I. Background

The technical assistance (TA) will assess how the current policy environment affects women’s resilience in four Central Asia developing member countries (DMCs), namely, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz, Republic, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, and recommend actions to integrate gender concerns in their climate change policies and programs. Specifically, the TA will (i) conduct a stocktake of each covered DMC’s existing national policies and programs on climate change, and assess how these policies have considered gender issues, as well as identify regional similarities and differences across the four DMCs; (ii) propose amendments to include gender mainstreaming in climate policies and programs, or develop supplemental policy and program actions that enable addressing gender issues in climate change; (iii) conduct a capacity building workshop with concerned government agencies and other stakeholders on strengthening their integration of gender concerns in climate change policies and programs; and (iv) identify regional similarities and differences across the four DMCs with opportunities for cross learning and exchange of best practices.

The ADB Country Partnership Strategies (CPSs) of the four DMCs have highlighted the need to mainstream climate change and gender equality in their operations while remaining cognizant of their interlinkages. All Central Asian DMCs have one or more national policies, strategies, or action plans on climate change which mainly address the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and achieve carbon neutrality, or support adaptation measures to reduce people’s vulnerability to climate change or set the country’s nationally determined contributions (NDCs). These policies and strategies have barely, if not completely overlooked gender considerations, which often determine whether a country’s adaptation actions are successful or not. The lack of an enabling policy and institutional environment that fosters gender-responsive climate change programs and action plans is often cited as one of the obstacles to the development and implementation of effective adaptation plans1. This has led to gender-blind national action plans (NAPs) that do not respond to the specific needs of women and other vulnerable sectors. Uzbekistan has started to address this gap when it approved the gender-responsive national climate change policy (NCCP) and climate change gender action plan (CCGAP) in September 2024. It is expected that this TA will result in gender-responsive climate change adaptation plans of the four DMCs.

II. Implementation Arrangements

The TA will be implemented from March 2025 to December 2027. The expected engagement period for consulting services is January 2026 to October 2027.

Consulting services. ADB will engage a consulting firm following the ADB Procurement Staff Instructions for ADB-administered procurement. The firm will provide 5 person-months for an international expert and a total of 40 person-months for 4 national experts. It will conduct an assessment of national climate change policies. The national experts (one for each covered DMC) will conduct data gathering, workshops, and consultations in their countries of assignment. The national experts will produce country-level reports on the analysis of gender gaps and issues related to the implementation of climate change adaptation policies. The international expert will analyze the national data and produce a consolidated regional assessment report, propose policy

1 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. 2023. Progress, Good Practices and Lessons Learned in Prioritizing and Incorporating Gender-Responsive Adaptation Action. 202310_adaptation_gender.pdf. (Accessed November 2024)

amendments, lead the preparations for the capacity building workshops, and lead the formation of the informal regional network of gender and climate change advocates.

III. Consulting Firm’s Scope of Services, Deliverables, and Consultants

ADB will engage a consulting firm to support the implementation of TA activities, i.e., (i) stocktaking of national climate change policies, (ii) conduct of consultations on the gender-neutral implementation of national climate change policies, (iii) assessment of the gender gaps and issues of climate change policies, including the implications on implementing gender-neutral policies, (iv) propose amendments to the policies to make them gender-responsive, (v) conduct of gender capacity building activities for government and stakeholders implementing climate change adaptation policies and programs, and (vi) establish an informal regional network of gender and climate change advocates. The consulting firm will deliver the following outputs under the TA:

1. 1 regional report and 4 national reports on the analysis of the gender gaps and issues of the climate change adaptation policies, with recommendations to address the gender gaps; The regional report must be publication ready.

2. Four approved and implemented national climate change polices, programs, and/or action plans that have incorporated gender equality concerns;

3. One subregional workshop on implementing gender-responsive climate change policies and program; and

4. One informal network of gender and climate change advocates in the region, with at least 2 gender and climate change champions identified or fostered in each beneficiary DMC.

The milestone reports are as follows:

a. Inception report. This includes proposed design/concept and implementation plans of (a) activities to be undertaken for each of the deliverables of the TA; (b) required desk research, initial consultations, and communication strategy, and (c) inputs of experts (including field and home office). It will also include methodologies for the TA consulting services activities. This will be submitted 2 weeks upon commencement of the assignment.

b. Interim report. This will report on the progress of TA implementation, to be submitted 24 weeks upon commencement of the assignment.

c. Midterm report. The report will summarize the results and achievements, issues encountered, lessons learned, and recommendations to improve the implementation of TA activities and address implementation issues. The report will be submitted 44 weeks upon commencement of the assignment.

d. Progress Report. This will report on the progress of TA implementation, to be submitted 69 weeks upon commencement of the assignment. It will compile all consultant team outputs in the period covered by the report.

e. Final report. The final report will summarize all the activities implemented, analyze the results and achievements, issues encountered, lessons learned, and recommendations. It will include all activity reports based on the deliverables and will be submitted 88 weeks upon commencement of the assignment.

Table 1 includes the submission and approval schedule of the milestone reports:

 Table 2 below shows the indicative consulting services inputs. The indicative consultants’ tasks for the anticipated positions are described below. The consulting firm is expected to propose a work plan and inputs of each expert in the technical proposals.

