Specialist in Migrant Smuggling and Human Trafficking

Contract

This is a UNV National Expert contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV National Expert contracts.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) provides technical assistance to Member States to strengthen their capacities in the fight against organized crime and drug trafficking. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime was mandated by the United Nations General Assembly in 2000 to act as the guardian of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and the Trafficking in Persons Protocol. Under this mandate, UNODC serves as the technical secretariat of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention, which enables it to advance in a technical dialogue with the member states of the Organization in the development of the provisions of the Convention and its protocols at the domestic level and in the promotion of cooperation mechanisms among them. To this end, UNODC has developed unique expertise and experience in the development of a wide range of specialized technical tools to enhance capacity in national and regional responses to combat trafficking in persons (TIP). In Latin America, UNODC has implemented regional, national and local projects, including multi-year grants from donors such as the European Union, Canada, the United Kingdom, Sweden and the U.S. Department of State's Office to Combat and Monitor Trafficking in Persons J/TIP. Past projects have focused primarily on helping criminal justice practitioners use accumulated knowledge in the fight against human trafficking. This work has been made possible by UNODC national expert teams in twelve countries in the region with the support and substantive expertise of the UNODC UNODC national expert teams in twelve countries in the region with the substantive support and expertise of the Trafficking in Persons and Migrant Smuggling Section at UNODC Headquarters in Vienna. In this context, UNODC ROPAN pays special attention to the specific needs of Central American and Caribbean countries in order to provide tailor-made, coherent and effective technical assistance to address the challenges posed by these phenomena in the region. The Senior Specialist under the technical guidance of the team of the Global Programmes on Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling will provide support in the implementation of the Joint Initiative: Strengthening Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Agencies' Capacity to Coordinate and Exchange Information to Investigate and Prosecute Human Trafficking and the Smuggling of Migrants actions, programs and projects in Costa Rica to be implemented jointly with IOM and UNWOMEN.

Under the direct supervision of the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer, the Senior Specialist will have the following responsibilities:

• Contribute with the implementation of a simulation-style, ‘train the trainers’, training for police officers to better identify victims of trafficking and migrants who have been smuggled. This will involve a) An assessment of police training needs; b) Development of capacity development curricula to be delivered both in person and online; c) Workshops with police personnel; d) Developing and disseminating informational materials to be placed in border points

• Promote the development of mechanisms/online platforms to strengthen information exchange and the use of data to enhance networking between police and prosecutors’ offices

• Raise awareness and advocate for the use of those mechanisms among relevant stakeholders and users.
• Conduct consultations with national institutions to inform guidelines related to joint investigations of transnational crimes
• Create guidelines for the use of international cooperation mechanisms and national tools to implement parallel or joint investigations taskforces or teams
• Design and implement case prioritization working sessions with law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to identify cases to be coordinated using information extracted from the platform and Guidelines developed under the project
• Support financial service providers (specifically those providing money transfers) in developing indicators to identify possible situations of human trafficking or smuggling in migrants
• Support a review of money transfer and other financial services and products available to migrants in the region to identify best practices that could be adapted to the Costa Rican context (with a focus on access for migrant women).
• Identify in coordination with the Technical Assistance team of the Global Programme the needs, capacities, skills and competencies of the beneficiary entities of the Global Programme in Costa Rica and the region in the area of trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants.
• Maintain communication with the UNODC team in ROPAN and the Human Trafficking Section HTMSS on the status of implementation of the project work plan for initiatives in Costa Rica.
• Support UNODC engagement at the country level through participation in working groups and inter-agency initiatives in areas relevant to trafficking in persons and migrant smuggling issues including but not limited to technical inputs, reporting, joint strategy development and external communications among others.
• Perform other tasks as required.

