Tourism Safeguards Officer

**Terms of Reference**

**Position Title**:
**Tourism Safeguards Officer**

**Location**:
Hanoi

**Period of Assignment**:
18 months with possibility of extension

**Contract type**

Part time (3 - 4 days/week negotiable)

**Reporting To**:
**Clickable Tourism Destination Management Project Manager**

**Background**:
**About Cowater International**

Cowater International is the managing contractor for the Gender Responsive and Equitable Agriculture and Tourism (GREAT) program, a flagship development assistance program of the Australian Government promoting sustainable livelihoods for ethnic minority women, including those with disabilities (EMW/D) in Vietnam’s northwest provinces.

Founded in 1985, Cowater International is a leading global development consulting company. Headquartered in Ottawa and with corporate hubs in Auckland, Berlin, Brussels, Helsinki, London, Madrid, Manila, Nairobi, Singapore and Stockholm, Cowater International has successfully delivered a portfolio of over 2500 projects and assignments in more than 95 countries. We work with governments, private sector actors and communities implementing projects that support socio-economic development, institutional strengthening, environmental improvements and advance equal opportunities for all. We are a diverse and experienced team committed to building a better tomorrow for the people we serve. Our adaptive approach to management has led to our yearly award-winning work and recognition as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies since 2017.

**About the GREAT Program**

The objectives of the Aus4Equality|GREAT 2 Program are:
**Objective 1** - Ethnic minority women living in Son La and Lao Cai, have improved economic benefits.

**Objective 2** - Ethnic minority women living in Son La and Lao Cai, have increased confidence and social status, including more balanced workloads and greater decision-making within the home, workplace, and community.

**Objective 3** - Ethnic minority women and household members living in Son La and Lao Cai benefit from more gender-responsive, inclusive, and effective provincial and national policies, plans, strategies, and programs.

The program is in its second five-year phase and GREAT 2 will continue its focus on agriculture and tourism, identifying specific sectors that lend themselves to opportunities for women’s economic empowerment and work with multiple stakeholders to address constraints, generate opportunities, drive market growth and increase productive value of the sector. A limited number of agriculture sectors will be targeted, in addition to tourism. Cross-sector strategies such as women, access to finance, digital transformation, policy advocacy and behaviour change will complement the sector strategies.

**About the Tourism Destination Management Sub-Project**

Tourism is a significant and fast-growing sector in Northwest Vietnam, and one which offers many social and economic opportunities for ethnic minority women. This is why it is a principal investment sector under the GREAT program.

Through the Tourism Destination Management Project (TDM), GREAT Phase 2 is working with public, private and community partners to pilot and strengthen more cohesive and effective approaches to destination management in Northwest Vietnam. This initiative seeks to enhance sector stewardship in selected, high priority destinations; promote strategic investment by both public and private stakeholders; and stimulate the development of more inclusive and responsible tourism that empowers ethnic minority women and communities in the region. The Program is piloting innovative models for more inclusive and collaborative destination planning and management in the districts of Moc Chau and Muong La in Son La; and Bat Xat and Bac Ha in Lao Cai. These initiatives will integrate provincial, and commune-level tourism activities to support public-private-community partnerships for strategic governance, product development, and investment planning.

**The Need for Safeguarding**

**In Lao Cai and Son La, the lack of consistency, coordination, effective dissemination / communication and enforcement of safeguarding protocol / code of conduct, and enforcement infrastructure presents a significant risk for EM community security, social harmony and environmental protection. Safeguarding underpins the successful operations of TDM investments in tourism governance, product development and investment planning, and related activities to ensure EMW/D and their communities can safely and meaningfully participate in tourism activities.

GREAT supports improving coordination and collaboration between government, private sector and communities in target tourist areas on safeguards development, implementation, reporting and response mechanisms, and monitoring for adaption.

**Statement of Duty**:
The TDM Safeguards Officer would be responsible for advising and implementing safeguarding in the TDM project. This involves:

- coordination and reconcil