 IV. Tasks and Qualification Requirements of Consulting Firm’s Key Individual Consultants

A. Gender and Climate Change Policy Expert/Team Leader (international, 5 person- months, intermittent).

1. Scope of Work

The Team Leader will report to an ADB Senior Social Development Specialist (Gender and Development) of the Gender Equality Division (CCGE) and will be responsible for timely submission of all deliverables and outputs, technical leadership, expert review, overall coordination, and guidance. He/she will guide the conduct of all activities under the TA. He/she will be responsible for coordination and reporting to ADB.

2. Detailed Tasks

a. Overall management. Lead and provide overall management for implementation of activities, delivery of outputs, and achievement of targets; review the design and monitoring framework (DMF), create a work plan identifying the sequence of activities, scheduling of inputs, and timelines for delivery of all outputs. Lead the design and conduct of all consultation and training. Prepare reports and present the final outputs.

b. Guidance on conduct of studies, assessments, consultations. Provide overall guidance to relevant specialists in the conduct of all consultations, studies, and assessments; lead the preparation of the regional report on the assessment of climate change policies, plans and actions.

c. Provide technical oversight in the preparation, approval, and implementation of policies, programs, and action plans of each country. Provide guidance to national gender policy researchers in their initial assessment of national climate change policies. Lead the preparation/revision of climate change policies, programs and action plans. Ensure readability, gender-sensitivity, sensitivity to social and cultural norms, and alignment with and/or adherence to ADB’s policies, guidelines on information dissemination (including those from the Department of Communication and Knowledge (DOCK)). Provide technical guidance to the national gender policy researchers and relevant government agencies related to the approval and implementation of the climate change policies, programs, and action plans that have incorporated gender equality concerns.

d. Monitoring and reporting on progress and results. Design a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plan according to outcome and output level targets and indicators as specified in the DMF. Provide guidance on monitoring of activities, preparation, and submission of periodic updates and reports to ADB, provide updates and highlight any issues that require ADB’s attention; implement solutions to address implementation issues or delays; lead the preparation of the milestone reports on the TA following guidance provided by ADB including highlighting lessons learnt and recommendations; prepare the TA completion report as part of the final milestone report.

e. Guidance on the Conduct of National Workshops, Subregional Workshop, and Creation of an Informal Network of Gender and Climate Change Advocates. Provide guidance to national gender and climate change policy researchers in organizing the national and subregional workshops, and identifying gender and climate change champions and forming the regional informal network of gender and climate change advocates.

3. Qualifications

The Team Leader will have a high level of professional expertise with the following minimum qualifications: (i) at least a master’s degree in gender or development studies, sociology, law, and other relevant disciplines; (ii) at least 10 years’ work experience related to gender and climate change; (iii) at least 8 years’ experience in legislative work, policy development and advocacy, with evidence of policies developed, networking, and institutional development; (iv) experience in Central Asia on assessment of laws, policies, policy-making, policy reform related to gender and climate change; (v) knowledge of ADB reporting requirements and standards is preferred; and (vi) excellent oral and written communications skills in English.

B. Gender and Climate Change Policy Researcher (4 nationals, 10 person-months per researcher, intermittent)

1. Scope of Work

The four specialists will provide research and coordination support to the country- level work plans and report results to the Team Leader. The specialists will prepare the national assessment reports and provide relevant gender-related inputs to the regional assessment report, lead in organizing the national level workshops, consultations, and meetings, support the Team Leader in organizing the subregional workshop, and coordinate implementation of the communication strategy.

2. Detailed Tasks

a. Overall management. Support the Team Leader in the coordination and management of country-level TA activities; advise the team leader as needed, on sensitive social, political, and cultural concerns at country level, and address issues and concerns related to implementation of activities.

b. Inputs to the Assessment of National Climate Change Policies Programs, and Plans. Conduct a stocktaking of national policies, programs, and plans on climate change. Identify the gender gaps in these policies, programs, and plans, and provide recommendations on how to incorporate gender. Conduct consultations, and interviews with key people and groups on gender issues relevant to climate change policies, programs, and plans. Prepare the national assessment report.

c. Monitoring and reporting on progress and results. Provide implementation monitoring support for TA activities at country level. Support the Team Leader in the preparation of periodic monitoring reports on TA implementation and milestone reports.

d. Coordination with government and other stakeholders. Coordinate with relevant government agencies and stakeholders in the review of climate change policies. Organize national level meetings, consultations, and workshops with relevant government agencies and stakeholders. Support the national agencies related to the approval and implementation of the climate change policies, programs, and action plans that have incorporated gender equality concerns.

e. Support the Team Leader in the delivery of capacity building activities, as well as subregional workshop, and in identifying gender and climate change champions for the establishment of an informal network of gender and climate change advocates.

3. Qualifications

Each of the four Gender and Climate Change Policy Researchers will have: (i) a master’s degree in gender or development studies, sociology, and other relevant disciplines; and (ii) at least 5 years’ experience in gender and legislative work, including policy development and advocacy, networking, and institutional development; and (iii) excellent oral and written communications skills in English. Knowledge of ADB reporting requirements and standards is preferred.