Background
Somalia is undergoing a historic process of change, moving towards peace from decades of violent conflict, which ravaged the country and resulted in widespread suffering of its people. The Provisional Constitution of the Somali Republic was agreed and endorsed on 1 August 2012. The 275 Members of the House of the People was subsequently selected by a group of 135 clan elders through August and September 2012 and resulted in a parliament widely recognized as representative and credible. The creation of an Upper House has been deferred while the Federal Member States are formed; in the interim, the Provisional Constitution mandates that the House of Peoples to operate as the National Federal Parliament (NFP) by itself.
The NFP and its members have a critical role to play in Somalia’s divided context today. If supported to effectively fill its place in the new political infrastructure of Somalia, the legislature will operate as a venue for the debate and discussion of issues of national importance. Potential sources of conflict can be aired, debated and addressed publicly and in a bi-/multi-partisan manner. In order to achieve these objectives, both Members of Parliament and the Parliamentary Secretariat require urgent support. The NFP Speaker has already received support from UNDP (in collaboration with the Association of European Parliaments with Africa (AWEPA) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI)) to develop a Strategic Plan to guide the development of the NFP, but provision of ongoing advice and assistance to strengthen the capacities available to the parliamentary leadership is essential. Significant capacity development will need to be undertaken within the nascent Secretariat to ensure timely and quality services can be provided to MPs, most immediately in terms of legal, research and committee support, as well as outreach and dialogue support. Research facilities are very limited, with library facilities virtually non-existent and e-based solutions also still to be implemented.
Under the Provisional Constitution, the NFP has also been tasked with leading the process of constitutional review and implementation, which is required in order to finalise a national Federal Constitution and set in place a framework for national elections. Parliament has set up a Constitutional Oversight Committee, and legislation was enacted in July 2013 to establish a Review and Implementation Commission intended to provide technical support to the Committee. Significant support will needed to be provided to MPs, the Oversight Committee and the Commission, both to build capacities to review and implement the Provisional Constitution and to support a major constitutional public outreach programme announced by the Speaker and Committee Chair. This approach is intended to build buy-in for the constitution throughout the country. The UN – through the UN Assistance Mission to Somalia (UNSOM) and UNDP – will work with the Parliament throughout this process to provide support for this crucial work.
UNDP Project Results
As part of the UN’s overall support to Somalia’s peacebuilding and statebuilding agenda, in collaboration with UNSOM and UNCT, UNDP is implementing a parliamentary and constitutional support programme, which focuses on building the capacities of MPs, Committees and Secretariat staff to discharge the NFPs constitutional mandates:
Outcome 1: NFP and Somalia Parliaments capacitated to operate as inclusive, transparent and effective law-making, oversight and representative bodies contributing to national peacebuilding and nation-building goals.
- Output 1: NFP and Somalia Parliaments supported to enact quality legislation and to maintain effective oversight over the other branches of government according to the interests of all Somali people and in support of peace-building and nation-building;
- Output 2: House of the People established as an effective institution, with a functioning administration and infrastructure and leadership supported to discharge their constitutional mandates to fairly, inclusively and transparently manage the business of Parliament and lead the Parliamentary Administration;
- Output 3: MPs are empowered to represent and remain accountable to the Somali people and to provide leadership in a way that promotes national unity for Somalis, including young people and women, participative & representative democracy and more effective contribution to political decision-making.
Outcpome 2: NFP capacitated to contribute to the overall national constitutional review process in support of peace-building and nation-building in Somalia
- Output 4: NFP capacities supported to ensure timely implementation and review of the Constitution.
Duties and Responsibilities
Summary of key functions
- Provide direct technical advice and build the sustainable capacity of the NFP to engage with the constitutional process, including support for Members, committees and the Secretariat (in particular, the public outreach section of the Secretariat);
- Provide and/or coordinate technical assistance and advice to the Oversight Committee and Implementation and Review Commission;
- Work closely with other non-UN partners to coordinate technical advice on constitutional review and implementation process and content issues, including the Max Planck Institute, NDI, AWEPA, key Project donors, and the Somali Executive branch;
- Identification of technical resources and consultants in support of the Project and support of reporting on Constitutional Review support.
