Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus Specialist

Details

Mission and objectives

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System. It serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, forms a continuous spectrum of in-depth local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan. The United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UN Guiding Principles) is widely recognized as the most authoritative, normative framework guiding efforts to reduce or eliminate the adverse impact of business operations on human rights. Experts have described it as the single most important innovation in promoting sustainable business practices in the last 25 years – a role that is reinforced by its inclusion as one of the Means of Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda).

Context

The two-year conflict in Northern Ethiopia has triggered a major humanitarian crisis in Afar, Amhara and Tigray regions with profound adverse effects on Ethiopia’s ambitious economic and governance reforms. The conflict resulted from significant loss of lives; displacement of millions needing humanitarian assistance; and large-scale damage to infrastructure and services. On 2nd of November 2022, an agreement for lasting peace through a Permanent Cessation of Hostilities was signed between the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (GoE) and the TPLF. Led by the AU, the Peace Agreement has ended active combat in Northern Ethiopia and raised hope for a gradual restoration of services and humanitarian operations in the region. This wide-ranging agreement committed, among other things, to an immediate and permanent cessation of hostilities, the creation of an interim administration in Tigray region pending regional elections, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) of ex-combatants (XCs), resumption of unhindered humanitarian access, the restoration of essential services, reintegration of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returning refugees, transitional justice, social cohesion and reconciliation, and recovery and reconstruction. The peace agreement also paves the way for the restoration of peace, security, and stability in the Afar, Amhara and Tigray Regions. It is in this context that UNDP has developed a ‘Peace Support Programme/Facility (PSP/F)’ nested within the Federal Government’s Resilient Recovery and Reconstruction Framework (3RF) but focused on urgent actions over a period of 24 months to stabilise conditions, restore a sense of normalcy, and deliver a first peace dividend to conflict-impacted populations. The approach is to fill the gap that is likely to open between the urgency of addressing a wide range of priority needs quickly to consolidate peace and stabilise conditions and the time it will take for the larger, longer-term and more comprehensive 3R Framework to kick-in meaningfully, possibly in late-2024, at the earliest. Moreover, the PSP/F is designed flexibly, so that it could potentially be scaled-up to become the foundation of a larger UN-wide effort in the same direction. In line with this approach, the PSP/F is being implemented already in Afar, Amhara and Tigray regions. The strategic goal of the PSP/F is to contribute toward an irreversible peace process in Northern Ethiopia. This will be pursued through an actionable set of measures that can build trust between communities and legitimate Ethiopian authorities and lay the foundations for recovery, peacebuilding, and sustainable development, founded upon country leadership and ownership. Working within the broader framework of 3RF, the PSP/F will focus on the following windows: Window 1: Local Governance, Human Rights and Social Cohesion Window 2: Basic Social Services (health, nutrition, education, WASH, protection) Window 3: Economic Revival (enterprises and agriculture, demining) Window 4: Demobilization and Reintegration of Ex-Combatants Window 5: Solutions to Internal Displacement Geographic Focus: Afar, Amhara and Tigray (Northern Ethiopia); Window 4 Demobilization and Reintegration of Ex-Combatants (8 regions) Target conflict-impacted populations: 10 million

Task description

• Contribution to the advancement of the HDP nexus approach in Ethiopia o Provide support to the overall coordination functions of the triple nexus with a particular emphasis on enhancing inclusive synergies and participation of government institutions and the private sector. o Take part in the context analysis to timely document any risks, opportunities and good practices that could hamper or enable the operationalization of the triple nexus. o Contribute to the integration of the Peace element and other crosscutting aspects in the overall HDP nexus programming cycles. o Support field operational teams on the activity monitoring in convergence areas. This may include assistance in the conception or update of tools to track among others, the level of community accountability and engagement across HDP nexus cycles. • Advocacy, Outreach and Resource mobilization o Assist the Peace Support Facility in the mobilization efforts of required resources for the operationalization of HDP nexus in Ethiopia. This may include but not limited to contributing to the finalization of a Trust Fund proposal while also keeping an eye on any potential funding opportunities. o Contribute to the acceleration of the SDG Localization Agenda in Ethiopia by support the process of mainstreaming HDP nexus principles into local development plans. o Assist the HDP nexus Coordinator and UNDP Peace team on any other functional aspects deemed necessary.