Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)D
Family Type (not applicable for home-based)
Family
Staff Member / Affiliate TypeCONS International
Target Start Date2024-08-01
Job Posting End DateJuly 8, 2024
Terms of ReferenceGeneral Background of Project or Assignment:
Bangladesh hosts an estimated number of 975,350 Rohingya refugees as per the most recent Government of Bangladesh (GOB) and UNHCR population data, comprising 52% children, 44% adults, 4% elderly persons. The average family size of the total registered population is 5. The refugee profiling identified at least 10 % of the total population to have specific needs and 4% living with disability.
The refugees reside in congested camps and are mostly dependent on humanitarian assistance provided by the Government of Bangladesh and humanitarian actors.
The protracted nature of the Rohingya refugee situation and the prevailing challenging context and unpredictable situation in Myanmar will create further uncertainty among refugees, and place continued pressure on host countries. This underlines the compelling need for a comprehensive approach to address the Rohingya situation in the region, drawing on the capacities of a wide range of partners from across all stakeholders.
The 2023 nutrition surveys indicated both global acute malnutrition and severe acute malnutrition rates exceeded critical thresholds (15% and 2% respectively) and were the highest since the 2017 influx. Chronic malnutrition (stunting) continues to remain a concern also in 2023. Stunting rates were around 40%, exceeding the critical range (over 30%) as per the WHO/UNICEF classification. Anaemia prevalence was also high among children aged 6-59 months, which were very close to the critical public health threshold of 40%. This can mainly be attributable to the general food ration cuts, which reduced from USD 12 per person per month to USD 8 in 2023 and increased to USD 10 by January 2024. In the meantime, the Nutrition Sector is conducting further research on the cause of the drastic increase of malnutrition to identify contributing factors. Food security situation remains a concern. According to the Refugee Vulnerability Assessment (REVA 5), 95% refugee households were characterized as moderate to highly vulnerable to food insecurity and the majority have adopted several food and livelihood coping mechanisms to meet the food and non-food needs. Limited access to livelihood and self-reliance opportunities remains one of the main driver of vulnerability within the camps. UNHCR, WFP and other stakeholders have been in the forefront in advocating for inclusion of refugees in relevant GOB national plans and in adoption of new initiatives to improve the lives of the refugees and strengthen their resilience.
Rationale of the Joint Assessment Mission.
UNHCR and WFP Joint Assessment Missions (JAM) is carried out every two years in refugee operations in accordance with the global Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) . The purpose is to assess the food security and nutrition situation of a given refugee population. The JAM process allows the review/evaluation of the ongoing food security and nutrition programmes and identifies protection risks related to food security, community participation and the existing capacities that can be adopted to come up with effective solutions. The findings of the assessment across all the sectors are analysed and used to develop key recommendations, and the development of a Joint Plan of Action (JPA) with the overall objective of improve the nutrition and food security situation among the refugees.
The last JAM in Bangladesh was conducted in 2021. It covered strategic areas of joint interest to UNHCR and WFP . The two agencies have been working on the 2021-2023 Joint Plan of Action (JPA) based on the recommendations on the key thematic areas; coordination, food assistance, health and Nutrition, WASH, Energy, protection (community based, gender, child protection and education), livelihoods and self-reliance, cash-based interventions and data interoperability and data sharing .
The JPA review and evaluation in June 2023 done by thematic focal persons from both agencies indicated good progress and collaboration in meeting some of the agreed upon recommendations and activities. There are key pending actions that would need to be implemented with a long-term perspective and others are no longer relevant in the current and evolving humanitarian context. The continuous joint review exercise also identified priority areas to focus on in the 2024 JAM.
The 2024 JAM will include a desk review of the ongoing food security, health and nutrition, WASH, shelter, environment and energy and other basic assistance programmes, livelihoods and self-reliance opportunities protection risks related to food security. Carrying over from 2021 JAM, it will also continuously consider strategic issues on prioritization and targeting food and other basic assistance, the potential for data sharing/systems interoperability – with a focus on identifying opportunities for greater collaboration and effective joint response. Bhasan Char will be included in the JAM for the first time following the signing of the MOU in November 2021 and the launch of the UN agencies' support under the refugee coordination model led by UNHCR. The recommendations will form the basis of developing the Joint Plan of Action (JPA) which is a key deliverable of the JAM process in line with the strategic directions of the two agencies.
