Recruitment of a Safeguard and Gender specialist

Description

Harmonizing and Improving Statistics in West and Central Africa ( HISWACA) Project Implementation Unit (PIU), C/o Gambia Bureau of Statistics, Mansa Musa Faal Complex, Bijilo West Coast Region REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR RECRUITMENT OF A SOCIAL SAFEGUARD AND GENDER SPECIALIST Job Title : Social Safeguard and Gender Specialist Title of the Project: Harmonizing and Improving Statistics in West and Central Africa Series of Project One (HISWACA-SOP1) Duty Station : Banjul, The Gambia Availability : Immediate Trial period : 6 months BACKGROUND The Gambia Bureau of Statistics (GBoS), with support from the World Bank (IDA), is implementing the HISWACA-SOP1 Project to modernize the National Statistical System, improve data quality, and strengthen the use of statistics for evidence-based policymaking. The project is prepared and implemented in accordance with the World Bank Environmental and Social Framework (ESF). Its environmental and social risk rating is Substantial. The Environmental and Social Standards (ESSs) relevant to the project include ESS1, ESS2, ESS4, ESS8 and ESS10. The project has prepared the Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP), Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) and Labor Management Procedures (LMP), and ESMF/ESMP, which form part of its legal obligations under the Financing Agreement. The Specialist will be responsible for implementing the social aspects of these instruments. CONTEXT In order to improve the production and availability of statistical data that will facilitate the preparation, monitoring, and evaluation of development projects and programs, the Government of The Gambia has decided to integrate the Regional Project for the Harmonization and Improvement of Statistics in West and Central Africa (HISWACA), financed by the World Bank. The objective of this project is to support institutional reforms, improve statistical performance, harmonization, and data accessibility of participating countries and regional bodies in West and Central Africa, and support the modernization of their statistical systems. It will thus enable the Government to make appropriate decisions for better follow-up of national commitments (Interim Reference Plan, Economic Recovery Program), international commitments (ECOWAS Vision 2050, African Union Agenda 2063), as well as the Sustainable Development Goals. To achieve this objective, the project is implementing a set of activities organized around four (4) components: Component 1: Harmonization and production of basic statistics using harmonized methodologies This component supports the reforms envisaged to design and adapt harmonized methods and standards in the project’s target area, in order to increase the level of production of demographic, economic, social, and poverty statistics. It has five sub-components: (i) Regional coordination and adoption of harmonized data quality standards; (ii) Production of demographic and socio-economic statistics; (iii) Production of statistics on the real and fiscal sector; (iv) Production of statistics on agriculture and climate change; and (v) Curation of sectoral and sub-national administrative data. Component 2: Support for statistical modernization, institutional reforms, improved access, dissemination and use of data and human resources development This component contributes to the modernization of statistics through the development of new technologies, support for institutional reforms in statistics, improvement of the dissemination of statistical data and strengthening of human capacities, with a view to meeting the ever-increasing need for data to ensure better monitoring of commitments. This component has five sub-components: (i) NSS Statistical Modernization; (ii) Institutional Reforms for selected NSSs; (iii) Strengthening human capital; (iv) Data accessibility and dissemination; and (v) Use and analysis of data to inform public policy. Component 3: Supporting the modernization of physical infrastructure This component aims to support the modernization of the physical infrastructure of the national statistical system in general, and the Gambia Bureau of Statistics (GBoS) in particular. It contributes to the capacity building of the NSS through ICT and statistical infrastructures. Component 4: Project management, monitoring and evaluation It involves the establishment of a Project Implementation Unit (PIU) within GBoS , which is responsible for the implementation of all activities and the achievement of the project’s objectives. It has two sub-components: (i) Project management and (ii) Project results and monitoring of user satisfaction. Objective: The objective of the Social Development and Gender Specialist shall be to assess, address, and promote social and gender equality considerations within the project activities, contributing to more inclusive and equitable outcomes and to assess, manage, and monitor potential social and gender impacts associated with the implementation of the project. The specialist will work towards the identification of potential risks and the development of strategies to mitigate any adverse effects on communities and individuals. More specifically, the Specialist will ensure that the project's social risks and impacts are managed in compliance with the World Bank ESF, the applicable ESSs, the Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) and national legislation, and will lead implementation of the social aspects of the project's E&S instruments (SEP, LMP, SEA/SH Action Plan and, ESMF/ESMP). Responsibilities: The Social Development and Gender Specialist will be responsible for the following: Conduct Social and Gender Impact Assessment (SIA) Participating in social and gender screening activities, as well as review of grievance redress mechanisms. Closely following up the integration of safeguard assessment information and completion of environmental and social screening checklist / screening form contained in U-ESMF. Compiling quarterly, biannual and annual reports on environmental and social (E&S)-related issues and delivering them to the Project Coordinator and the World Bank as part of the M&E. Carrying out a comprehensive Social and Gender Impact Assessment to identify potential social and gender risks associated with project activities. Assessing the potential impacts on vulnerable groups, gender dynamics (including SEA/SH risks), persons with disabilities and other disadvantaged or vulnerable groups, and cultural heritage (where relevant). Screen all project activities, including any construction or rehabilitation of statistical offices under Component 3, for social risks using the project's E&S screening procedure, and prepare any required site-specific instruments (e.g., ESMP) for World Bank clearance before works start. b. Develop Social Safeguard and Gender Framework: The specialist supports the preparation, consultation, disclosure, adoption and implementation of these instruments and tracks ESCP actions and deadlines during project implementation. Implement and, where needed, update the project's social risk management instruments required under the ESCP (e.g., SEP, LMP, SEA/SH Action Plan and, site-specific ESMPs), with clear measures to avoid, minimize, mitigate and manage identified social risks. Ensure alignment with national laws, the World Bank ESF and the applicable Environmental and Social Standards (ESSs), the ESCP and project goals. Ensure that workers and field personnel understand and comply with the project Code of Conduct. The code of conduct must be signed and include SEA/SH provision before beginning of rehabilitation work and deployment of field workers. Lead in the development and delivery of spot checks to ensure the E&S commitments and mitigation measures are properly implemented at the grassroots level in line with the guidelines. Prepare reports (monthly, quarterly, field monitoring) on social risks and the status of mitigation measures wi