Consultancy - External communication on the impact of water scarcity on peace and stability

The purpose of this consultancy is to develop communication products that will support the Government of Jordan and UNICEF’s advocacy and awareness campaigns on the impact of water scarcity on peace, stability and economic prosperity.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child. 

BACKGROUND:

Jordan's water scarcity is central to it's stabilizing role in the Middle East. The increasing importance of water in the peace, stability and economic future of the region has been unanimously recognized. The country is vulnerable to both the threats of climate change and drought, and the political ones of water management, including transboundary competition and regional instability. However, although it could be expected that with scarce access to fresh water, there could be a large potential for conflict it is also true that there is evidence of significant cooperation.

Currently Jordan ranks as the second most water scarce country in the world and annual renewable water resources are less than 100 m3 per person, significantly below the threshold of 500 m3 per person for severe water scarcity. In this context Jordan has faced chronic challenges to ensure the provision of clean water and sanitation services for decades, particularly in rural areas.

The recent influx of refugees has compounded the country's already precarious water resource situation. Due to the increasing population but also economic standards, competing demands, and lower rates of water recharge, the levels in some of the main aquifers have declined more than 10 meters over the last few years.

The potential impact of climate change in Jordan is uncertain but most likely will be both direct, and indirect. In direct terms, less frequent and potentially more intense rainfalls are expected alongside higher temperatures. This will mean the ground absorbs less water when it does rain and increased irrigation will be required, pulling even more heavily from declining aquifers.

OBJECTIVE:

The purpose of this consultancy is to develop communication products that will support the Government of Jordan and UNICEF's advocacy and awareness campaigns on the impact of water scarcity on peace, stability and economic prosperity.

DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT:

All activities to be developed as part of this consultancy should be done in agreement with UNICEF Jordan Country Office and in collaboration with the Ministries of Water and Irrigation (MOWI), Ministry of Environment (MoE), and Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation (MOPIC), as required after initial consultations. Pitching of deliverables to Jordanian media outlets and social media influencers is part of the roles and responsibilities of this consultancy.

In close collaboration with MOWI and sectoral experts, a series of external communications deliverables are generated and disseminated throughout this consultancy to raise and sustain awareness and action of target groups on the impact of water scarcity on stability in Jordan.

The work should incorporate themes of equity including vulnerable/excluded communities; youth livelihoods and engagement; and social cohesion.

KEY DELIVERABLES AND TIMEFRAME: 

A set of deliverables are expected of this consultancy to capitalize on different streams of the Jordanian media and to generate and maintain momentum for public and political awareness, dialogue and action water scarcity and stability in Jordan.

The consultant is expected to conduct a thorough review of global, regional and national publications on this topic, as well as existing national policies, articles and publications related to water scarcity and stability in Jordan. This will include work of the public sector, universities and other actors such as donors, NGOs, etc.

One scoping mission will take place during which the consultant may require organizing meetings with different stakeholders including Governmental officials.

Based on the literature review and scoping mission the consultant will develop an article and a set of communication products.

The table below explain main responsibilities and expected results.

The table below details expected deliverables:

TRAVEL CONSIDERATION:  

This consultancy will be conducted partially home-based (10 days) and the days on-site (12 days).

For individual contractors and consultants, all travel arrangements to commence the assignment, including insurance and visas, will be managed and paid by the individual. Therefore, expected travel costs must be included as a budget item in the financial proposal.  Should a mission travel be required, UNICEF will manage and pay for travel via Travel Authorization. However, this will be subject to the following prerequisites:  Medical Clearance, Security Clearance through the Travel Request Information Process (TRIP) system, the Basic and Advanced Security in the Field Trainings, Travel Visa, and liability waiver. Trip prerequisites will be met at the expense of the consultant.

Travel cost shall be calculated based on economy class travel, regardless of the length of travel.  Costs for accommodation, meals and incidentals shall not exceed applicable daily subsistence allowance (DSA) rates, as promulgated by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC at http://icsc.un.org). The consultant must travel on UNICEF approved airlines.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have: 

Education: Advanced university degree in journalism or related fields

Working experience: Minimum 10 years of experience in journalism, including successfully pitching articles to major international news organizations. Skills in multimedia communication design also an asset.

Technical knowledge:

• Experience with field-based research and/or investigative journalism.
• Background in water resources, including within a global and regional perspective.
• In-depth understanding of children's rights, including, if possible, connections to water scarcity.
• Demonstrable social media skills
• Sound understanding of digital media platforms

Languages: Excellent English skills both written and spoken are a must.

For every Child, you demonstrate: 

Our core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply.

• Candidates will not be considered if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation or sexual abuse, or crimes other than minor traffic offences, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts.
• UNICEF is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

For UNICEFs standards, please refer to UNICEF Procedure for Ethical Standards in Research, Evaluation, Data Collection, and Analysis (http://www.unicef.org/supply/files/ATTACHMENT_IV-UNICEF_Procedure_for_Ethical_Standards.PDF)