The UNDP Programme Specialist (Constitutional Support) will work under the direct supervision of the Project Chief Technical Advisor and in very close coordination with UNSOM through the UN ICST, in order to support Parliament’s engagement with the constitutional implementation and review process, including:
- Build the sustainable capacity of the NFP to engage with the constitutional process, including support for Members, committees and the Secretariat (in particular, the public outreach section of the Secretariat);
- Ensure the provision of direct technical advice to the Speaker, Committee members and MPs to support the review and implementation of constitution by the NFP;
- Build the capacity of the NFP MPs and staff to engage on constitutional issues, including identifying specialized technical expertise to support the constitutional process and working closely with the Max Planck Institute, NDI and other international partners
- Provide technical assistance on policy development and legislation development on constitutional priorities, in line with the Parliaments and the Governments agenda
- Support the NFP’s constitutional outreach and dialogue processes, including by developing initiatives with civil society and the media and ensuring targeted outreach to women and youth.
Coordination with UN ICST, NFP and Executive and international partners and donors on support to Constitution Review
- Provide advice to UNSOM and UNDP, and broader ICST on all relevant constitutional issues.
- Engage in developing strategies and workplans among the international community and donors regarding support to the Constitutional Review Process
- In collaboration with UNDP Project Management Specialist, plan and coordinate relevant meetings (eg. New Deal meetings, constitutional coordination meetings), including by producing relevant reporting.
- Engage in regular meetings and other information sharing with the UN Integrated Constitutional Support Team, and setting mechanisms to ensure whole-of-government support to the constitutional process;
Provide and/or coordinate technical assistance and advice to the Oversight Committee and Implementation and Review Commission
- Support capacity development of the Oversight Committee, including facilitating liaison with the Executive branch;
- Develop a targeted issues training plan and preparation of policy option analysis, for the Oversight Committee and Review and Implementation Commission, as requested;
- Provide support to relevant Secretariat staff to produce legal research and analysis;
- Support capacity development of the Implementation and Review Commission, in close collaboration with other relevant UN and UNDP Projects, including the UNDP Rule of Law team supporting legislative policy development and drafting.
Identification of technical resources and consultants in support of the Project and support of reporting on Constitutional Review support.
- Support the deployment of technical constitutional and outreach specialists, including by developing TORs and managing technical specialists to produce high quality advice and reports;
- Provide inputs to Project reports , including by ensuring top quality analysis and substantive inputs to project documents, reports, concept notes and other strategic documents;
- Perform other relevant duties as required by the CTA;
- Ensure in all circumstances that the project upholds the values of the UN System, the country’s interests and partners implicated in the process.
Impact of Results
The key results have an impact on the overall success of the country programme and reaching UNDAF/CPD goals. In the short-term, the key results have an impact on the project objective to support the Federal Parliament of Somalia and the Parliaments of Somaliland and Puntland to effectively fulfill its role as a legislative, representative, and oversight body and support the ongoing constitutional review and implementation process.
Performance Indicators:
- Programme/ advice of high quality;
- Policy and technical advice of high quality and relevance and based on established constitutional law and practice;
- High level and effective inputs into project progress reports and work plans, and review and monitoring systems;
- Effective communication to achieve results and to develop effective and active networking and partnerships to ensure coordination amongst those working with the parliament and on constitutional review.
Competencies
Corporate Responsibility and Teamwork:
- Serves and promotes the vision, mission, values, and strategic goals of UNDP;
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
- Plans, prioritizes, and delivers tasks on time.
Results-Orientation and Development Effectiveness:
- Plans and produces quality results to meet established goals;
- Ability to support implementation, monitoring and evaluation of Project.
Management and Leadership:
- Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
- Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
- Demonstrates good oral and written communication skills;
- Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
- Sets clear performance goals and standards; executes responsibilities accordingly.
Innovation and Judgment:
- Conceptualizes and analyses problems to identify key issues, underlying problems and how they relate;
- Contributes creative, practical ideas and approaches to deal with challenging situation;
- Strives for quality client-cantered services (internal/external) when making decisions and taking action.
Job Knowledge & Expertise
- Demonstrates substantive and technical knowledge to meet responsibilities and post requirements with excellence;
- Uses ICT and web-based management systems effectively as a tool and resource;
- Is motivated and demonstrates a capacity to pursue personal development and learn;
- Strong drafting, report-writing skills and oral communication skills;
- Ability to work under pressure in a multicultural and complex environment.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Master's degree in Political Science, International Relations, Social Sciences, Management, Administration, Law or related fields.
Experience:
- At least seven years of professional and responsible experience in parliamentary development, constitutional review and/or governance/institutional development are required, with experience in conflict or post-conflict settings an advantage;
- Strong experience supporting inclusive and consultative public consultation processes;
- Experience in supporting law making and policy development processes;
- High level representational and advisory experience, ideally in a cross-cultural setting;
- Experience working with the UN an asset;
- Relevant experience in Africa an advantage.
- Previously experience as CTA in the framework multi donor programmes.
Language Requirements:
- Fluency in English mandatory.