The 2024 JAM will take into consideration key prioritized issues in Cox’s Bazar refugee camps, Bhasan Char Island, as well as the host community living in the nearby Upazilas of Ukhiya and Teknaf, to explore the social dynamics between the two populations, the impact of the influx and determine the potential areas of collaboration with the local government authorities to improve social cohesion and peaceful co-existence in the coming years.
8. Occupational Safety and Health Considerations
To view occupational safety and health considerations for specific duty stations, please visit this link: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel
Specific Occupational Safety and Health Considerations to this assignment (if applicable) :There are no health notices currently in effect for Bangladesh.
Overall Purpose and Scope of Assignment:
Concise and detailed description of activities, including measurable outputs and delivery dates, impact indicators (what qualitative and quantitative results would be achieved upon completion of individual contract), performance indicators (timelines, value of the service rendered in relation to the cost, timeliness) and work plan:
OBJECTIVES OF THE JOINT ASSESSMENT MISSION :
The overall objective of the JAM is to provide strategic directions for joint programming to enhance Rohingya refugees and host community capacities to meet their food and other basic needs, strengthen their livelihoods and increase their self-reliance, ensuring age and gender considerations are prioritized. Of interest will be to also analyse how the changing macro-economic context in Cox’s Bazar (government policy framework) are likely to affect joint programming efforts.
The JAM assessment will consist of the following three phases:
• 2021 Joint Plan of Action review and evaluation: to determine the progress of implementation of the agreed upon activities in 2021 and to prioritize thematic areas of focus in the 2024
• Secondary data review: consolidation and review of relevant secondary data on the food security, socio-economic status, health, nutrition and other basic needs, livelihood, and protection situation in the camps.
• Qualitative assessment: This phase will include the collection of qualitative data through spot checks, field observations, key informant interviews and age-and gender disaggregated focus group discussions to verify the finding of the secondary data review and fill any information gaps identified.
The following thematic areas will be reviewed :
Review of food assistance
● Impact of the ongoing ration cuts Appropriateness of the current transfer modalities
● Appropriateness of logistical and supply chain management
● Appropriateness of monitoring systems
● Refugee engagement and systems of addressing the complaints and feedback mechanisms.
● Food availability and price trends and the impact of global/national food crisis on access and overall impact on the food security situation and other non-food related assistance.
Review of nutrition assistance and school feeding :
● Review of quality of the nutrition interventions such as targeted supplementary feeding programmes (TSFP), blanket supplementary feeding programmes (BSFP), nutrition sensitive E-voucher, outpatient therapeutic programme (OTP), growth monitoring and promotion(GMP) and Infant and young child feeding programmes in emergencies (IYCF-e) and social and behaviour change communication (SBCC).
● Review of quality of school feeding, other education interventions such as integration of early childhood care and development (ECCD) activities with nutrition programmes.
● Review the implementation of the school feeding programme progress.
WASH, Energy and shelter :
● Review the impact of the adjusted LPG refill cycle for the refugees across all the camps.
● Explore the long-term solutions /support through food assistance for assets (FFA) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)
● Address the shelter and site planning needs related to the site development and improvement in view of ongoing advocacy for more durable shelters in the camps.
Use of cash-based interventions to meet basic needs (including food needs):
● Explore the feasibility and identify ways for joint advocacy with the Government of Bangladesh on the issue of cash- based interventions within the refugee camps.
Opportunities for livelihood strengthening and self-reliance :
• Review the implementation of the current livelihood and self-reliance interventions, including cash and food assistance for assets (FFA) programmes.
• Identify opportunities and constraints for reinforcing self-reliance in the camps.
• Assess the impact skills, capacities (manufacturing services, volunteering and commercial agriculture) and potential for self-reliance to improve food security.
