Consultancy: Justice for Children for Belizean Nationals only

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, hope.

In 2020, UNICEF together with the government of Belize developed a 5-year action plan to improve justice for children. Action plan includes amendment of child justice legislation such as the repeal of the Certified Institutions Act that allows guardians and parents to institutionalize their children at detention facilities for “uncontrollable behaviour” and the development of a more comprehensive and rights-based Child Justice Policy to enable measures for the rehabilitation of young people; providing for court facilities and processes that address particular needs of young people by training key court officials such as magistrates, prosecutors and social workers; while seeking to enhance the role of social workers and police in matters requiring the protection and intervention in support of young persons by establishing standard operating procedures and guidelines when interacting with children. The outcomes of these reforms are expected to be strengthening of the child protection aspects of the legal system in Belize, reduced impunity rates, enhanced alternative sentencing, rehabilitation and reintegration measures for children in conflict with the law, and improved psychosocial support systems for children in contact with the law.

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision of the UNICEF Child Protection Officer, the consultant will provide support the elaboration and implementation of Access to Justice component of the Child Protection Programme. The consultant will also provide necessary support for the implementation of the Migration Action Plan and the Child Justice 5 Year Action Plan, as well as will be expected to contribute to development of proposals, donor reports, and other relevant materials.

Work Assignment Overview:

Key ActivitiesDeliverablesDesigns, prepares, implements, monitors and evaluates Justice for Children programme within the child protection section and within broader scope of rule of law, security and social protection initiatives in Belize including law reform, strengthening law enforcement and justice system for children- Workplan for the consultancy for validation - Report of Status of Child Justice Action Plan and indication of pending actions - Annual Child Justice WorkPlan Meeting

Ensures systematic data collection for monitoring of the justice for children programme including data on migrant children- Data collection Tool (linked to UNICEF Strategic Plan indicators for Access to Justice) - Validation meetings with Justice Stakeholders to review tools - Outline of the coordination mechanism

Implementation of Child Justice Action Plan

Participates in intersectoral collaboration on Migration and Justice for Children with other programme sectors as relevant.- Annual Workplan for UN Joint Action Plan for Migration - Final Report on 2022 UN Joint Action Plan for Migration

Implementation of Child Justice Action Plan and Unicef related activities in the UN Joint Migration Action Plan

Assists in development of appropriate communication and information strategy to support and/or advocate programme development.

• First Multiagency Meeting (southern region) report
• Advocacy Agenda and Key messages related to justice for children and migration issues in the justice sector

Child Justice Action Plan/UN Joint Migration Plan

Support and monitors the implementation of UNICEF activities in the UN Joint Migration Plan Support and monitors the implementation of UNICEF activities in the UN Joint Migration Plan

Conduct Capacity building/Trainings in key areas of Child Justice

• Programmatic Visit Reports of implementation of migration and justice related activities from UNICEF partners
• Support training preparation (recruitments…, mobilization of experts..)

Child Justice Action Plan/UN Joint Migration Plan

Documentation of Child Friendly Spaces in Justice Sector

• 1st Report on High-level Meeting (Ministers and CEOS from the Justice Sector on the status of implementation of both action plans)
• 1St Training Refresher on implementation of Child Friendly Spaces with Police, Social Workers, Legal Aid, Justices of the Peace

Child Justice Action Plan/UN Joint Migration Plan

Technical support to the Child Justice Steering Committee by organizing regular meetings, workshops and review sessions with key partners- Review of child justice data from 2022 and 2023, sector analysis of justice situation - Documentation of agreements to changes/accelerated efforts needed given the migration and child justice data

Child Justice Action Plan and Joint Migration Plan

Technical Support to Recruits in training academies of the security forces on the implementation of the Child Rights and Gender Modules- Second Multiagency Meeting (northern region) report - 2nd Training Refresher on implementation of Child Friendly Spaces with Police, Social Workers, Legal Aid, Justices of the Peace - Training/Facilitation with Security Forces

Child Justice Action Plan/UN Joint Migration Plan

Regional Conference on Justice for Children- Concept Note, Agenda, Participant list for Regional Conference on Justice for Children

Child Justice Action Plan/UN Joint Migration Plan

Documentation of Child Friendly Spaces in Justice Sector

• 2nd Report on High-level Meeting (Ministers and CEOS from the Justice Sector on the status of implementation of both action plans)

• 3rd Training Refresher on implementation of Child Friendly Spaces with Police, Social Workers, Legal Aid, Justices of the Peace

  TOR Justice for Children Consultant.pdf

PAYMENT SCHEDULE:

Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed deliverables which receive satisfactory quality review. In general, individual contracts shall not allow for fee advances.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Sociology, Social Policy and Developmental Law, Social work, Criminology, or related field *A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
• A minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in the Justice Related field with a focus on children, juvenile justice or child protection is preferred.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Spanish and local languages is an asset.
• Demonstrated specialist knowledge and working experience in the field of access to justice for children/capacity building for law enforcement is an asset
• Strong Knowledge about child justice and protection in Belize is an asset
• Good knowledge of international standards and excellent understanding of Belize's framework related to child justice and protection is required.
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills, including effective communication and people skills; ability to communicate and coordinate with various stakeholders and to express ideas and concepts concisely and clearly in written and oral form

CONDITIONS OF SERVICE:

Before commencing work, a consultant or individual contractor shall submit a statement of good health and take full responsibility for the accuracy of that statement, including confirmation that he or she has been informed of the inoculations required for the country or countries to which travel is authorized. Consultants and individual contractors shall assume all costs that may occur in relation to the statement of good health. Consultants and individual contractors are required to certify that they are covered by medical/health insurance.

HOW TO APPLY:

Prospective consultants should apply through UNICEF jobs website using the link provided No later than 30th November 2022. The application package should include the following:

1. A cover letter;
2. Detailed curriculum vitae
3. Samples of relevant previous work
4. A proposal stipulating all-inclusive fees, including lump sum travel and subsistence costs, as applicable.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.