UNDP Jobs - 97996- Legal expert to support Ministry of Labour and Soc

Legal expert to support Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare/ Department of Social Policy and Families, to facilitate the process of drafting administrative instructions on regulating Residential Housing for Adults with Disabilities and Mental health

Location :

Prishtina, Kosovo, UNSCR 1244 (1999)

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

15-Apr-2021

Application Deadline :

14-Apr-21 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

National Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

20 April 2021 – 30 June 2021 (25 working days within this period)

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

20 April 2021 – 30 June 2021 (25 working days within this period)

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

While the pandemic began as a health crisis, it has now turned into a multi-dimensional crisis with far-reaching socio-economic implications. The speed and scale of the spread, the severity of cases, and the societal and economic disruption is dramatic. The effects on people and the formal and informal economy is worsening an already weak and fragile world economy. The COVID-19 crisis is having a significant impact on people’s lives at the global level– in terms of jobs, livelihoods, delivery of basic services – and particularly for those already in vulnerable situations who have been hit the hardest. Short to medium term socio-economic implications on vulnerable group’s resilience and ability to cope is already evident particularly from already exposed groups.

The costs of institutional response to the crisis are not equally distributed amongst the population and are affecting social groups differently. While policy responses must be just, fair, and equal for all, they should also attempt to address diverse needs be it of women, youth, minority communities, or disabled individuals.

The inadequacy of the system has become more evident with the sharp increase of social vulnerability as a result of the pandemic. The Social Assistance Scheme (SAS) absorbs approximately 88% of the budget for social assistance with the relative total spending on SAS declining over the last decade. The pandemic has exposed a series of gaps in the governance system which has affected the work of institutions and service delivery not least in provision of social services; it has directly affected the work of Centers for Social Work (CSW) as they are also engaged in other activities to help their citizens - despite limited capacities - either through the provision of professional social services, administering measures of the emergency package, or through direct assistance in providing food and hygiene packages.

To address some of these issues, the Humanitarian Assistance project shall enhance the provision of social services by CSW and improve access to equitable, qualitative, integrated social protection for the most vulnerable groups, including women and girls. The project is funded through EU IPA II/Action Document (Kosovo).

While the parameters for a specific financial formula for social services funding was developed, its implementation is not foreseen in the next two years, which poses a challenge for the provision of social services by CSWs. The work of CSW is augmented through licensed NGOs who cooperate with CSWs, municipal departments and MLSW. While NGOs are operational and provide adequate services, a key challenge is their financial sustainability. Most provide project-based services that are mainly complementary services to support beneficiaries with education activities, health support, alleviation of poverty, psycho-social activities and other community-based services. However, there is a limited number of NGOs that can support the CSWs and beneficiaries with sheltering, longer term support and emergency support services—which is what the CSWs need the most.

Assignment will be conducted in line with UN 8 Point Agenda and the UNDP Gender responsive mandate.

Objectives of Assignment
Draft the Administrative Instruction on regulating the residential housing for adults with disabilities and mental health.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. The expert shall work under direct supervision of the Project Manager and in consultation with the Director of the Department of Social Policy and Families in MLSW, to analyse and review:

a. Identify recommendations from studies and analyses of different institutions and international organizations for residential housing for adults with disabilities and mental health.

b. Undertake comparative analyses of the international standards, national legislation and best practices applied in the region and wider on related and similar policy solutions, procedures and practices for residential housing for adults with disabilities and mental health.

c. Gather information from residential institution, CSW/Social workers, local and international practitioners and experts as well as all other stakeholders (International/local NGO’s).

d. Identification of the legal basis and needs for the review of the secondary legal framework and conducting consultations and interviews with public service providers.

e. Presentation of the practical or model from the region of organization of institutional mechanisms for the Regulation of residential housing for adults with disabilities and mental health.

f. Facilitate and support the work of the working group for drafting the administrative instruction

g. Provide advice to the working group on identifying best options on the content of Administrative Instruction.

2. Drafting and consultation process:

a. Facilitate meetings/workshops with members of the working group within MLSW during drafting, harmonization, and structuring process of administrative instruction in line with Kosovo’s legal framework.

b. Prepare draft Administrative Instruction on regulating the residential housing for residential housing for adults with disabilities and mental health

c. Support the MLSW on conducting public consultations and facilitating the work of the working group/responsible official, for the inclusion of comments during the public consultation process.

d. Prepare final report on produced documents including recommendations.

