Disaster Displacement Policy Specialist (Tonga)

The Platform for Disaster Displacement (PDD) is seeking to recruit a consultant to be based in Nuku’alofa, Tonga, to assist government to integrate disaster displacement and other related forms of human mobility challenges into national and sub-national and local DRR and climate change adaptation policies and strategies through the support of the European Commission Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA) Project: ‘Understanding and enhancing preparedness and response to risks of disaster displacement in the Pacific’ (Pacific Response to Disaster Displacement – PRDD).

1. Background

Disaster Displacement is a prevalent concern across the Pacific Island region. Addressing this concern has become a priority, for the region and at least for some Pacific small island developing states. The Framework for Pacific Regionalism (2014) promotes the “Blue Pacific” identity with economic and political integration to drive collective action to addressing climate change and human mobility issues. The Framework on Resilient Development in the Pacific 2017-2030 (FRDP) provides high-level strategic guidance for different stakeholder groups at national and regional level to tackle human mobility considerations in targeted national policies. Policies addressing internal disaster displacement in the context of climate change and disasters have emerged in Fiji and Vanuatu. They detail the steps for public authorities and other stakeholders to ensure successful and rights-based human mobility, in particular that which is planned, facilitated, or supported by governments. At the national policy level as well in most countries in the Pacific, human mobility challenges in disaster and climate change contexts are expressed across multiple policy spheres- for instance, climate change, risk management, and/or development. However, according to Thornton et al. 2021, “…this is done broadly, with mostly general policy sketched out”. For this reason, the DG INTPA-funded PRDD project, implemented by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Platform on Disaster Displacement (PDD), aims to work with government in Fiji, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu to strengthen relevant public policies and respective government’s institutional capacity. Through the tailored use of Words into Action (WiA) tools on disaster displacement, the PDD jointly with NRC and IOM will support governments to integrate disaster displacement measures that can facilitate safe, orderly and regular human mobility in the context of disasters and the adverse effects of climate change into existing climate change, disaster risk reduction and/or development policies, plans or strategies at national or sub-national level. In addition, the PDD with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) have launched two new online tools, the Words into Action on Disaster Displacement checklist and an eLearning course to help DRR policy makers and practitioners build the knowledge and skills needed to prevent, prepare for and respond to disaster displacement in their own communities and countries. At the same time, this work will keep alignment with other on-going regional policy efforts to develop a ‘Disaster Displacement is a prevalent concern across the Pacific Island region. Addressing this concern has become a priority, for the region and at least for some Pacific small island developing states. The Framework for Pacific Regionalism (2014) promotes the “Blue Pacific” identity with economic and political integration to drive collective action to addressing climate change and human mobility issues. The Framework on Resilient Development in the Pacific 2017-2030 (FRDP) provides high-level strategic guidance for different stakeholder groups at national and regional level to tackle human mobility considerations in targeted national policies. Policies addressing internal disaster displacement in the context of climate change and disasters have emerged in Fiji and Vanuatu. They detail the steps for public authorities and other stakeholders to ensure successful and rights-based human mobility, in particular that which is planned, facilitated, or supported by governments. At the national policy level as well in most countries in the Pacific, human mobility challenges in disaster and climate change contexts are expressed across multiple policy spheres- for instance, climate change, risk management, and/or development. However, according to Thornton et al. 2021, “…this is done broadly, with mostly general policy sketched out”. For this reason, the DG INTPA-funded PRDD project, implemented by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Platform on Disaster Displacement (PDD), aims to work with government in Fiji, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu to strengthen relevant public policies and respective government’s institutional capacity. Through the tailored use of Words into Action (WiA) tools on disaster displacement, the PDD jointly with NRC and IOM will support governments to integrate disaster displacement measures that can facilitate safe, orderly and regular human mobility in the context of disasters and the adverse effects of climate change into existing climate change, disaster risk reduction and/or development policies, plans or strategies at national or sub-national level. In addition, the PDD with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) have launched two new online tools, the Words into Action on Disaster Displacement checklist and an eLearning course to help DRR policy makers and practitioners build the knowledge and skills needed to prevent, prepare for and respond to disaster displacement in their own communities and countries. At the same time, this work will keep alignment with other on-going regional policy efforts to develop a ‘human security based regional framework on climate change-related displacement, migration and planned relocation’ under the joint-agency programme on Pacific Climate Change Migration and Human Security, led by IOM and funded by the United Nations Trust Fund on Human Security (UNTFHS).

The output of this consultancy will be directly relevant for the inclusion of human mobility challenges into disaster risk management strategies and plans according to Target E of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, a key deliverable for which the PDD and IOM have assumed responsibility under PRDD.

