Legal and Policy researcher on Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants for Southern Africa (International Consultant)

Result of Service 1. Technical support towards the implementation of project activities at broader SADC level and in Francophone speaking SADC Countries provided. This will include: - Coordination and preparation various written outputs such as reports, articles. - Preparation of capacity building tools in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Seychelles and Madagascar

2. Technical support towards the planning and execution of SADC-UNODC Regional meetings provided. This includes development of agenda, administrative support towards the planning and execution as well as presentations during the meetings.

Work Location Pretoria with travel to Southern Africa

Expected duration 100 working days. 18 July – 15 December 2022

Duties and Responsibilities 1. Background of the assignment

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Office for Southern Africa (ROSAF) implements a Regional Programme aimed at combating Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants. This project is run under collaboration with the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Secretariat. Under an EU funded Southern Africa Migration Management (SAMM) project which is a model of a ONE-UN approach collaborative effort between 4 UN development and humanitarian agencies: the ILO, the IOM, UNODC and UNHCR, whose overall objective is to improve migration management in the Southern Africa and Indian Ocean region. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) supports Member States in domesticating the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, and the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, both protocols supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.

Trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants are distinct crimes. The lines between the two may often be blurred though especially when they occur in mixed migration flows. A person may start their journey as an asylum seeker, for example, before seeking the help of smugglers and then being exploited as a victim of trafficking, while in need of refugee protection. According to the SADC regional statistical report (2004-2016), approximately 1,217 victims of TIP were officially reported to law enforcement agencies in the SADC region during the period 2004- 2016/7. It is believed that this is just a small proportion of cases of trafficking in persons as a number of cases are not identified and therefore, not reported. This is largely because of the complex and hidden nature of the crime. There are also cases where victims are rescued but are not interested in cooperating with law enforcement for purposes of investigation and prosecution of the offence.

The Programme also just launched the Trafficking in Persons Case Digest, which is a compendium of cases from the Region. This will require dissemination, through trainings, to Criminal Justice Practitioners.

In that regard, UNODC requires the services of a consultant (Legal Expert) to support the strengthening of research, data collection and implementation of activities on combating trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants as well as supporting multi-disciplinary trainings for criminal justice practitioners in the SADC Region especially in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Mauritius and Madagascar. The consultant will significantly support the enhancement of SAMM TIP and SOM activities in the DRC and with broader SADC.

2. Purpose of the assignment

The purpose of the assignment is to support the d data collection as well as delivery of multi-disciplinary anti-trafficking in persons and anti-smuggling of migrants’ trainings in the Francophone speaking countries of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mauritius and Madagascar on victim centered investigations, prosecutions and adjudication through provision of training expertise, as well as undertaking research on trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants in these respective countries. The consultant will also provide technical support towards the implementation of activites at SADC level including in the planning and execution of regional meetings.

3. Specific tasks to be performed by the consultant

Under the overall supervision of the Regional Representative and within the framework of the UNODC Regional Programme for Southern Africa, the consultant will perform the following tasks:

a) Provide technical support towards the implementation of project activities at broader SADC level and in particular, Francophone speaking SADC Countries; b) Undertake training for first responders and criminal justice actors in DRC, Mauritius, and Madagascar. c) Support data collection and undertake research on trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants in SADC countries but in particular the Francophone speaking countries; d) Provide legal support in the strengthening of capacity, policy or legislative frameworks on combating trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants in SADC and in particular in the Francophone speaking countries of DRC, Mauritius and Madagascar; e) Provide technical expertise in the planning and execution of SADC-UNODC Regional meetings including the Data Collection focal persons meeting and the Regional meeting for immigration officers.

Qualifications/special skills Academic Qualifications: - An advanced university (Master's degree or equivalent) in the field of law is required. A first level university degree in similar fields, in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience, may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Experience: - A minimum of five (5) years of professional experience in work, legislative drafting, national strategy and policy development or research in the area of serious and organized crime, human rights law or criminal law, including through direct work with multi-stakeholders bodies at national level is required; Language: - English and French are the working languages of the United Nations. For this post, fluency in oral and written English and French or Portugese is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations Secretariat 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.