Mission and objectives

As the United Nations lead agency on international development, UNDP works in 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities, and to build resilience to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Our work is concentrated in three focus areas; sustainable development, democratic governance and peace building, and climate and disaster resilience. UNDP’s mandate is to end poverty, build democratic governance, rule of law, and inclusive institutions. We advocate for change, and connect countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP has been working in India since 1951 in almost all areas of human development. Together with the Government of India and development partners, we have worked towards eradicating poverty, reducing inequalities, strengthening local governance, enhancing community resilience, protecting the environment, supporting policy initiatives and institutional reforms, and accelerating sustainable development for all. With projects and programmes in every state and union territory in India, UNDP works with national and subnational government, and diverse development actors to deliver people- centric results, particularly for the most vulnerable and marginalized communities. As the integrator for collective action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the UN system, we are committed to supporting the Government of India’s national development vision and priorities and accelerating the achievement of the SDGs for the people and the planet. With projects and programmes in every state and union territory in India, UNDP works with national and subnational government, and diverse development actors to deliver people-centric results, particularly for the most vulnerable and marginalized communities. As the integrator for collective action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the UN system, we are committed to supporting the Government of India’s national development vision and priorities and accelerating the achievement of the SDGs for the people and the planet. Our Country Programme (2023-2027) builds on our prior work and aims to provide an integrated approach to development solutions in three strategic portfolios: • Strong, accountable, and evidence-led institutions for accelerated achievement of the SDGs • Enhanced economic opportunities and social protection to reduce inequality, with a focus on the marginalized • Climate- smart solutions, sustainable ecosystems and resilient development for reduced vulnerability. South-South cooperation, gender equality and social inclusion are promoted across the pillars. The programme is supported by a framework of renewed partnerships and blended finance solutions, strategic innovation and accelerator labs, and data and digital architecture.

Context

Persons with disabilities are among those most disproportionately affected by natural hazards, climate-induced disasters and public health emergencies. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 recognizes persons with disabilities as important stakeholders and calls for their inclusion across disaster risk reduction (DRR) policies and practices. At the national level, India’s Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 mandates the protection, safety and assistance of persons with disabilities in situations of risk, including disasters and humanitarian emergencies. India has a strong disaster management architecture, anchored in the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) and District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs). However, disability inclusion within state- and district-level DRR systems remains uneven and insufficiently institutionalized. Key gaps include limited use of disability-relevant data in preparedness planning, weak continuity arrangements for assistive technology and essential services, inaccessible early warning and evacuation systems, and inconsistent participation of persons with disabilities and Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) in preparedness, response and recovery. In response UNDP in close coordination with UNICEF, WHO and the UNRCO, is implementing the District-Level Disability-Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DiDRR) Project in partnership with the SDMAs of Bihar, Himachal Pradesh and Odisha, and OPDs. The project will be implemented in 10 high-risk districts across the three pilot states as a proof of concept to generate practical tools, institutional models and lessons for wider scale-up. To anchor this work within state institutions and support sustained implementation, three Disability-Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction Officer (DiDRR) Officers will be engaged, one in each pilot SDMA. The DiDRR Officers will serve as the primary state-level technical resource persons for disability-inclusive DRR, supporting coordination, technical planning, OPD engagement, district-level implementation and documentation of lessons from the pilot.

