Issued on: 1 August 2011
ORGANIZATIONAL LOCATION: UN-HABITAT DUTY STATION: Nairobi FUNCTIONAL TITLE: Consultant for Global Housing Strategy 2025 DURATION: 15 September - 15 December, 2011 CLOSING DATE: 31 August, 2011
BACKGROUND The purpose of this consultancy assignment is to prepare a roadmap leading to the preparation, discussion and formulation of a Global Housing Strategy to the year 2025 (GHS 2025) by UN-HABITAT, and to make a review of the Global Strategy for Shelter to the Year 2000 (GSS) and its outcome. The roadmap to the Global Housing Strategy draws from the review of the Global Strategy for Shelter to the year 2000 (GSS), an analysis of its implementation and understanding of the current shifts in housing policy and practice worldwide in the context of a rapidly urbanising world, high rates of slum formation, a volatile macro economic context and a changing climate.
GSS was a milestone and triggered a paradigm shift that included a change in the role of governments from housing provider to that of an enabler. As such GSS advocated government policies and interventions focusing on enabling the housing sector to work and creating incentives and facilitating measures for housing actions to be taken by several actors. Government policies, according to GSS, should also focus on dismantling existing bottlenecks hindering housing delivery and mobilising resources of other actors, promoting diversity of solutions and approaches to improve people’s housing conditions. Many countries adopted the approach in one way or another. Policy documents clearly show the influence of GSS.
In addition to the resolution recently adopted at the 23rd session of the Governing Council of UN-HABITAT on the formulation of a global housing strategy (GC Resolution 23/16, April 2011), there are a number of resolutions adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations (GA) as well as the Commission on Human Settlements and its successor - the Governing Council of UN-HABITAT (GC) – that provide the mandate to UN-HABITAT to conduct a review of the GSS, assess current housing conditions in the world and formulate a new global housing policy framework.
Chapter 7 of Agenda 21 (1992), and later the Habitat Agenda (1996), made explicit the need to undertake further steps to place enabling shelter strategies as an integral part of housing and urban development policies within a paradigm of sustainable cities. Both documents developed the concept of an “enabling approach” in the human settlements sector, whereby a partnership among the public, private and community sectors sought to improve the social, economic and environmental quality of human settlements and the living and working environments of all people, in particular people living in poverty in urban and rural areas. “Our objective is to achieve adequate shelter for all, especially the deprived urban and rural poor, through an enabling approach to the development and improvement of shelter that is environmentally sound” (Habitat Agenda, paragraph 3). “We adopt the enabling strategy and the principles of partnership and participation as the most democratic and effective approach for the realization of our commitments.” (Istanbul Declaration, paragraph 12). The Millennium Declaration goal of improving the lives of 100 million slum dwellers by 2020, further highlights the important role of enablement.
The assignment – as described in this TOR - builds upon the review of experiences in implementing enabling shelter strategies in countries of all regions and takes into account available evaluations, publications, reports as well as articles published in international journals focusing on the implementation of enabling shelter strategies. Thus, taking stock of what may have been the impact and influence of GSS is an integral part of the road map to achieve the Global Housing Strategy to the Year 2025. Such road map must take into account a timeline leading to the Third United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (HABITAT III Conference, 2016) that incorporates the discussions and outcomes leading to the Sixth and Seventh Sessions of the World Urban Forum (WUF 2012, 2014).
RESPONSIBILITIES The consultant carrying out this assignment will deliver two fundamental results:
a) desktop review and assessment of the GSS 2000 and its achievements, taking into account the Habitat Agenda and outlining key shifts in policy and practice, lessons learned, conceptual frameworks, and overall results achieved by the implementation of its paradigms and recommendations at country level. a plan/roadmap for the formulation, discussion and adoption of a Global Housing Strategy to the year 2025 (GHS 2025) comprised of several steps, national-regional-global events, benchmarks, and expected outcomes; b. a plan/roadmap for the formulation, discussion and adoption of a Global Housing Strategy to the year 2025 (GHS 2025) comprised of several steps, national-regional-global events, benchmarks, and expected outcomes;
The consultant will be expected to complete the following substantive tasks: Output 1: Inception report containing 3 annexes; The inception report will provide an overview of the methodology and steps to be taken during the consultancy, reflecting a step further of the technical proposal submitted with the letter of interest. It will describe how the consultant intends to carry out the assignment and produce the two fundamental outputs mentioned above.
