SDG 6 Information Desk Coordinator

Details

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

UNEP’s Ecosystems Division works with international and national partners, providing technical assistance and advisory services for the implementation of environmental policy, and strengthening the environmental management capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition. Within the Ecosystems Division, the Freshwater Ecosystems Unit (FEU) supports and advocates for improved water resources management and the protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems worldwide. It provides Member States and other stakeholders with accurate information on the current state of their freshwater ecosystems and develops tools and programs that support the monitoring, management, protection, and restoration of freshwater ecosystems in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. UNEP is the custodian UN agency to support all UN member states with monitoring and reporting on progress towards three of the SDG targets on Integrated Water Resources Management, Water Quality and Freshwater Ecosystems. It also coordinates UNEP-wide freshwater strategies towards the implementation of UNEP’s Medium-Term Strategy 2022 – 2025. The FEU also acts in a coordinating role to provide strategic support and guidance to UNEP on freshwater issues as a whole in its external communications

Task description

Under the direct supervision of Programme Coordinator for SDG 6 monitoring, Freshwater Ecosystems Unit, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks: • Oversee the day to day running of the SDG 6 information desk system to manage the global SDG 6 data drive in 2023 across UNEP’s three water indicators: 6.3.2 on ambient water quality, 6.5.1 on integrated water resources management, and 6.6.1 on freshwater ecosystems. Tasks include: o Support coordination with technical expert partners across the three indicator teams, as they will also be involved in the information desk. o Identify and liaise directly with national indicator focal points and overall SDG 6 focal points. o Communicate data requests, providing information on processes and procedures, and disseminate indicator methodologies, guidance and training and resource materials. o Respond to country queries in relation to the above. o Undertake quality assurance on country indicator submissions, in line with agreed protocols. o Maintain a record of all communication with countries. • Assist the freshwater unit with the design and dissemination of other global freshwater data collection tools and methodologies, as agreed, including analyse and interpret responses, identify issues, and prepare preliminary conclusions. • Contribute to the preparation of written outputs, by gathering inputs, drafting text, providing edits and contributing to the preparation of reports and other materials related to SDG indicators and targets. • Support internal coordination and coherence around freshwater-related topics, including to other units, branches and Divisions of UNEP. • Solicit, gather, collect, organize and display information on UNEP’s project-related work on freshwater topics for internal and public information, including through emails and websites. • Liaise with, and convene, other actors and networks within and outside of UNEP to provide relevant information, support the dissemination of information about the work and strategic priorities of UNEP in relation to freshwater.