Background

The Border Management Northern Afghanistan (BOMNAF) II project is a three year initiative that commenced in July 2014. The Project’s field activities focus around the three activity areas of Infrastructure Construction, Equipment Supply and Training Delivery to Afghan Border Police and Afghan Customs Department personnel on Afghanistan’s Northern borders with Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

The EU has provided vital support to the ABP through its Border Management Northern Afghanistan projects since 2007. The BOMNAF I project, implemented by UNDP Tajikistan, provided a comprehensive support programme to the Afghan Border Police in Badakhshan, comprising delivery of training, procurement of equipment and construction of facilities, aiming to install an integrated border management system on the border with Tajikistan. However, a large number of border police on the northern frontier continue to function without sufficient appropriate training.

During 2016, the project will implement training on anti-corruption and integrity, including instruction on professional ethics and facilitate an international event on “Transparency and Responsibility on the border.”

In recognition of the importance of Transparency, Integrity and Accountability (TIA), within Border Management, BOMNAF will conduct a Sector Integrity Vulnerability Assessment on the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border.

Duties and Responsibilities

Goals and objectives

As part of EU-BOMNAF Project’s objective to reinforce border control capacity in northern Afghanistan whilst encouraging legitimate cross-border exchange and trade, a Sector Integrity Vulnerability Assessment of Border Management on the Tajikistan Afghanistan Border will help to identify issues on both sides of border, to improve mutual cooperation and decrease the possibility of issues arising from cross-border problems.  A Sector Integrity Vulnerability Assessment (SIVA) will identify where weaknesses exist within the border management sector that allow corruption to occur. It is to be an expert based assessment that will rely on practitioners who know the institutions and sector well and who have long-term experience and first-hand knowledge of the area to be examined.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under overall supervision and direct guidance of the BOMNAF Project Manager, and in consultation with the Tajikistan Border Force and Afghanistan Border Police, the SIVA Expert is to provide the following tasks:

  • Hire a research team, consisting of two local experts, with full responsibility to conduct all stages of the research and development of the assessment. Local experts will provide technical assistance to the international SIVA Expert and their qualification and tasks should be identified by the Expert himself;
  • An examination of the steps that occur within the institutions and operational processes of the border management sector;
  • An overview of the vulnerabilities to corruption within border management;
  • A policy and procedure review for the sector, which will identify gaps in the regulatory framework that may provide opportunities for corruption;
  • A series of individual and group expert interviews with practitioners and specialists in border management that will identify where possibilities for corruption may exist and use the results to develop an Integrity Matrix;
  • A desk review of the National Border Management Strategy (NBMS), to identify areas where opportunities for corruption may exist and possibilities for TIA Training within the NBMS;
  • Conduct Sector Integrity Vulnerability Assessments in key border areas as identified by the BOMNAF team on the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border. This will most likely include field missions to assess five Border Crossing Points at (Khohon - Shohon; Nusai - Ruzvai; Djomarji Bolo - Khumroghi; Shegnan - Tem; Eshkashem - Ishkashim);
  • Interview individual experts (10 – 20) with significant experience in the area of Border Management;
  • Examine steps that occur within the procedures and processes on the border;
  • Identify where possibilities for corruption exist on the border and develop an Integrity Vulnerability Matrix;
  • Identify through expert interviews the means to mitigate the vulnerabilities;
  • Categorize the level of importance for each individual vulnerability.

Research Objectives:

  • Identify opportunities or vulnerabilities to corruption in the targeted areas;
  • Identify weak parts of existing border management operations;
  • Identify practical means to mitigate vulnerabilities;
  • Classify danger of risks to the operation of the border management sector and to the state;
  • Produce comparative report with a survey completed in 2009.

Competencies

Functional competencies:

  • Professionalism;
  • Communication;
  • Teamwork;
  • Accountability.

Corporate Competencies:

  • Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
  • Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
  • Treats all people fairly without favouritism;
  • Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment;
  • Ability to work in a multi-cultural, mixed nationality environment regardless of personal feelings of political ideology;
  • Able to display cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability and treat all people fairly without favouritism.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Advanced degree in sociology and humanitarian sciences with extensive experience in assessment field (Criteria A).

Experience:

  • At least 10 years of relevant professional experience in conduction of assessment and evaluation (Criteria C);
  • Previous experience of working in neighbouring countries is mandatory (Criteria D);
  • Previous experience with conducting similar Integrity Assessments is a must (Criteria E);
  • Experience in preparing evaluation reports for international organizations (Criteria F);
  • Able to work out assessment methodology relevant to border management subject; (Criteria B).

Language:

  • Competency in written and spoken English language is essential;
  • Knowledge of Russian and Tajik languages will be considered a strong asset (Criteria G).

Application Procedure

Please follow the link to the Individual Consultant Procurement Notice:

http://www.undp.tj/va/upload/va/ICPN%20SIVA%20Expert.docx

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.