Output 2: Interim report and interim PowerPoint presentation; In general, the interim report should cover but not limited to the issues below: a) The results of an in-depth literature review that depicts but not limited to lessons learned from GSS 2000 and shifts in methodologies and approaches to address current housing needs; b) Key findings regarding approaches, roles of government, access to fundamental housing inputs such as land, finance, infrastructure and building material, and innovative housing strategies are to be highlighted; c) A view on priority areas for policy intervention, analysis of gaps and a comprehensive inventory of past and existing enabling shelter strategies, focusing on the realisation of the right to adequate housing. d) Through a desk review and consultations with Habitat staff, partners, and stakeholders, the consultant will synthesize UN-HABITAT’s progress to date toward achieving the work programme and objectives laid out in GSS 2000 and the Habitat Agenda, with a particular focus on the period since the last review in 2006.
Output 3: Final report, final PowerPoint presentation and web statement; a) Final main report for the in-depth review of the GSS 2000 and of the experience in implementing enabling shelter strategies in countries in all regions; b) Final PowerPoint presentation: Summarise the final research findings, assessment and recommendations; c) Web statement (press release): Should not be more than one A4 page and be accompanied by a photo.
Output 4: Programme document for a Global Housing Strategy to the year 2025; Based on the findings and analyses in the Review of GSS 2000, the consultant should prepare a draft programme document for a new Global Housing Strategy to the year 2025 (GSH 2025). The consultant will prepare the first iteration of the GHS 2025 document, taking into account comments and feedback received on the inception report and the Review of GSS 2000, as a tool for the allocation of funds and staffing. The document should contain a complete budget for implementation of all the activities and components contained in the proposal. In addition, the consultant will produce a Powerpoint Presentation that will be used by UN-HABITAT staff for presenting the GHS 2025 Proposal to internal and external audiences.
Output 5: A roadmap for the preparation and adoption of a Global Housing Strategy to the year 2025; The consultant will prepare a Roadmap that will serve as a reference and guide for UN-HABITAT staff to conduct necessary consultations in order to refine, improve and validate the Proposal for GHS to 2025 in the period leading to Habitat III in 2016. The Roadmap Document should be based on a comprehensive and detailed timeline that takes into account major conferences, expert group meetings, and discussions during the period leading to Habitat III. The document should contain the following: a) Description of the process and steps required to render the GHS 2025 Proposal vetted, debated, approved, and adopted by the General Assembly of the UN; b) Regional expert meetings and symposium organized in preparation for the Habitat III conference. c) Critical steps, events and milestones towards the presentation and discussion during Habitat III Conference; d) Comprehensive list of partners and stakeholders and make clear the linkage with World Urban Campaign and National Urban Forum and country-based processes.
Output 6: An internal workshop to present the final deliverables for the preparation of a roadmap for a Global Housing Strategy to the year 2025. The consultant will prepare a draft outline of the workshop where he/she will present the results of this assignment and particularly the roadmap for the development and adoption of a Global Strategy for Housing to the year 2025 to UN-HABITAT and Habitat Agenda Partners.
For a more detailed description of background and responsibilities, please see the link.
COMPETENCIES: Familiarity with international development agenda’s in particular with housing and urban policies. Experience and knowledge with the United Nations system, and particularly of UN-HABITAT, will be considered as an asset.
EDUCATION: Master or PhD in urban studies, housing, urban development, geography or human settlements-related field.
WORK EXPERIENCE: Minimum of 10 years experience in research and policy development related to housing, urban development and human settlements issues; or other significant working experience.
LANGUAGE SKILLS: Proficiency and excellent analytical and writing skills in English. Any other UN language will be considered an asset.
OTHER SKILLS: Excellent facilitation and communication skills are desirable.
REMUNERATION Payments will be based on deliverables over the consultancy period. There are set remuneration rates for consultancies. The rate is determined by functions performed and experience of the consultant. The fees will be paid as per agreement.
Applications should include: • Letter of interest - Motivation letter • Time planning showing key activities and benchmarks • Financial proposal • Technical proposal, specifying how the project would be approached in a maximum of 5 pages. • Full Curriculum Vitae • Copies of relevant publications (digital versions accepted) • UN P11 form (the United Nations standard personal history form available upon request or via: http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?typeid=24&catid=435&id=3867 • All applicants are required to first register and upload the necessary information onto UN-Habitat e-roster: http://e-roster.unhabitat.org All applications should be submitted to: Ms. Helen Sinagabula-Musoke, Programme Assistant, Housing Policy Section UN-HABITAT P.O. Box 30030, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya Email: housing.policy@unhabitat.org, helen.musoke@unhabitat.org Fax: (+254-2) 7624265
Please be advised that since April 15th 2010, applicants for consultancies must be part of the UN-HABITAT e-Roster in order for their application to be considered. You can reach the e-Roster through the following link: http://e-roster.unhabitat.org
Deadline for applications: 31 August, 2011 UN-HABITAT does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process. If you have any questions concerning persons or companies claiming to be recruiting on behalf of these offices and requesting the payment of a fee, please contact: recruitment@unon.org
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