Fiji Road Transport: development of Post Disaster Needs Assessment guideline, templates for data collection, and SOP for execution

Post Disaster Needs Assessment in Cambodia: Lessons Learnt in the Road Transport Sector

Main features of the consultancy:

(a) Identify the relevance and added value of the PDNA/DRF methodologies.

(b) Identify best practices and constraints arising from the application of the PDNA assessment and recovery planning process.

(c) Provide recommendations for complementing the PDNA and DRF guidelines developed for the transport sector.

Key activities:

(a) Develop key information collection tools (survey questionnaires) and identify relevant stakeholders to obtain feedback on the experience of conducting PDNAs and DRFs in the transport sector in Cambodia.

(b) Identify and address gaps and challenges faced during the application of the PDNA methodology and the recovery processes. This includes examining the following aspects:
o Need for the standardization of data;
o Need for better pre-disaster baseline data;
o Need for Standard Operation Procedures (SOP) to identify, assess, collect, share data;
o Need for higher quality analysis and sufficient reporting of damages, losses and impacts;
o Clarification of institutional roles and responsibilities for PDNA execution and recovery
implementation and monitoring, etc.
o Existence/adequacy of the recovery policy, financing mechanisms and implementation
arrangement in place

Final Independent Cluster Evaluation of Building Resilience for the Future of Work and the Post COVID-19 (four South Asian countries)

Countries covered: Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan

Main project features:

1.  Building resilience for the future of work and the post COVID-19: Promoting rights and social inclusion through organization and formalization (PRS). The intervention has articulated a Theory of Change that reflects the overall project priority to mitigate the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in relation to workers and economic units in vulnerable situations.

2.  Building resilience for the future of work and the post COVID19: Strengthening integrated policy framework for formalization and decent work (STRIDE). The intervention responds to challenges introduced by COVID19 to advance the formalization agenda among key policy makers in South Asia as they embark to building back better.  

Overall responsibility: As the lead evaluator, DEX-DEFT was responsible for consultations and desk review, as well as the refinement of methodologies, the development of data collection tools, data analysis and report drafting. Country-based individuals were responsible for conducting the interviews and FGDs in pre-defined and proximate regions of focus.

Key tasks included:

1. Desk review of project documents, progress reports, databases and key deliverables under the projects’ outputs. The desk review includes a mapping of the two projects’ outcomes, outputs and activities to establish synergies and interlinkages;
2. Consultation with four country project teams on the evaluation process, stakeholder participation and scheduling;
3. Key informant interviews with ILO national coordinators, ILO regional specialists, ILO implementation partners, government representatives, civil society representatives and local leaders (performed by country-based individuals). Interviewees included stakeholders who participated in both projects’ designs, as well as implementation;
4. Focus groups discussions with male and female direct project beneficiaries;
5. Validation and debriefing workshop was held with key project stakeholders in the four countries;

Planning the COVID-19 Recovery Framework for Africa

Main project features: Provide technical expertise and lead the COVID-19 impact assessment on the Economy including Productive Sectors such as Trade, Agriculture & Fisheries, Tourism, Industry, and Mining as well as their contribution to Employment and Livelihood situation in the continent and develop a Recovery Framework. The Recovery Framework will include appropriate recovery measures for addressing COVID-19 impacts across the productive sectors for social and economic recovery.  

Key tasks include:

1. Lead the situational analysis on the impact that COVID-19 has had on the economy including the productive sectors and on Employment & Livelihoods, in the African continent.
2. Based on virtual and/or physical consultations with Member States and desk reviews, lead the analysis on the best practices that have emerged across the African continent that promote inclusive and sustainable economic recovery.
3. In consultation with the relevant stakeholders, develop a framework for the Economic Recovery of African Union Member States with a clear set of guiding actions and priorities that can be implemented in the short-, medium- and long-term.
4. Based on the findings, lead the drafting of the Economic Recovery Framework for Africa.
5. Extension work: develop the Operational Plan for the Recovery Framework.

Study to develop strategies for strengthening Cinchona Value Chain based products from West Bengal, India

Main project features: Study to strengthen Cinchona Value Chain based products from West Bengal, India covering key areas of (a) improving plantation management (b) exploring the setting up of value added processing units and (c) accessing national and international markets for processed products.  

