UNDP Jobs - 34581- Consultant: HIV Regional Legal Network Coordinator

Consultant: HIV Regional Legal Network Coordinator

Location :

home or host office-based, with one trip to Eastern Europe (TBD), SLOVAK REPUBLIC

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

15-Jan-13 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

estimated January 2013 – December 2013

Languages Required :

English Russian

Expected Duration of Assignment :

approximately 200 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), and guided by the health-related MDGs, responding to HIV is one of the organizations’ priorities. Under the UNAIDS division of labour, UNDP is responsible for leading the UNAIDS 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 in their implementation of policies and programs that protect the human rights of people affected by HIV.

The region of Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (EECA) is home to the fastest growing HIV epidemic in the world: rising from an estimated 970,000 people living with the virus in 2001 to 1.4 million in 2011. The Russian Federation and Ukraine, the two most populous countries in the region, together account for almost 90 percent of newly reported HIV cases. Levels of treatment in the region are low with approximately 20 percent of those in need of antiretroviral therapy receiving it. While there has been a significant improvement in the legal environment relevant to HIV in the region, certain gaps still persist. In July 2012, the Global Commission on HIV and the Law, an independent international expert body to which UNDP served as secretariat identified such shortcomings which hinder the protection, upholding and fulfillment of the human rights of people living with, or affected by HIV. These gaps include, but are not limited to: breach of confidentiality, stigma and discrimination, criminalization of transmission, criminalization of the behavior of key populations, and others. At the same time, the Commission emphasized the improvement the region has experienced, also in terms of opportunities to protect the human rights of people living with HIV.

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 HIV and the Law. In implementation of its regional project “HIV, Rights and Universal Access in Eastern Europe”, co-funded by the European Commission, UNDP seeks to support and develop the capacity/expertise of a regional network of quality free legal aid providers, serving people affected by HIV and key populations.

UNDP seeks a consultant (a Regional Network Coordinator) to coordinate the Regional HIV Legal Network. The Network was established in September 2012 in Kiev, Ukraine, by independent HIV rights activists and legal professionals from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine, with support from UNDP. The Network’s goals are to support the formation of a favorable legal environment and good legal practices by protection of the rights and interests of the people affected by HIV, to protect, uphold and fulfil the rights of PLHIV and key populations, as well as to increase the capacity of communities, lawyers and the organizations rendering legal services.

The Regional HIV Legal Coordinator will be responsible for the network development into an effective and efficient quality service provider.

Duties and Responsibilities

Reports to the Programme Specialist on Rights and Law at UNDP’s Practice on HIV, Health and Development, Regional Centre for Europe and CIS in Bratislava (Supervisor) for all matters related to the contract.
Communicates with the network members and is responsible for moderating communication such as online discussions, information exchange sharing of materials.
Is responsible for coordinating the activities of the members of the Regional HIV Legal Network in Eastern Europe and Central Asia:
- Mapping the existence and activities of free legal aid providers in the field of HIV in the region.
- Establishing an online platform to serve as resource hub of the Network.
- Coordinating the content development of the resource hub.
- Researching existing online monitoring mechanisms on the rights of people affected by HIV and key populations and their adaptability to needs of the Network.
- Liaising systematically with the country focal points of the HIV Legal Aid Network. Organizing and documenting the meetings of the focal points in virtual space.
- Compiling and disseminating the monthly circular message of the Network, covering topics relevant to free legal aid and HIV in the region
- Coordinating the development of support activities for the network members as specified in the work plan and the requirements of country focal points.
Coordinating the selection of country focal points and ensuring their meaningful participation.
Liaises with pro bono departments and legal clinics to ensure support to free legal aid activities for PLHIV and key populations in the countries of the Network. Attract pro bono attorneys and legal clinics as supporters of the Network.
Liaises with communities of key populations and HIV activists in order to ensure that the services of the network are known to community members and adequately address community needs in each given country.
Liaises with graduates from other UNDP-supported interventions such HIV and the Law e-courses and the legal empowerment workshops for people living with HIV.
Is responsible for developing a resource development plan for the Network.
Represents the Network at national/regional/ international meetings.
Contributes to periodical and annual reporting of UNDP and performs other tasks assigned by the Supervisor.
Can work from a home office in the region, or be hosted at a host organization, including an HIV Legal Network member.

Deliverables:

Communication Plan with network members (estimated February – March 2013);
Resource Development Plan (April – May 2013);
Coordination of a virtual or physical Strategic Planning meeting and report (June – July 2013);
Communication with pro bono clearing houses and legal clinics – correspondence, agreements (February – December 2013);
Monthly report to UNDP (February – December 2013);
Weekly update of the network web portal (when created) (February – December 2013).

Specific deliverables will be agreed upon with the Supervisor at the beginning of each month, in writing. Payments will be made once a month upon submitted satisfactory progress report against deliverables and approved timesheet submission providing details of time spent on respective deliverables, their timely execution and acceptance by the Supervisor.

Competencies

Commitment to the principles set forth in the UN High Level Declarations on HIV and AIDS.
Good understanding of the legal systems of the region as evidenced by experience/scholarship.
Excellent organizational skills, ability to work independently, strict adherence to completing assigned tasks in a timely manner.
Quality-oriented professional, constructive approach to obstacles and delays in planned performance.
Excellent communication skills, oral and written.
Advanced user of virtual communication tools. Advanced knowledge in developing and administering online resources such as websites and portals is a plus.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications/Education:

A bachelor’s degree in law, international relations, or human rights.

Experience:

Three or more years of relevant regional experience in the field of human rights, or legal aid work, work with HIV and law/policy issues, network management of civil society and private sector organizations, work with online resources.

Language skills:

Fluency in Russian and English.
Knowledge of more regional languages 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 and financial proposal.
The award of the contract should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:
a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
b) Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Only the highest ranked candidates who would be found qualified for the job will be considered for the Financial Evaluation.
Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation – max. 45 points:

Education and additional qualifications (courses, diplomas) – max points: 15
Relevant work experience in HIV and/or free legal aid – 15
Communication skills and languages – 10
Web resource management skills – max points: 5

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation – max. 19 points

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. Payment to be made once a month upon submitted satisfactory progress report against deliverables and approved timesheet.
Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials

*Please note that the financial proposal is all-inclusive and shall take into account various expenses incurred by the consultant/contractor during the contract period (e.g. fee, health insurance, vaccination and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services...). All envisaged costs (except of the above mentioned trip to central Europe) must be included in the financial proposal.
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://europeandcis.undp.org/home/jobs

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.