writing, visual communication, and sectoral knowledge required. A minimum of 5 years proven experience in conducting research and analysis related to climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts, preferably in Bangladesh or similar contexts.
• Familiarity with the climate change landscape in Bangladesh, including key stakeholders and ongoing initiatives.
• Previous experience developing CLAC for other UNICEF country offices.
• Strong analytical and writing skills, with the ability to communicate complex ideas clearly and concisely.
• Experience working with UN agencies or other international organizations is an asset.
• Language Requirements: Ability to speak and write in English language

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.