Protection and accountability mechanisms to affected populations :
• Determine factors that inhibit the receipt of assistance entitlements, consideration of age, gender, disabilities, and socio-cultural dynamics, with special emphasis on vulnerable/ at risk individuals and make recommendations on how to address them.
• Review adopted negative coping mechanisms which may place specific groups at protection risks.
• Assess arrangements for registration/revalidation of refugee documents used in providing access to food and other basic assistance (including synchronization/ exchange between UNHCR and WFP beneficiary data).
• Review current mechanisms for refugee participation in coordination planning, distribution and monitoring of food and other basic assistance.
• Review mechanism(s) to provide information on availability of food and other basic assistance, entitlements, and eligibility criteria.
• Review complaints and feedback mechanisms (CFMs) to provide means for affected people to voice complaints and provide feedback throughout each stage of the project cycle in a safe and dignified manner.
• Review protection from sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) protocols and measures in place and provide recommendations on how to further strengthen the protocols around PSEA.
• Assess effectiveness of referrals systems and feedback to the community
• Review the mechanisms for tailored food assistance for GBV cases and assess the impact of food assistance on GBV.
Additional tasks for Bhasan Char :
• Assess the community feedback and response mechanisms CFRM) that have been set up on the Island.
• Review the porter system in place to support the vulnerable households and identify potential gaps and areas of improvement.
Needs-based targeting and recommendations on prioritization :
• With existing data, review potential vulnerability classification which includes food insecurity, socio-economic vulnerability, and protection risk to determine if it is appropriate to conduct needs-based targeting for food and other basic assistance.
• Review the targeting strategy documents developed for the Bangladesh refugee operation.
• Provide recommendations for prioritization in case of future resource shortfalls.
Data and system interoperability :
• Assess existing data sharing agreements that have been put in place at the operational level and identify existing challenges and with key outcome and support the update of the 2020 Annex III.
• Review the implementation and the operational effectiveness of the UNHCR-WFP interoperability solutions including biographical and biometric data sharing between proGres and SCOPE.
• Identify existing projects to implement SCOPE-BIMS online solution.
• Review WFP’s building blocks initiative and its effectiveness in supporting transfer of entitlements to beneficiaries.
Existing coordination mechanisms and opportunities for enhanced partnerships and collaboration :
• Review the monitoring systems by UNHCR and WFP and explore opportunities for increased joint assessments and monitoring activities relating to refugee food and basic needs and associated protection situation.
• Assess the coordination mechanism that exists between the UN agencies (UNHCR, UNICEF,UNFPA,IOM,WFP,WHO),government and implementing partners in provision pf assistance to meet food and other basic needs to the refugees.
• Identify relevant areas of synergies of different types of assistance and modalities and how these could be strengthened.
Emergency response coordination mechanisms :
• Review the food assistance modalities taking into consideration the current dynamics in the operation i.e., contingency planning for potential influx, relocations, monsoon, and cyclones that have high impact on the food security and welfare of the refugees.
• Review the implementation of the food assistance SOPS during the emergency response (preparedness, coordination mechanism at the camps as well between UNHCR and WFP).
• Review effects cyclone and monsoon on the service provision specifically on shelter, food assistance modalities, health and nutrition, market dynamics and other basic needs.
Required level, qualifications and work experience :
Qualification and experience required (degree required, years of work experience, field of expertise, language required):
a) Advanced University degree in International Affairs/Development, Public Health/Nutrition, Economics, Agriculture, Social Sciences, or other related field.
b) Significant experience in managing humanitarian assistance for refugees and UN systems between 6-10 years is required.
c) Extensive knowledge of JAM guidelines and experience in leading JAM.
d) Knowledge of Bangladesh context and refugee operations is desirable.
e) Fluency in English.
Monitoring and Progress Controls (report requirements, periodicity, format, deadlines):
a. The final product (e.g. survey completed, data collected, workshop conducted, research documents produced specify):
• Inception report and workplan
• Presentations
• Preliminary Results report and dissemination
• Executive Summary
• Full Assessment Report/Recommendations
,
,
,
,
Skills
Education
Certifications
Work Experience
Other informationThis position doesn't require a functional clearance
Home-BasedNo