Project ID -00116851 - PPG phase - "ISLANDS – Indian Ocean Child Project”

National Consultant (IC) for Gender, Environment and Stakeholder Engagement Expert for “ISLANDS – Indian Ocean Child Project

Background

Due to their small size and narrow resource bases, Small Island Development States (SIDS) are import-dependent economies. 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.

The main systematic challenges and associated drivers that pose environmental threats in the Seychelles are the following:

• Improving the control of products, materials and chemicals entering Seychelles (including increasing capacity of customs’ officers/border control officers and institutions responsible for the sound management of chemicals) and supporting the introduction of safer / low chemical alternatives (focus on mercury containing products in support of the 2020 Minamata deadline and products containing new POPs).
• Introduction of financially sustainable green procurement systems in priority sectors (Tourism, Agriculture & Health) including the identification, assessment, validation of alternative safer low/non-chemical products and chemicals (including reducing the use of single use plastics). This includes upstream partnerships with manufacturers to reduce the volume of materials and products (including their packaging) that are consumed in SIDS.
• Reduction of hazardous waste generation rates and its improved national and regional management (including interim storage), treatment and/or disposal (with a particular focus on pesticides, mercury containing products and products containing new POPs) though engagement of the private sector and unlocking national and international financing for required infrastructure.
• Improving the regulatory framework (including a pollutant inventory/registry) pertaining to the import, use, handling and disposal of hazardous chemicals, their wastes and products containing such chemicals

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 Seychelles 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.

Objectives of the consultancy
Under the guidance of the PPG National Technical consultant, and guidance of the International Stakeholder Engagement and Gender and Environment and Stakeholder Engagement consultant and the International Impact Assessment and M&E Expert, the SESP (Social and Environmental Screening Procedure) the National Expert on gender/Environment/stakeholders engagement will act as an advisor and technical resource person with respect to integrating gender perspectives, SESP considerations environment and social safeguards and stakeholder engagement into the project. 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-Seychelles and the International Technical Coordinator Consultant, in close coordination with the Environment, Energy and Climate Change and the Land Waste Management Agency in Seychelles and will be  informed by the guidance from the UNDP/GEF Regional Technical Advisor/Specialist on Chemical Management in the UNDP Regional Service Centre based in Istanbul.

Key deliverables:

1. Desk analytical work
2. Gender Action and Stakeholder Engagement Plans
3. SESP/ESMF documentation
4. Remain on stand-by for addressing GEF comments

Detailed description of responsibilities available in the TOR

Duration of the work

The Consultant will be engaged under an Individual contract (IC), and the whole assignment will be for 30 days of work within the period of 15 November 2019 to 15 January 2021 (14 months).

Work location

Home-based
The consultant will assess the relevance of national trips, considering the methodology section of this ToR. The costs associated with travel to regions necessary to complete the products described in the ToR will be borne by the project.

Submission
Applications should be sent through email: procurement.mu@undp.org on or before 24 October 2019, Thursday- 16:00 hours Seychelles time (GMT+4)

Annexes
Annex A - Letter of confirmation of interest and availability and Submission of financial proposal
Annex B - Model Contact IC
Annex C - UNDP GCC IC
Annex D - P11
Terms of Reference