War Child Canada is globally recognized for our grassroots, community-driven model of humanitarian action that’s rooted in collaboration and entirely locally led. War Child Canada's flagship Afghanistan program advances social impact in the lives of vulnerable children, women, and their families through its Justice, Education, Health, and Livelihood (Opportunity) program with child protection and gender across its entire program. The country program is undergoing an exciting expansion with newly secured long-term funding for programs in various provinces including Kabul, Nangarhar, Balkh, Samangan, and Sar-e-Pul.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The Responsive Empowerment and Care for Health and Protection (REACH) project, implemented by War Child Canada, aims to reduce health and protection vulnerabilities and increase saved lives in communities affected by humanitarian crises including returnee and IDP settlements in Kabul, Nangarhar, Kandahar, and Baghlan provinces, Afghanistan. In alignment with the Afghanistan Humanitarian Needs Response Plan (HNRP), WCC’s approach includes improving access to reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health care (RMNCAH) for women and children in affected communities, particularly in high returnee areas and flood and storm-affected areas. Additionally, child protection interventions will address the needs of returnees at zero points and transit centers in Torkham, Nangarhar province, and Spin Boldak, Kandahar province. Critical non-food items (NFIs) will also be delivered to flood and storm-affected communities in Baghlan and Nangarhar provinces to meet the essential needs of underserved populations.

SCOPE OF WORK:
The consultant will undertake an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to ensure that all potential environmental effects, both positive and negative, are identified and analyzed. This assessment will include an introduction to the project, a description of the physical work involved, and an analysis of the local environment.

As the project intervention involves establishing Mother and Child Health Centers (MCHCs), the EIA will primarily focus on medical waste management and the construction operation and maintenance of incinerators within the MCHCs. This focus has also been addressed in Annex 12: Environmental Analysis and in the Impact Assessment Act (IAA) section of the proposal submitted to the donor.

The Environmental Management Plan (EMP) will be developed to outline the necessary mitigation and enhancement measures for each identified potential environmental impact. This plan will detail the roles and responsibilities for environmental management, staffing requirements, and the expertise needed. It will also include training and capacity-building needs, a schedule for EMP implementation, a budget for EMP activities, and procedures for monitoring, follow-up, and reporting.

In addition to the EIA and EMP, the consultant will develop and deliver short-term training to ensure that MCHC and other program staff attain the knowledge and skills to implement the EMP effectively.
The consultant will undertake an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the REACH project, focusing on the following key areas:

1. Project Introduction and Description:

• Provide a detailed overview of the REACH project, including its objectives, components, and geographical scope.
• Describe the physical work involved, such as construction, rehabilitation, and any other activities that may impact the environment.

2. Policy and Legislative Framework:

• Review relevant environmental policies, regulations, and standards at the national and local levels. References to key policies and legislation must be referenced in the EIA.
• Ensure compliance with Afghanistan’s Environmental Management System and any other applicable international guidelines.

3.  Impact Identification and Analysis:

• Identify all potential environmental impacts, both positive and negative, associated with the project activities.
• Assess the significance of these impacts on the physical, biological, and socioeconomic environments.

4. Mitigation and Enhancement Measures:

• Develop strategies to mitigate negative environmental impacts and enhance positive ones.

5. Environmental Management Plan (EMP):

• Develop project environmental management plan including required training, timeline for EMP implementation, needed budget and procedures for monitoring

6. Training and Capacity Building:

• Design and deliver training programs to equip project staff with the knowledge and skills needed to implement the EMP.
• Cover best practices in environmental management and specific measures outlined in the EMP.
• Develop training materials, including curriculum, session reports, and participant feedback mechanisms.

7. Use of Assessment Tools:

• The consultant will utilize tools such as NEAT+ (Nexus Environment Assessment Tool) for assessments to ensure a thorough and effective evaluation process.

DELIVERABLES

1. EIA Report: A comprehensive EIA report that includes a detailed analysis of potential environmental effects, a description of the local environment, and an assessment of the significance of these effects. (3 Weeks)
2. EMP: The EMP document will summarize the impacts, describe the mitigation and enhancement measures, and provide details on the monitoring program, implementation schedule, and reporting procedures. Cost estimates and sources of funds for both the initial investment and recurring expenses will also be included. (1 Week)
3. Training materials and reports: The training materials and reports will be developed to support the training programs. These materials will include a curriculum, training session reports, and participant feedback to ensure the effectiveness of the training. (1 Week)
4. Delivery of training: Training for MCHC and other relevant program staff will be organized by the consultant. (1 Week)

TIMELINE

The consultant is expected to complete the work and submit the deliverables outlined above within 6 weeks to War Child Canada, and a detailed timeline with specific dates will be agreed upon the signing of the contract between the consultant and WCC. Changes in the number of days allocated for this work need to be approved in writing by WCC.

QUALIFICATIONS

The consultant should have proven experience in conducting EIAs and developing EMPs, ideally in the health sector, expertise in environmental management and training, and familiarity with Afghanistan’s environmental legislation and policies and international; standards for environmental impact of activities in the health sector including those of WHO.

• Individual Consultants should submit the following no later than COB February 26th, 2025, to afg.hr@warchild.ca 

1. Detailed CV/ Resume highlighted that relevant experience the field

2. A brief description of how the required work will be carried out

3. Proposed budget for the complete work as per the ToR

• Consultancy Forms should submit the following documents to the same email address:

1. Profile of the firm highlighting the specific relevant experience of the similar work in Afghanistan

2. CV/ Resume of the proposed consultant for the work

3. A brief description with a proposed methodology for the work to be carried out by the firm

4. Proposed budget for the complete work as per the ToR above