Key tasks include:

1. Suggest better plantation management to improve the crop yield, and other active pharmaceutical ingredient/alkaloid content as the case may be. These suggestions can be categorized into short-term (up to 2 years), medium-term (up to 5 years), and long-term measures (up to 10 years). 
2. Study processing possibilities to produce and sell value added products from its plantation crops at a commercial scale. To achieve this objective, explore the feasibility of either reconstructing the closed quinine factory or recommending a greenfield processing unit at another suitable location, along with suggestions to refurbish the storage and drying facilities within the supply chains.
3. Strategize accessing the right markets for positioning selected products that could fetch value and sustain their competitive advantage over the long term. Recommend the appropriate mechanisms that could enable the marketing of these products using a combination of its own institutional structure (with enhancements, if needed), fostering technical collaborations, and forging new partnerships for promotion, marketing, and distribution. Reorganizing the marketing system is needed by placing it directly under a competent authority who can be empowered to take market responsive and expeditious decisions.

Background paper on Skills Gap Assessment for South Africa National Human Development Report (NHDR) 2020

Main project features: The overall objective of the NHDR 2020 was to find pragmatic solutions to unemployment, particularly youth unemployment in South Africa.  

Key tasks included:

1. Desk research and secondary data analysis. Review of existing policies, analysis of data on labour market supply and demand, school-to-work transition, and job training programs, and determine what needs to be changed or strengthened for decent job creation for youth and women.
2. Exploring the interactive relationship among sectoral transformation/upgrading, structural unemployment, and skills gap in South Africa through web-survey, key informant interviews, and Focus Group Discussions with key stakeholders.
3. Recommending measures, seeking to bring new and innovative insights to the table.

Developing a youth employability index at the national and provincial levels.

COVID-19 Rapid Needs Assessment on Productive Sectors Employment and Livelihoods, Micro-Small-Medium Enterprises under the aegis of UNDP: Zambia and Eswatini

Main project features: COVID-19 socio-economic impact rapid needs assessment on employment and livelihood, tourism, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, and its formal and informal employees. Supporting recovery planning needs and the budget requirements.

Key tasks included:

1. Zambia: Productive sectors included are Trade-Commerce, Manufacturing (incl. MSME), Mining (Artisanal Mining), Tourism, cross-cutting Employment, Livelihood and Social Protection
2. Eswatini: Productive sectors included are Trade-Commerce (inc; MSME), Tourism, cross-cutting Employment, Livelihood, and Social Protection
3. Data analysis and modeling of COVID-19 impact on businesses and employers, labour markets MSMEs, formal, and informal workforce
4. Cross-sector works: especially with Ministries, parastatals, Central Bank and Commercial Banks, UN agencies, IOM, UNHCR, WHO, ILO, business associations, employer organizations, social partners of Ministries, and other institutions.
5. Drafting of the impact assessment report and recommendations on recovery needs.

COVID-19 SEIA studies on Labour Markets, Micro-Small-Medium Enterprises and vulnerable workers under the aegis of UNDP: South Africa and Azerbaijan assessments

Main project features: COVID-19 socio-economic impact assessment on labour markets, employment, and livelihood, especially the impact on the Micro,  Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and its formal and informal employees. Supporting recovery planning needs and the budget requirements.

Key tasks included:

1. Data analysis of COVID-19 impact on labour markets, SMEs, formal and the informal workforces
2. Cross-sector works: especially with UNDP, Social Protection, UNHCR, WHO, ILO, and other agencies.
3. Drafting of the impact assessment report and recommendations on recovery needs.

Sudan Floods 2020: Post Disaster Needs Assessment and Recovery for the cross-cutting Employment, Livelihoods and Social Protection sector

Main project features: Post disaster impact assessment on labour markets, employment and livelihood across the sector, and the impact on the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME). Supporting recovery planning needs and the budget requirements.

Key tasks included:

1. Undertake assessment (along with Transitional Government officials, UNDP, World Bank other UN teams) for the cross-cutting sector “Employment, Livelihoods and Social Protection”.
2. Compile baseline and effects data needed for the impact assessment in consultation with Government officials, UN agencies and World Bank, and small business associations.
3. Prepare damage, loss report, and sector recovery need estimates. Engage in consultations with stakeholders to finalize the recovery proposals and the sector report.

Bring together the data, analysis, and findings and write the sector report. Present findings in the meetings as facilitated by the joint UN team. Incorporate feedback/inputs at each stage.