| Overview : The new United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) in currently being finalized between the Government of South Africa and the UN system in the country for the period 2020-2025. The Governments National Development Plan and accompanying Medium-Term Strategic Framework has guided the UNSDCF priorities and action for this period. The United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) is the core instrument for articulating, planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating the United Nation’s role in achieving collectively owned development results under 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As the most important UN planning and implementation instrument at the country level, it governs all programming efforts of the UN Country Team (UNCT). The roadmap to finalising the UNSDCF in its entirety has been delayed by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Across the African continent, South Africa has the highest number of reported cases of the COVID-19 virus, with 7 808 infected persons and 153 reported deaths as at 06 May 2020. For the past three months, the United Nations has been collaborating with Government, the business community, civil society organizations and international development actors to identify gaps and sustainable solutions in responding to the pandemic. The UN recognises that in order to effectively mitigate against, and manage the impact of COVID-19, there must be strategic coordination among the stakeholders involved, to ensure optimal use of resources, and avoid duplication. The response efforts also require strong engagement and mobilization of marginalized and particularly vulnerable populations, including women, children, adolescent girls, youth, persons living with disabilities, refugees, regular and irregular migrants, persons living with HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, older persons, persons in detention or in institutionalized settings, and people in informal settlements, among others. The Government has explicitly identified areas in which the support of the United Nations would add strategic value, ranging from health, food security, education, water and sanitation, protection, gender-based violence prevention and support, and livelihoods. The UN team has subsequently launched a Flash Appeal to assist with the urgent Humanitarian needs of the most vulnerable people in South Africa. The RCO and UNCT seeks a consultant to support the UN System South Africa in resource mobilization strategy and dedicated coordination support for the UN SA Flash Appeal and the UNSDCF. (Further details can be found in the Terms of References.) |
