National Consultant - Support Development of Training Curriculum and Renewal Capabilities for Lawyer Profession in Lao PDR

Contract

This is a National Consultant contract. More about National Consultant contracts.

Background

UNDP Lao PDR

Guided by the global UNDP Strategic Plan (2022 – 2025) and UNDP Country Programme for Lao PDR (2022 – 2026), UNDP in Lao PDR works closely with the line Ministries, mass organizations, civil society, development partners, and the private sector at both national and sub-national levels in pursuit of the national socio-economic development priorities defined in Lao PDR’s five-year National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UNDP’s work is strongly focused on the provision of policy advice and technical support to the Government of Lao PDR in the design and implementation of national legislation and strategies across four broad Priority Pillars – (1) inclusive growth and reduced inequalities, (2) UXO clearance and risk education, (3) natural resources, climate change and disaster risk reduction, as well as (4) effective, responsive, and accountable governance.

UNDP has a long history working in Lao PDR. UNDP’s comparative advantage has been its ability to work closely with a very broad range of government and local-level institutions at all levels. The new UNDP country programme is aligned with the 9th NSEDP and is anchored in UNDP’s long-term partnership with the Government of more than three decades. The new programme builds on the achievements of the previous CPD that saw the incorporation of the SDGs into the national planning architecture. It will aim to support Lao PDR recover from the economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and continue its transition from LDC status, with a particular emphasis on supporting inclusive growth and reducing inequality.

UNDP Lao PDR, Governance Unit

The UNDP’s programming on effective, responsive and accountable governance, inter alia, focuses on the provision of policy advice and technical support to the Government of Lao PDR to (1) enhance the rule of law, access to justice, and protection of human rights, (2) strengthen people’s participation in decision-making through increased access to information and political representation, (3) enhance public administration reform through institutional capacity-development and implementation of the Government’s decentralization policy (Sam Sang Directive).

Being the largest global development knowledge network with particular institutional expertise on governance, UNDP in Lao PDR 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 the Round Table Process, a national mechanism to coordinate the implementation of the NSEDPs and SDGs across the governmental institutions, development partners, CSOs and the private sector.

Thanaikhoum/Lawyer Project

The Strengthening the Role of Lawyers in Advancing Rule of Law and Access to Justice in Lao PDR (‘Thanaikoum’, or ‘Lawyer’ project) is a three-year initiative (2022-2025) that is implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the National Bar Association of Lao PDR, or the Lao Bar Association (LBA). The project will be designed and implemented in accordance with the national socio-economic development priorities defined in Lao PDR’s five-year National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) the Strategic Development Plan for the Justice Sector in Lao PDR (2021-2025,) the (Draft) National Action Plan for Legal Aid Service Provision and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The project will support LBA to strengthen the role and contribution of lawyers to the effective functioning of the legal system in Lao PDR. The project will also invest in developing the capacity and linkages of lawyers who have demonstrated a strong commitment to improving the integrity and performance of lawyers, enabling them to pass on those skills to other lawyers. A range of tools and products including a Practical Handbook for practicing lawyers that provides guidance for lawyers dealing with cases involving the poor and marginalized will be produced and a range of training and capacity building initiatives for lawyers will be implemented. These initiatives will be based on a series of initial processes designed to ensure that there is a high degree of ownership of lawyers who will be involved in the project and the vision they collectively develop for the future of their own profession.

UNDP will coordinate with the Ministry of Justice, LBA, Provincial and National Legal Aid Offices and other key stakeholders in the implementation of the project. The programme will be based on principles of inclusiveness, complementarity with other initiatives and adaptation to changing circumstances. The implementation will be guided by the following:

1. Programming that is complementary to other relevant efforts in the justice sector;
2. International good practice and common principles for strengthening the role of lawyers, fair trials and access to justice
3. Capacity development programs that are carefully planned, sustainable and inclusive;
4. In alignment with and contributing to the SDGs and ‘Leaving No One Behind’;
5. Promotion of gender equality and sensitive to the special needs of women and girls, youth, the vulnerable and marginalized in relation to their rights and interaction with the legal system;

OBJECTIVE

The overall objective of the assignment is to support the LBA to provide more effective Lawyer accreditation and continued professional development (CPD) programmes, by supporting the development of new curricula and training for lawyers based on international good practice adapted to the Lao context.

Duties and Responsibilities

SCOPE OF WORK

The National Consultant will work under the supervision of the Lawyer Project, UNDP Team Leader for Governance, and work closely with UNDP programme team and the International Consultant under the same assignment.

NB: The National Consultant will be responsible for the translation into Lao language of relevant materials including final draft, communications, PowerPoint slides, presentations etc.

