Organizational Setting UN Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global 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. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. UNEP's Climate Change Division works with international and national partners, providing technical assistance and capacity building support for the development and implementation of climate change policy and action, and strengthening the capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition to respond to climate change. Background UNEP promotes increased knowledge, investment and action in climate change adaptation, with a focus on incorporating ecosystem based approaches, through three main areas of work: i) catalysing country level action by accessing international finance for adaptation on behalf of developing country governments and supporting governments to execute EbA projects, ii) distilling evidence for normative policy and programming guidance to catalyse more action on climate change and iii) by strengthening networks and dialogue processes between people and groups engaged in adaptation, in particular on EbA. In so doing, UNEP promotes actions to improve the scientific basis of policy and planning processes particularly in relation to finding solutions to adaptation through the natural environment. Under the MTS 2022-2025, Climate Action is one of UNEP’s three strategic objectives. The expected 2030 outcome of this UNEP strategic objective is that government and non-government development action are compatible with the long-term mitigation and resilience goals of the Paris Agreement. By drawing on lessons and successes from UNEP’s 10 National Adaptation Plans (NAP) completed/ near completion projects , this briefing note intends to build UNEP’s brand as an authority and global expert on the topic of climate adaptation and bring to the fore the lessons learned in terms of gender mainstreaming in the NAP process. The policy brief will be a key input by which UNEP will influence the UN system and other public and private sector entities, in line with the UNEP mandate of being a global advocate for environmental action and the main voice in the UN system for integrating the environmental dimension into the sustainable development agenda. At the level of direct action, the publication will:

•  Increase the number of countries that have integrated gender approaches into their National Adaptation Plans eqqRdoz u3B1T
•  Support governments to design and implement gender-sensitive NAPs successfully. The objectives of the NAP process are: (a) To reduce vulnerability to the impacts of climate change, by building adaptive capacity and resilience (b) To facilitate the integration of climate change adaptation, in a coherent manner, into relevant new and existing policies, programmes and activities, in particular development planning processes and strategies, within all relevant sectors and at different levels, as appropriate (decision 5/CP.17, paragraph 1). The UNFCCC's Least Developed Countries Expert Group (LEG) on adaptation released Guidelines for National Adaptation Plans (December 2012) and a number of Supplementary Guidelines. NAPs are focused on medium and long-term adaptation planning. Planning for adaptation at the national level is a continuous, progressive and iterative process, and should be based on and guided by the best available science, as stated in the NAP technical guidelines (UNFCCC, 2012). Furthermore, several publications have been produced on gender-responsive NAP processes: e-course (Green Climate Fund), framework (NDC Partnership) and supplementary technical guidelines (NAP Global Network). UNEP is currently supporting 26 country National Adaptation Planning processes with financial support from GCF (24) and Global Environment Fund LDC Fund (GEF LDCF, 2):
  •  4 projects recently approved: Cameroon, Eritrea, Georgia, Seychelles; -12 projects in implementation: El Salvador, eSwatini, Gambia, Iraq, Lesotho, Maldives, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Uganda; -10 projects closed/ in the process of completion: Dom Rep, Costa Rica, Ghana, Honduras, Lao PDR, Malawi, Mauritania, Mongolia, Nepal, Zimbabwe. Annual progress reports are available for the NAP projects detailing progress that are under implementation. NAPs are focused on medium and long-term adaptation planning. Planning for adaptation at the national level is a continuous, progressive and iterative process, and should be based on and guided by the best available science, as stated in the NAP technical guidelines (UNFCCC, 2012). Furthermore, several publications have been produced on gender-responsive NAP processes: e-course (Green Climate Fund), framework (NDC Partnership) and supplementary technical guidelines (NAP Global Network). UNEP is currently supporting 26 country National Adaptation Planning processes with financial support from GCF (24) and Global Environment Fund LDC Fund (GEF LDCF, 2):
    •  4 projects recently approved: Cameroon, Eritrea, Georgia, Seychelles; - 12 projects in implementation: El Salvador, eSwatini, Gambia, Iraq, Lesotho, Maldives, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Uganda; - 10 projects closed/ in the process of completion: Dom Rep, Costa Rica, Ghana, Honduras, Lao PDR, Malawi, Mauritania, Mongolia, Nepal, Zimbabwe. Annual progress reports are available for the NAP projects detailing progress that are under implementation. The audience is intended to be the UNEP-supported NAP country teams in terms of supporting the Community of Practice; other readiness Delivery Partners supporting countries with their NAPs; the UNFCCC process streams on LDC Expert Group, Adaptation Committee, Santiago Network/Loss and Damage. Duties and Responsibilities Under the guidance of the UNEP Task Manager, the consultant will develop a policy brief on the lessons learned from gender mainstreaming in National Adaptation Planning processes in Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Lao PDR, Ghana, Malawi, Mauritania, Mongolia, Nepal, Zimbabwe. The consultant will undertake the following tasks: Task 1: Stock-take of gender mainstreaming guidelines and activities 1.Review the existing guidelines on gender integration in the NAP process, in particular: the Toolkit for Gender-Responsive Process to Formulate and Implement NAPs,, the GCF e-course on Mainstreaming gender in NAPs, and the NDC Partnership framework for Gender-Responsive NAP Processes . Summarize key recommendations in a 5-pager maximum. 2.Review the 10 completed/ nearly completion NAP project proposals and develop a typology of gender mainstreaming activities contained in each. Identify the NAP stages (as per the UNFCCC guidelines) where gender integration is conducted and draft an illustrative graph. 3.Make recommendations on the effectiveness of the gender mainstreaming activities conducted, the relevance of the NAP stages, and highlight potential missing activities Task 2: Synthesis of practice and lessons learned to help improve effectiveness For the projects under active implementation, consult UNEP synthesis materials that have been produced for the NAP portfolio and consult with the NAP portfolio management team and Task Managers to explore the following issues: 1.Assess the extent to which the key recommendations from the gender guidance reviewed above have been integrated and utilized in the Costa Rica, Malawi and Nepal projects. Identify the key bottlenecks, facilitating factors and contextual analysis of the limiting and enabling conditions for gender integration in the 3 selected projects. 2.Present 3 good practice case studies of gender mainstreaming, each illustrating a different NAP stage from the Costa Rica, Malawi and Nepal projects. 3.Develop practical recommendations for improving the quality and extent of gender integration in NAPs, building on the assessment above regarding the usage of the existing gender guidelines. Task 3: Prepare the policy brief to publishable standard 1.Develop draft policy brief for review by UNEP allowing three weeks for review (15 pages maximum). 2.Finalise the policy brief based on review comments

  Qualifications/special skills

Master’s Degree in a relevant subject such as Environmental Sciences or Development Studies is required. At least 7 years of practical adaptation experience working at the policy and field level, and at least one previous work experience on gender mainstreaming is required. At least one previous work experience on gender mainstreaming is required. At least one previous work experience on NAP process is desirable

Languages

Fluency in written and oral English is required Knowledge of Spanish and/or French would be an added advantage.

Additional Information

Not available.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.