Results/expected outputs

• The capacity of Costa Rica’s police and prosecutors to collect, manage, exchange, and analyse data related to human trafficking has been strengthened, and techniques to mainstream gender have been incorporated in the investigation of these crimes.
• Forums are established to exchange best practices on the investigation and prosecution of trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants.
• Working Groups of police, prosecutors and judges are created to review and analyse cases of trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants
• Existing money transfer and other financial service providers have the knowledge and tools to provide safe and inclusive financial services to migrants; and migrants in transit (especially women)

• Criterion and initiative to make decisions and assume their consequences; • Customer orientation (establishes effective customer relationships); • Ability to lead strategic planning and reporting; • Ability to lead the formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects; • Ability to communicate with team and counterparts; • Demonstrates good knowledge of IT tool and demonstrates this in assigned tasks; • Demonstrates thorough knowledge and understanding of current guidelines and procurement process management tools and uses them regularly in assigned tasks; • Analytical and synthesis skills; • High sense of responsibility and professionalism; • Respect for diversity;      • Gender awareness and willingness to work in multidisciplinary and multicultural environments. • Proficiency in basic office software (Windows, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.). • Excellent communication, writing and teamwork skills and ability to work in multidisciplinary and multicultural groups. • Analytical and problem-solving skills, maintaining composure and good interpersonal relationship management. • Ability to handle a wide range of activities simultaneously. • Act at all times with extreme discretion with respect to UNODC documents, information and materials. • Permanent attitude and behavior of cordiality, composure, respect and collaboration with all persons and organizations with whom UNODC interacts.

crime prevention and criminal justice, a substantial part of which has consisted of advising, training or coaching in the investigation, law enforcement and prosecution of the crime of trafficking in persons or other forms of organized crime. • Operational work experience with public sector entities, in particular police units, prosecutor's offices and/or public ministries in the field of trafficking in persons or organized crime will be valued; • Relevant work experience in an organization of the United Nations system or in an International Organization is desirable; • Familiarity with UNODC mandate areas will be an asset; • Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Office, Lotus); • Knowledge of human trafficking institutions and authorities in Costa Rica at the national and local level. • Demonstrated ability to organize large volumes of work and manage with the areas in charge administrative requests for the development of projects.

In many aspects, Costa Rica is a success story in terms of development. It is considered an upper middle-income country, which has shown a steady economic growth over the past 25 years. This growth resulted from an outward- oriented strategy, based on the openness to foreign investment and gradual trade liberalization. Costa Rica is also a global leader for its environmental policies and accomplishments, which have helped the country build its Green Trademark. The pioneering Payments for Environmental Services (PES) program has been successful in promoting forest and biodiversity conservation; making Costa Rica the only tropical country in the world to have reversed deforestation.

Costa Rica is a country without Armed Forces. The country has a uniformed Police Force (Fuerza Publica) and a Judicial Police (Organismo de Investigación Judicial – O.I.J.) under the Ministry of Justice. Law enforcement response, while not comparable to the United States or Europe, is considered adequate. Costa Rica’s climate is stable throughout the year. During the rainy season, from May to November, some rural roads are blocked by landslides. During the Caribbean hurricane season, from June to November, heavy rainfall can affect both the Caribbean and Pacific coast with occasional flooding on settlements and roads. Costa Rica faces a recognized high level of non-violent crimes against tourists and regular citizens. The use of fire weapons during a criminal event is common. Despite relatively low levels of criminality in the overall situation of the Central America region, robberies (including armed robberies and residential breakins) are frequently reported crimes within the whole country. Some of these crimes are associated to drug consumption. Unstable perpetrators, eventual confrontation or any other triggering situation, during such events, along with widespread use of fire weapons, may easily lead to violence and impact UN personnel integrity. The possibility of a residential break-in to go wrong, in case robbers are confronted by victims in the house, is too high to be discarded. More than 8000 robberies are reported every year, which due to the bureaucracy involved, is still believed to be underreported

Costa Rica is a unique country, it provides for an interesting and enriching environment, but also requires a mature level of cultural awareness, as well as more stamina and commitment than elsewhere to make life comfortable and affordable. Therefore, flexibility and the ability and willingness to live and work in harsh and potentially hazardous conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort, are essential.