UNDP Jobs - 60022- Consultant for Human Rights and Health of LGBTI an

Consultant for Human Rights and Health of LGBTI and other key populations in Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Location :

Istanbul Regional Hub, TURKEY

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

26-Sep-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Estimated 15 October 2015 – 30 October 2016

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

Approximately 205 working days

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

UNDP is the UN's global development network advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. As a founding Cosponsor of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), under the UNAIDS division of labour, UNDP is responsible for leading the response in addressing dimensions of AIDS relating to: development planning and mainstreaming; governance; and human rights, gender and sexual diversity. UNDP is also responsible for providing support to governments and national human rights and justice institutions, and CSOs in their efforts for the implementation of policies and programs that protect the human rights of people affected by HIV and other marginalised and excluded segments of the societies. This is an integral part of UNDP’s mandate for the promotion of rule of law and human rights.

In 2011-2012, UNDP served as a Secretariat of the Global Commission on HIV and the Law – an independent body of eminent experts, which examined the correlations between laws, rights and health in the context of HIV and marginalized populations. Currently, UNDP is actively engaged in following up with the Commission’s recommendations, as outlined it its Report “Law, Risks, and Health”.

In Eastern Europe and Central Asia, of particular concern is the situation of key populations most at risk of HIV, such as people who use drugs, sex workers, migrants, inmates and men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender people (TG). While over the past three years, there has been some progress in removing punitive norms targeting key populations and adopting anti-discrimination laws that include sexual orientation and gender identity, several country progress reports in the region indicate a worrying increase of new infections among LGBTI people. This tendency is combined with the proliferation of homophobic laws under the guise of laws “against propaganda of no-traditional sexual relations among minors” and insufficient implementation of anti-discrimination provisions regarding sexual orientation and gender identity. Capacity of civil society to successfully advocate rights issues of key populations, particularly of LGBTI people, and to collaborate with government authorities is not high and numerous challenges hamper this dialogue. The situation of TG people in the EECA region is even more uncertain, as often up-to date accurate information is not available.

In cooperation with governments, other UN agencies, international organizations, and civil society actors, UNDP works to develop the capacity of national legislators, government offices and civil society actors on matters of rights, health and key populations. In support of this mission, UNDP has fostered the development of the Eurasian Coalition on Male Health – a regional umbrella NGO for MSM in the context of rights and health, and has carried out numerous other capacity development initiatives. UNDP now seeks an international consultant to support the work of the Health and Development Team at the Istanbul Regional Hub on matters related to human rights and health of key populations, particularly LGBTI, as described in the terms of reference below.

Duties and Responsibilities

Guided by the Programme Specialist of the HIV, Health and Development Team at the UNDP HHD Team IRH-Istanbul (Supervisor) the Consultant shall:

Support the implementation of the HHD program portfolio in the Western Balkan Region, as follows:

Provides daily support for the planning, implantation and reporting of the project “Being LGBTI in Eastern Europe”;
Organizes and supports the development of rapid assessment reports on the situation of LGBTI people in the Western Balkans.
Prepares and supports assessment missions. Prepare and support national consultations;
Prepares and support the planning and implementation of Regional consultations; drafts presentations, minutes, reports;
Participates in the design and content development of virtual repositories on LGBTI issues in the Western Balkan regions;
Liaises with national coordinators, civil society representatives, consultants;
Liaises with the Policy Specialist on Health and Key Populations at HHD HQ;
Drafts and contributes to project reports;
Develops project proposals and applications;
Performs other related tasks.

Serves as focal point for the HD Team activities on key populations in the EECA area as follows:

Liaises with the board and officers of the Eurasian Coalition on Male Health, in order to ensure that UNDP is meaningfully engaged in regional and, where appropriate country activities, carried out by the coalition;
Liaises with other regional organizations, such as, but not limited to SWAN, ECUO, EHRN on issues related to rights, health and key populations;
Under the guidance of the supervisor, provides advice and assistance to UNDP COs in the EECA region on issues related to rights, key populations and health;
Participates in discussions, calls and joint actions with UNAIDS and co-sponsors in the context of key populations, rights and health in the EECA region;
Provides content for the periodic reports on rights, health and key populations;
Performs other related tasks.

