Urban Health National Consultant

Result of Service

The objective of this service aims to develop a practical and context-responsive manual for the localization of Healthy City Indicators and Standards within the Egyptian context, using Greater Cairo Region as a pilot model to promote sustainable, resilient, and healthy urban areas, while providing a framework that can support future replication and scaling up across other cities in Egypt.

Work Location

Cairo, Egypt

Expected duration

6 months (Part-time)

Duties and Responsibilities

Organizational Setting The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the United Nations programme working towards a better urban future. Its mission is to promote socially and environmentally sustainable human settlements development and the achievement of adequate shelter for all. This post is located in the Egypt country programme, Cairo duty station, under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the Urban Development Programme Manager and Country Programme Manager and in close coordination with relevant project teams, government counterparts, and partners. Urbanization remains a key driver of development in Egypt, where 75% of GDP and 80% of jobs are generated in urban areas. Rapid and unplanned expansion around cities, coupled with uneven population distribution, has contributed to significant informal urban growth and pressures on land, services, and infrastructure. This unplanned and unbalanced urban growth further contributes to increased inequality and inefficient use of resources, as well as challenges that affect the efficiency of the transportation system and the quality of life in cities. About 62% of Egypt's population is concentrated in three major urban regions - Greater Cairo, Alexandria and Delta, which do not exceed 4.6% of the total area of the country, and include more than 45% of the population, while 77 cities constitute 4% of the urban population. Greater Cairo alone accommodates more than 23 million people distributed amongst Cairo, Giza and Qalubiyya Governorates. This large population and economic concentration is a major base for GDP and employment creating increasing pressures on infrastructure and transport networks. In line with the Egyptian government’s commitment to sustainable development and in recognition of the urban, political, social and economic role played by the Greater Cairo Region, the General Authority for Urban Planning (GOPP) as the technical arm of the Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities (MoHUUC) has prepared a long-term strategic development vision for the Greater Cairo Region under a technical cooperation agreement between UN-HABITAT Egypt and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The vision aims to achieve sustainable development by improving the quality-of-life for residents and increasing the competitiveness of the region. Following the created vision, the cooperation project “Strengthening Development Planning and Management in Greater Cairo,” was initiated in June 2016 to ensure continued effective implementation of outcomes & results of the vision and to contribute effectively to the realization of priority projects. Within the framework of the government’s vision towards improving the quality of urban life and integrating public health standards in urban planning and through the national framework (Egypt's Vision 2030, National Strategy for Sustainable Development 2052 and Public Health Initiatives), the General Authority for Urban Planning seeks to start a project with the aim to develop a manual that applies the criteria of healthy cities in Greater Cairo Region to create sustainable and healthy areas in Egyptian cities. The aim is to use the manual as a reference in advancing sustainable urban development and planning. The UN Policy brief “COVID-19 in an Urban World” that shows the opportunities that cities have that enable them to manage this crisis and emerge as hubs of energy and innovation leading sustainable response and recovery. In 2021, UN-Habitat also published the report "Cities and Pandemics: Towards a More Just, Green and Healthy Future" to promote a rethinking of the urban context from a health and environmental perspective as a result of the emergence of COVID-19 in 2020. In this context, this task builds on the identified vision for GCR, to transform it into a sustainable urban environment that supports the physical, mental and social health of the population, through developing a “practical and context-responsive manual for the localization of Healthy City Indicators and Standards within the Egyptian context,” using Greater Cairo Region as a pilot model to promote sustainable and healthy urban areas, while providing a framework that can be replicated and scaled up across other cities. This assignment focuses on the first phase of the project which will include the selection of the study area and development of the manual. The Study area will be selected based on its potential to become a Study for a healthy city based on the guideline developed, which can be scaled up to the city level. As such the area that will be selected will ideally encompass diversity of land use, social composition and economic activities including green spaces, recreational areas, and public services. The manual will also include mechanisms for its application and integration in the various urban studies in Egypt to stimulate a better quality of life through this application and the possibility of expansion in different study areas. The second phase includes the application of this project that will involve a detailed plan for a pilot study area in GCR based on the standards and criteria developed in the manual in phase one. Under the overall supervision of the Urban Development Programme Officer, OIC Mr. Ahmed Rezk, with the support from the UN-Habitat Regional Office for Arab States (ROAS)and in close collaboration with UN-Habitat thematic branches, national and local counterparts, the incumbent of the post will have to fulfil the following duties and responsibilities: Duties and Responsibilities: The expert is required to conduct the following detailed tasks: Task 1: Project Inception and Kick-off • Develop the project work plan and outputs with the project team: UN-Habitat Egypt and the GOPP including discussion of detailed tasks; • Kick-off meeting presenting the methodology, work plan, deliverables and timeline; • Prepare the