Consultant on Gender Equality and Social Inclusion in Community Forestry Management

Consultancy Announcement

Position: Consultant on Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI Consultant) in community forestry management for the USAID Vietnam Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) Project, RECOFTC Viet Nam

Sub-Activity 1.2.5: Develop seven GESI-mainstreamed Community Forest Management Plans at grassroot level in pilot provinces in Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Quang Tri and Quang Nam

Application deadline: 5.00 p.m. Hanoi local time, June 03, 2022

At RECOFTC, we believe in a future where people live equitably and sustainably in and beside healthy, resilient forests. We take a long-term, landscape-based and inclusive approach to supporting local communities to secure their land and resource rights, stop deforestation, find alternative livelihoods and foster gender equity. We are the only non-profit organization of our kind in Asia and the Pacific. We have more than 30 years of experience working with people and forests, and have built trusting relationships with partners at all levels. Our influence and partnerships extend from multilateral institutions to governments, private sector and local communities. Our innovations, knowledge and initiatives enable countries to foster good forest governance, mitigate and adapt to climate change, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda.

The USAID Vietnam Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) Project supports the Government of Viet Nam to reduce carbon emissions associated with deforestation, degradation of natural forests and poor plantation management. The project implements a ‘green prosperity’ approach that strengthens local communities’ ability to protect their natural resource base and reduce emissions while building a strong foundation for sustainable livelihoods and equitable economic growth.

The project works in seven provinces: Lao Cai, Son La, Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Quang Tri and Quang Nam. It focuses on five main objectives:

1. Strengthening community forest management
2. Promoting conservation-friendly enterprises
3. Improving law enforcement to tackle environmental crimes
4. Enhancing the management of production forests
5. Mobilizing domestic resources

RECOFTC is implementing Objective 1 under the SFM Project by improving and expanding community forest management in the seven target provinces, in close coordination with other partners and Viet Nam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

RECOFTC Viet Nam is now inviting applicants for a GESI consultant to work on integration of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion in community forestry management planning process in CFM potential sites.

Background

Forest dependent communities’ participation is increasingly recognized as an important factor in effectively maintaining forests. Forest dependent communities (hereinafter called as communities) have been engaged into forest management and protection in various forms. Four main types of these engagements include: traditional community forests; introduced community forests; groups of households managing forestlands; and individual households, who all individually own forestland, and collaborate in forest management.

Under the SFM Project, the concept of community forestry covers two forms of local people's participation in forest management. The first modality is community forest management (CFM) in which residential communities/villages manage allocated forests. This also covers the modality where communities manage households’ allocated forests as a community group. The second modality is community-based forest management (CBFM) in which village communities manage contracted forests with protection forest management boards. During the formulation of the sustainable management plan of community forests, the Project will seek for a GESI consultant to lead the integration of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI), which bases on the GESI Strategy and Plan for the Project that upholds USAID gender policies. He/she will work closely with CFM technical specialists and provincial coordinators to provide technical expertise and knowledge to ensure successful GESI integration in CFM plans. He/she will also provide trainings and design of awareness raising events at community level in GESI, and engagement of women, persons with disabilities, and ethnic minorities in CFM.

Objective of the consultancy

Overall Objective: Application of GESI in CFM is strengthened resulting in an increased rate of women and disadvantaged group’s participation in community forest management activities

Specific objectives:

• Ensured representation of females of at least thirty five percent of Project Implementation activities under CFM
• Women and ethnic minorities are empowered to be presented in the management boards of CFM models and have representation on the LURCs
• Women and ethnic minorities are promoted to participate in CFM models and involve in SFM and livelihoods trainings

Scope of work

1. Carry out participatory gender analysis of targeted communities in CFM sites updates and verify gaps and issues in gender equality and social inclusion in CFM related activities at CFM potential sites.
2. Identify actions, measures to address critical needs of men and women and remove barriers to achieving GESI and women empowerment in the CFM activities.
3. Prepare training programs and materials for GESI integration in CFM activities.
4. Conduct five trainings in CFM potential sites for GESI integration in Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Quang Tri and Quang Nam.
5. Ensure GESI integration into at least seven CFM plans in the Project provinces following the GESI mainstreaming principles in CFM set out in SFM GESI Strategy, including but not limited to:
   
   • development of seven CFM plans/models that promote women and ethnic minorities to be presented in the management boards.
   • Integration of GESI into CFM approaches such as land use planning, forest land allocation, benefit sharing, forest zoning, community forest management plans, forest monitoring, and financial mechanism.
   • Pilot LURC activities in 2 communes to ensure completion of husband and wife names on LURCs.
6. Produce case studies and success stories of gender mainstreaming and social inclusion within the CFM activities.
7. Design and conduct one GESI campaign or event to raise gender equality and social inclusion awareness to communities in CFM potential sites. The GESI campaigns and contests to educate officials and communities on the importance of women’s participation in forest protection and management and to encourage more women’s involvement.

LOE and expected deliverables

The estimated level of effort (LOE) for this assignment is 88 days, starting as soon as possible and the last deliverable is to be submitted by September 15, 2022. The duration of the assignment also includes the time needed to travel to the project sites. The required deliverables are listed to accepted by the Project as described the table below. All deliverables shall be submitted in English and Vietnamese, and satisfied by RECOTC/SFM Project-DAI.

Qualifications and experience

Essential

• Bachelor’s Degree, preferably Master’s Degree in social science, natural resources or related fields.
• At least 10 years of relevant experience in gender mainstreaming, social analysis, indigenous peoples safeguard policy application and in social development planning and implementation, particularly in community forestry.
• Experience working on gender integration and social inclusion in the environment sector preferred.
• Strong multidisciplinary competence combined with substantial experience in safeguard policies, social development and related capacity building.
• Experience in application of policies and procedures for social safeguards.
• Strong analytical, negotiation, interpersonal and communication, and multidisciplinary skills.
• An energetic, forward-thinking and creative individual with high ethical standards and appropriate professional image.
• An extremely well organized and self-directed individual with sound technical skills, good judgment, and strong operational focus.
• Excellent writing and speaking in English required.

Desirable

• International professional experience of working in social safeguards and/or natural resource management.

General:

• In additional to job specific skills and experience, the candidate should possess the following characteristics (including attitudes and skills):
  
  • Ability to work as an active member of teams. This implies flexibility and open-mindedness;
  • Initiative and ability to make informed independent judgments, that are not inconsistent with an overall team approach; and
  • Ability to work in a varied cultural and institutional context.

At RECOFTC, our core values are the foundation of our culture and guide all our work. In addition to job specific skills and experience, the applicant should possess the following characteristics, attitudes and skills:

• Embrace innovation
• Adapt to, and learn from, challenges
• Collaborate with partners and stakeholders
• Nurture commitment, responsibility and ownership
• Prioritize sustainability
• Cultivate participation, social inclusion and gender equity

How to apply

Interested individuals are requested to submit their CV and a cover letter indicating why they are suitable for this consultancy along with the expected fee or daily rate and current contact details of three references, to [email protected]. Please quote the consultancy title in the subject line of the email. Only shortlisted individuals will be notified.

For any further information you may need about the consultancy, please contact [email protected].

To learn more about RECOFTC, please visit our website www.recoftc.org