Individual International Consultant for Study On Financing Options for Shock Responsive Social Protection in Viet Nam

**Job no**: 577839
**Contract type**: Consultant
**Duty Station**: Hanoi
**Level**: Consultancy
**Location**: Viet Nam
**Categories**: Social Policy

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Purpose of Activity/Assignment:
This assignment aims to conduct a comprehensive study on financing options for shock-responsive social protection in Viet Nam.

Background:
Viet Nam’s rapid economic development in the past decades has put tremendous pressure on the environment. The country has experienced rapid urbanization and industrialization, leading to increased levels of pollution, particularly in urban centers. Air and water pollution, waste management issues, and resource depletion have been exacerbated by the fast pace of economic growth. Viet Nam was ranked the 13th most affected country globally by climate vulnerability and extreme weather events between 2000 and 2019 with an estimated loss of 3.2 per cent of GDP in 2020. Over the last three decades, Viet Nam has suffered an average annual loss of 1-1.5 per cent of GDP and an average of 430 deaths due to climate-related disasters. The impact of climate change has been more severe, including rising sea levels and saline intrusion affecting the plain areas such as the Mekong Delta; extreme climatic conditions eroding agriculture, tourism, and infrastructure; rising heat affecting labor productivity across economic sectors; and more severe and frequent floods and droughts. Climate changes has increased children's vulnerability, especially in Viet Nam where 95% of children are exposed to 4 or more climate risks - in comparison to 68% in the East Asia and the Pacific region and 38% globally.

Currently, Viet Nam is still making significant efforts to respond to the devastating impacts of Typhoon Yagi, the most powerful storm in 30 years. Government reports indicate that more than 350 people are either dead or missing. The hardest-hit provinces are home to over 19 million people, including 5.5 million children. Among them, more than 150,000 children with disabilities live in the affected areas. Homes, healthcare facilities, schools, and water and power systems have been damaged, severely impacting millions of families. The estimated total cost of damage from Typhoon Yagi is approximately US$1.6 billion. Overall, Viet Nam is likely to incur, on average, VND 30.2 trillion (USD 1.4 billion) per year in direct losses from floods, typhoons, and earthquakes.

In 2021, UNICEF conducted a feasibility analysis on delivering cash assistance for children in emergencies in Viet Nam (report available via this link). With the increasing challenges posed by extreme weather events and climate change, it is crucial to undertake an in-depth study on the policy and financial options for shock-responsive social protection in the country. The study will also unpack the bottlenecks/ or the enabling institutional and systemic issues that needs to be addressed for efficient response and also efficient utilization of the funds. This study will also seek to strengthen the connections between shock-responsive social protection systems and anticipatory action, ensuring a more effective and timely response to future climate crises.

Scope of Work:
The study aims to analyze the delivery (including adequacy and impacts) and financing mechanisms of shock-responsive social protection (SRSP) in Viet Nam and propose viable and sustainable financing options to enhance the effectiveness of SRSP.

Specific objectives include:

- Update the situation analysis: Conduct a comprehensive assessment of Viet Nam’s context regarding extreme weather events and climate change and cost of inaction analysis, alongside the existing shock-responsive social protection (SRSP) system, legal frameworks, and policies. This should include evaluating the design, functionality and vertical and horizontal capacity of the system in addressing and mitigating residual risks, as well as enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of shock response efforts.
- Assess current delivery systems for SRSP/cash transfer in emergencies: Perform an in-depth assessment of current delivery systems and/or models for cash transfers during emergencies. This will involve identifying key stakeholders, their specific roles, existing coordination mechanisms and bottlenecks that hinder the facilitation of shock-responsive social protection (SRSP) as well as key enablers for the finance to work better. Focus on how current financing mechanisms are allocated and utilized for delivering cash in emergencies, particularly in light of response efforts following the recent Yagi typhoon.
- Identify financing options: Explore suita