Result of Service

The ultimate result of this consultancy will be the development of a nationally defined people-centered and end-to-end multi-hazard early warning system implementation plan.

Work Location

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Expected duration

01.04.2026 – 31.03.2027

Duties and Responsibilities

Created in December 1999, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) is the designated focal point in the United Nations system for the coordination of efforts to reduce disasters and to ensure synergies among the disaster reduction activities of the United Nations and regional organizations and activities in both developed and less developed countries. Led by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction (SRSG), UNDRR has over 160 staff located in its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and in regional offices. Specifically, UNDRR guides, monitors, analyses, and reports on progress in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, supports regional and national implementation of the Framework and catalyzes action and increases global awareness to reduce disaster risk working with UN Member States and a broad range of partners and stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector, parliamentarians and the science and technology community. Early Warnings for All (EW4All) Multi-hazard early warning systems (MHEWS) are key elements of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, as they help reduce or avoid the detrimental impacts of hazardous events. To be effective, early warning systems need to be risk-informed, multi-hazard, multi-sectorial, target communities most at risk, disseminate messages and warnings efficiently, ensure preparedness, and support early action. EW4All is arranged into four pillars: 1) disaster risk knowledge; 2) observation, monitoring, analysis, and forecasting; 3) warning dissemination and communication; 4) preparedness and response capabilities. These four pillars which are key components of any MHEWS need a governance architecture enabling interactions among those responsible for each of the components, framing their implementation within the overall disaster risk management (DRM) governance mechanisms (Interpillar). Multi-sector and multi-stakeholder coordination, involvement of communities at risk, having an enabling institutional and legislative environment, clear roles and responsibilities, and adequate operational capacities, are essential for effective and consistent Early Warning Systems. Early Warnings for All (EW4All) is a special initiative of the UN Secretary General, which aims to spearhead action to ensure every person on Earth is protected by early warning systems by 2027. Formally launched by the UN Secretary-General in November 2022 at the COP27 meeting in Sharm El-Sheikh, the initiative calls for everyone everywhere to be protected by early warning systems by the end of 2027. EW4All is co-led by WMO (World Meteorological Organization) and UNDRR and supported by other pillar leads, namely ITU (International Telecommunication Union) and IFRC (International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies). Additional implementing partners include FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), GEO (Group of Earth Observation) Secretariat, IOM (International Organization for Migration), OCHA (United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs), UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme), UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund), REAP (Risk-informed Early Action Partnership), WFP (World Food Programme) and others. EW4All aims to promote collaboration and synergies across all partners working on the promotion, design, implementation, development, and monitoring of single, cluster and MHEWS. The United Nations Secretary Generals Executive Action Plan outlines the initial actions required to achieve universal coverage of multi-hazard early warning systems within coming years and sets out the pathway to implementation. National implementation plans or roadmaps should be country-driven and nationally owned, informed by multistakeholder, participatory and inclusive processes and should aim to close gaps identified in each of the foundational pillars. Furthermore, they should be tailored to guide each countrys efforts on enhancing MHEWS capacities and reach. The implementation process should be guided by the stakeholder coordination mechanism established or confirmed in the national consultative workshop(s). A key focus of this initiative is to promote a coordinated, cross pillar approach that prioritizes strong coordination. A monitoring framework has been established for use in countries, and technical support is also available to strengthen reporting on Target G of the Sendai Framework, which tracks progress on Early Warning Systems. The national implementation of the EW4All National Roadmap necessitates coordinated efforts across various pillars, sectors and stakeholders to achieve comprehensive MHEWS coverage. Success hinges on strong national leadership and collaborative engagement throughout the MHEWS value cycle. EUCARES This consultancy falls under the European UnionCaribbeanResilient Programme (EUCA-RES) that aims to increase the resilience to external shocks in the Caribbean, making individual, communities, business and institutions better prepared to prevent, minimize impacts and recover from slow and rapid onset events. EUCARES seeks to enhance shock-responsive and gender-inclusive social protection schemes, while accelerating recovery capacities for the most vulnerable groups including women, children, and persons with disabilities. Central to the programme is the principle of building back better, which focuses not only on recovery but on creating stronger, more disaster-resilient communities through improved building standards, disaster-proof infrastructure, and enhanced institutional and policy capacities. The programme is implemented in partnership with United Nations agencies (UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, and UNDRR) and includes five key components: 1. Strengthening social protection systems to provide integrated, digitalized support to vulnerable populations affected by shocks. 2. Enhancing institutional capacity for evidence-based policy and operational decision-making. 3. Supporting implementation of Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS). 4. Building capacities for resilient recovery planning, governance, and finance. 5. Improving post-disaster needs assessment and recovery framework development. With regards to the current consultancy, the focus through UNDRR is on strengthened Caribbean institutions and private sector capacities for the implementation of Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS) in-country work programmes. By seamlessly integrating the planned activities, the project is dedicated to not only strengthening the MHEWS but also enhancing disaster response capabilities and promoting a culture of long-term disaster resilience in the region, including active engagement with key stakeholders such as the private sector. It will also emphasize inclusion, gender, womens empowerment, persons with disabilities, youth and others with a view to reaching communities on the ground and empowering actors through the process. This will be pursued through the strategic implementation of two key activities: Activity 3.1: Develop MHEWS Gap analyses and National Roadmaps that include a gender and disability perspective, which looks to improve MHEWS to expand coverage and the effectiveness of such systems. This involves a comprehensive process to identify deficiencies in the essential components of MHEWS, followed by the development of strategic roadmaps to address these gaps. The roadmaps will guide national and local governments in enhancing people-centred MHEWS, detailing specific activities and targeted investments. Developed in collaboration with national…