National Consultant to Revise Three Bills before National Assembly and Facilitate Relevant Workshops at UNODC - The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Location: Abuja with Travels to other Locations as may be required, NIGERIA
Type of Contract: Individual Contract
Post Level: National Consultant
Starting Date: (date when the selected candidate is expected to start) 19-Dec-2016
Duration of Initial Contract: 60 Working days each for 2 Consultants
Expected Duration of Assignment: 60 Working days within the period of 6 Months (December 2016 - May 2017) Slot: 2

Duties and Responsibilities

• The consultants’ services are sought for purposes of ensuring the passing into law of the Anti-Torture, Community Service and Prisons amendment bills by providing support in facilitating workshops in support of revising, representing and passing of those bills.
• The revision becomes necessary in view of the innovations introduced in the relevant areas by the Administration of Criminal Justice (ACJ) Act 2015. 
• The consultants will also attend public hearings and provide support to other activities as may be required by project partners in support of the successful reintroduction and passing of the said bills into law.
• The passing of the community service bill into law will give strength to the provisions of the ACJA on community service and non-custodial sentences thus helping to reduce the use of incarceration as the first line of punishment for offenders Furthermore, the successful passing of these bills into law will further enhance the implementation of the ACJ Act around which sensitization events are already being organized to create awareness and ownership.
• The consultants will develop guidelines for the implementation of community service schemes as outlines in the ACJA which will help the Chief Judge and the Federal Capital Territory Administration to implement the system effectively.
• This will contribute to the project’s broad objective of enhancing legislative and policy framework for the justice sector institutions and ensuring efficient, effective and accessible justice system.

Specific tasks of the assignment

• Under the direct supervision of and consultation with the Project Coordinator and relevant project staff directly responsible for this component, the consultants shall perform the following substantive duties and responsibilities:
• Provide support to the Nigerian Law Reform Commission and relevant government agencies to revise and hold consultations on the Anti-Torture Bill, Community Service Bill and Prisons Amendment Bill that is currently before the National  of assembly;
• Develop high standard Advocacy tools and facilitate workshops to elicit wide stakeholder support and input to each of the draft bills ;
• Organise and facilitate 3 technical meetings with relevant stakeholders including at the National Assembly with a view to identifying and filling gaps in the bills as they are and identifying sponsors and garnering support for the passing into law of the bills. 
• Organise and facilitate sensitization workshop for relevant stakeholders  on the basis of the draft bills  developed; and
• Assist the Project Coordinator in providing strategic and expert advice on possible interventions for the onward adoption and passing into law of the anti-torture and prisons amendment bill and the adoption of the community service bill by the Project Focal States’ Houses of Assemblies.
• At all times, the consultants are required to provide UNODC with access to intermediate outputs of the consultancy s as outlined below In addition to submission of the work products, the consultants  will report on a weekly basis to the Project Coordinator on the status of works through a means which is deemed convenient.

Expected outputs/deliverables
Output A:

• Three revised copies of Anti-Torture Bill, Prisons Amendment bill and, Community Service Bill in compliance with the higheststandard required under legislative drafting processes in Nigeria

Output B:

• Serve as resource person for three stakeholder workshops on the Anti-Torture Bill, Prisons Amendment Bill and Community Service Bill. 

Output C:

• Organize and facilitate 3 technical roundtables/meetings with relevant stakeholders including at the National Assembly with a view to identifying and filling gaps in the bills as they are and identifying sponsors and garnering support for the passing into law of the bills

Output D:

• Organise and lead one national sensitization workshop based on the revised bills for relevant justice institutions and members of the National Assembly.

Output E:

• Assist the Project Coordinator by providing expert advice on follow up actions and interventions in support of the onward adoption and passing into law of the Anti-Torture and Prisons Amendment Bill at the national level and develop Guidelines for the effective implementation of the community service bill in the Federal Capital Territory

Details of deliverables with timeframes:
The national experts will work under the overall supervision of the Project Coordinator for a period of 60 working days each spread over six months in accordance with the timetable below:

Deliverables
A.)

• Three revised copies of Anti-torture bill, Prisons Amendment bill and, Community Service Bill in compliance with the highest standard required under legislative drafting processes in Nigeria

Output:

• Three revised bills produced and approved by UNODC
• Number of working Days - 15 Days - Schedule of Payment - 25%

B.)

• Serve as resource person for three stakeholders workshops on the draft Anti -Torture Bill, Prisons Amendment Bill and Community Service Bill

Output:

• Speakers’ forum report with clear commitment of the Speakers for onward adoption of the Act for instance in the form of workshop communique produced
• Number of working Days - 15 Days - Schedule of Payment - 25%

C.)

• Develop implementation guidelines for the ACJ Act that complies to the needs and dynamics of States and the FCT

Output:

• Organize and facilitate 3 technical roundtables/meetings with relevant stakeholders including at the National Assembly with a view to identifying and filling gaps in the bills as they are and identifying sponsors and garnering support for the passing into law of the bills
• Number of working Days – 15 Days – Schedule of Payment – 25%

D.)

• Provide expertise service as a resource person for a sensitisation workshop with relevant justice institutions on the implementation Guidelines developed under

C.)

• Output: Organise and lead one national sensitization workshop based on the revised bills for relevant justice institutions and members of the National Assembly
• Number of working Days - 10 Days - Schedule of Payment – 16.67%

E.)

• Assist the Project Coordinator in providing expert advice on the adoption of the Model Acts by Focal States. Submission of final report.

Output:

• Follow up action outline submitted together with practical advices and submission of final report of activities.
• Number of working Days - 5 Days - Schedule of Payment - 8.33%

Competencies:

• Excellent communication, facilitation and presentation skills in English;
• Excellent expreience on issues affecting criminal justice system especially familiarity with reforms;
• Strong organizational awareness,client orientation and government advisory skills;
• Good drafting and reporting skills.

Required Skills and Experience
Education:

• An advanced  Degree in Law, Criminology, Political or Social Science, Criminal Justice, International Relations, Public Administration, or related field;
• A first level-University Degree in related fields in combination with additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced University degree.

Experience:

• At least 10 years of progressively responsible professional experience in the Justice Sector especially familiarity with reforms processes in a multi-cultural setting;
• 10 years of  experience of working in the relevant area (Justice Sector Reforms, legal or research work);
• Proven experience and knowledge of the Nigerian criminal justice system;
• A good understanding of the social, economic, political and historical trend underpinning Nigeria Justice Administration of Criminal Justice Reform in essential.
• Previous experience with the United Nations System, European Union funded projects or other international organisations would be an asset;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages.

Language: Fluency in English.