Deliverables and Payment Schedule

Payments will be made based on the a) monthlyprogress reports, b) timesheets providing details of time spent on respective tasks and targets set by the Supervisor at the beginning of each month, their timely execution and c) supplementary documentation (more important correspondence, reports, project drafts, etc.), approved by the Supervisor. Main deliverables are:

Four reports “Being LGBTI in…” for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia;
Rapid assessment of organizations working on LGBTI issues in the four countries (at least one organization per country);
Four national post-assessment consultations with civil society and government (where applicable) on LGBTI issues and possible common actions;
An online repository of LGBTI issues for this region;
Regional meeting on LGBTI and health issues.

Competencies

Corporate competencies:

Commitment to the principles set forth in the UN High Level Declarations on HIV and AIDS, the UN Human Rights Council resolutions on LGBT;
Commitment to the UNDP Strategic Plan;
Adherence to strict confidentiality and protection of medical secrets, privacy and anonymity of people living with, or affected by HIV.

Functional competencies:

Very good understanding of problems of key populations, including LGBTI people in the context of human rights and health in Eastern Europe and Central Asia;
Very good understanding of work of government and non-state actors – civil society organizations, networks, community groups and others;
Ability to work independently and in a team, strict adherence to completing assigned tasks in a timely manner;
Excellent organizational, research, drafting and communication skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications/Education:

Masters’ degree in human rights, law, international human rights law, international relations, international development, or other related fields.

Experience:

At least two years of relevant regional experience in the field of LGBTI rights, health, human rights, key populations most at risk of HIV;
At least two years of experience in managing projects, organizing conferences, roundtables and drafting project reports;
At least two years of experience in advocacy, including advocacy on LGBTI rights, human rights and health, HIV;
At least one year of experience in researching, reporting and contributing to reports related to rights violation of LGBTI people and other key populations.

Language skills:

Fluency and ability to communicate in English, and Bosnian, or Croatian, or Serbian;
Knowledge of one more Western Balkan language is a plus. Knowledge of Russian is a plus.

Evaluation of Applicants:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on a cumulative analysis taking into consideration the combination of the applicants’ qualifications, as evidenced by the P11 and the interview and a financial proposal as a lump sumin US$, which includes all consultant’s costs except missions.

The award of the contract should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

Responsive/compliant/acceptable
Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Technical Criteria -70% of total evaluation - max. 50 points:

Relevant experience: human rights, health and LGBTI rights - max. 10 points;
Relevant experience: managing project, organizing conferences, drafting reports - max. 15 points;
Relevant experience: advocacy - max. 15 points;
Communication and competence (interview) - max. 5 points;
Language skills (interview) - max. 5 points.

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation - max. 21.5 points.

Only candidates who will get at least 70% of score in each step of the selection process (desk review and interviews) will be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Application procedures:

Qualified candidates are requested to apply online via this website. The application should contain:

Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position. Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application.
Filled P11 form including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees (blank form can be downloaded from http://europeandcis.undp.org/files/hrforms/P11_modified_for_SCs_and_ICs.doc ); please upload the P11 instead of your CV.
Financial Proposal* - specifying a daily rate in USD for the tasks/deliverables specified in this announcement. The financial proposal shall not consider costs of any missions, which will be carried out as per UNDP travel policy.
Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials

*Please note that the financial proposal shall take into account various expenses incurred by the consultant/contractor during the contract period .g. fee, health insurance, vaccination and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services...), without travel and daily allowance/Terminals.

The selected candidate is responsible for obtaining necessary visa, if applicable. UNDP will strive to support the application process.
Payments will be made only upon confirmation of UNDP on delivering on the contract obligations in a satisfactory manner.
Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director. Consultants are also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under dss.un.org

General Terms and conditions as well as other related documents can be found under: http://on.undp.org/t7fJs.

Qualified women and members of minorities are encouraged to apply.
Due to large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.