Task Description

Under the overall supervision of the Programme Specialist, UNDP and the day-to-day functional guidance of the designated SDMA counterpart, the DiDRR Officer will provide technical advisory, coordination and capacity-development support to advance disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction at the state, district and community levels. The Disability-Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction Officer (DiDRR) Officer will: • Undertake a situational analysis of disability inclusion within the assigned state’s DRR architecture, including institutional capacity mapping, OPD ecosystem mapping, review of relevant state and district disaster management plans, and preparation of actionable recommendations and a workplan for the assignment period. • Provide technical support to strengthen the application of relevant national and state disaster management policies, plans, SOPs and related frameworks so as to better integrate disability inclusion across preparedness, response and recovery systems. • Support the development and application of key technical tools and frameworks for disability-inclusive preparedness and planning, including a state-contextualized DiDRR checklist, disability data synthesis, assistive technology preparedness and continuity planning, and stakeholder coordination mechanisms. • Support community-level preparedness processes across the pilot districts, including inclusive micro-planning, accessibility assessments of shelters and camps, and strengthened coordination among Aapda Mitras, OPDs, local authorities and persons with disabilities. • Support the design, delivery and documentation of disability-inclusive training, simulations and other capacity-building activities for government stakeholders, frontline workers and community actors. • Prepare a state capacity-building roadmap to support sustained disability-inclusive DRR implementation at state and district levels, including indicative resource requirements. • Support the preparation of a state-level Detailed Project Report (DPR) for scaled implementation of disability-inclusive DRR, aligned with relevant national and state financing mechanisms, including indicative budgets, phasing and institutional arrangements. • Document and synthesize good practices, lessons learned and implementation experience from the pilot to support programme learning, scale-up, wider replication of disability-inclusive DRR approaches and the development of a future national programme. • Contribute to programme monitoring, mid-term review and other learning processes by providing analytical inputs, case studies, emerging lessons and recommendations for programme improvement and scale-up. • Contribute to learning and dissemination products, including briefs, case studies, presentations, reports and knowledge-sharing events for UN agencies, partners, donors and broader cooperation processes. • Prepare a final assignment report capturing progress against deliverables, key achievements, lessons learned, institutional recommendations and considerations for sustainability and scale-up. • Perform any other related tasks as may reasonably be required by the supervisor in line with the overall objectives of the DiDRR programme.

Competencies and values

• Professionalism: Demonstrates sound knowledge of disability inclusion, DRR, and human rights frameworks; applies expertise with accuracy, independence, and accountability. • Integrity: Upholds UN values, CRPD principles, and human rights standards; acts with transparency and impartiality. • Teamwork and Collaboration: Works effectively and inclusively with diverse teams across UN agencies, government, OPDs, civil society, and community actors. • Planning and Organising: Demonstrates ability to manage multiple workstreams, meet deadlines, and deliver results with minimum supervision. • Communication: Excellent oral and written skills; ability to translate technical concepts for diverse audiences including government officials, community members, and persons with disabilities. • Flexibility and Adaptability: Works effectively in challenging environments; adapts to evolving programme needs and government counterpart priorities. • Commitment to Continuous Learning: Actively pursues learning and development opportunities; applies emerging good practices in DiDRR programming. Disability and Inclusion-Specific Values • Rights-Based Approach: Applies CRPD-compliant, rights-based approaches in all activities; treats persons with disabilities as rights-holders and agents of change, not beneficiaries. • Intersectionality: Demonstrates awareness of and sensitivity to intersectional dimensions of disability including gender, age, caste, minority status, and disability type. • 'Nothing About Us Without Us': Consistently facilitates and champions the meaningful participation of persons with disabilities and OPDs in all programme activities. • Cultural and Social Sensitivity: Works inclusively and respectfully with diverse communities; familiarity with Indian social context, disability movement, and community-level realities.

Living conditions and remarks

The capital city of Bihar located at the southern bank of the river Ganga, Patna is the largest town of the state. The history of this city stretches beyond 2500 years back. The ancient name of this city was Pataliputra which remained as the capital of Magadha under multiple dynasties for about thousand years Cost of living is very affordable and all basic amenities for comfort living are available. Shimla is the capital of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, in the Himalayan foothills. Once the summer capital of British India, it remains the terminus of the narrow-gauge Kalka-Shimla Railway, completed in 1903. It’s also known for the handicraft shops that line The Mall, a pedestrian avenue, as well as the Lakkar Bazaar, a market specializing in wooden toys and crafts. As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. These positions are based in Patna and Shimla. National UN Volunteers are part of the malicious insurance plan. National UN Volunteers are expected to be culturally sensitive and adjust to the prevailing culture and traditions. UN Volunteer entitlements and allowances: The purpose of the allowances and entitlements paid to the UN Volunteer is to enable UN Volunteers to sustain a secure standard of living at the duty stations in line with United Nations standards without incurring personal costs. For more information on entitlements, please read the Conditions of Service (https://explore.unv.org/cos). For information specific to your assignment, please see below: • Monthly Voluntary Living Allowance (VLA): INR 98,221.78 • Entry lump sum (one-time payment): USD 350 (equivalent in INR) • Relocation costs: $175 at the beginning and end of the assignment, if the duty station is outside of commuting distance (as determined by UNV) • Exit allowance (paid on successful completion of the assignment): $120 for each month served, paid on completion of contract • Annual leave: 2.5 days per month • Insurance: Comprehensive coverage for health, life, and malicious acts for the UN Volunteer and health insurance coverage for up to 3 eligible dependents • Learning: Access to UNV's learning and career development resources