job Description
UNICEF Zimbabwe is inviting applications for a national individual consultant to support Sub-National Children Climate Risk Index for Zimbabwe.
PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT
Working closely with the International Consultant the National Consultant will support the development of Subnational Children Climate Risk Index (CCRI) for Zimbabwe by building on the Child-Centred Climate Vulnerability and Risk Assessment for Zimbabwe produced in 2024, updating the analysis of the impact of climate change on children (in WASH, health, education, child protection nutrition and social protection). The Consultant will map the exposures, hazards, vulnerability and capacities of children; providing analysis and a digital interactive map that allows the overlaying of these factors. The Consultant will coordinate inputs from other UNICEF staff and liaising with the International Consultant, ensuring cross sectoral representation of related indicators.
The local Consultant will agree with the International Consultant on the indicators to include in the CCRI; Collect the data sets for the indicators, arrange for consultations with key stakeholders, organise a validation workshop together with the International Consultancy, and support the finalisation of the Index.
BACKGROUND
The planetary crisis of climate change, environmental pollution and biodiversity loss has put virtually every child in the world at risk. Every child in Zimbabwe (7.1 million children under 18, 47% of the population) is exposed to at least one climate/environmental hazard and at risk of climate change impacts such as flooding, drought, heatwaves, cyclones, and air pollution, yet they are the least responsible.
Zimbabwe is ranked very high, especially among Southern Africa countries, in the 2021 Children Climate Risk Index published in the “The Climate Crisis is a Child Crisis” Report and the latest evidence indicates that the country will continue to warm through 2080. The warming is projected to be most significant in the western and southern sections of the country. The current and projected warming trend and reduction in rainfall, environmental degradation, coupled with the increasing frequency and intensity of floods, tropical cyclones, droughts, and heatwaves, threatens children’s lives, destroys schools, water supply and infrastructure, health care facilities and children’s play spaces. Further, the reduction and increased unpredictability of rainfall risk crops critical to livelihoods and nutrition. All these impacts can result in greater poverty and increasing children’s protection risks.
To date, there is no sub-national climate children risk index that provide detailed data and information at country level other than the summarized update of what the global report provides. The Child-centered climate vulnerability and risk assessment did not go as far as providing all the necessary indicators required with a CCRI in an interactive format. Hence there is need to upgrade this report to provide detailed interactive data and information with clear indicators on the impacts
Given the current and projected climate situation, the availability of coherent, accessible and updated information on impacts of climate change on children is a priority to inform decision makers and promote appropriate adaptation and mitigation options that are appropriate for a particular area and sector. The generated evidence is also essential to enable effective mobilization of sustainable financing and targeting of resources and providing the climate rationale required in climate financing.
To this end UNICEF in collaboration with the Government of Zimbabwe aims to develop a sub-national CCRI for Zimbabwe. The work produced will enable the Government of Zimbabwe, UNICEF and partners to understand the climate impacts, risks, and vulnerability of children and utilize that information to influence programming, policy and advocacy efforts.
Duties and Responsibilities
ASSIGNMENTS:
The purpose of this consultancy is to support the development of the sub-national CCRI for Zimbabwe. This will consist of two major pillars:
Pillar 1: Exposure to Multiple Hazards, Shocks and Stresses: This pillar captures the likelihood of children, young people and communities in an area to be exposed to various natural and human hazards, shocks and stresses (such as water scarcity, droughts, floods, tropical storms, air pollution, vector bone diseases, geophysical and conflict). It considers shocks and stresses that may occur and where children may be affected due to their exposure. It considers all major natural and human hazards that can trigger significant damage and cause an erosion of development progress, the deepening of child deprivation or disaster.
Pillar 2: Child Vulnerability: This pillar includes underlying economic, political and social factors that make children exposed, families and communities prone to the adverse impacts of natural and human shocks and stresses, and characteristics and circumstances of communities and systems that reflect their readiness and capacities to withstand their damaging impacts. Examples of vulnerability components include child health, child nutrition, education, poverty, social protection, and child protection.
The information will be used to inform future programmes to guide targeting of beneficiaries, ensure risk-informed programming, and support for increased resilience of social and basic services for children. The analysis will equip UNICEF and partners to better identify priorities for inclusive climate change-focused programming and advocacy work centered around the needs of children in Zimbabwe.
The CCRI sub-national assessment is envisaged to capture the following components:
An updated child-centred climate vulnerability and risk assessment for Zimbabwe;
Ensure the CCRI is placed on an interactive platform making the model an open source and publicly accessible
The following activities will be undertaken:
In consultation with Zimbabwe Government, partners and UNICEF technical specialists; develop the workplan, define the methodology and procedures of the assignment, prepare tools and documents, and any other action identified as necessary for carrying out of the CCRI for Zimbabwe.
Assess the existing supporting Government structures; other analyses carried out to compliment and build on; get buy-in of stakeholders.
Conduct desk review on key related reports that provide data and information to the CCRI. Key documents include: the Child-centered Climate and Vulnerability assessment for Zimbabwe; The Zimbabwe Rural and Urban Livelihood Committee Assessment; The 2025 Global Children Climate Risk Index if out. The 2025 MICs results.
Carry out stakeholder mapping to identify the key stakeholders to be involved in the project
Carry out stakeholder engagement including high-level government officials to ensure political commitment and sustainability of the CCRI and define institutional arrangements and roles.
National and subnational governments and other partner stakeholders need clearly defined roles and responsibilities in constructing and maintaining the CCRI.
Use workshops and consultations to develop the model and continuously identify additional indicators.
Engage Young People: Children, adolescents and youth are among the most vulnerable to multiple shocks and stresses, climate disruption, energy deficiency and environmental degradation. Yet, they are also powerful agents of change. Hence the need to engage them from the onset and empower them. In this process, ensure materials are child- and youth-friendly, age-appropriate, considerate and culturally sensitive.
Support the International Consultant in the design and the construction of the CCRI being guided by the following steps:
Step 1: Develop the Model’s Theoretical Framework
Step 2: Select the CCRI Indicators and Secondary Data Sources. Examples of Exposure to Multiple Hazards, Shocks and Stresses indicators are “Estimates of children under 18 exposed to riverine floods” and “Annual average number of fatalities due to conflict and violence.” Examples of Child Vulnerability indicators are “Under-five mortality rate,” “Out-of-school rate for children of primary school age,” “Child marriage” (with data needed on the “Proportion of women aged 20-24 years who were married or in a union before age 18
Step 3: Collect Indicator Datasets for the Model
Provide recommendations on programming design of different sectors (WASH, education, Health, nutrition, child protection) on climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Organize a validation workshop of the CCRI and support the International Consultant in finalising the CCRI
Ensure all data utilized in the assignment (climate exposure and child vulnerability) is provided to UNICEF in shapefile format
Conduct training sessions to support use cases and maintenance of the data infrastructure
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