Rule of Law Programme Junior 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.

UNDP has been in Viet Nam since 1977, when there was very limited donor and international presence. Since that time, UNDP’s role in Viet Nam has evolved through the country’s many stages of transition, struggle and success. UNDP Viet Nam continues to provide critical support in the areas of democratic governance and participation; inclusive and equitable growth; and sustainable development, climate change, disaster risk reduction, and gender equality. Efforts to support Viet Nam’s development agenda are firmly grounded in the context of the One UN Initiative and the One Plan III, the consolidated programme of work of all UN agencies working in Viet Nam.

Under the direct supervision of the Assistant Resident Representative and Unit Head, Governance and Participation Unit UNDP Viet Nam, the UN Volunteer will be involved in activities under the mentioned projects in order to undertake the following tasks:

• Assist in conducting basis research and report writing • Contribute to designing activities/projects on access to justice and human rights • Contribute to the delivery of activities, as part of a team • Support in drafting funding and project proposals • Assist in creating social media and communication content • Support to event organisation • Participates in team meetings and discussions

The Rule of Law Programme Junior Officer is expected to support the successful delivery of activities under the Rule of Law and Human Rights portfolio, focusing on three thematic areas:

Human rights and international normative framework: UNDP seeks to assist the Government with the implementation of the recommendations accepted under a number of international human rights mechanisms, including Universal Periodic Review (UPR), Convention against Torture (CAT), International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights (IC-CPR), International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), Convention on Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and Convention on the Right of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). UNDP engages with and build capacity of civil society actors in participating in the review process under these mechanisms. UNDP’s efforts also focus on advocating for alignment between domestic laws and international human rights standards for better human rights protection of vulnerable groups, including LGBTI+, persons with disabilities, detainees, prisoners, persons facing the death penalty and others who are often further left behind. UNDP promotes the international standards on the right to a fair trial and the moratorium on execution of the death penalty. Projects and activities under this thematic area include:

Strengthening Implementation and Reporting under UN Human Rights Mechanisms: The third review of human rights situation in Viet Nam under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the UN Human Rights Council took place in January 2019. The UPR process uniquely provides a formal role and a broad window of participation at the national and international levels, both in preparation for the review and in monitoring implementation of recommendations. Over the last few years, UNDP has been extensively engaged with the Government of Viet Nam, social organizations, and development partners to prepare for human rights reviews. In Viet Nam, the engagement of society actors in the preparation of the review has increased significantly from no submission by domestic groups for the first cycle (2009), 13 submissions by domestic groups in the second cycle (2014), to over 50 submissions received for the third cycle (2019). This increased engagement helped strengthen recommendations by member states by providing them with the necessary background and data and effective solutions on a broad range of human rights issues, and from a diverse group of organizations. Further reporting processes supported by UNDP include under the ICCPR, CAT, CRPD and ICESCR.

Justice and Legal Empowerment Programme: The Programme is funded by the European Union and consists of two parts - a co-delegation agreement (PAGoDA) to provide targeted capacity building to institutions and evidence-based re-search and a basket fund for small grants for civil society organisations called the Justice Initiative Facilitation Fund (JIFF). The PAGoDA mechanism is co-funded by UNDP, UNICEF and is implemented by UNDP and UNICEF in partnership with Ministry of Justice of Viet Nam. Under the PAGoDA mechanism, the Programme will strengthen the rule of law through a more reliable, trusted and better-accessed justice system. Specifically, it aims to focus on those population groups which, ac-cording to dependable data, face the greatest obstacles in using the justice system to invoke their rights, and on improvement of mechanisms for rights protection, legal services including advice, assistance and representation.

Additional info on UNDP Vietnam's work on Governance and Participation and Rule of Law and Human rights Portfolio:

During the past decade, Viet Nam attained middle-income country status as a result of impressive economic growth. However, progress in social development, including education and health, has been less rapid contributing to slower growth in human development, indicating remaining governance system challenges to keep pace with economic development. UNDP Viet Nam’s governance work focuses on four main pillars: rule of law and human rights; citizen participation; gender equality, and, peace and security, including mine action.

In consultation with various government and non-governmental counterparts, UNDP has finalized its new Country Programme Document (2022-2026) which sets out the strategic areas of intervention and support over the next four years, based on UNDP’s comparative advantages within the UN system as well its unique expertise in Justice and Governance for more than four decades.

The vision of UNDP’s programme is to support the government of Viet Nam to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, guided by UNDP’s Strategic Plan’s ‘three directions of change’ - structural transformation, leaving no-one behind and resilience; and enhanced by the ‘three enablers’ - strategic innovation, digitalization and development financing.

UNDP helps develop government capacities for Anticipatory, Adaptive and Agile, or Triple AAA governance responses to address complex and emerging challenges by: a) evidence gathering and analysis of governance related issues, b) inclusive, human-centric digitization and innovation, c) re-framing policy choices and enabling shifts to address gaps in systems and d) testing and scaling successful implementation models

UNDP supports national partners to address security and justice through a human rights-based approach, to nurture public participation and trust, and to expand access to justice, especially for women, youth, persons with disabilities, marginalized groups, and displaced communities. This portfolio includes six thematic areas: improving access to justice, strengthening legal framework; human rights and international normative framework; anti-corruption and transparency; business and human rights; and combating human trafficking.

☒ Adaptability and Flexibility ☒ Commitment and Motivation ☒ Commitment to Continuous Learning ☒ Communication ☒ Creativity ☒ Ethics and Values ☒ Integrity ☒ Knowledge Sharing ☒ Professionalism ☒ Respect for Diversity ☒ Self-Management ☒ Technological Awareness ☒ Working in Teams

rule of law and/or human rights and/or demonstrated interest (up to two years); • Previous experience as a volunteer and/or experience of another culture, (i.e. studies, volunteer work, internship) would be highly regarded; • Demonstrated ability and experience in effective telecommuting when required.

Vietnam is a one of the most dynamic developing countries in East Asia region and one of the fastest growing economies in ASEAN. It is known to be a relatively safe, stable and peaceful. Hanoi, where the UNDP Country Office is located, is the capital city and among cultural centres of the nation. The city is vibrant and international, while remaining authentic with its distinctive way of life. Health care that meets international standards is available. Living costs are inexpensive. For internationals, living condition in Vietnam has been ranked high globally. Worsening air pollution and traffic volume, however, have been one of the challenges for urbanists, including residents of Hanoi.