The tasks of the National Consultant will include:

1. Conduct desk-based research on introducing emerging capacity development programmes (CPD) and training curricula for LBA, and renewal capabilities mechanism

• Develop a reasoned methodology, inception note and a detailed and timely workplan on the assignment;
• Conduct in depth desk-research on emerging trends and practices on capacity development programmes and CPD for lawyers, and renewal capabilities for legal training;
• Conduct research on the situation in Lao PDR with regards lawyer development with a view to adapting such trends and practices to the Lao context.

2. Develop mechanism for research and renewal capabilities for LBA based on desk based research, consultation and plan

• Ensure proposed renewal capabilities for LBA address barriers to the sustainability of lawyer training and capacity development;
• Coordinate and consult with the relevant sectors especially the LBA through process planning meetings, consultations and surveys in line with the agreed outline, including missions to legal sector agencies at the sub national level;
• Finalize proposal for renewal capabilities mechanism and ensure the LBA deeply understands and contributes to the process including through problem framing, problem analysis, definition of the development challenge and cost of inaction involved, areas to be addressed, problem-solving, long-term development objectives, cost of action or budgeting, and adaptive results-based management framework, including by presenting final curriculum.

3. Develop lawyer CPD training curricula and materials based on desk based research, consultation and plan, including online modules

• Coordinate and consult with UNDP, LBA and relevant sectors to develop all draft materials including agendas, templates, and curricula for capacity development programmes, including missions to legal sector agencies at the sub national level;
• Ensure the development of the required materials and curricula includes dynamic training sessions with, engaging and interactive trainings for participants, using where relevant online tools;
• Finalize training curricula and training and ensure the LBA deeply understands and contributes to the process including through problem framing, problem analysis, definition of the development challenge and cost of inaction involved, areas to be addressed, problem-solving, long-term development objectives, cost of action or budgeting, and adaptive results-based management framework, including by presenting final curriculum.

4. Delivery of pilot for capacity development programmes and renewal capabilities mechanism

• Support delivery of pilots for the capacity development programme and renewal capabilities mechanism together with UNDP and LBA;
• Provide feedback on delivery of activities to adapt and enhance programmes and mechanisms based on review of pilots.

5. Translation of key documents

• Translation from Lao to English, and English to Lao, of key documents related to lawyer capacity development, renewal capabilities and others under this assignment.

6. Coordination of meetings and communications with national partners

• In close coordination with the Project Coordinator, the national consultant will support coordination of meetings with all key national stakeholders including LBA, MOJ, civil society and development partners, NIJ, and NUOL.

Competencies

• Strong translating skills
• Strong analytical and writing skills
• Ability to work as part of a team

Required Skills and Experience

• Advanced University Degree (Master’s level) in Law or a related field (e.g. Rule of Law, Constitutional Law, Justice Sector, Governance, Public Administration, Political Science, International Relations, Security, Human Rights, etc.)
• At least 5 years of professional experience in the legal sector, justice sector, rule of law development.
• At least 1 year of professional experience in developing curricula and trainings for the legal sector, the judicial sector, judiciary institutions or relevant fields.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting comprehensive research studies in fields of the lawyer reform, rule of law, justice, and law; experience in country-level legal assessments would be an asset
• Experience within the UN system, including UNDP, would be an asset

LANGUANGE : English and Lao Language working-level are required

Requirements for submission of proposals

All interested and qualified International or National Individual Consultants should apply online using the following links:

UNDP Lao PDR Country Office website at https://www.undp.org/laopdr/jobs

In order to make your submission, please read the relevant documents available at the links below

1. TOR (Annex I)

2. IC General Terms and Conditions _ Annex II

Interested Individual Consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

1. Technical Proposal

(i) Explaining why you are the most suitable for the work;

(ii) Providing a brief methodology on how you will approach and conduct the work including the work

schedule for the delivery of outputs/deliverable;

2. P11 Form Education and work experience, including past experience in similar projects and contact references of at least 3 references for whom you have rendered preferably the similar services;

3. Financial proposal: Detailed financial proposal: Lump sum offer with clear cost breakdown against each deliverable. Please use this template Offerors Letter to UNDP

Instructions for online submissions:

• Step 1: Please prepare all required documents electronically.

• Step 2: Combine all documents in ONE SINGLE FILE (PDF or WORD file) and upload to the UNDP Jobs using this link https://www.undp.org/laopdr/jobs

• Step 3: After that you will receive an auto reply from the UNDP jobs if your offer is received successfully.

Incomplete proposals or proposals received after the deadline will be rejected

Note: Any request for clarification must be sent in writing before the submission deadline to the following emails: surith.sengsavang@undp.org