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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.  Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.  And we never give up. 

For every child, child protection is a must!!

How can you make a difference? 

I:  Background:

Since the end of the Liberian Civil War (1979-2003), the country has made various efforts to address the crimes committed during the war and to reestablish a fair and efficient justice system. Such efforts included a Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Liberia (TRC), formed in 2005 under the Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2003, which was tasked with uncovering the truth about human rights abuses and serious breaches of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) that occurred during the Civil War. The TRC's goal was to tackle impunity and propose solutions to address the aftermath of these violations, including providing reparations to victims. In its final report submitted in December 2009, the TRC made a series of recommendations, including the establishment of an Extraordinary Criminal Court for Liberia to prosecute those accountable for the severe human rights and IHL violations.

On 2 May 2024, the President signed an Executive Order (EO) to establish the Office of a War and Economic Crimes Court for Liberia (OWC) within the Ministry of Justice, tasked with leading the creation of the Special War Crimes Court for Liberia (SWACCOL) and an Anti-Corruption Court. The OWC has begun its work on the SWACCOL.

Additionally, the Government has issued the ARREST Agenda for Sustainable Development, highlighting Liberia’s vision for 2030. Children and children in juvenile justice, legal aid, and other elements of fair processes for children are considered under the Rule of Law pillar of the agenda as an area of focus. In this context, advancing access to child justice and creating systems that are sensitive to children and their needs is particularly relevant, including diversion to promote the use of restorative justice and child-centered practices in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and its interpretations by the Committee on the Rights of Child.

II. Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

UNICEF Liberia Country Office is looking for an international consultant to serve as technical lead in providing overall coordination and technical guidance in this phase of the transitional justice process in Liberia. Specifically, the consultant will work closely with the Chief, Child Protection, and the Representative to frame and develop UNICEF’s role in supporting the SWACCOL and leveraging its potential to contribute to an improve of Liberia’s justice system for children in the long term and contribute towards the newly formed Transitional Justice   UN Technical Working Group. In this sense, the consultant will support the strengthening of a diversion strategy, based on international child rights standards and tailored to the context of Liberia. The consultant will also support the CP sections’ input to the new Country Programme Document to ensure transitional justice is adequately included. The consultant will also work with other UN entities, the government, and civil society on issues concerning the courts and children.

The consultant will work within the country but may have periods of time working from a distance (remotely).

Validity start date:   February 2025.

Validity end date:    March 2025, with a possibility of extension.

Objectives and Targets of the Assignment:

The consultant will serve as technical lead in providing overall coordination and technical guidance for the development and, to the extent permitted by time, implementation of UNICEF’s action plan on transitional justice (TJ) in Liberia.

Specific Activities to be completed to Achieve the Objective:

• Draft and, on an ongoing basis, update UNICEF’s position paper on TJ in Liberia, considering both immediate support to the OWC and long-term impact through leveraging education, child participation, and awareness in the transitional justice framework.
• Create guidance documents and deliver training on transitional justice principles, case studies concerning children and transitional justice, aligned with international theory and practice on the engagement of children in transitional justice processes and the potential to create lasting impact in Liberia as per the position paper (see point above).
• Engage with other UN entities and civil society on issues concerning children, the OWC, and the SWACCOL, ensuring that the best interest of the child is considered and respected in each case, as necessary according to the developments of the OWC.
• With a view to creating lasting impact for children, support the Liberia CO’s work on access to justice and diversion guidelines and leverage, whenever possible, the links between the ongoing work of the OWC and the current situation of juvenile justice in the country, with field visits as necessary. This may include training, guideline development, and other tasks as needed.

III:  Scope of Work:

The consultant will draft UNICEF’s position paper on Transitional Justice, for which the following will be done:

• Identify the underlying factors that challenge a better juvenile justice system and the best possible ways to come to terms with the past.
• Determine the direction of UNICEF’s approach to TJ and the nature and scope of its engagement with the OWC and the SWACCOL.
• Update the CP Chief and the Representative of developments in TJ in the country, as focal point for this issue in the office.
• Understand the role of children and child rights in Liberia’s transitional justice process historically.
• Support CP Activities on access to child justice and diversion programmes, providing technical advice on system strengthening and on diversion as feasible options to the formal justice system.

IV:  Work Assignment Overview: Full TOR can be found using the link Full TOR CP TJ Consultant International.pdf

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

V:  Qualification/Experience/Competencies/Skills Required:

Education:

• Advanced university degree (at least Master) in international law, with a focus in Transitional Justice and the Rule of Law or child rights.

Work Experience:

• Minimum of five years working experience and expertise in the following areas: international law, juvenile justice, criminal justice.
• Experience in the legal team of an international organization is an asset.
• Experience drafting reports at the intersection of programmes and legal frameworks.

Language Proficiency:

• The consultant is expected to have the following qualities.
• Excellent writing and communication skills in English. Other UN languages are considered an asset.

For every child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

 VI:  Working Conditions:

       ☐ Home Based     ☐ Office Based     

       ☒ Hybrid (20 days on site & 10 days will be home-based), adjustable according to the need.

The consultant is expected to use his/her own ICT equipment.

VII:  Supervision:

The consultant will be supervised by the Chief Child Protection, with support from the Representative.

VIII:  Technical Proposal:

Applicants are invited to submit with their online application:

• A cover letter explaining why they are well placed to undertake this assignment.
• A recently updated CV.
• A financial proposal which must be an all-inclusive cost (consultancy fees, Daily subsistence allowance, travels, etc.).

Applicants are invited to submit their financial proposals in USD using the template below:

Selection criteria will be based on qualifications, skills, expertise, and knowledge of transitional justice and UNICEF’s legal and transitional justice experience, along with the quality of the technical and financial offer. Each application will be assessed first on its technical merits and subsequently on its price.

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.