Individual Consultant to Conduct UN Premises Disability Accessibility Assessment

Result of ServiceIdentify physical, digital and other barriers in existing buildings, including: building access including conference rooms and meeting spaces, restrooms, lunch and snack areas, designated parking spaces, UNCT-wide facilities such as clinics etc. accessibility of communications, including UN websites, documents, online consultation platforms, consultation procedures (Sign language interpretation, captioning) accessibility of UN transport (car fleets, vans and buses); and d. accessibility of emergency communication and evacuation procedures to all persons with disabilities, as well as emergency exits. Work LocationKabul Afghanistan Expected duration01 - 31 Dec 2025 Duties and ResponsibilitiesBackground In alignment with the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy (UNDIS, 2019), all UN premises, services, and communications must be fully accessible to staff, visitors, and constituents with disabilities. Specifically, Indicator 6 (Accessibility) of the UNDIS, linked to the UN Development Group Business Operations Strategy (BOS) 2.0, mandates the Operations Management Team (OMT) to ensure that disability inclusion is integrated into all high-impact common services. The UN Country Team (UNCT) in Afghanistan is committed to improving the accessibility of all UN common premises. In this regard, the UNCT seeks to engage a qualified expert or agency to conduct a comprehensive Accessibility Assessment of the UNOCA and Baron compounds in Kabul. The objective is to identify barriers, recommend practical solutions, and support the integration of Universal Design principles across facilities and services. Duties and responsibilities Under the guidance and overall supervision of the RCO Team Lead and the Disability WG co-chair, the consultant is expected to deliver the following: A. Technical Assistance 1. Accessibility Audit Conduct a comprehensive audit of the UNOCA and Baron premises including, but not limited to: Built environment: entrances, parking, pathways, signage, lighting, restrooms, offices, conference and meeting spaces, canteens, and accommodation facilities, ramps, vertical structure accessibility (or more than a single storey), accessibility to the bunkers or safe room. Services and systems: ICT, communication, transportation, and emergency procedures. The audit should: Identify physical, structural, and service-level barriers. Provide photographic documentation of key findings. Recommend feasible solutions and alternatives for areas with structural constraints. Include Bill of Quantities (BoQ) with detailed cost estimations for retrofitting and accessibility improvements. 2. Transportation and Emergency Procedures Assess accessibility of UN transportation assets (car fleets, vans, minibuses) and recommend suitable adaptations or acquisitions. Review emergency communication and evacuation procedures, ensuring they are accessible to all persons with disabilities and compliant with international best practices. 3. Vendor Matrix Develop a matrix of potential vendors and suppliers capable of providing quality and cost-efficient accessibility materials and services. 4. Accessibility Guidelines and Checklist Prepare easy-to-use accessibility guidelines for procurement teams and vendors. Develop checklists for assessing external venues used for UN events and conferences. Reference UNICEF’s Toolkit on Accessibility and UNESCAP’s Internal Guidelines on Accessible Conferences and Meetings. Include provisions for accessible information materials, sign language interpretation, assistive technologies, and inclusive registration and feedback processes. 5. Action Plan and Implementation Support Develop a five-year phased Accessibility Action Plan (2026–2030) aligned with the United Nations Strategic Framework for Afghanistan (UNSFA). Support the OMT in prioritizing and implementing recommendations. Review and validate implementation to ensure compliance with universal design and accessibility standards. B. Capacity Building Conduct training workshops (minimum two-hour sessions per group) for OMT members, common premises focal points, and administrative staff (HR, IT, Procurement, Admin, and support staff). Topics should cover disability awareness, accessibility standards (as per UNDIS), reasonable accommodation, and digital inclusion. Document and integrate staff feedback and ideas into the overall accessibility plan. C. Engagement with UN AFPs and Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) Ensure meaningful participation of OPDs and UN staff mainly Common Premises Manager (CPM) with disabilities in all stages of the assignment. Facilitate consultation workshops to capture insights, validate findings, and prioritize recommendations. Qualifications/special skillsAdvanced university degree in architecture, urban design, urban studies, engineering, social sciences, public administration or any other related field. At least three years of professional experience working on accessibility reviews, disability inclusion or related projects. Demonstrated knowledge of international and national standards on accessible and disability inclusive construction, universal design and accessible communications/IT. Good strategic skills and at least two years’ experience providing feasible recommendations to enhance accessibility in existing buildings. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations. For this assignment, fluency in English is required. Additional InformationOutput/Work Assignments Under the overall supervision of the RCO Team Lead, Co-chair of the Disability Inclusion WG and RCO Disability focal point, the incumbent is to undertake accessibility assessments of the UN Common premises listed below, UNOCA- PD-9 Kabul city Baron PD-9, Kabul city Write a concise report on each building, identifying existing barriers to disability inclusion and propose actionoriented recommendations to address accessibility and propose possible adjustments, for consideration of the Disability Inclusion WG, the UN Common Premises WG the UN Operations Management Team (OMT) Undertake consultations with selected staff to assist with the assessment, which may include a staff survey developed in collaboration with the RCO Disability Inclusion focal point and the UN Common Services Operations WG members. No FeeTHE 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.