The ABA-UNDP International
Legal Resource Center (ILRC)
has received a request from UNDP/Liberia for one (1) expert to advice and
support the Constitution Review Committee (CRC) as it launches its
civic education campaign and undertakes other efforts relating to design and
implementation of the constitutional review. In Liberia, the United Nations is
represented by the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), as well as 16 specialized
agencies, funds, programs, and the World Bank. All UN programs in Liberia are
aligned with the Agenda for Transformation. Initiatives are underway in each of
the Government’s four pillars: enhancing national security; revitalizing the
economy; strengthening governance and rule of law; and rehabilitating
infrastructure and basic social services.
After decades of military
rule, political instability, and civil war, Liberians have entered a new era of
peace and democracy and are ready to come together and agree on a new revised
charter that will define who they are as a nation and how they want to be
governed. The social, political, and economic landscape of Liberia has evolved
significantly since the 1986 Constitution was adopted. The Comprehensive Peace
Agreement of 2003 adjusted parts of the 1986 Constitution to enable the holding
of the first post-conflict democratic elections. Having successfully conducted
a second set of peaceful and democratic elections in 2011, Liberia is now ready
to review the 1986 Constitution and consider amending the Constitution to
reflect current post-conflict democratic realities and aspirations.
The President of Liberia
appointed the CRC in August 2012 to lead the review process, and, for that
purpose, to engage with the public and key stakeholders. The CRC intends to
conduct an extensive civic education campaign and broad and inclusive public
consultations on provisions of the Constitution in order to propose
consensus-based recommendations for constitutional reform. The process is
expected to be completed in 2015. The United Nations in Liberia will support
the constitutional review process through its “Support to Constitutional Reform
Project” (the “UN project”), to be administrated by UNDP Liberia and expected
to be initiated in the coming months. In the meantime, UNMIL is helping to
expedite the process by supporting the CRC in the design and implementation of
this review, in line with the objectives and planned activities of the UN
project.
- In accordance with prevailing best practices
and UN policies and procedures, provide technical support and advice to
the mission and the CRC and its secretariat in the review of the 1986
constitution;
- Assist the CRC in completing its strategic and
civic education work plans;
- Assist the CRC with mapping and identifying
appropriate civic education partners;
- Support the CRC with the development of civic
education materials and tools and assist in the management of the CRC
civic education team;
- Oversee the development of a civic education
training plan and coordination and training of CSO organizations and
others to partner with the CRC in conducting civic education;
- Work with the national consultant on
developing a methodology for reporting on and the monitoring and
evaluation of civic education activities; and
- Undertake assignments related to civic
education, as appropriate.
The project is currently
scheduled for 17 June - 31 August 2013—a duration of 11 weeks in Liberia. At
the end of the contract, the expert will be expected to submit a Close-Out
Report on progress and achievements by the CRC during the consultancy,
challenges, priorities and next steps for the next six months of the
constitutional review.
S/he must have:
- Advanced university degree (Master’s or
equivalent) in law or related field; a first-level university degree in
combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the
advanced university degree
- A minimum of ten years of progressively
responsible experience in civic education, constitutional reform,
political analysis and governance (or a combination thereof) are required;
- Proven understanding of constitutional review
processes in post conflict or peacebuilding settings;
- Professional competence and mastery of
constitutional reform and the political dynamics;
- Experience with designing and conducting civic
education campaigns
- Ability to conduct independent research and analysis in constitutional law, identify issues, formulate options, arrive at conclusions, and make sound recommendations;
- Previous experience working in Africa and knowledge of the context of the Liberian political landscape
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with people in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment, with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
- Excellent communication, presentation, analytical, and drafting skills;
- Experience with UNDP or another a UN agency and familiarity with UN/UNDP field operations; and
- Fluency in written and oral English.
Please find as an
attachment [Not Included Here - SPD], a more in-depth summary of each request.
We would be most appreciative if you would review the Terms of Reference (TOR)
and determine whether you, anyone you know or any
organization with which you are affiliated may have any knowledge of experts
who might be good candidates for the position. If you or members of your
organization are interested in working on this project, please email, updated CV, short relevant writing sample and cover
letter* (attached as word or PDF documents)
by Tuesday, June 4th at 5PM U.S. Eastern Standard Time. As always, we appreciate your assistance and please
do not hesitate to contact us for more information or if you have any
questions.
Completed applications must
be sent to Jacqueline.Gichinga@americanbar.org.
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