Positive Ecology

Background:

Location: Freetown, SIERRA LEONE
Application Deadline: 09-Apr-09
Type of Contract: ALD International
Post Level: ALD-4
Languages Required: English 
Starting Date: 01-May-2009
Duration of Initial Contract: One Year

In the period preceding the 11 year protracted civil war, Sierra Leonian society was characterized by a dysfunctional judicial system, wherein most Sierra Leonians, particularly those residing in the provinces, had limited access to justice. This, coupled with weak rule of law institutions, a perception of a lack of independence of the judiciary, and unpunished human rights violations resulted in poor overall governance, and was one of the root causes of the hostilities.

Post-conflict Sierra Leone continues to be characterized by a dual system of justice, with approximately 70 percent of the population living under the jurisdiction of customary/traditional law which is practised in the majority of the 149 chiefdoms across the country. Access to, and the administration of justice, particularly justice for the poor and vulnerable (especially women and girls), is weak. There is great reliance on traditional dispute resolution methods, i.e. through the paramount chiefs, while the formal justice system is hardly accessed, often due to its distance from the population. In addition, the lack of infrastructure and the difficulty in both access and awareness further hampers the administration of justice by the formal system.

To aid in the administration of justice, the Government of Sierra Leone developed a Justice Sector Reform Strategy and Investment Plan (JSRSIP) and established a Justice Sector Coordination Office (JSCO) under the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney General’s Office. The JSRSIP sets forth a work plan which identifies areas of intervention as well as the main force behind that intervention. UNDP’s Project on Improving Access to Justice in Sierra Leone (hereinafter “the Project”), falls within that umbrella and endeavours to fill in some of the gaps of the JSRSIP, ensuring coordination and coherence with the other players in the field, while taking stock of UNDP’s comparative advantage in its practice areas and building on the previous PBF interventions.

The Project has been designed to address the justice and security sector as a whole, through the provision of services in five main areas: strengthening the national justice system for effective and timely delivery of judicial and legal services to the people; increasing access to justice and rule of law; enhancing the provision of security services at the local level and the civilian oversight and management capacities of security institutions; supporting the prevention and prosecution of sexual and gender based violence cases; and strengthening the national institutions of human rights to monitor the situation of human rights in the country and make recommendations for addressing human rights issues.

The Project will carry on activities in the capital city of the country, Freetown, and in two other cities in the countryside - Bo and Makeni. UNDP will recruit a Rule of Law and Gender Advisor to specifically manage the component of the project that related to supporting the prevention and prosecution of sexual and gender based violence.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Functions/Key Results Expected

• Under the overall supervision of the Head of the Governance Unit, and the direct supervision of the Rule of Law Senior Advisor, and in close cooperation with other team members, the Rule of Law and Gender Advisor will substantially contribute to the strategic and programmatic development and implementation of the Project in Sierra Leone.

His/her main duties will be as follows:

• Ensure implementation of project outputs within his/her area of work.
• Provide technical advice and support to ensuring gender mainstreaming in both the formal and traditional justice systems in his/her area of work.
• Sensitizing community-based customary law/traditional conflict resolution mechanisms to basic human rights and gender.
• Provide technical advice and mentoring on gender issues, basic human rights, code of conduct and principles of the justice system to local judiciary, law-enforcement, security and traditional authorities.
• Support the local authorities in establishing legitimate mechanisms to improve the physical security of the female civilian population and promote women and girls’ access to justice.
• Support legal authorities, the administration, implementation and monitoring of project activities within his/her area of work.
• Engage in capacity- and confidence-building with non-governmental rule of law actors, including consultative and participatory processes with national stakeholders, including women’s networks and legal professionals.
• Participate in inter-agency working groups and initiatives to promote rule of law and gender, as well as protection and human security.
• Perform quality control function of project activities, including gender monitoring and evaluation, assessing impact and effectiveness, tracking outputs and results, and ensure timely and efficient delivery of project outputs through a client-satisfaction approach.
• Assess the impact and effectiveness of the assistance on gender through regular consultations with national and international counterparts and stakeholders, regular field visits, analysis and preparation of progress and other required reports.
• Organize baseline information and ensure high quality reporting on project activities.
• Submit regular reports on project progress and situation reports.
• Support the UNDP Country Office and the Government of Sierra Leone in the identification and development of synergies and partnerships with others actors (national and international) on Rule of Law and Gender issues at the strategic, technical and operational level.
• Support the UNDP Country Office and the Government of Sierra Leone in the development of strategies, programmes, and partnerships with regard to rule of law and gender issues.
• Support the UNDP Country Office in its resource mobilization efforts for projects and activities related to rule of law and gender.
• Perform any additional tasks as requested by the Supervisor.

Competencies:

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards.
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Treats all people fairly without favouritism.

Functional Competencies:

• Good knowledge of the region, including the political environment and legal statutes as they pertain to human rights, rule of law and gender.
• Ability to work and act under pressure in a politically and psychologically difficult environment, with a minimum of comfort and in dangerous security conditions.
• Proven expertise in area of assignment; in-depth understanding of and an ability to evaluate international political situations in that area.
• Proven ability to establish priorities and to plan, organize, coordinate and monitor own work plan and provide advice and guidance to others; in-depth understanding of division's strategic direction; resourcefulness, sound judgment and decision-making skills
• Demonstrated sound judgment in resolving issues/problems; ability to proactively seek and recommend sound policy initiatives
• Ability to actively seek to improve programmes/services, offer new and different options to solve problems/meet client needs
• Excellent and effective communication (verbal and written) skills, including ability to prepare reports and conduct presentations by clearly formulating positions on issues, articulating options concisely conveying maximum necessary information, making and defending recommendations; diplomacy and tact; ability to convey difficult issues and positions to senior officials;
• Excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with people in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity
• Effective negotiating skills and ability to work with others to reach mutually benefiting and lasting understandings.

Required Skills and Experience:

Education:

• Advanced University degree (Masters Degree or equivalent) in political sciences, sociology, international relations, or law, preferably with specialization in human rights/legal assistance.

Work Experience:

• At least 7 years’ work experience dealing with issues in conflict and post-conflict countries and substantial direct experience on access to justice, judicial reform and/or strengthening of the rule of law.
• Detailed knowledge of development process and post-conflict related issues, particularly in the re-activation and development of gender sensitive programming in a post-conflict environment.
• Proven experience in transition and development coordination and resource mobilization.
• Prior experience within the United Nations, in particular UNDP, is desirable but not a requirement.

To Apply:

Please apply ONLINE at: http://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?job_id=9500

Application Deadline: 09 April 2009.

Terms of Employment