Result of ServiceThe consultant will be responsible for the following tasks: - Attend a one to two-days expert meeting (virtual or in-person) in September 2025 on the impact of drug use on public safety, organized by UNODC to unpack the issues that will need to be addressed in the WDR chapter. - Conduct a review of the literature, both peer-reviewed and grey literature, related to public safety and drug use, drawing out conclusions as they relate to the use and acquisition of drugs for use and their effects on public safety outcomes and harms to individuals., families and communities, with a particular focus on information and findings from North America and Europe. - Support the development of an interview protocol with input from UNODC. - Organize, schedule, and virtually conduct up to 10 interviews in English with key informants identified with UNODC or interview respondents (i.e., respondent-driven sampling); - Transcribe or document the key themes elicited from interviews through detailed written notes or recordings. - Analyze and synthesize findings from 1) interviews conducted by consultant in English and 2) interview reports generated by other UNODC contributors (consultants) elsewhere in other languages for input into the thematic chapter for the WDR. Work LocationHome-based Expected duration1.10.25-31.12.25 (with possibility of extension till the end of May 2026) Duties and ResponsibilitiesUNODC’s flagship report, the World Drug Report (WDR) is an annual publication, which aims to improve the understanding of the world drug problem and to contribute towards fostering greater international cooperation for countering its effect on health, governance and security. Each year the Report’s thematic chapters provide an overview of the world drug situation with regard to the illicit supply and use of drugs. Several thematic chapters examine critical areas of emerging research and interest to drug policy and member states. The World Drug Report is produced by the Research and Trend Analysis Branch, with the Research and Knowledge Production Section in the lead and involvement of expert staff across the Branch and in other Branches/Divisions across the UNODC. The purpose of the assignment is to produce an analysis of the impact of drug use on public safety for the World Drug Report and contribute to its integration into the 2026 edition. The literature on this topic has examined a tripartite relationship between drugs and public safety (or violence), including how the use of drugs, the acquisition of drugs, and the trafficking of drugs results in public safety harms. For the purposes of the upcoming chapter in the World Drug Report, the analysis will focus on how public safety is shaped by the use and acquisition of drugs, including victimization of people who use drugs. This consultancy will involve home-based work. The consultant will work under the supervision of the Chief of the Research and Knowledge Production Section, and in close cooperation with the Research Officer from the Programme Development and Management Unit and the Epidemiologist in the Research and Knowledge Production Section and other colleagues from the Research and Trend Analysis Branch, Division of Policy Analysis (DPA). The final output of the consultancy will be a synthesis document of important thematic findings obtained from a scan of the literature on this topic and from semi-structured interviews of key focal points and country experts knowledgeable about the relationship between public safety and drug use. The consultant will 1) work alongside UNODC staff to identify the literature base on which to draw findings; 2) aid in the design and possible fielding of an interview protocol aimed at key informants identified with UNODC; 3) analyze and synthesize key findings from interviews carried out in selected locations by the consultant and other UNODC contributors (consultants in field sites), into a written output necessary for the thematic chapter for the WDR. Qualifications/special skills• An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in international relations, public policy, public health, sociology or a closely related field is required. A first level university degree in similar fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. • A minimum of 5 years of experience of conducting research in the field of international relations, public policy, public health, sociology or a related field with a track record of scientific publications is required. • Good record of qualitative research methods and analytical work based on those methods, preferably in drug use epidemiology, international drug supply trends, policy analysis, or public health is required. • Experience in managing interviews and in the use of qualitative research software is required. • Excellent planning and organizational skills are required. • Demonstrated analytical, research, writing and communication skills in English is required. • Experience in producing analytical publications according to UN standards is desirable. • Experience in conducting research in the field of drug policy, in particular on drug use and supply, is desirable. Languages• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in English, with excellent drafting and communication skills, is required. Knowledge of another United Nations official language is an advantage. Additional InformationNot available. No FeeTHE 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.