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UNDP in joint partnership with FAO and UNEP in currently implementing a joint “Strengthened Approach for the Integration of Sustainable Environmental Management in Afghanistan” (SAISEM) programme. This Joint Programme is designed to promote a strengthened approach for the integration of sustainable environmental management into national sectoral strategies; promote capacity and institutional building of relevant government counterparts to operationalise and implement the environmental concerns reflected in the national strategies; and support demonstration activities in the field, the lessons from which will feed into strengthening the national and sub-national planning and community-level engagement for environmentally sustainable development of Afghanistan.
As such this Joint Programme directly contributes to the achievement of Environment and Natural Resource goals of in the 2010-2013 UNDAF, as well as Afghanistan’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It also directly responds to the environment and natural resources benchmarks as articulated in the interim Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS).
The Programme will promote the formulation of suitable policy / strategic frameworks, including formulation of guidelines for mainstreaming environment into the planning and implementation of the key partner agencies namely NEPA and MRRD and other key line ministries. This is part of the institutional capacity building of the two agencies for an effective implementation of the strategies and projects, while integrating environmental considerations into the national and sub-national planning process; and raise awareness on the topic at all levels. This process is intended to inform the environmental and natural resource legal and regulatory framework of the country.
Managing the natural resources of a country is an especially important and critical responsibility In Afghanistan. The National Environment Protection Agency (NEPA) and the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) are particularly important agencies in this sector. NEPA acts as the overall policy and regulatory custodian whilst MRRD is mainly responsible for the implementation of community and rural development for the effective which depend on and impact on the natural resource base.
MRRD’s mandate is to achieve human security, equity and pro-poor growth in rural Afghanistan through comprehensive programmes for “good local governance”, “increased productive infrastructures”, “enhanced livelihoods”, “informed decision making” and “mitigation of shocks”. MRRD has proven its ability to respond to the needs on the ground in the past few years and ensure government footprint on the ground through community projects and regional provincial setups for linking rural development with peace-building and human security. As such, its activities extend across the country, encompassing a variety of large-scale national programmes with various focuses.
As the environmental regulatory body, NEPA’s institutional mandate is expressed as follows:
- Protect the environmental integrity of Afghanistan and support sustainable development of Afghanistan’s natural resources through the provision of effective environmental guidance and management services;
- Coordinate environmental affairs at international, national and sub-national level;
- Develop and implement environmental law, policies, strategies, regulations and procedures;
- Provide environmental management services in the areas of environmental impact assessment, air and water quality, waste management, pollution control and permitting of activities that impact the environment;
- Provide communication and outreach for environmental information specifically for the needs of Afghanistan;
- Increase public awareness and capacity about environment, biodiversity and other resources management;
- Provide management services for natural heritage conservation through legal and regulatory measures and monitoring.
Despite the huge task and mandate, NEPA is a relatively a young institution having been established in 2005 under the Afghanistan Environmental Law.
Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and education requirements.
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Duties and Responsibilities
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In carrying out the assignment, the contractor will be required to undertake comprehensive consultations with the relevant stakeholders, potential partners, actors in the sector and potential donors in the light of the UNDP Programme Framework and country development framework.
Bi-weekly progress briefing meetings would be expected with the project and NRE Unit teams. Regular consultations, reports and presentations would be expected to be part and parcel of the process of executing the assignment including updating and consulting with the heads of major partners agencies/ministries including NEPA and MRRD as well as other relevant Ministries. The outcome of the process is expected to have a strong sense of ownership by NEPA, MRRD and other Ministries based on a ‘buy-in’, highly consultative and participatory process.
Summary of Key Functions:
- Background review of the MRRD and NEPA as well as other related Ministries such as MoAIL, MoEW, MoPH, MoPW, Ministry of Education , Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, policies and legal frameworks relevant for environment management;
- Analysis of current and planned policy frameworks for MRRD and NEPA and the relevant line Ministries with a view of formulating appropriate mechanisms, guidelines and tools to enable the two institutions to incorporate environment mainstreaming (EM) into their planning and implementation;
- Make an assessment of opportunities for environment mainstreaming in view of the institutional mandates, responsibilities and operations of MRRD and NEPA including the roles and responsibilities of Provincial Development Councils (PDCs), District Development Assemblies (DDAs) and Community Development Councils (CDCs);
- Review the current strategic frameworks and plans (including institutional strategic plans, development plans and programme plans with a view of identifying opportunities for environment mainstreaming;
- Review the current documents (above) in terms of outcomes, synergies and gaps with a view of supporting MRRD and NEPA develop the capacity for:
- Institutional and capacity building support for policy development and environment mainstreaming.
- Strategic and thematic programmatic support for the integration of environmental considerations into the formulation and implementation of their various projects and programme.
- Planning and Promotion of economic development initiatives that comply to environmental standards including.
- Facilitate a broad range of consultations in respect of the above with MRRD, NEPA, DDA, CDCs and key interested partners;
- Facilitate partners’ consultative meetings to secure all stakeholders buy-in and endorsements of the guidelines for environment mainstreaming.
Deliverables:
- The main expected output of the mission is the National Guidelines for mainstreaming environment into the policy, planning and implementation frameworks of the ANDS;
- To build the capacity of NEPA, as an independent institutional entity, to co-ordinate, and monitor conservation and rehabilitation of the environment and to ensure implementation of the Environment Act and as mandated by the Environmental Law (2007);
- Develop operational guidelines and specific manuals and tools for undertaking and monitoring EIA processes by NEPA and other ministries including providing training to NEPA and MRRD central and provincial staff as well as other Ministries in skills to execute their mandate related to EIA as provided for by the policy and legal frameworks including the Environment Law;
- Field test the guidelines, manuals and tools, including on-site conducting training sessions, with central and provincial staff of NEPA and MRRD and other related Ministries;
- Produce finalized practical guidelines, manual and tools into simple handbooks for use by practitioners in NEPA, MRRD and other stakeholders in environment mainstreaming.
Duration and Commencement of the Assignment:
The duration of the mission will be 30 working days of which the consultant would work 2 days home based desk review and intensively in country for a period of up to 28 working days.
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Competencies
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Competencies:
- Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
- Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
Functional competencies:
- In depth technical knowledge of environmental policies and guidelines development including environmental mainstreaming;
- Strong knowledge of a UN-Joint programme;
- Strong understanding of governmental policies and rules;
- Strong Business Report Writing;
- In depth Knowledge of evaluation and assessment;
- Ability to provide top quality policy advice services on related issues.
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Required Skills and Experience
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Education:
- Post Graduate Degree (Masters Level) in Environment and Natural Resource Management or Rural Development.
Experience:
- At least 10 years senior level working proven and exemplary experience in developing policies and guidelines including manuals and tools for mainstreaming environment into policy planning and implementation;
- Experience in development of environmental policies, strategies, regulations with specific relevancy and applications to EIA processes;
- Experience working with institutional capacity development with regard to integration and mainstreaming new concepts such as environmental mainstreaming into overall institutional policy, planning and implementation in the context of rural development;
- Strong track record of achievement in the Environmental sector;
- Experience in conflict and post-conflict countries/countries in early stages of recovery or transition;
- Understanding of Afghanistan context;
- Strong organizational, political and interpersonal relationship skills;
- An ability and willingness to travel internally within Afghanistan;
- Experience in Partnership and Joint UN Programming – especially with UNDP, FAO, UNEP, WFP etc.
Language Requirements:
- Excellent command of written and spoken English;
- Knowledge of a local language would be an asset.
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