International Consultant for Child Justice Reform at UNICEF

Background:
UNICEF is partnering with UNODC to support the Government to implement a major European Union (EU) funded programme of reform of the justice sector.

There is a highly detailed international framework for child justice which seeks to ensure an effective response for children in contact and conflict with the law. Key elements of this framework were domesticated through the adoption of the Child Rights Act in 2003. However, the Act is yet to be taken from paper to practice throughout Nigeria. The Child Justice Reform Programme, under the wider Programme of Support to the Justice Sector in Nigeria, aims to support the Government at Federal level and in ten States to strengthen the institutional framework and develop the specialism required to operationalize the Child Rights Act, and corresponding State level Child Rights Laws.

In particular, the justice system will be supported to more effectively respond to cases of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of children and hold perpetrators accountable, to ensure children in conflict with the law are protected from violence and abuse while detained, to ensure children have their due processes guarantees upheld and to promote the use of diversion and alternatives to custody pre- and post-trial.

Purpose of the consultancy:

•     Provide expert support to the Government to reform the child justice system
•     Ensure timely implementation of the child justice reform programme
•     Ensure that child justice is integrated into the wider justice reform programme

Major Tasks to be accomplished:
· Work with UNODC and the Federal and State Government of Nigeria to ensure child justice is taken into consideration in the wider reform of the justice sector

· Support the Ministry of Justice to convene and facilitate meetings of the Sub Committee on Child Rights to discuss key policy issues and oversee the implementation of the child justice reform programme

· Strengthen the capacity of the Nigeria Police Force to respond effectively to children’s cases (children in contact and conflict with the law) and in particular, support the Police to:

o undertake an inventory of specialized Police Desks;

o develop a common operating framework for specialized Police Desks;

o strengthen data collection practices for children’s cases;

o develop a common training package for Desk personnel, following a review of training and learning needs;

o develop operational manuals for Police responsible for investigating and prosecuting cases; and

o develop a TOT to deliver the new training curriculum on children for the Police Academies.

· Strengthen the capacity of Family Courts and in particular support the Judiciary to:

o review the capacity and operation of the Family Court; and

o develop and implement training for Family Court personnel (including magistrates, assessors, court clerks, prosecutors and social welfare officers), with a focus on child protection cases and the promotion of non-custodial measures

· Conduct a bottleneck analysis for child justice in two focus States

· Support the Government at Federal and State level to develop and pilot a model for pre trial diversion and non-custodial sentencing

· Support the Police, Prosecutors, Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Social Development, Prisons and National Human Rights Commission to:

o finalise a baseline assessment of children in detention;

o develop a tool for regular collection and collation of disaggregated data on juvenile detainees;

o develop a tool to monitor the care and treatment of children in detention; and

o develop a complaints mechanism for detained children

· Support the Nigerian Prison Service to finalise the training module on children, integrate the module into their training curriculum and facilitate a TOT for prison academy instructors

· Support the national consultant to establish a multi-tiered programme for legal aid for under-18s

· Provide biannual implementation reports and quarterly financial reports

· Monitor the implementation of the Child Justice Reform Programme
Minimum qualification:

• · Advanced University degree in social sciences or law
• · 8 to 10 years professional experience in justice sector reform
• · Experience of working with government and NGO partners to implement justice sector programmes
• · Understanding of the international framework for child justice
• · Excellent organizational and planning skills
• · Strong advocacy skills
• · Strong written skills
• · Fluency in English

Desirable specialized knowledge/experience

• · Experience in implementing child justice reform programmes
• · Experience in devising and implementing diversion and alternative sentencing programmes for under-18s
• · Experience in designing and implementing legal aid programmes