Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Associate

Contract

This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is mandated to assist Member States in their fight against illicit drugs, crime and terrorism and is a global leader in those areas. Transnational organized crime manifests in many forms, including as trafficking in drugs, firearms, cultural property and even persons. At the same time, organized crime groups exploit human mobility to smuggle migrants, undermine financial systems through money laundering and use information and communication technology for criminal purposes. Organized crime yields high profits for its culprits and results in high risks for individuals who fall victim to it. From a sustainable development perspective, organized crime has devastating effects, it threatens peace and human security, violates human rights and undermines the economic, social, cultural, political and civil development of societies around the world. The Organized Crime Convention (UNTOC) represents the principal legally binding instrument focused on preventing and combating transnational organized crime. It is a landmark treaty that is close to attaining universal adherence. This UNV assignment is located in the Global Programme on Implementing the Organized Crime Convention in the Conference Support Section (CSS), Organized Crime and Illicit Trafficking Branch (OCB), Division for Treaty Affairs (DTA) of UNODC. The International UN Volunteer will be based within the Regional Hub against Transnational Organized Crime based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

UNODC’s Global Programme on Implementing the Organized Crime Convention aims to support States in implementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and especially the observations emanating from the Review Mechanism to UNTOC. To this end, the Global Programme pursues two interrelated outcomes. First, it supports States in adopting legislative and other related measures to strengthen UNTOC implementation. Second, it supports States in developing and implementing evidence-based plans and strategies to address transnational organized crime.

Both of these outcomes are implemented through four key modalities: the development and dissemination of knowledge on transnational organized crime issues through the SHERLOC knowledge management portal; capacity-building to implement UNTOC amongst relevant Member State authorities and other stakeholders; the development of tools to support responses to transnational organized crime, including for the purpose of fostering international cooperation in criminal matters; and awareness-raising and education on the consequences of and importance of combating organized crime, including through advocacy.

In 2022, UNODC established in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, a Regional Hub against Transnational Organized Crime in West and Central Africa, funded by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany. Under the Regional Hub, the Global Programme has been supporting countries in the region in domesticating and implementing UNTOC, through the regional dissemination of various technical and legislative assistance tools on organized crime with a specific focus on crimes that affect the environment, the development of national strategies against organized crime and the collection of case law and legislation to feed the SHERLOC knowledge management portal.

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of both the Head of UNODC’s Office in Côte d’Ivoire and the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer of the Global Programme on Implementing the Organized Crime Convention or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UN Volunteer - Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Associate will:

• Support technical assistance activities in efforts to prevent and combat organized crime in West and Central Africa, in particular to support States in the development of national strategies against organized crime; • Support the dissemination of developed tools to combat crimes that affect the environment at the regional level and legislative assistance activities at the national level in West and Central Africa; • Liaise with relevant UNODC teams in UNODC Regional Office for West and Central Africa (ROSEN) to assist with the preparation of workshops and trainings, including on procurement processes and travels; • Liaise with external counterparts including national authorities, participants, experts, service providers; • Draft various documents including invitation letters, agendas, list of participants, concept notes, meeting reports; • Support with the preparation of workshop and training materials, as well as with the post-workshop follow-up; • Prepare tweets and other advocacy material on the margin of implemented activities; • Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor. Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:

• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day); • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country; • Provide annual and end of assignment self-reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; • Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers; • Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

Results/expected outputs:

• As an active UNODC team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UNODC and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including: • Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment; • A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed. • Assistance to the organization of at least two working group meetings to support States in West and Central Africa in the development of national strategies against organized crime. • Contribution to at least one legislative assistance workshop to combat crimes that affect the environment organized in West and Central Africa at the national level. • Assistance to the organization of at least one regional workshop to disseminate a technical assistance tool developed by UNODC in West and Central Africa. • At least one in-person event for the UNODC regional Network of Women in Law and Policy against Organized Crime supported; mainstreaming of gender and human rights dimensions ensured in preventing and countering organized crime. • At least 3 Tweets with visuals and one other advocacy product related to undertaken activities in West and Central Africa developed and published;

• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC); technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to the UNODC’s procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented; • Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues; • Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities; • Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups; • Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work in potentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austere environments for protracted periods; willingness to travel within the area of operations and to transfer to other duty stations within the area of operations as necessary; • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards UNODC’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values

crime prevention and criminal justice, organized crime or closely related issues, is required; • Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Word, etc.) and email/internet; and office technology equipment is required; • Previous work experience and/or knowledge of the West and Central African region is desirable; • Previous work experience in an international organization is desirable; • Experience in gender and human rights mainstreaming, preferably in criminal justice, organized crime, or closely related isues is an advantage.

The UNV will be based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, where the UNODC Regional Hub against Transnational Organized Crime is located. It is the largest city and former capital of the country, on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. The city is considered a crossroads of culture in West Africa, while also being the commercial and banking center of Côte d’Ivoire. Levels of criminality are relatively limited and Abidjan belongs to hardship category B.

Conditions of Service for International UN Volunteer

The initial contract will be issued for a period of 7 months as indicated above.

A UN Volunteer receives a Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA), which is composed of a Monthly Living Allowance (MLA) and a Family Allowance (FA) for those with dependents (maximum three).

The Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) is paid at the end of each month to cover housing, utilities, transportation, communications and other basic needs. The VLA can be calculated using by applying the Post-Adjustment Multiplier (PAM) to the VLA base rate of US$ 1,631. The VLA base rate is a global rate across the world, while the PAM is duty station/country-specific and fluctuates on a monthly basis according to cost of living. This method ensures that international UN Volunteers have comparable purchasing power at all duty stations irrespective of varying costs of living. The PAM is established by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC and is published at the beginning of every month on the ICSC website - http://icsc.un.org.

In non-family duty stations that belong to hardship categories D or E, as classified by the ICSC, international UN Volunteers receive a Well-Being Differential (WBD) on a monthly basis. Furthermore, UN Volunteers are provided a settling-in-grant (SIG) at the start of the assignment (if the volunteer did not reside in the duty station for at least 6 months prior to taking up the assignment) and in the event of a permanent reassignment to another duty station.

UNV provides life, health, permanent disability insurances as well as assignment travel, annual leave, full integration in the UN security framework (including residential security reimbursements).

UN Volunteers are paid Daily Subsistence Allowance at the UN rate for official travels, flight tickets for periodic home visit and for the final repatriation travel (if applicable). Resettlement allowance is paid for satisfactory service at the end of the assignment.

UNV will provide, together with the offer of assignment, a copy of the Conditions of Service, including Code of conduct, to the successful candidate.