Peace and Development Analyst

Description of assignment title:                               Peace and Development Analyst

Assignment country:                                                  Malawi

Expected start date:                                                   30/04/2025

Sustainable Development Goal:                               16. Peace, justice and strong institutions

Volunteer category:                                                    International UN Youth Volunteer

Host entity:                                                                  UNRCO

Type:                                                                             Onsite

Duration:                                                                      12 months

Number of assignments:                                           1

Duty stations:                                                              Lilongwe

 

Details

Mission and objectives

The UN Secretary-General launched on 1 January 2019 a bold and new global reform which repositioned the UN Development System to deliver more effectively and efficiently with the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. As part of this reform, UN Resident Coordinator Offices (UN RCO), under the leadership of an empowered and independent UN Resident Coordinator - the highest-ranking official of the UN Development System and Representative of the UN Secretary-General at country level - support countries in the achievement of their development priorities and the attainment of the SDGs.

The United Nations and its partners are supporting the Government and people of Malawi to realize sustainable development and achieve the country's aspirations as expressed in the Malawi 2063. The success and impact of UN programmes is dependent on its ability to actively and strategically engage and involve all stakeholders, including local communities, while building strong synergies to deliver, increase and sustain development efforts.

UN development assistance in Malawi is jointly provided by UN agencies through different programmes and projects that are coordinated by the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2024-2028. The UNSDCF is the primary instrument for planning and implementing UN development activities in support of the implementation of national development priorities, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Malawi 2063.

Context

Politically, Malawi is a generally peaceful country and has had stable governments since independence in 1964. This notwithstanding, Malawi remains a country with deep-seated social, economic, and political inequalities, tensions, and grievances that have from time to time manifested in conflict and violent incidences, especially during elections. The 2019 elections and the court processes that led to the nullification of the presidential election have exposed Malawi's vulnerability to socio-economic, political, and religious risks and threats. The social and political violence, conflicts/tensions that resulted from Civil Society led demonstrations across the country, and the level of violence experienced during the Fresh Presidential Election held on 23 June 2020 have been unprecedented in Malawi's history.

All these point to the fact that there are longstanding, unaddressed socio-economic and political grievances, that could derail Malawi's efforts at national cohesion and national healing. The situation is further compounded by climate change effects which exacerbate conflicts. Malawi is projected to experience a severe food crisis after an El Niño-induced drought. The effects range from lower agricultural yields to commodity price inflation, effects on human health, education participation, lower economic growth rates, and increased poverty and vulnerability of people experiencing poverty. The adverse effects of El Niño also come on the back of already high inflation, particularly food inflation, and the cumulative impacts of shocks in 2022 and 2023. In 2023, Tropical Cyclone Freddy hit the country causing loss of life, livelihoods, infrastructure damage, and a total economic cost estimated at 0.5 percent of GDP. The cyclone also hit the country on the heels of Tropical Storm Ana and Cyclone Gombe (2022). Crop estimates by the Ministry of Agriculture show that the country has not harvested enough harvest to satisfy the national consumption requirements.

For this reason, the UN, is supporting the strengthening of national capacities for peace and conflict prevention through the full implementation of the National Peace Policy (NPP) and Malawi Peace and Unity Act that led to the establishment of the Malawi Peace and Unity Commission (MPUC). The MPUC will ensure the institutionalization of a National Peace Architecture to enhance socio-economic and political dialogue, conflict prevention and create spaces for dialogue and civil society participation in peacebuilding, conflict prevention and early warning. The UN will support the Government of Malawi, MPUC and civil society organizations among others to strengthen the Peace-Development and Humanitarian nexus and address the wider governance and social cohesion challenges. These include the intersection of political and economic dynamics that affect sustainable development, at both the national and local levels.

Task description

Under the direct supervision of The Peace and Development Advisor, or his/her delegate, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

1. Assisting on research, information-gathering and analysis with specific focus on supporting and promoting peacebuilding and conflict prevention:

- Support the PDA in data gathering and analysis of socio-economic, political risks and conflict dynamics, including regional developments relevant to conflict prevention and peacebuilding activities in Malawi, with specific focus on supporting and promoting peacebuilding, social cohesion, conflict prevention and prevention of violent extremism; support cross-border engagements and collaboration to enhance with regional colleagues.

- Support the PDA in undertaking political, political economy and/or conflict analysis, conflict early warning monitoring and response in the country, and reporting of issues related to peace and security, including through analysis of local sources.

 

- Draft peace and conflict analysis reports

2. Assist in identifying entry-points and support inclusive and conflict-sensitive ap-proaches in efforts to build national capacities for conflict prevention, particularly with regard to civil society, including women’s and youth networks:

- Assist the PDA in identifying areas of programmatic engagement with national stake-holders related to social cohesion, dialogue, conflict prevention and consensus build-ing; and contribute to the development of conflict-sensitive approaches.

