Technical Advisor, Human Rights Due Diligence Policy, LOTFA

Contract

This is a IPSA-11 contract. This kind of contract is known as International Personnel Services Agreement. It is normally internationally recruited only. It usually requires 7 years of experience, depending on education. More about IPSA-11 contracts.

Background

Instructions to Applicants: Click on the "Apply now" button. Input your information in the appropriate Sections: personal information, language proficiency, education, resume and motivation. Upon completion of the first page, please hit "submit application" tab at the end of the page. Please ensure that CV or P11 and the Cover letter are combined in one file.

Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.

A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.

Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.

Travel:

UNDP will cover the cost of travel only in the event that the function will be undertaken physically in the duty station and excludes working from home arrangements. Any other travel associated with performing the functions shall be payable by UNDP separately as per applicable Policy.

Office/Unit/Project Description

UNDP supports stabilization, state-building, governance and development priorities in Afghanistan. UNDP support, in partnership with the Government, the United Nations system, the donor community and other development stakeholders, has contributed to institutional development efforts leading to positive impact on the lives of Afghan citizens. Over the years, UNDP support has spanned such milestone efforts as the adoption of the Constitution, Presidential, Parliamentary and Provincial Council elections, institutional development through capacity development to the legislative, judicial, and executive arms of the state, and key ministries, Government agencies, and commissions at the national and subnational levels.

The Human Rights Due Diligence Policy on UN support to non-UN Security Forces (HRDDP, 2011)1 governs the human rights aspects of United Nations (UN) support to non-UN security forces. The HRDDP has two goals: ensuring security forces supported by the UN comply with human rights (HR) standards and protecting the reputation of the UN. The policy provides that if there is a substantial risk that non-UN security forces are committing grave violations of international humanitarian law (IHL), human rights, or refugee law, and where the authorities fail to take corrective or mitigating measures, the UN must suspend or withdraw support from the recipient.

Since 2002, the UNDP-managed Law and Order Trust Fund for Afghanistan (LOTFA) supports an Afghan National Police (ANP) capable of enforcing the rule of law, combatting crime, and protecting the Afghan population.

An HRDDP risk assessment in the context of LOTFA was carried out at the end of 2020 by a UNDP consultant. The document found that while the government takes action to mitigate ANP behaviour, there is evidence of widespread and systematic violations perpetrated by the ANP. Priority risks identified were inter alia HR/ IHL violations in the context of the armed conflict; torture/ill treatment in places of detention; child recruitment and sexual abuse; sexual harassment and abuse of police women; impunity. The risk assessment includes a set of Mitigating Measures, including notably the need to set up a HDDRP unit within the LOTFA team.

Institutional Arrangement

Under the direct supervision and overall guidance of the TFMU Manager and in close collaboration with the Project Management Specialist, the Technical Advisor leads a HDRRP unit to be established within the LOTFA team. The Technical Advisor will liaise very closely with UNAMA and relevant AFPs, the Afghan Ministry of Interior Affairs as well as relevant other ministries and government officials, donor representatives, the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, civil society organizations.

The duty station for the Technical Advisor is Kabul, Afghanistan, following the working hours and weekends as applicable to all UN staff in Afghanistan. The Technical Advisor’s movement for meetings and consultations shall be coordinated by UNDP, Afghanistan LOTFA programme team. The Technical Advisor is at all times required to observe UN security and rules and regulations as well as advisories in Kabul, Afghanistan and comply with UN MOSS.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

Against this backdrop, UNDP Afghanistan is seeking a Technical Advisor on HRDDP reporting to the Manager of the Trust Fund Management Unit (TFMU) and responsible for the following duties:

1) Leadership, advice

• Provides managerial and strategic leadership to the HRDDP Team of UNDP Afghanistan, coordinating UNDP/LOTFA action to support the implementation of the Human Rights Due Diligence Policy (HRDDP) on UNDP support to non-United Nations security forces in Afghanistan.
• Provide strategic advice and regular updates and information to the leadership of UNDP Afghanistan on the implementation of the HRDDP.
• Provides technical support on relevant matters, including the establishment of relevant monitoring mechanisms and with regard to engagement with national authorities and other external partners, and makes recommendations on actions to take.

