Mission and objectives

UNDP has been working across Afghanistan for more than 50 years on challenges related to climate change and resilience, gender, governance, health, livelihoods and rule of law. Guided by the government and its Development Councils, our work is fully aligned with the Afghanistan National Peace and Development Framework and National Priority Programmes, and is carried out in close coordination with partner UN agencies under the One UN Framework. As the UN’s development network, we connect the Afghan government and people with the resources and information they need to drive their own development according to their own priorities, as well as to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Context

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations build integrated, lasting solutions for people and the planet. UNDP has been working in Afghanistan for more than 50 years on climate change and resilience, gender, governance, health, livelihoods, and the rule of law. Under the broader framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in close coordination with other UN agencies, UNDP supports the Afghan people’s aspiration for peace, prosperity, and sustainability. UNDP is currently implementing its flagship crisis response programme, ABADEI (Area Based Approach to Development Emergency Initiatives), as part of the ongoing UN-led response to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe and the breakdown of Afghanistan’s economy following the August 2021 shift in power and subsequent early recovery and stabilization. Energy poverty affects the quality of lives of women and men differently in varying degrees and impacts their health, employment and many basic services. Currently, the demand for energy in the country far exceeds its supply, the transmission and distribution grid are unreliable, and load shedding and outages of electricity supply are common. Many provinces are not connected to the grid and are therefore largely served through local diesel generating units that increase the costs of supply. Thus, lack of access is linked to affordable energy and impedes economic, social and educational opportunities for the poor and rural residents. The Federal Republic of Germany has made available funds to the project “Sustainable energy services for education and health in Afghanistan (SESEHA)” of UNDP through KfW, Germany’s State-owned Investment and Development Bank. The key objective of the project SESEHA is adoption of renewable energy and energy efficiency measures in public facilities (primarily in health and education sectors) for sustained delivery of essential services for basic human needs in Afghanistan. This proposed project will contribute to better energy access and enables improvements in basic energy supply services in the stated sectors. The project is aligned with UNDP’s signature solution on Energy and is further conceptualized in the priority area of sustained essential services of the UN’s Strategic Framework for Afghanistan 2023-2025 that directly contributes to the two outcomes: Outcome 1: By the end of 2025, more people in Afghanistan, particularly the most vulnerable and marginalized, including women and girls have their basic human needs progressively met through the sustained delivery of essential services. Outcome 2: By the end of 2025, people in Afghanistan, especially women, youth, and other marginalized groups, and those at risk of being left behind benefit from a more equitable, inclusive, sustainable, and resilient employment-rich economy and shared economic opportunities with enhanced productive capacities for improved livelihoods and decent work.

Task description

Under the direct supervision of Sustainable Energy Services for Education and Health in Afghanistan (SESEHA) Project Manager the National UN Volunteer will assist in the implementation of the project. The Technical Associate is expected to deliver: •Assist and provide the technical support for implementation of large-scale solar PV, institutional PV and mini grid development. •Prepare a shortlist of potential project sites selected based on a set of criteria and select sites in consultation with relevant stakeholders. •Conduct site visit for the verification, validation and analysis of data collected by and propose the appropriate energy solution to meet the energy need of the community for the identified sites. •Assist in developing project time schedules for implementation of project including list of main deliverables/ milestones. •Prepare complete bidding documents including detailed technical specifications of the renewable energy systems. •Assist in implementation of renewable energy projects by providing technical and procurement assistance, installation assistance, and appropriate capacity building activities; Mobilize the community as well as local authorities to participate in project and complete it in the estimated time. •Identify and seek corrective measures if any problem faced. •Provide assistant to develop the operation and maintenance modalities of the projects implemented. •Document the lesson learned for future to implement similar project. •Perform other duties and responsibilities. Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities: •Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day). •Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country. •Provide annual and end of assignment self-reports on UN Volunteer actions, results, and opportunities. •Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc. •Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers. •Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.