TERMS OF REFERENCE
Position: Local expert on social inclusion, gender aspects amd mainstreaming related to Climate Vulnerability Assessment for Biosphere Reserve "Prutul de Jos"
Project: Enhancing climate resilience in the Biosphere Reserve „Prutul de Jos”
Project number: 8360-00/2019
Donor: Austrian Development Cooperation
Reporting to: EcoContact, Project Manager
Post type: Individual service contract
Estimated implementation period of assignment: May – September 2020 (with possibility for extension)
Working languages: English, Romanian/ Russian
Organizational Context
The project “Enhancing climate resilience in the Biosphere Reserve „Prutul de Jos” supported by the Austrian Development Cooperation, aims to support national and local authorities in implementing the Law on the establishment of the Biosphere Reserve „Prutul de Jos” no.132 of 13.07.2018 that entered into force on 24.08.2018. Within the project, the assistance will be provided to central authorities and particularly to local actors from 10 mayoralties with the purpose to enhance climate resilience; support the implementation of pilot measures on adaptation to climate change, which will be identified in the course of the project; and to learn how to contribute to the preservation of the ecosystem. The project will be implemented in the Lower Prut area, which is located in the Southern part of the Republic of Moldova and includes the Prut River and naturally flooded lakes. A wetland that stretches along the Prut River covers a mosaic of water ecosystems, meadows, and forests. The territory (more than 14,771 ha) is part of the Cahul district and the communities of Brînza, Cîşliţa-Prut, Colibaşi, Crihana Veche, Giurgiuleşti, Manta, Slobozia Mare, Vadul lui Isac and Văleni.
The intended Impact of the project is: The Natural Protected Area Biosphere reserve “Prutul de Jos” is managed sustainably taking into account climate change impacts and delivers ecosystem services for local communities.
The project’s expected outcome is: Climate resilience of the Natural Protected Area Biosphere reserve “Prutul de Jos” is enhanced and communities and local authorities have increased their capacities for climate change adaptation.
Expected Outputs of the project:
Output 1: Climate change risks identified, recommendations elaborated and priority adaptation measures implemented in a participatory manner within the Biosphere reserve “Prutul de Jos” area;
Output 2: The information and awareness about the value of the protected area and its ecosystem services as well as climate change impacts are increased;
Output 3: Capacities of local and national level actors (women and men) on climate resilience and effective management of the Natural Protected Area Biosphere reserve “Prutul de Jos” are strengthened;
Output 4: The institutional and regulatory framework for integrated management of the Biosphere reserve “Prutul de Jos” and the Sub-Basin Frumoasa-Crihana River is strengthened in a participatory manner.
The objective and tasks of the assignment:
The Biosphere Reserve „Prutul de Jos” was established by law in 2018. It is located in the South-Western part of Moldova, along the lower course of the Prut River The Lower Prut Lakes were officially recognized in 2000 as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, and the protected area is the first one in Moldova which has gained international UNESCO status in 2018. Two-thirds of the area are occupied by Lake Beleu, a wetland area that extends along the Prut River, covering a mosaic of water, meadow and forest ecosystems.
Protecting areas rich in biodiversity is the most common and most important strategy for biodiversity conservation, water resource management and for the prevention of land degradation. The Biosphere Reserve „Prutul de Jos” was established to represent and protect specific natural features, species, and communities. However, as temperature, precipitation, and incidences of wildfires change, species are moving, plant and animal communities are being reassembled, and unique landscapes are altered or are facing the risk of extinction.
A Climate Vulnerability Assessment (CVA) will be organized in the first phase of project implementation to prioritize project interventions in the area as well as to mainstream the identified measures into local development policies. A team of five persons will be contracted for elaboration of the CVA. The team will be lead by an international expert. The local expert on social inclusion and genderwill work closely with hydrology, DRR and climate change, biodiversity experts and directly report to the team leader.
The team will work on elaboration the methodologies available for such assessment (cf. IUCN and similar organizations) and tailoring to the local needs and available data. The methodological approach with the outline of the report will be developed as the first step of the assessment. Since this will be a first-time experience for protected areas in the Republic of Moldova, a round of discussion with national-level authorities is foreseen, once the methodology is developed, in order to validate its applicability for the Biosphere Reserve and other similar areas in the future.
The expert will further build on the recommendations from the CVA and initiate the integration of the recommendations for the local-level strategies, ensuring that gender and vulnerabilities are fully addressed on the local level as will be formulated in CVA.
