Local Governance and Participation Officer

Contract

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

The UNDP Country Office’s programming on effective, responsive and accountable governance, inter alia, focuses on the provision of policy advice and technical support to the Government to (1) enhance the rule of law and access to justice, (2) strengthen the role and capacities of the National Assembly and People’s Provincial Assemblies, (3) streamline the public administration reform and national initiative on decentralization (Sam Sang Directive), as well as to (4) expand public participation in the national policy and decision-making.

In the area local governance and participation, the Governance Unit partners with a number of the line ministries (Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism), and the People’s Assemblies, as well as provincial and district level authorities ensure service delivery at local levels and increased political participation to raise local development issues at national level.

Being an expertise frontier in the governance sector at both the global and country levels, the UNDP Country Office co-chairs the Governance Sector Working Group (along with co-chairing the Public Sector Improvement Sub-Sector Working Group and Legal and Institutional Oversight Sub-Sector Working Group) of Lao PDR’s Round Table Process, a national mechanism to coordinate the implementation of the National Socio-Economic Development Plans (NSEDPs) and localized SDGs across the governmental institutions, development partners, civil society and the private sector.

Under the direct supervision of Head of Governance, UNDP Lao PDR, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Support development of programming and broadcasting for UNDP Community Radios Project to increase people’s access to information on topics related to community and local development, including safe migration, gender-based violence, political participation, COVID-19 awareness and response, and youth empowerment, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism; • Support the strengthening of people’s political participation at the local level through the People’s Provincial Assemblies and the UNDP STEPS Project by facilitating greater exchanges between People’s Provincial Assembly members and their constituents on local and community development issues, including related to the environment, gender equality, and issues related to ethnic groups in Lao PDR; • Support UNDP efforts to strengthen feedback loops between citizen users of public services and local district authorities through surveys on experiences in receiving public services in order to inform local public administration reform efforts; • Contribute to the roll out of legal aid services at provincial and district levels including through the UNDP Digital Legal Aid Platform in targeted provinces, Savannakhet, Sekong, Attapeu, and Xieng Khouang, ensuring provision of services to vulnerable groups such as women at risk of gender based violence, ethnic groups, and persons with disabilities; • Contribute with desk-based research on international good practice and emerging trends on local governance and participation for UNDP, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the People’s Assemblies, and other key national and subnational authorities.

☒ Accountability ☒ Adaptability and Flexibility ☒ Building Trust ☒ Client Orientation ☒ Commitment and Motivation ☒ Commitment to Continuous Learning ☒ Communication ☒ Creativity ☒ Empowering Others ☒ Ethics and Values ☒ Integrity ☒ Judgement and Decision-making ☒ Knowledge Sharing ☒ Leadership ☒ Managing Performance ☒ Planning and Organizing ☒ Professionalism ☒ Respect for Diversity ☒ Self-Management ☒ Technological Awareness ☒ Vision ☒ Working in Teams

local governance, community development, and participation of vulnerable groups in development processes.

• Previous experience as a volunteer and/or experience of another culture, (i.e. studies, volunteer work, internship) would be highly regarded; • Knowledge or previous experience working at community or sub-national level is desirable.

Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is mainly a mountainous country bordering Cambodia, the People’s Republic of China, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam. It has a population of 7.1 million (2020 estimate) which is ethnically diverse (49 ethnic groups) and rural (68 percent). Over the past five years, the country has witnessed political stability and high economic growth and among the countries experiencing fastest rate of urbanization in Southeast Asia. It has been the fastest growing economy in Southeast Asia over the past decade which led to significant poverty reduction and improved living conditions of its people. The country moved from “low income” to “lower middle income” status in 2011. Lao PDR is a member of ASEAN since 1997 and joined WTO in 2013 and ASEAN Economic Community in 2015. The country is on the verge of graduating from LDC status, potentially as early as 2024. The next National Socio-Economic Develpoment Plan will be launched from 2021-2025.

The incumbent will live in Vientiane which has reasonable economic and social amenities. There are no major security concerns as such and expats consider it safe to live in Vientiane. Laos has a tropical climate, with a pronounced rainy season from May through October, a cool dry season from November through February, and a hot dry season in March and April. Generally, monsoons occur at the same time across the country, although that time may vary significantly from one year to the next.

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials.