PSEAH Legal Consultant

Call for Application.
Open for External & Internal Candidates

Established in 1951, IOM is the leading inter-governmental organization in the field of migration and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental, and non-governmental partners. IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants.

Organizational Context and Scope:

The Inter-Agency Whole of Syria (WoS) Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH Network) is a multi-donor Grant implemented by IOM on behalf of the humanitarian community across all active Syria hubs (Gaziantep for Northwest Syria (NWS), Damascus for Government of Syria controlled areas (GoS), and Amman for Northeast Syria (NES). Under this structure, the PSEAH Network has been mandated to operationalize Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (SEAH) prevention, mitigation, and response obligations and accountabilities appropriate for the context of the humanitarian response in Syria. The PSEAH programme is designed to cover diverse contexts through an established, robust interagency PSEAH Network consisting of more than 350 focal points from 186 UN agencies, INGOs and NGOs, and clusters/working groups.

A common challenge among member organization and humanitarian actors in Syria is the limited understanding of the applicable national legal and regulatory framework surrounding PSEAH in the various response areas of Syria. While PSEAH is generally addressed through organizations institutional framework surrounding sexual misconduct, some acts that are defined as SEAH may constitute crimes under national legal frameworks and be subject to criminal investigation and prosecution. In order to strengthen legal assistance to survivors of SEAH, as well as to further engage with Government stakeholders, local authorities, and other actors it is important to have guidance on the applicable legal provisions to the context. This will also support relevant partners in the Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Area of Responsibility (AoR), Child Protection (CP) AoR and other related sectors to support capacity-building and advocacy efforts in Syria.

Under the supervision of the NES PSEAH Coordinator, the successful candidate will support the programme in strengthening the knowledge on applicable legal framework to PSEAH in the different hubs of the Syria humanitarian response.

Core Functions / Responsibilities:

Responsibilities and expectations from the consultant

1. Conduct a desk review of the applicable legal framework related to PSEAH in all areas of Syria, including but not limited to the criminal code, family and civil code, traditional and religious law;
2. Organize and hold consultations with relevant stakeholders on the applicable legal framework or other forms of community justice mechanisms related to PSEAH. This may include but not be limited to 1. organizations working on legal assistance, international law, human rights and survivor assistance, 2. relevant clusters/working groups, 3. NGO Forum in NWS and NES.
3. Develop a report with the key findings from the desk review and consultation and include substantive recommendations for ways forward to strengthen the legal protection for survivors.
4. Prepare and deliver presentations to the PSEAH Networks in NWS, NES as well as to the Inter-Cluster Coordination Group (ICCG) and Inter-Sectoral Working Group.

Category B Consultant hired to deliver a report and conduct presentations on a one instalment basis.

1. First deliverable: Develop a workplan and a timeline for conducting the research and analysis (4 August 2023 by email)
2. Second deliverable: Mapping of existing legal reviews and resources available (15 August 2023 by email)
3. Third deliverable: Draft report (15 to 30 pages) including the key findings of the review and recommendations for ways forward (8 September 2023 by email)
4. Fourth deliverable: Final report with integrated feedback from supervisor and PSEAH team (22 September 2023 by email)
5. Fifth deliverable: 4 presentations (60 minutes each) on the findings and recommendations to different stakeholders (week 24-29 September by Zoom).

Minimum Qualification and Experience Education

• Advanced degree in law, Human Rights, International Relations, Political or Social Science or a related field from an accredited academic institution;

Experience

• Minimum 5 years of professional experience in legal research;
• Previous demonstrable experience in PSEAH, GBV, gender, safeguarding or related field;
• Proven knowledge of international human rights law, international humanitarian law and international criminal law, and the gender dimensions of these legal frameworks;
• Previous experience working on Syria;
• Experience working for International Organizations in humanitarian contexts;

Skills

• Proven ability in conducting legal research on topics related to GBV, PSEAH, safeguarding, or human rights.
• Strong understanding of PSEAH systems, standards, and effective approaches towards mainstreaming PSEAH across humanitarian structures.
• Experience in and knowledge of UN and Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) policies and guidance related but not limited to PSEAH, Accountability to Affected Popoulation, GBV and Centrality of Protection.
• Familiarity with the humanitarian response in Syria.
• Ability to work precisely with attention to detail;
• Initiative, sound judgment and demonstrated ability to work harmoniously with staff members of different national and cultural backgrounds;
• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines in a high-pressure environment.

Language requirements:

• Fluency in English and Arabic is required.
• Working knowledge of Kurdish is an advantage.

The incumbent is expected to demonstrate the following values and competencies: Values:

• Inclusion and respect for diversity – respects and promotes individual and cultural differences; encourages diversity and inclusion wherever possible.
• Integrity and transparency – maintain high ethical standards and acts in a manner consistent with organizational principles/rules and standards of conduct.
• Professionalism – demonstrates ability to work in a composed, competent and committed manner and exercises careful judgment in meeting day-to-day challenges.

Core Competencies:

• Teamwork – develops and promotes effective collaboration within and across units to achieve shared goals and optimize results.
• Delivering results – produces and delivers quality results in a service-oriented and timely manner; is action oriented and committed to achieving agreed outcomes.

• Managing and sharing knowledge – continuously seeks to learn, share knowledge and innovate.
• Accountability – takes ownership for achieving the Organization’s priorities and assumes responsibility for own action and delegated work.
• Communication – encourages and contributes to clear and open communication; explains complex matters in an informative, inspiring and motivational way.

Others:

• Any offer made to the candidate in relation to this Call for Application is subject to funding confirmation.
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment and verification of residency, visa and authorizations by the concerned Government, where applicable. In addition to a clearance from the local government “Court Clearance”.

How to apply:

• Interested Internal Candidates need to submit their application plus a motivation letter, updated IOM Personal History (PH) Form or E-recruit Internal Candidate profile generated from PRISM Portal through this form: Application Form

• Interested External Candidates are invited to submit their applications plus a cover letter via Akhtaboot website, as per above mentioned date at the latest, referring to this advertisement and VN / Akhtaboot number # 157546

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Posting period: From 27 June 2023 – 11 July 2023

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