Consultant to Review Legislation On Conflict-Related Sexual Violence

Result of Service The consultant will produce: (i) a template/structure for legislative review that would be consistently used for the legislative review process; (ii) an analysis of each country specified in the consultancy based on a desk review that collects relevant legislation and other materials; (iii) =and a transversal analysis of the legislative findings.

Work Location Home based (travel may be required New York but that is yet to be determined).

Expected duration 1 February 2022 and 31 August 2022.

Duties and Responsibilities The United Nations (UN) Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict (Team of Experts) was created by Security Council resolution 1888 (2009) to assist national authorities in strengthening the rule of law, with the aim of ensuring criminal accountability for perpetrators of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV). This resolution recognized that CRSV is a threat to international peace and security, and that Member States affected by conflict need assistance to address impunity in order to prevent and deter future violations. The Team of Experts is a multi-entity team, under the strategic direction of Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict (SRSG-SVC) and has experts from the Department of Peace Operations (DPO); Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR); the Office of the SRSG-SVC; and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

One of the many obstacles to accountability for CRSV lies in weaknesses of national legislative frameworks, which often affect the ability to prosecute these crimes in a victim/survivor-sensitive manner. Security Council resolution 2467 on sexual violence in conflict “enourage[d] national authorities … to strengthen legislation to foster accountability for sexual violence.” And indeed, the SRSG-SVC has prioritized legislative reform in her overall strategy for the delivery of her mandate especially in those country contexts mentioned in the annual report of the Secretary-General on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (see most recently S/2021/312).

In 2021, in order to remedy these legislative gaps, the Office of the SRSG-SVC, published its Model Legislative Provisions and Guidance on Investigation and Prosecution of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence on 18 June 2021 (available at: https://www.un.org/sexualviolenceinconflict/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/report/auto-draft/OSRSG-SVC-Model-Legislative-Provisions-ENG.pdf) (hereafter “Model Legislative Provisions”). Initially released in English, the Model Legislative Provisions will be rolled out in Arabic, French, and Spanish in the first quarter of 2022.

Reliable data collection is a prerequisite to the development of an overall strategy for addressing legislative gaps in specific country contexts and roll out of the Model Legislative Provisions, and further develop the Team of Experts’ legislative workstream.

In developing the report, the successful individual will:

1. Participate in conference calls with the Team of Experts regarding the scope of work, timeline, and expectations for the template and analysis. 2. Develop and share with the Team of Experts the template for the Team’s approval. 3. Collect relevant materials (both primary and secondary) based on a desk review for each country specified. 4. Produce analyses on a rolling basis of each country mentioned in the Objectives section and on the international and domestic law applicable in each country on sexual violence and CRSV as set out above. 5. Discuss these analyses with the Team of Experts. 6. Ensure these analyses are drafted and finalized in the legislative template/structure as agreed. 7. Produce a transversal analysis of the legislative findings.

Qualifications/special skills Academic Qualifications: Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in law, human rights, international relations, or related field. Experience: - A minimum of 10 years of professional work experience on international criminal law, international humanitarian law, and/or international human rights law is required. - Demonstrated experience working on issues of sexual and gender-based violence. - Familiarity with legislative drafting processes. - Excellent writing and analytical skills - Ability to meet tight deadlines. Language: Fluency in written and spoken English and French is required. The knowledge of another United Nations language is desirable.

No Fee THE 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.