The main objectives of the local expert on social inclusion and gender aspects related to CVA are as follows:
- To carry out gender analysis in the communities of the project area that are directly related to the nature, scope and planned interventions of the project. Look at issues such as gender division of labor, women’s participation in agriculture activities, women’s access to and control on and leadership in existing farmer water user communities;
- Support the project team in disaggregated data collection that envisage the project area,
- To carry out a detailed gender and social inclusion analysis to identify roles, responsibilities and access related to natural resource management;
- To collect baseline data and information on reference points in relation to all performance indicators established with team leader and targets that could possibly be included in the design and monitoring framework;
- Work closely with team leader and designated team toward elaboration of the social inclusion and gender aspects as a component within methodology for CVA on the current level of the climate resilience that will highlight biodiversity and ecosystem impacts, different type of vulnerabilities upon local communities in the “Biosphere Reserve Prutul de Jos”. Proposed methodology should be in line with the provision of Environmental, Gender and Social Impact Manual of the Austrian development Cooperation [1].
- Together with team leader and designated team present to the national (Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment; Environmental Agency, Agency “Apele Moldovei) and local level (Administration of the reserve, representatives from Local Public Authorities) stakeholders, the social inclusion and gender aspects as a component related to the methodological approach and tools to be applied within CVA process, and integrate their recommendations into the final methodology.
- To support the discussion on the proposed CVA measures on the level of communities and support their further integration into the policy level documents.
For conducting the CVA process, a group of experts will be selected, consisting of an international expert (team leader) and local experts on biodiversity, hydrology, DRR and climate change, social inclusion and gender issues. The task of the social inclusion and gender expert will be providing the contribution to the methodology, CVA process and report regarding social and gender aspects from communities that are included into the project. The expert will work with existing documents, data and also perform onsite vizits to collect data, validate conclusions.
For the integration of the recommendations the expert will work closely with the representatives of the communities from “Biosphere Reserve Prutul de Jos”.
Management arrangements
The local expert on social inclusion and gender aspects will be part of the assignment implementing team, lead by the international expert. All deliverables that are indicated in these ToR will be developed jointly by the team. He/she will be working in close cooperation with EcoContact’s project manager and experts. All costs associated with the assignment, including travel, communication should be included into the offer. All deliverables submitted will be coordinated with the representative of Austrian Development Agency (ADA) responsible for supervision of the current project.
Deliverable and timeline for the implementation of the assignment
| Deliverable |
Due time
and % of contract to be paid
|
| Inception report which will include social inclusion and gender aspects as a component within the Methodological approach for conducting CVA analysis and outline for the CVA report for the Biosphere Reserve “Prutul de Jos” ” (in English language). |
May, 2020
(20%)
|
| Report following the first mission to Moldova of the team leader, present the relevant information on social inclusion and gender aspects, to be part of the methodological approach, which will include key findings on climate vulnerability assessment and recommendations for integrated resilience (in English language).. |
June, 2020
(30%)
|
| Draft the social inclusion and gender aspects as a component within the CVA report for the Biosphere Reserve “Prutul de Jos”. The document will be a common document of the team. (in English language). |
July, 2020
(30%)
|
| Report on providing support for the integration of the proposed measures into the local development plans |
September, 2020 (can be extended as necessary)
(20%)
|
Qualifications:
- Advanced university degree or equivalent in social sciences (economics, psychology, sociology etc.) or natural sciences, environmental management or related fields.
- At least 5 of demonstrable experience and knowledge in the local gender issues;
- Knowledge on existing gender and social data on the national level, their limitations;
- Strong expertise in Gender Relations, Social Inclusion;
- Experience in the field of Environmental Management would be an advantage as well as understanding of climate change, risk, vulnerability and resilience;
- Experience of implementing similar assignments at the local, regional or national level, is mandatory.
- Strong analytical and data management skills;
- Ability to plan, communicate effectively orally and in writing, solve problems, adapt to different cultural, economic, political and social environments;
- Experience in working in multi-national teams;
- Working knowledge of Romanian or / and Russian language;
- Proven written and oral communication skills in English will be a strong advantage.
How to apply:
Bidders must submit the following documents in English:
- The CV of the expert: The CV of the expert should reflect the relevant experience in the area of assignment, and at least three references of the previous CVAs conducted.
- Financial offer for the implementation of the assignment including travel costs.
Please send the documents with the indication of the Lot in the subject line before May 19, 2020 to the email address of procurari@ecocontact.md. All bidders will receive the confirmation of the registration via email message.
For detailed information, please contact Catalina Arghir, Project Manager, +373 22 996162.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
[1] https://www.entwicklung.at/fileadmin/user_upload/Dokumente/Publikationen/Handbuecher/Environmental_and_Social_Impact_Management/EGSIM_Manual_Juni2018.pdf
