Mission and objectives

Since its inception in 1972, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has been the global authority that sets the environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. UNEP’s mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations. Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, UNEP works through its divisions as well as regional, liaison and out-posted offices and a growing network of collaborating centres of excellence.

Context

Climate stability is one of three strategic objectives of the UNEP medium-term strategy for the period 2026–2029. To inform climate-related policies, the high-quality data and statistics are needed. The needs for climate change and disaster-related statistics must be met through improved data collection, increased use of administrative records, geospatial data sources, citizen-generated data, as well as enhanced national capacity to turn data into statistics. While enhancing data collection and analytical capacities for better adaptation and mitigation policies, a gender perspective should be taken into consideration. This United Nations Volunteer (UNV) assignment is part of the UNEP’s project “Informing Policy on Climate, Nature, and Pollution through strengthening national, regional, and global indicator frameworks, and environmental economic accounting on the environment”, Output B “Methodological research to develop indicator frameworks that support monitoring of gender and environment, circular economy, and interlinkages”, activity B.2 “Strengthen the capacity of selected countries to produce climate change and disaster-related statistics, taking into consideration a gender perspective, and enhance analytical capacities for better adaptation and mitigation policies (DA17)”. Under activity B.2, UNEP, in collaboration with the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), implements a small-scale project, which aims to improve statistical guidance on monitoring and reporting on climate change and disaster-related statistics taking into account a gender perspective; strengthen national capacity in four pilot countries in Africa, West Asia, and Latin America; and enhance country-level knowledge to monitor the nexus of climate change, disaster-related and gender statistics, to inform relevant policy makers.

Task Description

Under the supervision of the Programme Management Officer (Statistician) from the Data Analytics, Statistics and Intelligence Section of the Office of Science of UNEP, and in close collaboration with relevant colleagues from UNSD, the volunteer will: • Facilitate communication between implementing entities and national consultants in Cameroon, Colombia, Jordan and Tanzania on the mapping of available climate change and gender data sources to construct a pilot list of national gender-sensitive climate change indicators. • Analyse the results of the mapping of available climate change and gender data sources in four pilot countries. • Facilitate the organisation of nation workshops in Cameroon, Colombia, Jordan and Tanzania, including the preparation of draft agendas, concept notes, workshop reports and other relevant documents. • Manage the project webpage at sdgs.unep.org and update relevant information. • Prepare newsletters on the project activities. • Support the organisation of UNEP-UNSD meetings/calls on project activities and prepare meeting minutes. • Maintain ongoing communication with the project stakeholders, including experts from UNEP, UNSD, RCOs, pilot countries and other relevant stakeholders for coordination purposes. • Develop draft annual progress reports on the project implementation in accordance with the template. • Manage other relevant tasks. The activities of this United Nations Volunteer (UNV) will contribute to the work on measuring climate change with a gender dimension for better adaptation and mitigation policies, with the following deliverables: • A pilot list of core gender-sensitive climate change indicators and methodological guidance will be developed in close collaboration with the four pilot countries and other partners. • The results will be presented at meetings of the Expert Group on Environment and Climate Change Statistics, and the Inter-Agency and Expert Group on Gender Statistics, to collect feedback and apply it to consolidate the proposed pilot list. • A report on Climate Change and Gender will be developed and global webinars will be organised to strengthen national capacity around the world.

Competencies and values

• Professionalism: shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. • Teamwork: working within an established team; supporting colleagues; sharing responsibility for decision making and results; encouraging others to contribute; forming a new team; collaborating with colleagues across work units, departments or divisions; establishing or developing a team culture, or standards of behaviour within a team. • Communication: advocating to, or influencing, others, either internally or externally; issuing instructions or directions to others, or conducting briefings; preparing written communications (e.g., reports, correspondence, emails); delivering presentations; conducting negotiations or taking part in debates and discussions; providing technical advice or support. • Creativity: developing new programmes or services; improving existing programmes or services; adapting existing programmes or services for application in new and different environments; finding new solutions to address operational or strategic problems; participating in projects to develop organizational structures, systems or strategy; working on activities, or in environments, which are new for the UN; responding to the demands of stakeholders for new approaches to be adopted.

Living conditions and remarks

Kenya is a unique country and Nairobi is a unique (humanitarian) operation. It provides for an interesting and enriching environment, but also requires a mature level of cultural awareness, as well as more stamina and commitment than elsewhere to make life comfortable and affordable. Therefore, flexibility and the ability and willingness to live and work in harsh and potentially hazardous conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort, are essential The contract lasts for the period indicated above with possibility of extensions subject to availability of funding, operational necessity and satisfactory performance. However, there is no expectation of renewal of the assignment. A UN Volunteer receives a Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) per month and is paid at the end of each month to cover housing, utilities, transportation, communications and other basic needs. The VLA can be computed by applying the Post-Adjustment Multiplier (PAM) to the VLA base rate of US$1,602. The VLA base rate is a global rate, while the PAM is country- specific and fluctuates on a monthly basis according to the cost of living. UNV provides life, health, permanent disability insurances as well as assignment travel, annual leave, full integration in the UN security framework (including residential security reimbursements). UN Volunteers are paid Daily Subsistence Allowance at the UN rate for official travels, flight tickets for the final repatriation travel (if applicable). A resettlement allowance is paid for satisfactory service at the end of the assignment. UNV will provide, together with the offer of assignment, a copy of the Conditions of Service, including Code of conduct, to the successful candidate. Disclaimer The United Nations Volunteers programme (UNV) is an equal opportunity programme which welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture.