Historique

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. In doing so, UN Member States took an historic step in accelerating the Organization’s goals on gender equality and the empowerment of women.

In support of this goal, UN Women works in the following thematic areas:
  • Expanding women’s voice, leadership and participation;
  • Enhancing women’s economic empowerment;
  • Ending violence against women and girls;
  • Strengthening implementation of the women, peace and security agenda; and
  • Making gender equality priorities central to national and local planning and budgeting.
In response to this expressed need and in line with the global UN Women mandate, UN Women Fiji Multi-country office is currently developing a regional programme “Advancing Gender Justice in the Pacific” (likely 5 year timeframe)(likely 5 year timeframe).
The programme “Advancing Gender Justice in the Pacific” will comprise a number of projects, focusing on the following thematic areas: Women’s political participation, Inclusive Planning and Gender Responsive Budgeting & Gender Statistics Human Rights/ Access to Justice and Women Peace and Security.

CEDAW Article 15(1) obliges state to provide equality before the law to its citizens, which includes full access to a country’s justice system regardless of sex and financial means. The spirit of equality before the law is also reflected in most Pacific Islands constitutions. To make equality before the law a reality, every individual must be given the ability to obtain quality legal assistance when required regardless of financial means; hence achieving equality is the goal of legal aid services. Promoting CEDAW implementation and ensuring evidence based programming, the Advancing Gender Justice Programme will conduct a baseline research to establish the gender responsiveness of legal aid providers in Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.   

Devoirs et responsabilités

Reporting to the Regional Human Rights Advisor, the Consultant will work with both the Fiji and field based staff to deliver the following;
  • Provide technical assistance and guidance to the legal aid research team.
In collaboration with the UN Women legal aid research team
  • Develop research methodology to establish the gender responsiveness of legal aid service in Solomon Islands and Vanuatu;
  • Conduct a research mission to Solomon Islands;
  • finalize research reports.

Deliverables:

  • Provide technical assistance and guidance to the legal aid research team to develop a research methodology to establish the gender responsiveness of legal aid service in Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. (Fiji based);
  • Identify desk research task (desk review) for the research team to be finalized before first research mission;
  • Conduct and lead research mission to Solomon Islands. Conduct individual and group interviews in country with relevant stakeholders in the Solomon Islands (based on research methodology). The main part of mission will be conducted in Honiara. A visit to the Solomon Islands Western Province is also schedules;
  • Conduct de-briefs with after the research mission and develop drafting plan for the research team;
  • Develop first research report based on mission and methodology;
  • Finalize Solomon Islands and Vanuatu research report in collaboration with research team (Vanuatu data will be provided by the UN Women research team).

Compétences

 Corporate Competencies

  • Demonstrates integrity and fairness by modeling the UN values and ethical standards 
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability 
  • Promoting ethics and integrity, creating organizational precedents.
  • Building support and political acumen.
  • Fair and transparent decision making; calculated risk-taking.

Functional competencies

  • Strong analytical skills and ability to conduct legal research;
  • Proficiency in legal writing and expression and ability to prepare reports under time constrain;
  • Excellent communication, interpersonal and liaison skills with government, inter-governmental, civil society, academic, UN system and international and regional development partners.

Qualifications et expériences requises

Education:
  • Minimum of Master level degree in Law. Knowledge in gender justice/ women’s access to justice. 

Experience:

  • A minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience in international development work preferably focused on rule of law, access to justice and gender justice;
  • Proven experience in: Access to Justice work with focus on women and/or vulnerable groups; Knowledge of legal and women’s rights issues related to legal aid services.

Language:

  • Fluent in written and spoken English.