GEDSI-Sensitive DRR Expert
Organizational Context
The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) is the UN system's focal point for coordinating disaster reduction efforts and ensuring synergies. This assignment, part of the "Water at the Heart of Climate Action" project, strengthens collaboration between UNDRR, MINEMA, and UN Women in Rwanda to address water-related hazards and their disproportionate impact on vulnerable groups.
Job Purpose
The purpose of this role is to design, validate, and deliver a comprehensive, actionable, and budgeted National Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Strategy for Rwanda. This strategy will operationalize UN Women's localized assessment data and guidelines, aligning with the water-centric goals, multi-hazard early warning benchmarks, and community resilience targets of the "Water at the Heart of Climate Action" project. The role contributes to enhancing Rwanda's resilience to water-related climate hazards by integrating GEDSI principles into national DRR frameworks, ensuring that early warning systems and response mechanisms are inclusive and accessible to all vulnerable populations, including women, children, youth, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.
Responsibilities
The consultant will conduct a desk review synthesizing UN Women's GEDSI assessments and DRR/EWS roadmaps, analyzing the intersection of water-related hazards with gender, age, and disability. They will ensure the strategy aligns with the "Water at the Heart of Climate Action" project, Rwanda's national policies on water resources management, climate change, and gender, as well as MINEMA's strategic plan and climate targets. The role involves facilitating multi-stakeholder consultations with government ministries, CSOs, and organizations of persons with disabilities. Key responsibilities include drafting a five-year Rwanda GEDSI-DRR Strategy focused on inclusive, multi-hazard early warning systems, developing a costed implementation plan with a MEAL framework using sex, age, and disability-disaggregated data, and leading national validation workshops to finalize the strategy.
Work Experience
A minimum of five years of progressive experience in developing national-level strategic policies within DRR, climate change adaptation, or environmental governance is required. Technical expertise in integrating GEDSI/Gender-responsive methodologies into water management, climate resilience, or emergency frameworks is essential. Experience with UN agencies and national line ministries in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly Rwanda, is desirable.
Skills
Disaster Risk Management, Water Resources Management, Environmental Sciences, Gender Studies, Development Studies, National Policy Development, GEDSI Integration, Climate Change Adaptation, Environmental Governance, Water-Climate Nexus Understanding, Hydrometeorological Risk Analysis, Inclusive Early Warning Systems (EWS), Stakeholder Consultation, Project Alignment, MEAL Framework Development.