About the Job
General Information
Services/Work Description: Recruitment of a consultant to develop a criminal legal aid manual and provide training on criminal legal aid manual for lawyers, paralegals and legal aid providers in Ethiopia
Duty Station: Home based but requires field trip to some regions and city administrations to review the current framework for the provisions of legal aid assistance
Anticipated Duration: 80 working days from start to finish
Estimated Remuneration: to be determined
Expected Start Date: Immediately after signing the contract
Deadline for Application: September 20, 2024
About Center for Justice
Center for Justice (CJ) is Ethiopia’s main independent non-governmental organization working for systemic and service changes of the Ethiopian Criminal Justice System. Its establishment was spearheaded by individuals who sought to improve things they came across during their incarceration.
CJ is an organization which blends practical interventions and advocacy campaigns to improve the criminal justice system in general and the condition of detainees in Ethiopia in particular. It stands for human rights and works for their protection and realization through a mix of practical interventions and advocacy works that improve conditions for accused, arrested and detained persons both at the systemic and service levels at the national and detention facilities levels. Our fundamental task as an organization is to effect progressive change in the Ethiopian Criminal Justice System.
We work for people who are serving prison terms in the Ethiopian prisons and people who go through the Ethiopian Criminal Justice System. We give a special attention for disadvantaged people like women prisoners, children living with their incarcerated mothers, persons with disabilities and juvenile offenders.
We promote reform in the following areas: oversight of criminal justice systems to increase accountability, prevent torture and ill-treatment, a progressive criminal justice system that upholds human rights, promotes effective non-custodial responses to crime, and uses prison as a last resort, improve health for the most vulnerable in detention facilities; supervision, rehabilitation, reformation and reintegration of prisoners; treatment of young offenders in correctional institutions and youth corrective training centers; advocate for and support the provision of facilities for children accompanying their mothers in prison, the inclusion of people with lived experience in criminal justice reform efforts, promote peaceful and inclusive societies and the enhancement of rule of law & democratic governance, improve detainees’ access to legal aid and raise the quality of legal aid, improve the working condition of prison staffs and women legal, social and economic empowerment .
Background /Project Description
Center for Justice (a local CSO) in collaboration with UNODC have developed a project proposal to enhance the quality and coverage of legal aid services being provided by CSOs and University Legal Clinics in the country. The project has secured funding from the EU in Ethiopia and is being implemented starting September 2023.
The objective of the project is linked to the specific objective 3 of the EU Programme titled “Support to Criminal Justice Reform in Ethiopia”, i.e., improved access to justice for all, the poor, women and other groups living in vulnerable situations through increased access to legal aid and assistance. More specifically, the project seeks to deliver activities and outputs that would target CSOs and University Legal Aid service providers with financial and technical support towards improved availability, accessibility and quality of legal aid services in the Ethiopian Criminal Justice System.
The overall objective of the project is to create improved access to justice in the Ethiopian criminal justice system, in particular for the poor, women and other groups living in vulnerable situations through access to legal aid and assistance. The specific objective of the project to enhance improved availability, accessibility and quality of legal aid services in the Ethiopian Criminal Justice System.
One of the key challenges in the national legal aid system in Ethiopia, especially the provision of services by CSOs and university legal aid clinics, is the absence of uniform standards and procedures.
In order to address a key gap in the legal aid system in general and to provide comprehensive training on Criminal Legal Aid for key actors, we have initiated a request for a consultant to develop training manual and provided a training on access to justice in the administration of the criminal justice system
To this end, CJ is looking for a professional consultant who will develop a criminal legal aid manual and provide training for lawyers, paralegals and legal aid providers in Ethiopia.
Purpose of the assignment:
The purpose of the assignment is to develop a standardized criminal legal aid manual and provide training on criminal legal aid manual for lawyers, paralegals and legal aid providers in Ethiopia. More specifically, the assignment aims at achieving the following objectives:
- A standardized Criminal Legal Aid Manual for lawyers, paralegals and legal aid providers in Ethiopia based on international standards, documented good practices and the local context for service provision ;
- The criminal legal aid manual that provide legal practitioners with a comprehensive reference tool to provide sound advice, assistance and representation to people suspected or accused of a crime as well as the victims of a crime.
- Training on access to justice in the administration of the criminal justice system.
Specific tasks to be performed by the consultant
Under the direct supervision of the Center for Justice and the overall supervision of the representative in the UNODC Ethiopia Office, the consultant will perform the following substantive duties and responsibilities:
- Review the current framework for the provisions of legal aid assistance and its compliance with international standards, as well as current capacities of lawyers, paralegals and legal aid providers;
- Develop Criminal Legal Aid Manual for lawyers, paralegals and legal aid providers in Ethiopia which strictly aligns to United Nations Principles and Guidelines on Access to Legal Aid in Criminal Justice Systems & Ethiopia’s national legal aid strategy and draft legal aid proclamation
- Deliver training on criminal legal aid manual for lawyers, paralegals and legal aid providers;
Expected tangible and measurable output(s):
- Assessment and evaluation of the legal aid framework is conducted;
- Assessment and evaluation of the current capacities of lawyers, paralegals and legal aid providers is undertaken;
- Preliminary report on the findings and recommendations completed;
- A comprehensive criminal legal aid manual is developed;
- A training on the criminal legal aid manual for lawyers, paralegals and legal aid providers is delivered;
Duration of assignment and duty station
A maximum of 80 working days from start to finish
Duty station: Home based but requires field trip to some regions and city administrations to review the current framework for the provisions of legal aid
About You
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Advanced university degree in law, with a focus on criminal justice.;
- Broad and in-depth knowledge of overall crime prevention and criminal justice issues;
- Extensive experience in preparing legal material and training curriculum for legal practitioners/public defenders;
- Demonstrated experience of working with a wide range of national stakeholders including at the highest levels of Government;
- Excellent analytical and evaluative skills;
- Excellent communication and drafting skills in English;
- Knowledge of local languages, justice system and culture in Ethiopia is an asset.
Evaluation criteria/expertise sought (required educational background, years of relevant work experience, other special skills or knowledge required)
Education:
An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in law (LLM) or a related field is required. A first level university degree in similar fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Work experience:
A minimum of [5] year of relevant progressively responsible professional experience in the field of [law], in particular criminal law, international law and/ or a related field is required. Demonstrated experience in carrying out technical legal assistance interventions for governments, including legislative drafting and drafting legal opinions and related recommendations, compiling research, liaising and communicating with national and/or international counterparts. Demonstrated experience in the drafting of training materials. Admission into a recognized professional legal body is advantageous .Demonstrated ability to deliver quality work under tight timeframes. Excellent communication and report writing skills and fluent command of English
Required Skills
- Analytical skills
- Communication
The technical proposal should at least highlight understanding of the assignment; explain why it is suitable for this consultancy service, the methodology to be applied and CVs’ of consultants. The costs in the financial proposal should be presented in Birr and should include consultancy fees, expenses and taxes. Except freelance consultants, consultancy firms should submit their TIN certificate and business licence together with their application.
Qualified and interested candidates can send their Technical Proposal, Financial Proposal and CV to [email protected] with CC to [email protected]
For further Information please contact at [email protected] or 0913450729.
The deadline for application is September 20, 2024.
More Information
- Address Ethiopia
- Experience Level Senior
- Total Years Experience 5-10
Consulting - Legal - Training
