Individual Consultant (Ocean Literacy)

https://careers.unesco.org/job/Bangkok-Individual-Consultant-%28Ocean-Literacy%29/1351696257/

Objective of this assignment

Ocean Literacy refers to “an understanding of the ocean’s influence on humanity and humanity’s influence on the ocean”. Ocean literacy is not only about increasing public awareness, but also about equipping citizens and stakeholders with the knowledge and motivation to make responsible and informed decisions towards the ocean and its resources.

Ocean literacy is essential for advancing sustainable ocean governance and achieving the goal of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030). It is especially crucial for the countries in the Western Pacific, characterized by rich marine biodiversity, diverse cultural-socio-economic contexts, and high vulnerability to climate change.

Journalists and media professionals, as key intermediaries between ocean and society, play a critical role in raising awareness, shaping public discourse, and driving collective actions through accurate and informed reporting. Recognizing the limited level of ocean literacy of journalists and media professionals in the Western Pacific, the IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific, with the support of the Japanese Funds-in-Trust (JFIT), initiated the “Ocean Literacy for Journalists in the Southeast Asia” pilot project, aiming to enhance the ocean literacy of journalists and media professionals in four pilot countries in the Southeast Asia – Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines, by improving their understanding of ocean and ocean science, fostering collaborative networks between journalists/media groups and ocean experts/institutions, promoting regionally and locally relevant ocean narratives.

As an initial step, this assignment is to conduct a comprehensive scoping assessment in Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines to identify target media groups and potential partners at national level, assess key ocean literacy gaps and capacity development needs, review existing ocean literacy tools and methods, and formulate priority activities. The findings generated through this assignment will provide the analytical foundation for the implementation of the “Ocean Literacy for Journalists in the Southeast Asia” project.