South Sudan is one of the countries hardest hit by climate change. The region often experiences severe droughts, floods, and unpredictable rainfall, leading to widespread food insecurity, displacement, and loss of livelihoods. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), over 7.2 million people in South Sudan are currently facing acute food insecurity, and climate change is a big part of the problem. South Sudan is grappling with many socio-economic and security challenges, and climate change exacerbates these challenges. Climate change affects women and girls disproportionately, intensifying gender inequalities and hindering peacebuilding efforts.
Climate disasters have displaced many communities, increasing the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs). The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that nearly 1.7 million people are internally displaced in South Sudan, and most of them are women and children. These displaced women and girls face greater risks of gender-based violence (GBV) and have less access to essential services.
Agriculture, the backbone of South Sudan's economy is heavily impacted by climate change. Women, who make up over 60% of the agricultural workforce, are particularly affected by reduced agricultural productivity. Unpredictable weather disrupts planting and harvesting, leading to crop failures and reduced food availability. This not only threatens food security but also undermines women's economic independence and their ability to support their families.
Climate change has also led to water scarcity and contamination, which negatively impacts health. Women and girls, who are mainly responsible for collecting water, now spend more time and effort on this task, limiting their opportunities for education and economic activities. Flooding exacerbates waterborne diseases, posing significant health risks. According to UNICEF, only 41% of the population has access to safe drinking water, and women and girls often suffer the most from these health impacts.
Displacement and resource scarcity due to climate change contribute to increased gender-based violence (GBV), with women and girls facing heightened risks of sexual violence, exploitation, and abuse. Displacement camps and informal settlements often lack adequate protection measures, exacerbating their vulnerability. In South Sudan, particularly in areas like Upper Nile and Jonglei that are severely affected by climate shocks, there has been a notable increase in GBV cases.
The interplay of climate change and conflict significantly complicates peacebuilding efforts in South Sudan. Women's participation is crucial for effective peacebuilding, yet climate change poses substantial barriers to their involvement. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) underscores the importance of addressing the interconnected issues of climate, gender, and conflict to achieve sustainable peace. Women's leadership in climate adaptation and resilience-building initiatives can bolster community resilience and foster long-term stability.
A major challenge is the lack of comprehensive data on the specific impacts of climate change on women and girls in South Sudan. This data gap hinders a complete understanding of the problem's scope and the development of targeted interventions. Without detailed information, efforts to address the unique vulnerabilities and needs of women and girls are less effective, limiting the impact of policy responses and support programs.
Rationale:
UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.
UN Women is implementing its Strategic Note (SN) 2023-2025, which aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and UN Women’s Global Strategic Plan (SP). This document outlines the strategies and resources necessary to achieve gender equality and empowerment in South Sudan.
As part of this effort, UN Women is also leading the "Local Solutions to Climate Resilience and Advance Peace and Stability in Bor, Pibor, and Malakal" project. This initiative aims to enhance peace and stability through resilience-building efforts in these regions. It is a collaborative endeavor with IOM and FAO, involving interventions at various levels, including individual, household, community, local, city, subnational, institutional, and national levels.
One of the key outcomes of the Strategic Note is that women and men in South Sudan, particularly youth and vulnerable groups, benefit from and contribute to more sustainable and inclusive economic development. This includes increased economic diversification, improved climate change adaptation, and greater resilience to economic shocks. The assessment on climate change will further support this by equipping relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Local Government Authorities (LGAs), communities and programs to establish and maintain inclusive, gender-responsive early warning systems and disaster preparedness, response, and recovery mechanisms.
Objectives:
The assessment on the impact of climate change on women and girls will be conducted across the 10 States and 3 Administrative areas in South Sudan. The results from this assessment will inform what measures are needed to address the specific vulnerabilities and challenges faced by women and girls due to climate change. Specific objectives of the assessment include:
An assessment on the impact of climate change on women and girls in South Sudan is a crucial step towards creating a more resilient and equitable society. It will help protect women's rights and ensure their active participation in climate resilience and adaptation efforts.
With direct reporting to the Programme Officer Women, Peace, and Security and under the overall guidance of the Deputy Country Representative, the consultant will:
1. Conduct a country-wide assessment on the Impact of Climate Change on Women and Girls in the Context of Conflict and Peacebuilding in South Sudan:
2. Facilitate both internal and external validation workshops` to review the data collected with key stakeholders and produce a final assessment report incorporating comments from the validation workshop:
Deliverables | Estimated number of working days to complete works | Completion dates | Payment Schedule/Condition |
| 5 days | 1st – 8th October 2024 | 20% of the total contracted after receipt of invoice and receipt and acceptance of the deliverable. |
| 40 days
| 8th October – 2nd December 2024 | 30% of the total contracted after receipt of invoice and receipt and acceptance of the deliverable. |
| 10 | 2nd November – 15th December 2024 | 50% of the total contracted after receipt of invoice as well as receipt and acceptance of the deliverable |
TOTAL |
| 55 working days |
|
Core Values:
Core Competencies:
Key Performance Indicators:
Functional Competencies
Education and certification:
Experience:
Language Requirements:
Annex: (I) Application procedure and deadline
Technical component:
Financial proposal (with your signature)
UN Women P-11 Form:
Applications must have the completed UN Women P-11 form to be treated as complete and be considered for further assessment. The Personal History Form P-11 that can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment
Please note the system will only allow one attachment, hence please combine multiple files (the letter of interest, CV, financial proposal and completed UN women P-11) while uploading the attachment.
Qualified women candidates are highly encouraged to apply.
Note:
In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality, and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for more significant impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW, and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.
At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, colour, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organisational need.
If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.
UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (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.)