- Support the PDA in developing new project ideas, concept note and assist the coordi-nation of the implementation of existing conflict prevention and peacebuilding initiatives and projects.

- Under the guidance of the PDA, support the exploration of entry points with key national counterparts including the Government and civil society.

- Contribute to mappings and analysis with civil society actors’ (including youth, women, and marginalized groups) capacities for conflict prevention/ peacebuilding at local and national level, using the exercise to inform the support provided by the PDA and UNCT throughout the duration of the assignment.

- Support the PDA in their engagement with national and local stakeholders, focusing particularly on engaging with civil society actors at local level and academia, to help link local initiatives to nation-al-level institutions, structures and processes, as well as reinforcing dialogue between government and civil society and/or people-to-people di-alogues.

3. Contribute to the provision of technical support for coordination, partnerships and M&E:

- Support the external coordination of existing partnerships between stakeholders (gov-ernment, civil society, private sector and the international community, including the UN system).

- In close collaboration with the PDA and the Joint Programme Secretariat, support mon-itoring and evaluation function, including collecting, processing and analysing data in the framework of peace and development team workplan.

- Support knowledge management and sharing of good practices on conflict prevention and peacebuilding; ensure that stories and lessons learned are shared with the Joint Programme Secretariat; and respond to specific requests for information.

Eligibility criteria

Age

18 - 80

Required experience

1 month

Nationality

Candidate must be a national of a country other than the country of assignment.

Additional eligibility criteria

This assignment is funded by the Government of the Republic of Ireland and therefore specific criteria apply:

- Candidates must be Irish citizens or a European Economic Area nationals with an unrestricted right to reside in Ireland or have a declaration of refugee status from the Minister for Justice and Law Reform.

- Candidates must be between 18 and 26 years of age at the time of application (the above-mentioned age range does not apply).

APPLICATION

- You may apply to a maximum of three assignments and indicate the order of preference in the ‘Additional remarks’ field when filling in the application form.

- Application deadline: 9 February 2025.

SELECTION

- Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The selection will be done by the UN Host Entity at the level of the country of assignment.

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Assignment requirements

Languages

English, Level: Fluent, Required

Required education level

Bachelor degree or equivalent in Conflict Resolution, Peace Studies, Political Science, Sociology, Human Rights, International Relations, Economics, Law, Public Administration, or other related Social Sciences.

Competencies and values

Integrity and professionalism: experience in area of specialty and ability to apply good judgment; high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; ability to work independently under established procedures in a politically sensitive environment,

while exercising discretion, impartiality and neutrality; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client oriented.

Accountability: mature and responsible; ability to operate in compliance with organizational rules and regulations.

Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments; ability to adapt to changes in work environment.

Planning and organizing effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with tight deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities.

Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

Communication: good interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills in English language, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; capacity to transfer in-formation and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups.

Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance, and commitment towards the UN core values.

Skills and experience

· Research and analysis of political, socio-economic, and conflict-related issues, including drafting reports and briefs.

· Supporting project implementation, coordination, and stakeholder engagement with civil so-ciety and government partners.

· Conflict prevention, early warning systems, and data collection for monitoring and evaluation purposes.

· Effective communication, including report writing and presentations in diverse, multicultural environments.

Other information

Living conditions and remarks

Malawi is a stable and democratic country and has no major security problem. The population of Malawi is about 19 million and the major languages are English and Chichewa, with several other local languages spoken across the country. Living conditions in the major cities are modest with basic supplies/amenities available. Health services and international schools are available in Lilongwe, Blantyre, Mzuzu and Zomba. Malaria is prevalent throughout the country. Social infrastructure, though limited, can be found in all 4 major cities.

The UN Volunteer will be based in the capital of the country, Lilongwe. Conditions in Lilongwe are generally good and have reasonable public health services complemented by private health service providers. Housing in Lilongwe varies, and it is possible to rent apartments in safe areas from US$500/month upwards. The UNV Unit will book temporary accommodation for the first nights at a UNDSS-approved lodge while assisting in getting permanent accommodation. The Government Department of Housing has a provision for government houses to UN staff, and when available, a UN Volunteer is allocated one.

Entry visas are processed online through the eVisa platform. Alternatively, entry visas can be issued at the port of arrival. The RCO facilitates applications for visa extensions and work permits. Malawi e-Visa System | The Official e-Visa Application Portal of Malawi | Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services

Inclusivity statement

United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements

Selected candidates for certain occupational groups may be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) in line with the applicable host entity policy

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Start Application: https://app.unv.org/opportunities/1778700396709120