Support UNRCO Tanzania through systematic research

Tanzania is experiencing significant climate-induced shifts that directly impact its socio-economic pillars, notably agriculture, tourism, and water resource management. As the government and international partners deploy mitigation and adaptation strategies, the digital landscape has introduced a critical vulnerability: the rapid spread of climate-related misinformation and disinformation.
This digital pollution manifests in several ways that actively delay, weaken, or politicize climate solutions. The Technical Consultant will lead the behavioural science, narrative mapping and communication framework work, while the online volunteer will provide structured research, evidence gathering and analytical support to strengthen the technical assessment and recommendations.

The objective of the assignment is to support the Technical Consultant through systematic research, evidence synthesis and analytical inputs on climate-related misinformation and disinformation, with particular attention to Tanzania's policy, media, stakeholder and socio-economic context.

The UN Resident Coordinator's Office (UNRCO) will provide overall coordination and ensure alignment with the wider UN Country Team and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework. UNEP Tanzania will provide substantive technical engagement on environmental and climate-related content, scientific integrity, policy context, stakeholder mapping and validation of relevant climate narratives, drawing on its mandate and engagement with Government,The assignment is structured over a strict 12-week timeline, divided into three distinct phases. Each phase is designed to build upon the findings of the previous one, with the Assistant providing research and programme support to the Technical Consultant leading the assignment. The UN Resident Coordinator's Office (UNRCO) will provide overall coordination and ensure alignment with the wider UN Country Team and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework. UNEP Tanzania will provide substantive technical engagement on environmental and climate-related content, scientific integrity, policy context, stakeholder mapping and validation of relevant climate narratives, while the online volunteer will provide complementary support to the Technical Consultant.

The assignment will therefore serve as a joint UNRCO–UNEP knowledge and learning initiative, with potential relevance to wider UN climate communications, advocacy and programming in Tanzania.

Phase 1: Research & Evidence Gathering (Weeks 1–4)
The initial phase focuses on supporting the Technical Consultant to establish an evidence base on the local misinformation landscape.
Key Activities:
• Conduct a structured desk review of relevant digital and traditional media sources, policy documents, research and existing evidence in Tanzania.
• Compile and organise evidence on the nature, channels, themes and prevalence of climate-related misinformation and disinformation.
• Support stakeholder and target-audience mapping by compiling relevant institutions, groups, networks and available evidence on vulnerable audiences.
Phase Deliverable: Research and Evidence Summary, including supporting source materials and stakeholder mapping inputs (due end of Week 4).

Phase 2: Analysis & Technical Inputs (Weeks 5–9)
The second phase focuses on analysing and synthesizing evidence to inform the Technical Consultant's behavioural and communication framework.
Key Activities:
• Analyse and synthesise research findings to identify key narrative patterns, information gaps and relevant contextual factors.
• Prepare analytical notes, evidence tables and supporting materials for the Technical Consultant's assessment and development of strategic re-messaging and narrative change approaches.
• Support the profiling and validation of potential trusted local messengers through desk research and available stakeholder information.
Phase Deliverable: Analytical Inputs and Evidence Synthesis to support the Draft Behavioural Communication Framework (due end of Week 9).

Phase 3: Knowledge Documentation & Handover Support (Weeks 10–12)
team and UNCG (UN Communication Group). The final phase focuses on consolidating research evidence and supporting the Technical Consultant in documenting and transferring knowledge to the UNRCO team.
Key Activities:
• Consolidate research findings and supporting evidence into concise, accessible reference materials.
• CT, UN and members of the UNCG support preparation of presentation materials and documentation for knowledge-sharing and capacity-building activities led by the Technical Consultant.
• Compile research sources, analytical notes and handover materials to support future use by UNRCO and UNEP.

Phase Deliverables: Research Documentation, Supporting Presentation Materials, and Handover Inputs (due end of Week 12) and UNEP the online volunteer will have the opportunity to collaborate closely with the UN Resident Coordinator's Office (UNRCO) and UNEP in Tanzania, supporting the Technical Consultant and building valuable experience in applied research, evidence synthesis and UN climate programming.