Background:
UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.
Ending Violence against Women and girls is one of the four thematic areas of UN Women global strategic plan (2022-2025) and a key area of focus under the United Nation Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for China (UNSDCF) Outcome Two. UN Women China proposes the next phase of its EVAW programme namely “Solidarity in Efforts to end Violence against women and girls in China (SEEVAW) focusing on comprehensive prevention and response of violence in the period of 2023-2026.” On the response side, Un Women aims to enhance justice and support services for survivors of domestic violence, including activities that promote legal support, improve support center facilities, and create a robust base for community-based intervention in DV cases.
The consultant will ensure that all justice-related matters across these initiatives align with the project’s standards and objectives, focusing on the legal accuracy and efficacy of deliverables. The consultant will be reporting to EVAW Programme Analyst, and will be supported by EVAW Programme Assistant, who will be the point of contact on the contract and payment issues.
Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work
Under the overall supervision of the EVAW Programme Analyst, the consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:
Justice-Related Oversight: Provide legal oversight across all justice-related activities, including: Knowledge Product Review: Conduct thorough legal reviews of knowledge products, ensuring they meet statutory and policy standards. Expected products include: Support for Physical Design of One-Stop Centers: Collaborate with design and architectural teams to incorporate legal requirements for privacy, safety, and service access within the physical layout of the DV one-stop centers. Domestic Technical Exchanges for Judges: Advise on the legal framework for DV case handling, focusing on cross-jurisdictional best practices. Development of One-Stop Centers: Oversee the legal design and operational protocol setup for DV one-stop centers to ensure compliance with national DV laws and regulations. Workshop for Frontline Service Providers: Guide content development to align with current DV laws, including frameworks for police, prosecutors, and social workers. Training Materials: Manuals and curricula for judges, police, social workers, and other DV service providers. Community Outreach Guides: Ensure all public-facing materials align with DV laws and advocate for survivor rights and safetyDeliverables: Deliverable Expected completion time (due day) Payment Schedule
Legal Review for Knowledge Products:
Conduct an in-depth review of all knowledge products developed throughout the project, including training materials, community outreach materials, and procedural manuals. Each review should ensure: Training Manuals: That content for judges, law enforcement, and social workers aligns with current DV legislation and covers legal best practices for survivor support. Operational Protocols: That materials intended for use in one-stop centers follow privacy, data protection, and survivor rights standards.20 December 2024 25%
Legal Compliance Summary for One-Stop Center:
Develop a comprehensive compliance guide tailored to the one-stop centers’ operational and physical design, ensuring alignment with DV and human rights laws. This guide should outline legal protocols for service provision, staff conduct, record-keeping, and confidentiality procedures. Recommend physical design features (e.g., private consultation spaces, secure entry and exit points) that address legal and safety standards to foster a survivor-centered environment. 25 December 2024 25%Legal Review Reports:
Provide detailed summaries and legal analyses on all project activities involving justice-related matters, such as domestic technical exchanges, one-stop center development, and frontline service provider workshops. Include specific recommendations to ensure each activity complies with both national laws and international DV standards, particularly regarding survivor protection, privacy, and service access.31 December 2024
25%
Final Summary Report:
Compile a comprehensive final report detailing the consultant’s contributions to the project, including key legal insights, challenges encountered, and strategic recommendations for maintaining legal integrity in ongoing and future DV-related initiatives. The report should include a summary of all legal reviews, compliance guides, and workshop materials created, with an emphasis on sustainability and adaptability for use in other one-stop centers or similar DV projects. 31 December 2024 25%Payment details
Payments shall be made following certification by UN Women that the services related to each deliverable, as described above, have been satisfactorily performed and the deliverables have been achieved by or before the due dates specified above, if any.
Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel
This is a home-based consultancy. The candidate needs to closely collaborate with EVAW Programme Analyst and Assistant and to have regular project meetings and hold seminars/workshops and participate in external meetings.
As part of this assignment, there will be a maximum of 1 trip to Changsha City.
Competencies :
Core Values:
Integrity; Professionalism; Respect for Diversity.Core Competencies:
Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues; Accountability; Creative Problem Solving; Effective Communication; Inclusive Collaboration; Stakeholder Engagement; Leading by Example.Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework:
Functional Competencies:
Research and Analysis Ability Report drafting Programme evaluation Effective Communication with partners Data analysis Ability to write policy papers, speeches, briefingsRequired Qualifications
Education and Certification:
Master degree in Law or Juris Doctor with a focus on human rights, family law, or criminal justice. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.Experience:
Minimum of 5 years in legal consultancy, particularly in domestic violence or gender-responsive justice. Demonstrated experience with justice sector projects and designing survivor-centered services. Proven track record of reviewing and advising on legal documentation for non-profit or UN initiatives. Excellent analytical skills with strong drive for results and capacity to work independently. Excellent Chinese communication and writing skills;Languages:
Fluency in Chinese and English is required. Knowledge of any other UN official language is an asset.How to Apply
Personal CV or P11 (P11 can be downloaded from: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-P11-Personal-History-Form.doc ) A cover letter that indicates the reason to apply for the position and previous related working experience Academic certificate You may be asked to submit a previous report/writing sample on EVAW justice Related topics*Kindly note that the system will only allow one attachment. Applications without the completed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment. Please merge all documents into one document to attach.
The Statement of Diversity and Inclusion
At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.
If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.
UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)