Deliverables/Outputs

Identify recommendations from studies and analyses of different institutions and international organizations, and undertake comparative analyses of the international standards, national legislation and best practices applied in the region and wider on related and similar policy solutions, procedures and practices residential housing for adults with disabilities and mental health (4 working days)
Gather information from residential institution, CSW/Social workers, local and international practitioners, and experts as well as all other stakeholders (International/local NGO’s) (4 working days)
Identification of the legal basis and needs for the review of the secondary legal framework and conducting consultations and interviews with public service providers (5 working days)
Facilitate and support the work of the working group for drafting the administrative instruction, as well as provide advice to the working group on identifying best options on the content of Administrative Instruction (3 working days)
Prepare draft Administrative Instruction on regulating the residential housing for adults with disabilities and mental health (6 working days)
Support the MLSW on conducting public consultations and facilitating the work of the working group/responsible official, for the inclusion of comments during the public consultation process (2 working days)
Prepare final report on produced documents including recommendations (1 working day)

Remuneration - Lump Sum Amount

The Contract is based on lump sum remuneration and shall be processed subject to deliverables as per the schedule listed below:

First Installment 50% of the contract value upon successful completion and validation of deliverables 1,2,3 by UNDP in consultation with the MLSW/DSPF.
Second Installment 40% of the contract value upon successful completion and validation of deliverables 4,5,6 by UNDP in consultation with the MLSW/DSPF.
Last installment 10% upon successful completion and validation of deliverables 7 by UNDP in consultation with the MLSW/DSPF.

Required Presentation of Offer:

The following documents must be submitted:

Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability
Personal CV and P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Offeror and at least three (3) professional references;
Technical proposal, a max. 2-page document briefly outlining the methodology envisaged for the assignment for delivering the expected results within the indicated timeframe
Financial proposal, that indicates professional daily fee including total amount for whole duration of the assignment.
Copy of Diplomas and copy of Passport

Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer

Combined Scoring method – where the qualifications and methodology will be weighted a max. of 70%, and combined with the price offer which will be weighted a max of 30%.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

Committed to professionalism, impartiality, accountability and integrity.
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, ethnicity, and age sensitivity and adaptability.
Demonstrates substantial experience in gender equality. Actively promotes gender equality in all activities.
Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional Competencies:

Empathy and patience, people orientation.
Ability to work effectively within a team.
Punctuality and honoring of commitments.
Ability to synthesize research, various viewpoints, and draw conclusions on the related subjects.
Ability to pay attention to details.
Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
Ability to establish effective working relations in a multicultural team environment.
Good organizational skills.
Commitment to accomplish work.
Responds positively to critical feedback.
Results and task oriented

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

MA Law Degree, preferable Ph.D. in Family Law or Civil Law

Experience:

At least 8 years of experience in drafting of legislation and/or public policies.
Experience with drafting Laws and Administrative Instructions, in the field of social protection, social services and family law;
Experience with facilitating the drafting processes for Laws and Administrative Instruction;
Experience to work with local and central institution in social and family rights sector;
Experience and participation in the process for drafting laws; law on social and family services, laws for family and child protection, Civil Code etc.
Previous long-standing experience in working with Social Services and public institutions, international development agencies, NGOs and substantive exposure to development of legal documents.
Experience on working with mental health cases;
Knowledge on MLSW legal framework, policies, and other legal documents.
Extensive experience working in a similar field.
Proven track record of working with central and local institutions.
Relevant regional and local experience will be an added advantage.

Language requirements:

Excellent analytical and report writing skills in clear and fluent Albanian. Knowledge of English and/or Serbian is considered an asset.

Application Instructions:

Click on the "Apply now" button;
Input your information in the appropriate sections: personal information, language proficiency, education, resume and motivation; you can type in, or paste your short Resume into the last box;
Upon completion of the first page, please hit "submit application" tab at the end of the page. On the next page, you will be asked to upload your Resume;
System will only allow one attachment. All docs (CV; P11; financial offer; list of similar profiles should be included as one attachment).
Please make sure to submit all the requested documents/information; otherwise, your application will be considered incomplete.