Result of Service

The aim of the country reports is to inform the planning and implementation of activities that have the greatest potential impact in partnership with the partner governments. The reports are not intended to cover all aspects of the TIP/SOM response, but rather focus primarily on four outcomes under the GLO.ACT South Asia, namely: (i) supporting evidence-based strategies, policies and legal frameworks; (ii) building rights-based and gender-equal operational capacity to counter TIP and SOM; (iii) promoting bilateral, regional and trans-regional cooperation; and (iv) providing support in the identification, screening, referral and protection of victims of human trafficking and migrants in situations vulnerable to exploitation and abuse, including children.

Work Location

Home based with potential travel to partner countries India, Maldives, and Sri Lanka

Expected duration

10 October – 31 December 2024

Duties and Responsibilities

UNODC’s Global Action against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants (GLO.ACT), implemented under the global programme UNODC Action against Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling (GLOTS3), is an initiative funded by the European Union that has been supporting partner Member States enhance their response to trafficking in persons (TIP) and the smuggling of migrants (SOM) since 2015. After the successful implementation of its first and second phases from 2015-2018 and 2018-2023 respectively, GLO.ACT has been further funded by the EU and other donors for further implementation under various initiatives. One such initiative is GLO.ACT South Asia, a three-year project to be implemented from 2024 to 2027 in six partner countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Under GLO.ACT South Asia, UNODC will endeavour to support the governments of the above six countries in their efforts to address trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants and thereby enhance the national responses as well as regional coordination against such crimes. Given the wide range of responses required to address TIP and SOM as well as the differing contexts of each partner country concerned, tailored and targeted plan must be developed for each of the partner countries. With the aim of developing an informed and evidence-based implementation plan, UNODC seeks to carry out a baseline assessment in close consultation with relevant national authorities to identify the specific gaps and needs of the partner countries. Against this background and as part of this assessment, UNODC is seeking to engage a consultant to undertake research, analysis and drafting of a comprehensive report (“country report”) for five of the six partner countries under GLO.ACT South Asia. Under direct supervision of the GLO.ACT Legal and Policy Officer and under overall guidance of the GLO.ACT Project Coordinator, the legal consultant will perform the following specific tasks: 1. Conduct research and compile relevant information on trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants for each partner country with the support of GLO.ACT staff in headquarters and country teams, as well as consultation with national stakeholders with potential travel to the partner countries; 2. Using the UNODC’s assessment tool, review and analyse the compiled content along the four outcome areas under GLO.ACT South Asia: (i) Strategy, policy and legal expertise: TIP and SOM patterns and trends; legislative overview; structure of the national response; availability of information; national plans and strategies; external stakeholders; (ii) Capacity building: Current status of criminal justice efforts; information and intelligence; investigation and prosecution; anti-money laundering; prosecution/judiciary; (iii) Bilateral, regional and international cooperation: Legal and policy context; current status of international cooperation efforts; and (iv) Protection and assistance: Legal and policy context, current status of identification efforts; current status of protection and assistance efforts; child protection measures. 3. Based on such analyses, draft a comprehensive country report for each of the five partner countries that provide an overview of the current national response, including recommendations for improvements in the short/medium term and long-term. The recommendations should include specific activities that could be supported by the GLO.ACT initiative. In all above-described tasks, the consultant is expected to mainstream human rights and gender considerations as well as for sustainability of proposed interventions. 4. Where necessary, revise the country report(s) as per GLO.ACT management team’s feedback and finalize.

Qualifications/special skills

Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in criminal justice, criminology, law, political science, social sciences or other related fields is required. A first level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. A minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience in law, criminology, human rights or other criminal justice field at both national and international levels is required. Professional experience of national, regional or international response to trafficking in persons, smuggling of migrants, and organized crime is required. Expert knowledge of the relevant international legal framework on trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants, including the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its supplementing Protocols on TIP and SOM is required. Very strong knowledge of local, regional and global issues and developments on human trafficking and smuggling of migrants, with a robust understanding of the constraints of working in lower resource environments, is required. Strong knowledge on the gender dimensions of trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants, including how to integrate such considerations into criminal justice interventions, is required. Strong communication skills with proven ability to write clearly and concisely in English, using non-technical language where necessary, is required. Prior work experience with one or more of the six partner countries is desirable Prior work experience with the United Nations or other international organizations is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, (i.e., oral and written proficiency and excellent drafting skills) is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

Additional Information

Not available.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.