list of documents, previous studies, manuals and guidelines developed to adopt standards of healthy cities at the international level. Task 2: Data Collection and Analysis This task will rely on both primary and secondary research to determine standards and guidelines considering the data of healthy cities in Egypt through the following: • Review secondary sources of information such as locally and internationally developed reports, manuals and guidelines, as well as use other UN-Habitat tools, reports and resources to assist in the development of the guiding framework for a comprehensive urban development plan for healthy cities; • Review of how Egypt on a national level responds to healthy cities indicators, sectorally in different parts of the urban environment, public health, population status, mobility, public services, and population and proposed ways to adapt international indicators and standards for healthy cities to the Egyptian context; • Health, Environment and Climate: air quality, waste management, green spaces; • Urban planning: density, public services, health and education services and housing; • Infrastructure: drinking water, wastewater, electricity, energy and telecommunications sector; • Roads, transport and mobility: accessibility and environmentally friendly transport, pedestrian and bicycles; • Governance: legislation and institutional roles. • Identify and analyse stakeholders and development partners; • Conduct a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Challenges analysis (SWOTs). Task 3: Prepare the Draft Manual • Developing an integrated framework for vision, objectives and strategies: designing and developing sustainable urban health areas in Egypt, in a way that promotes the development of cities and improves the quality of life, in line with the Egyptian context; • Conduct consultative meetings with stakeholders, development partners from civil society, NGOs and government entities to identify priorities, objectives, strategies, desired outcomes in the long and short term and required interventions; • Formulate a national vision for healthy, inclusive and sustainable urban areas; • Identify short, medium and long-term strategic objectives that support healthy sustainable urban development and promote urban development and quality of life; • Prepare an integrated sectoral approach (transportation, housing, green spaces, waste management, public health, drinking water, sanitation and solid waste to preserve the environment, electricity, energy and communications) within the framework of healthy cities to achieve Sustainable Development Goals. • Developing indicators for monitoring and evaluation to measure the progress in achieving and developing healthy sustainable urban areas in Egypt. • Define and formulate an initial set of quantitative and qualitative standards and guidelines covering urban, environmental, social, and health aspects and formulate a checklist for authorities • Producing quantitative, qualitative and standard tools based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the International Healthy Cities with an emphasis on the importance of adaptation and mitigation of climate change; • Identify development interventions to improve the current urban, social, environmental and economic status as well as the infrastructure to reach healthy cities; • Conduct a comparative analysis of the proposed indicators with international guidelines and principles to ensure consistency; • Develop a comprehensive document of standards and guidelines that includes implementation mechanisms for the design and development of healthy and sustainable urban areas; • Develop an action plan aimed at bridging the current gap in the urban context to reach s healthy and sustainable urban areas that can be replicated and scaled up at the city level. • Developing criteria for selecting a pilot area for the application of indicators and standards for healthy cities for the second phase (application) • Identify the initial selection criteria such as population size, diversity of activities, level of health and environmental services, feasibility, local commitment; • Develop guidelines for the urban context in GCR, for the design and development of healthy and sustainable urban areas, including sectoral indicators; • Propose and analyse a short-list of proposed areas in Greater Cairo based on the criteria. Task 4: Develop the final Manual • Review and update the draft manual based on input from development partners: • Conduct workshops to discuss the draft and select the final pilot areas through a participatory workshop involving stakeholders, development partners from ministries, universities and civil society; • Update the draft manual based on inputs from stakeholders; • Develop the final design of the manual using necessary visuals; • Preparing an executive summary of the manual. • Conduct a capacity building and training to specialized authorities on the manual and its application for the second phase

Qualifications/special skills

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in urban planning, urban health, urban development, public health, environmental planning, sustainable urbanism or equivalent is required. A first level degree with an additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of master’s degree. • Minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in urban planning, sustainable urban development, healthy cities, urban policy, or related fields is required. • Previous experience in developing urban standards, indicators, guidelines, or strategic frameworks related to healthy, sustainable, and resilient cities is required. • Previous experience integrating Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), climate change adaptation and mitigation, and international urban development frameworks into planning processes is desirable. • Previous experience working with international organizations, UN agencies, and governmental counterparts in Egypt is desirable.

Languages

For this position both oral and written English (advanced level) and Arabic (expert level) is required. Language Reading Writing Listening Speaking English UN Level III (Advanced) UN Level III (Advanced) UN Level III (Advanced) UN Level III (Advanced) Arabic UN Level IV (Expert) UN Level IV (Expert) UN Level IV (Expert) UN Level IV (Expert)

Additional Information

Not available.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.