Background

UNICEF serves as WASH Cluster Lead Agency (CLA) in coordination with the Regional Water Bureau (RWB) in every region. The coordination mechanism is active and strong, with emergency task force (ETF) meetings conducted on regular basis. UNICEF WASH attends and makes contributions to the ETF meetings held under the chairmanship of RWB in most regions. This serves as a useful forum for the various WASH Cluster partners to not only share updates but to discuss ways of improving linkages to maximize benefits of different sector responses.

The cluster approach ensures coordinated humanitarian WASH responses to the affected population with clear accountability in line with the humanitarian principles and guidelines by clarifying the division of labor among organizations and better defining their roles and responsibilities within the different sectors of the response based on core functions. It aims to make the international humanitarian community better orgaized and more accountable and professional, so that it can be a better partner for the affected people, host governments, local authorities, local civil society and resourcing partners.

The HNO (Humanitarian Needs Overview) and the HRP (Humanitarian Response Plan) identify People in Need as well as target population that is affected men, women, girls and boys in need of emergency WASH services. WASH Cluster partners are expected to respond to several emergency and humanitarian WASH response needs in line with HNO and HRP that are developed and issued by the National Disaster Risk Management Commission and UNOCHA.

WASH Cluster partners at regional and national level agreed to put in place reliable monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system for the WASH Cluster and improve linkage with humanitarian response. This will demand a lot both in terms of finance and human resource. The existing cluster capacity both at national level and in the regions could be an asset in supporting development WASH objectives stated above. UNICEF as a Cluster Lead Agency and a key development partner is keen to invest in ensuring the better linkage and resourcing the WAH sector.

 Justification

UNICEF, as a Cluster Lead Agency (CLA) for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), is obliged to take responsibilities and accountabilities to deliver an effective response to affected population. To deliver these and other relevant roles, Regional IMOs can closely support UNICEF WASH Program Officers (POs) by providing technical support in information management as well as data analysis at RWB.

This TOR is for Regional IMOs’ post to cover Afar, Amhara, Oromia, SNNP, Somali and Tigray regions to manage information about humanitarian WASH response needs, gaps and related cluster partners’ response activities in the region under strategic direction by UNICEF WASH POs.

The position also supports both National WASH cluster as well as RWBs in making strategic decision based on the evidences collected through data and information in the regions. By doing these tasks the person can fill a critical human resource gap to meet minimum coordination requirement by WASH cluster and the UNICEF as CLA so as to maintain accountability to affected population.

 Key TASKS

• Ensure timely submission of monthly 4W
• Support UNICEF WASH POs in sub-national cluster coordination
• Weekly updates on humanitarian WASH needs, gaps and partners’ activities in response to the request by National WASH Cluster
• Provision of technical support to RWB on humanitarian WASH responses
• Ensure consistent and quality monitoring and reporting of activities (Sit Rep, 4W, water supply works status update
• Ensure  periodical  and  seasonal  WASH  updates  such  as  water  trucking  needs assessment, etc.

 Specific tasks include:

The post holder is responsible for the collection, compilation, analysis of information related to emergency WASH response activities within their respective regions and will:

• Provide information management support to UNICEF WASH POs for regular WASH Cluster coordination in the region
• Respond to the Cluster participants’ needs for information.

• Maintain information databases that consolidate, analysis and report/disseminate information critical to decision making.
• Maintain monthly reporting from Cluster participants, including 4Ws (‘Who does What, Where, When and for Whom?’ databases).
• Support the estimation of spatial and temporal gaps, overlaps and coverage of partners’ activities and projects.
• Work with Cluster/participants to identify information gaps at Regional levels and propose ways to bridge those gaps
• Work with the Regional OCHA Officers to develop appropriate supportive strategies.
• Use GIS mapping for map production and geographic data management
• Adopt and promote the use of global standards for information management for inter- operability.
• Manage flows of information and dissemination in an appropriate way,
• Manage an inventory of relevant documents on the humanitarian situation.
• Support the development and analysis of needs assessment and monitoring programmes
• To provide information management leadership in assessments and monitoring, including joint assessments and training.
• Lead on the preparation of Situation Report (SitRep) inputs with emphasis on Cluster plans, targets and achievements.
• Develop and strengthen information management capacity through the training of cluster partners
• Contribute to the core cluster functions at national level by providing IM support to

National IMO

 Methodology

The Regional IMOs will support respective WASH Program Officers (POs) at UNICEF Filed Offices and RWBs and RHB to ensure the effective information management as well as cluster coordination on humanitarian WASH response activities. the Regional IMOs will also provide updates on humanitarian WASH response needs, ongoing activities by cluster partners and identified gaps in responses for better advocacy following the guidance by National WASH Cluster Coordinator as well as National IMO.

 Expected Deliverables

The post holder is responsible for the collection, compilation, analysis of information related to emergency WASH response activities within their respective regions and will:

• Regularly update/provide information required by water sector M&E and national WASH Cluster
• Work with with RWBs to ensure current information on water infrastructure is captured
• Ensure that data obtained from cluster 4Ws as well as National WASH Inventory (NWI) and continuous monitoring is shared and used by stakeholders for informed decision making