UNDP Jobs - 84258- 2019/UNDP-MMR/PN/023, Parliamentary Committee Spec

2019/UNDP-MMR/PN/023, Parliamentary Committee Specialist

Location :

Yangon, with travel to Nay Pyi Taw, Rakhine, Mon, Shan, Mandalay, and other Regions and States, MYANMAR

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

21-Mar-2019

Application Deadline :

03-Apr-19 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Up to 18 months / 360 days

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

Up to 18 months / 360 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

The Constitution of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar (the Constitution) came into force in 2008. Chapter 4 of the Constitution establishes parliaments (Hluttaws) at two levels. The national level- Union (Pyidaungsu) Hluttaw comprises two Hluttaws, Pyithu Hluttaw (House of Representatives) and Amyotha Hluttaw (House of Nationalities), that are generally equal in status. The term of the Union Hluttaw is 5 years from the day of the first session of the Pyithu Hluttaw. The Constitution has also established sub-national Hluttaws comprising one Hluttaw for each of the fourteen Regions and States. The Union and Region/State Hluttaws are independent institutions with different political compositions and mandate, but their administrative support is provided by national-level civil service staff, under the guidance of the Permanent Secretary of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw. Myanmar’s Hluttaws are very young institutions, currently in their second 5-year term, which has started in February 2016.

Under UNDP’s Support to Effective Responsive Institutions (SERIP) and Strengthening Accountability and Rule of Law (SARL) projects, UNDP provides support to developing Myanmar’s Hluttaws committee systems and practices to ensure parliaments are able to use their committees in effective policy review, legislative review, budget review and oversight processes. The major element of this support is the introduction of best-practice committee inquiries as standard methodology for committees for looking into a matter.

In 2018, UNDP’s parliamentary committee strengthening support program focused on developing consistent understanding of the Committee Inquiry process, and supporting emerging inquiry practice, across all of Myanmar’s Union, Region and State Hluttaws. Since November 2017, professional development opportunities of varying format (all relating to international best practice inquiry process) were provided to:

All Union Chairs and Secretaries;
Full membership of eight target Committees in Union Hluttaw;
All Speakers and Deputy Speakers of Region and State Hluttaws;
All Committee Chairs of Region and State Hluttaws;
All members of Rakhine State Hluttaw.

Following this intensive and focused program on Committee Inquiry practice, a number of Hluttaw Committees have commenced planning for, and launched, formal Hluttaw inquiries focused on public policy review. In October 2018, the Amyotha Hluttaw Agriculture, Livestock Breeding and Fishery Development Committee commenced an inquiry into reducing the impact of agricultural chemical residues. In January 2019, the Mon State Hluttaw Public Accounts, Finance and Economic Affairs Committee launched an inquiry also, focused on the decisions and processes of the Myanmar Investment Commission in Mon State.

These are the first ever Parliamentary Committee Inquiries to be conducted in Myanmar, and UNDP provides close technical support to both the Members and Staff of the Committees, including in outreach to government agencies, corporations, international organizations, civil society groups and individuals as they engage in the inquiry process. Alongside this, UNDP continues to provide technical support to other Hluttaw Committees that are considering undertaking inquiries.

In mid-2019, UNDP’s support to committee development will broaden to include a focus on the use of the inquiry process in reviewing draft legislation, to be provided at both the Union and Region/State levels.

In addition, UNDP will continue to deliver its ongoing professional development program for MPs and staff across all Union and Region/State Hluttaws, with a strong focus on committee development as well as other topics relevant to MPs’ duties and key staff support functions including constituency work and research support.

Against the above background, UNDP seeks to engage an intermediate-level international expert to contribute to the development and delivery of professional development and technical support to Myanmar’s Hluttaw Committees and staff, on committee practice, and the conduct of international best practice inquiries, across all of Myanmar’s three Union Hluttaws and 14 Region and State Hluttaws. The expert will work under the guidance of UNDP’s Senior Committee Specialists and report to the Sub-national Parliament Specialist UNDP.

The expert will also be required to contribute to the development and delivery of tailored professional development programs for MPs and Hluttaw staff as well as government staff across a range of parliamentary-specific topics.

Duties and Responsibilities

Please see the following link to obtained more information: http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=54209

Competencies

Please see the following link to obtained more information: http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=54209

Required Skills and Experience

Please see the following link to obtained more information: http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=54209