Republic of Moldova

National Consultant(s): Support for Anti-Discrimination Law

Vacancy Number: Pr13/00426

Location:	Chisinau, Moldova
Application Deadline:	18 Jan 2014, 23:59 (GMT+2:00)
Type of Contract:	Individual Contract
Starting date:	25 Jan 2014
Reference to the project:	Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Expected Duration of Assignment:	3 months
Submission Instructions: Proposals should be submitted online only, by following the “Apply online” link, no later than 18 January 2014. Requests for clarification only must be sent by standard electronic communication to the following e-mail: violeta.fetescu@one.un.org. UNDP will respond by standard electronic mail and will send written copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all applicants.
Supporting Documents: Terms of Reference Individual Consultant Procurement Notice Personal History Form (P11) UNDP General Conditions of Individual Contract

Background

All international human rights review bodies reviewing Moldova’s compliance with international law in the recent period have urged that action be improved to combat discrimination on all grounds set out under international law. In 2012, Moldovan Parliament adopted Law 121/2012 on Ensuring Equality, aiming to transpose a number of international requirements in this area into the domestic legal order. In 2013, the Council for Preventing and Eliminating Discrimination and Ensuring Equality (“Equality Council”), established under Law 121/2012, began work.

The UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) has had a Human Rights Adviser in Moldova since July 2008, based in the UN Resident Coordinator Office, mainstreaming human rights in the work of UN Country Team, Government, civil society and the National Human Rights Institution. During 2012-2013, OHCHR carried out a series of trainings for judges and prosecutors in the framework of the National Institute of Justice. As a result of those seminars, a battery of training materials in this area is available in unsorted, unorganized form. The Ministry of Justice has requested OHCHR assistance in organizing these materials into usable form for future training use by judges and others.  The Council for Preventing and Eliminating Discrimination and Ensuring Equality (“Equality Council”) has sought OHCHR assistance for several bands of work upcoming in its programme of work for the coming period, as set out below.

Scope of work

A national consultant or consultants are sought to work under the supervision of the UN Human Rights Adviser (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights), and in close collaboration with the Council for Preventing and Eliminating Discrimination and Ensuring Equality (“Equality Council”), and Ministry of Justice (as relevant), to undertake the following:

(1) By no later than 15 February 2014 (draft) and 1 March 2014 (completed, final version) compile and organize existing materials available from the UN Human Rights Adviser (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights) into a usable package for the training of judges in anti-discrimination law based on local and international jurisprudence and practices, producing additional organizational materials as needed, according to specifications to be provided by the UN Human Rights Adviser and the Ministry of Justice (to be done in State Language);

(2) By no later than 1 March 2014, to be updated one week before the Spring 2014 UN-Moldova Human Rights Dialogue, produce a usable summary memorandum of current state of implementation of all decisions by the Equality Council as of that date (to be done in English language, with State Language translation to be contracted separately). Length 5,000-10,000 words (indicative), plus executive summary.

(3) Support the work of the Council for Preventing and Eliminating Discrimination and Ensuring Equality to prepare draft legal amendments to Moldovan law with a view to improving Moldova’s transposition of international anti-discrimination law and best practices in this area; under the guidance and direction of the Equality Council, and having consulted all international human rights review documents in the area concerning the Republic of Moldova, produce draft amendments to all relevant laws and regulations, with a view to heightening the efficacy and impact of the work of the Council (to be done in State Language).

Requirements for experience

I.     Academic Qualifications:

• University degree in law, social sciences, human rights or other relevant field;

II.    Experience and skills:

• Minimum 3 years of practical experience in human rights domain, monitoring activities, conducting research;

• Proven commitment to human rights; knowledge of international norms and standards in the area of human rights;

• Understanding of anti-discrimination law as set out under international, European and domestic law of the Republic of Moldova;

•  Knowledge and in-depth understanding of the human rights environment in Moldova, and its challenges;

• Excellent drafting skills;

• Excellent communication and teamwork skills;

• Ability to focus on goals and adapt processes to achieving goals;

• Demonstrated competence in conducting individual interviews with affected groups according to standard human rights documentation methodologies preferred;

• Adhere to the core values of the United Nations; in particular, is respectful of differences of culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, nationality, language, age, HIV status, disability, and sexual orientation, or other status.

III.   Language requirements:

•  Fluency in Romanian and English. Working knowledge of one or more additional languages relevant for Moldova, including Russian, Bulgarian, Gagauzian, Romani, Ukrainian or sign language is an asset.

Documents to be included

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

1.  A detailed curriculum vitae of relevant experience or P11.

2.  A written statement of not more than 1000 words:

(i) Explaining why you are the most suitable for the work;

(ii) Providing a brief methodology on how you would approach and conduct the work.

3.  A financial proposal.

Financial proposal

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables. Payments are paid in installments and are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR.  In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including fees, taxes, mobile phone calls, etc.). The travel expenditures are to be approved in advance by the Project Manager and shall be covered from the Project budget.

Travel

All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. This includes all travel to join duty station/repatriation travel.  In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.

In the case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

 

Disclaimer In case of discrepancies between the text published on the website and the contents of the supporting documents, the provisions, instructions and conditions included in the supporting documents (published as Adobe Portable Document Format files) shall prevail. In case of discrepancies between the English version and the Romanian and/or Russian versions of text, documents or other content published on this webpage, the English version shall prevail.

Notice UNDP, as a matter of practice, does not charge any application, processing or training fee at any stage of the recruitment process. If you have any questions as to vacancy announcements you may have received, please refer to this website. UNDP is currently aware of fictitious vacancy announcements that are being circulated through the internet, the purpose of which is to get people to register for a training and send in a fee. If you believe that you have received such a notice, please forward it, and any other related information you have received, to scamalert@undp.org. Since logos, emblems, names and addresses can be easily copied or reproduced, you are advised to take particular care in applying for vacancies, including undertaking all appropriate measures to protect against the unauthorised use of any personal information you may have provided as a result of the scam.