TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR HIRING OF CONSULTANT

A.Project Title: Strengthening the capacity of the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) in Climate-Smart Disaster Risk Management (Climate Advocacy and Coordination for Resilient Action (CACRA) (Phase-3)

B.Project Background:

The Climate Advocacy Coordination for Resilient Action (CACRA) project, now in its third phase and implemented by PRCS with support from the German Red Cross and BMZ SSF funding, aims to enhance PRCS's capability for climate- smart disaster risk management (CS-DRM) and contribute to community resilience. This project builds upon Phase I, which focuses on the organizational development of the PRCS, including the development of disaster risk management policies and climate change adaptation strategies. Phase II and III aim to strengthen partnerships, coordination, sustainability, and community resilience to climate change.

Overall Project Objective:

In the long term, the project aims to contribute to strengthening the resilience of the affected population in Pakistan

by minimizing the negative impacts of climate-related natural hazards.

Project Objective:

PRCS has the necessary capacity and skills to improve the resilience of affected communities through climate-sensitive DRM and strengthen nationwide coordination with relevant actors in the field.

The proposed 3rd phase of the project will, on the one hand, focus on the sustainability of the activities carried out in the 2nd and 1st phases and anchor the new processes and methods in the institution. On the other hand, targeted innovative approaches will be introduced for the successful implementation of the project. This includes further strengthening PRCS' technical capacity in climate-sensitive disaster risk management (DRM) to better support vulnerable communities affected by climate change through improved networking and expanded collaboration with other stakeholders. This includes, but is not limited to, government agencies, I/NGOs, research institutions, and faith-based institutions. PRCS will expand the scope of collaboration and partnership building with relevant stakeholders.

The organizational development done in Phase 1 will be continued within PRCS and shared with all relevant stakeholders, including Red Cross and Red Crescent partners, to enable meaningful replication. Besides, the 3rd phase of the project aims to support PRCS' current and future climate sensitivity programs by consistently linking DRM activities with the new tools and methodologies in line with international best practices. In addition, the Federation's eVCA-and Green Response approaches1 will be revised and updated by taking into account the experiences of National Societies and lessons learned globally. Target communities of PRCS programs will benefit from the updated and context- and region-specific climate-sensitive DRM tools as they are more comprehensive and inclusive and promote overall community resilience. PRCS plays a central role in this endeavor, employing climate-smart Disaster Risk Management (DRM) policies and practices at macro, meso, and micro levels. At the macro level, PRCS strengthens coordination and partnerships in climate-smart DRM, assuming a recognized role nationwide. At the meso level, the organization builds a robust climate-smart DRM system, enhancing organizational capacity and networking with stakeholders. Finally, at the micro level, PRCS actively contributes to community resilience and climate change awareness, effectively implementing climate-smart DRM policies and practices. Through its comprehensive efforts, PRCS continues to make a significant impact on climate change adaptation and mitigation, fostering a sustainable future for communities across Pakistan.

Building the capacity of Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) staff on climate change is essential given Pakistan's susceptibility to climate-related disasters. Equipping PRCS personnel with knowledge about climate change impacts and adaptation strategies is crucial for enhancing disaster preparedness and response. Educated staff can engage with local communities, raise awareness about climate change risks, and promote adaptive practices, thereby building resilience at the grassroots level. Moreover, trained PRCS staff can effectively address health challenges, implement climate-resilient infrastructure, advocate for policies, and foster cross-sectoral collaborations. By investing in the expertise of its staff, PRCS can play a pivotal role in mitigating the adverse effects of climate change, ensuring the well- being of vulnerable communities in Pakistan.

While institutional knowledge of climate change and the integration of climate change into the PRCS’s ways of working a priority area under CACRA, it is also necessary to build the capacity of the institution to identify, prioritize, and access new and additional sources of climate finance and also loss and damage fund, to expand the scope and mission of the PRCS’s ongoing work on resilience building, as well as work toward the sustainability of the Climate Change Unit of the PRCS established under CACRA, to be self-sustaining following the project closure. 

The PRCS, under the CACRA project, currently seeks a consulting firm/individual to conduct customized, immersive three-day training for its national and provincial level staff and partners. While the training will be focused on building the understanding of the participants on accessing climate finance loss and damage funds, it is expected that the consultant will also focus on refreshing participants' capacities on basic concepts of climate change, climate justice, basic proposal writing skills, and methods, etc.

Please download the documwnts for complete details.

1. Clean_TORs for Training on Climate Finance

2. Certificate - Declaration of Confirmity (Annex I)