2. Objective of the consultancy

The primary objective of this consultancy is to:

1. Integrate disaster displacement and other related forms of human mobility challenges into relevant Disaster Risk Reduction or Climate Change Adaptation plans or strategies, policies or processes of Tongan government as it links to output on PRDD activity 2.1.4.
2. Establish a reference group at national level for disaster displacement integration and the roll-out of capacity-strengthening activities based on the WiA.
3. Jointly develop a regional Pacific tailored compilation of good practices, based on the Words into Action guideline on disaster displacement, informed by the experience of the five countries to guide other Pacific Island government to integrate disaster displacement into their existing plans or strategies, policies and processes at all levels

3. Scope of assignment and methodology

Under the direct supervision of the PDD Regional Advisor, the consultant will:

(i) Undertake a desk-based mapping and literature review

• Support the IOM Human Mobility Policy Specialist in analysing existing and relevant national policies, strategies or plans, governance processes on human mobility in disaster and climate change contexts including but not limited to:

• Undertake an institutional stakeholder mapping on disaster displacement in Tonga.
• Ensure alignments with ongoing process in Tonga to develop a planned relocation guideline.
• The mapping shall identify gaps in the evidence base and make recommendations as to necessary in-country interviews and research.
• Lead on developing the Tonga policy brief for NEMO and Climate Change Department on disaster displacement.
• Convene stakeholder consultations.

(ii) Establish an informal Reference Group
• Work with a multi-stakeholder forum convened by NEMO through the guidance of the PDD Secretariat and PDD Regional Advisor to advise on and orient the work on the WiA-tool roll-out and integration of disaster displacement. This should include but not be limited to:

• Developing the Terms of Reference to guide the work of the Reference group o Guide and advise the chair of the reference group on its work and deliverables.
• Organise the convening of the reference group on behalf of NEMO including agenda setting, record of meeting, follow-up on agreed actions etc.

(iii) Integration using WIA tools

• Convene and work with PDD Secretariat to conduct series of stakeholder consultations to raise awareness on the case or incentive for integrating disaster displacement, facilitate use of the disaster displacement e-learning course, the WiA guideline and checklist to guide the integration work.

• Based on the report of the IOM Human Mobility Policy Specialist, draft a plan of action and start to support facilitation of the integration of disaster displacement into a recommended legislation, policy, plan/strategies and/or governance processes, if applicable.

• Organise stakeholder workshops including agenda setting and logistics arrangements, make relevant presentations, report on meetings and follow-up on agreed actions for the integration work.

(iv) Develop a Regional Good Practise Compilation to integrate Disaster Displacement

• Work with other disaster displacement policy specialist in other countries and the IOM consultant to develop a regional good practice compilation on integrating disaster displacement in the Pacific context to serve other PSIDS’ needs.

4. Proposed timeline and milestones

Total working time: 60 working days (10 per month) April 2022– October 2022

1. Joint IOM/PDD work plan detailing list of stakeholders, meeting schedules, virtual workshop dates and adjusted timeframe for deliverables – Within 1 week (after signing the contract)
2. Tonga disaster displacement policy brief developed for NEMO and Climate Change department by August 2022
3. Disaster Displacement Policy Integration Workshop Report (1) by mid May 2022
4. Disaster Displacement Policy Integration Workshop Report (2) by June 2022
5. Disaster Displacement Policy Integration Workshop (3) with annexed plan, policy or governance process where disaster displacement inclusion has been supported by August 2022
6. 1x draft Regional good practice compilation to integrating Disaster Displacement in the Pacific by September 2022
7. 1x final draft of the Regional good practice compilation to integrating Disaster Displacement in the Pacific by October 2022

Profile of the consultant

• •A Master’s Degree or higher in a relevant area of Law, Social Sciences, Environmental, Policy or Political Science.
• Strong human mobility, climate change and disaster risk management background in regional and national law and policy frameworks in the Pacific is required.
• Familiarity with the regional and national process and to be based in Tonga.
• Excellent research and writing skills in English required.
• Experience working with the Government of Tonga and leading collaborative processes is preferred.

Terms and conditions
The consultant will work from home with remote supervision by the PDD Secretariat and the contract will be issued by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). The consultant’s fee is in Euros, and is all inclusive (tools, printing and phone costs, etc.).
This tender is open on equal terms to all natural and legal persons effectively established in a European Union Member State or a country, territory or region mentioned as eligible (including Fiji, Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu). Tenderers must state their nationality in their tenders and provide the usual proof of nationality under their national legislation.

Payment schedule:

• The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) will be responsible for the payment of the consultant’s fees.
• The consultant’s invoice to NRC should include: their name, address, a brief description of consultancy as a whole, a description of work completed for which the invoice is submitted, and the total days of work for payment (total amount in Euros).
• Payment will be granted upon confirmation by the PDD Secretariat and NRC. The consultant should anticipate up to two weeks for completion of the transaction after submission and confirmation of the invoice.