2) Knowledge management, planning

• Acts as focal point on HRDDP at UNDP Afghanistan, serving as UNDP’s resource on the implementation of the HRDDP policy in Afghanistan.
• Leads the implementation of the HRDDP through the development of guidelines, the management of knowledge (including by identifying good practices and lessons learned), the provision of advice to UNDP leadership, outreach activities.
• Coordinates and monitors the implementation of the HRDDP and related mitigating measures in all activities of UNDP.
• Leads integration of HRDDP dimensions into UNDP planning and budgeting, including in support to the implementation of identified mitigating measures.
• Coordinates the development of HRDDP risk assessments in relation to requests for support from security forces to UNDP, including the identification of relevant mitigating measures.

3) Monitoring and reporting

• Leads drafting, review and finalization (and updates as needed) of a variety of documents, including but not limited to UNDP standard operating procedures (SOPs) on HRDDP; risk assessments and relevant mitigating measures; reports to the attention of the HRDDP Task Force; other operational tools as relevant in a timely manner (e.g. methodological tools, guidelines, procedures and reference materials for UNDP).
• Monitors, analyzes and synthesizes significant amounts of information of relevance to UNDP on human rights and HRDDP implementation, including from open sources and about the profiling of human rights perpetrators, in close coordination with UN and other actors (e.g. government officials, the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, civil society organizations).

4) Capacity building

• Leads and coordinates development of training materials, then, design and delivery of training on the HRDDP for UNDP staff and external interlocutors, including national actors.
• Provides advice to UNDP-supported non-UN security forces in the development and implementation of capacity building programmes in the field of human rights, international humanitarian law, democracy and the rule of law, with attention to gender perspectives.
• Supports the compliance with the HRDDP of capacity building activities by UNDP by reviewing project documents, activities plan and other relevant documents and suggesting any mitigating measures, where required.

5) Coordination, partnerships, gender integration

• Represents UNDP in the HRDDP Secretariat.
• Engages in regular meetings with UN actors and with external actors on HRDDP-related issues, including but not limited to UNAMA and AFPs, the Afghan Ministry of Internal Affairs as well as relevant other ministries and government officials, donor representatives, the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, civil society organizations.
• Integrates a gender perspective in all actions related to the implementation of the HRDDP by UNDP Afghanistan.

6) Leadership and supervision

• Serves as team leader with responsibility for carrying out, in consultation with the Manager, work coordination and administrative functions relating to the staff, planning and budget.
• Supervises and trains national personnel required to support the implementation of the HRDDP.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Competencies

• Promotes ethics and integrity and creates organizational precedents;
• Builds consensus, inspires others to form alliance for concerted actions, and political acumen;
• Builds staff competence and creates an environment of creativity and innovation;
• Advances the organization, speaks authoritatively on behalf of the organization;
• Builds and promotes effective teams;
• Delivering world class expert and authoritative contributions in the profession;
• Creates and promotes environment for open communications;
• Leverages conflict in the interest of UNDP and sets standards; and;
• Shares knowledge across the organization and builds a culture of knowledge sharing and learning as an authority in the field.
• Strong communication skills both written and verbal, excellent report writing and organizational skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Ability to handle confidential and politically sensitive issues in a responsible and mature manner; and
• Sound judgment with proven ability to work effectively under minimum supervision.

Required Skills and Experience

Min. Academic Education

• Master’s degree in international affairs, international law, human rights law, conflict prevention, economics, political science, international development, or a similar field is required.

Min. years of relevant Work experience

• Minimum of 7 years relevant experience in a related field (International Law, and/or International Human Rights Law) is required.

Required skills and competencies

• Prior experience in formulating development of strategies and policies relating to the protection and promotion of human rights within security forces, plans and standard operating procedures as well as assessments on capacity needs assessment;
• Prior experience in working with/supporting “Security Forces” of any country in the development and implementation of professional standards and code of conduct compliance procedures and practices in accordance with relevant international human rights standards.

Desired skills

• Relevant experience in HRDDP implementation in one previous UN mission is highly desirable;
• Experience in working at the country level in a post- conflict environment is highly desirable;
• Previous experience in carrying out needs and capacity assessments relating to the protection and promotion of human rights, elaborating relevant recommendations and solutions, designing and/or providing professional capacity building supports is an asset;
• Proven experience in working with international or local organizations on similar assignments (successful experience in working with UN agencies) is an asset.

Required Language(s) (at working level)

• Excellent written and oral English is required.