UN WOMEN Jobs - 55008- Consultant to Support the Special Rapporteur on th

Consultant to Support the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Advertised on behalf of

UN WOMEN

Location :

Geneva, SWITZERLAND

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

13-Apr-2015

Application Deadline :

03-Apr-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

One Month

Languages Required :

English Spanish

Expected Duration of Assignment :

One Month

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

Indigenous peoples across the world experience the consequences of historical colonization and invasion of their territories, and face discrimination because of their distinct cultures, identities and ways of life. In recent decades, the international community has given special attention to the human rights situations of indigenous peoples, as shown by the adoption of international standards and guidelines, as well as by the establishment of institutions and bodies that specifically target these peoples’ concerns. The rights of indigenous peoples are further promoted by international and regional human rights mechanisms. In this context, the Commission on Human Rights decided to appoint in 2001 a Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, as part of the system of thematic Special Procedures. The Special Rapporteur’s mandate was renewed by the Commission on Human Rights in 2004, and by the Human Rights Council in 2007.

In the fulfillment of her mandate, the Special Rapporteur:

Promotes good practices, including new laws, government programs, and constructive agreements between indigenous peoples and states, to implement international standards concerning the rights of indigenous peoples;
Reports on the overall human rights situations of indigenous peoples in selected countries;
Addresses specific cases of alleged violations of the rights of indigenous peoples through communications with Governments and others;
Conducts or contributes to thematic studies on topics of special importance regarding the promotion and protection of the rights of indigenous peoples.

The Special Rapporteur undertakes efforts to follow-up on the recommendations included in her predecessor’s reports in relation to the foregoing areas of work. Additionally, she reports annually on her activities to the Human Rights Council. In carrying out these different activities, the Special Rapporteur is also requested to work "in close cooperation with the Permanent Forum on Inidgenous Issues and to participate in its annual session;" to inter alia, pay special attention to the situation of indigenous women.

Indigenous women across the world have been active agents of change and development actors. Indigenous women have been significant players in a number of important negotiations such as those of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 1995 and its periodic reviews (2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015), all sessions of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the Commission on the Status of Women, the 2014 World Conference on Indigenous Peoples and its preparatory meeting in Alta, Norway.

The Special Rapporteur is seeking the opportunity of her mandate to undertake a comprehensive review of the situation of indigenous women as part of her reporting obligation to the Human Rights Council. The mandate holder is thereby seeking the services of a consultant to assist her in the gathering of relevant information and in the preparation of the report.

Duties and Responsibilities

Working in close collaboration with the Special Rapporteur and under the joint supervision of OHCHR and UN Women (whereby OHCHR together with the SR will be the focal points for the substance of the report while UN Women will be the focal person for administration and payments of the contract) the consultant will:

Undertake a comprehensive desk review of reports of a range of stakeholders including governments, Civil Society Organizations and UN agencies for existing reports that highlight the challenges and achievements of indigenous women and develop a clear and accessible draft report that highlights the situation of indigenous women and girls.

Competencies

Core Values and Guiding Principles:

Demonstrates integrity by modeling UN Women values and ethical standards;
Demonstrates commitment to UN Women’s mission and vision;
Able to work effectively within a team;
Displays cultural and gender sensitivity and adaptability;
Able to multi-task and juggle competing demands;
Can assess and prioritize work needs quickly; and
Able to relate to external partners, including other international organizations and agencies, NGOs, grassroots community groups, etc.

Functional Competencies:

Strong communication skills: Multilingual (English, French and Spanish);
Ability to work effectively and harmoniously with people from varied cultures and professional backgrounds;
Ability to produce well-written reports and organizational programmatic tools, demonstrating analytical ability and communication skills; and
Knowledge of indigenous issues and frameworks affecting the entitlements of indigenous peoples broadly and of indigenous women specifically.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Minimum: Masters level degree in Law, International Relations, History, Political Science, Gender or relevant field and/or equivalent practical experience.

Experience:

At least 5 years of working experience, including proven experience integrating and/or researching gender equality and indigenous peoples rights and issues particularly within the context of UN Women’s mandate;
Sound knowledge of international standards on human rights, women’s rights and related instruments;
Experience with UN Intergovernmental processes including those related to women’s empowerment, gender mainstreaming and gender equality;
Previous international experience, academic or professional, of working on gender and indigenous issues;
Familiarity with local level structures in multiple contexts; and
Experience working with multi-stakeholder organizations is essential: governments, CSOs, and the UN/ multilateral/bilateral institutions.

Language:

Fluency in oral and written English and Spanish are required;
Working knowledge of other UN languages is an asset.