UNDP Jobs - 101938- International Consultant on Fair Trial and the UN

International Consultant on Fair Trial and the UN Convention against Torture

Location :

Home-based

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

01-Oct-2021

Application Deadline :

27-Sep-21 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

20 months

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

20 months

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

The project: “Right to a fair trial in particularly serious criminal cases in Vietnam” (hereinafter referred to as the “Right to Fair Trial project”).

The right to fair trial has been long recognized by the international community as fundamental guarantees of human rights and the rule of law. It is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and defined in more detail in the article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which was ratified by Viet Nam in 1982.

During the third review of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) which took place in January 2019, Vietnam received several recommendations made by Members States on the right to a fair trial and due process. Viet Nam also has indicated commitment to working towards implementation of the recommendations on the right to a fair trial and due process. In 2019, the Government of Viet Nam issued two major national instruments on human rights – the National Master Plan for the Implementation of the Third Cycle UPR's Recommendations (UPR Master Plan) and the National Master Plan for the Implementation of the ICCPR and Recommendations of the UN Human Rights Committee (ICCPR Master Plan).

Over the last few years, UNDP has been extensively engaged with the Government of Viet Nam, civil society, and international organizations to support Viet Nam in delivering its commitments under the UPR Master Plan and ICCPR Master Plan. The Right to Fair Trial project, therefore, has been designed to strengthen the awareness and capacity of key stakeholders in ensuring the right to a fair trial of the accused in particularly serious criminal cases.

The Project: “Strengthening implementation of international human rights recommendations made to Vietnam” (hereinafter referred to as the “Norway Human Rights project”).

Viet Nam was reviewed in 2018 by the Committee against Torture under the Convention against Torture. Viet Nam was also reviewed under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) by the Human Rights Committee in 2019, led by the Ministry of Justice, with certain concluding observations and recommendations accepted by Viet Nam are related to combatting torture.

Viet Nam’s engagement with these international human rights reporting mechanisms demonstrates the government’s commitment to implement the CAT and ICCPR, which is important to coordinate efforts to implement the Concluding Observations of the Committee. The Government, through the Ministry of Public Security, also continues to plan for the implementation of measures and policies to combat torture in Viet Nam related to a number of recommendations made under the concluding observations by the Committee against Torture, including through a Master/National Action Plan.

UNDP together with the Embassy of Norway have actively supported the government of Vietnam during the preparation and review stage. Going forward, UNDP and the Embassy of Norway continue to support the government of Vietnam to deliver their commitments under UN human rights mechanism and provide supports for key stakeholders to plan for future periodic reviews, to evaluate implementation and prepare for further recommendations to be made in the years ahead.

The Norway Human Rights project includes the specific aim of supporting law enforcement agencies and government officials in implementing key recommendations related to combatting torture and criminal justice reform, and in particular the concluding observations from the Committee against Torture during Viet Nam’s review under the Convention against Torture, issued to Viet Nam in December 2018.

Duties and Responsibilities

The key objectives of the assignment under the Right to Fair Trial project are: 1) enhance capacity of lawyers and justice professionals at the Judicial Academy with the aim of improving the quality and effectiveness of lawyers’ defense services in particularly serious drug-related cases; (2) raise the awareness and build a set of skills of judges at the Supreme People’s Court regarding international and national standards on the right to a fair trial and sentencing during proceedings and trials in particularly serious criminal cases; (3) raise the awareness of prison staff and other staff of Ministry of Public Security on the Nelson Mandela Rules (United Nations Standards Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners).

The key objective of the assignment under the Norway Human Rights project is: 1) assist the Ministry of Public Security in drafting a detailed outline of a National Master or Action Plan to implement the key recommendations made to Viet Nam under the Convention Against Torture; 2) Raise the awareness of the Ministry of Public Security‘s officials who directly engage in custody, temporary detention, criminal judgment enforcement, policy-making officers and soldiers on the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Non-custodial Measures (The Tokyo Rules).

More details are in the link: https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=83289

Competencies

More details are in the link: https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=83289

No.	Requirement	Points
1	Advanced university degree in law, human rights, social sciences or related fields.	100
2	Over 10 years’ experience working in the field of human rights and with international human rights mechanisms and instruments, especially fair trial and due process, deprivation of liberty, the ICCPR, CAT, Nelson Mandela Rules and Tokyo Rules.	250
3	Experience working as an international consultant in assignments with the United Nations in preparing reports and delivering trainings/workshops on human rights in compliance with international standards and/or conventions that Vietnam is a member.	100
4	Extensive experience in conducting research and drafting reports.	250
5	Experience in capacity building, in particular in developing and conducting training workshops for Government officials.	200
6	Fluent written English by provision of one similar report writing	100
	Total	1,000

Required Skills and Experience

More details are in the link: https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=83289

Qualifications	Advanced university degree in law, human rights, social sciences or related fields.
Relevant Professional Experience	Over 10 years’ experience working in the field of human rights and with international human rights mechanisms and instruments, especially fair trial and due process, deprivation of liberty, the ICCPR, CAT, Nelson Mandela Rules and Tokyo Rules. Experience working as an international consultant in similar assignments with the United Nations.
Other Competencies	Extensive experience in conducting research and drafting reports. Experience in capacity building, in particular in developing and conducting training workshops for Government officials.
Language Requirements	Fluent written English.