TOR for the Preparation of Training Manual for Paralegals working in Police Stations on Criminal Procedure Law of Ethiopia 59 views

Background

Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) are an Ethiopian civil society organization re-registered on September 19, 2019 before the FDRE Civil Societies Organizations Agency in accordance with Proclamation No. 1113/2019. The objectives of the Organization includes increasing the participation and contribution of lawyers in the area of human rights through trainings and other capacity building activities, supporting lawyers across the nation and help exchange of ideas, information and experience for better protection of human rights and prevalence of human rights, litigating strategically in courts and other relevant organs to ensure protection and promotion of human rights recognized under the FDRE Constitution and other laws, creating awareness for justice organs on international human rights instruments ratified by Ethiopia, providing free or low cost legal services for victims of human rights violation particularly disadvantaged communities, influencing the government to enact new laws or amend existing ones to give full protection for human rights, familiarizing the idea of human rights defenders (HRD) among the lawyers etc.

In view of achieving these objectives, LHR has been implementing different projects in collaboration with donors. Currently, LHR is implementing a project entitled “Advancing Human Rights through Legal Aid Services”, in consortium with Advocates Ethiopia and Mizan Young Lawyers Association with the support of Agence Française de Développement (AFD). The object of this project is to make legal aid services accessible to detainees in the early stages of criminal proceedings in police stations. The Provision of legal aid services in police stations improves the poor protection of access to justice in the early stages of criminal proceedings and contributes to the protection of the rights of detainees in police stations. Accordingly, the Consortium has planned to render legal aid services for detainees in police stations located in Addis Ababa, Adama, and Hawassa. The planned legal aid services will be primarily offered by practicing lawyers. Besides, paralegals will play an important role in delivering quality legal aid services by conducting client interviews, maintaining general contact of clients, organizing cases, documentation works, assisting lawyers, etc.  With this background, LHR plans to offer capacity-building training to paralegals on the basics of criminal Proceduder law of Ethiopia. Hence, LHR is looking for a consultant who will develop a training manual on criminal procedure law of Ethiopia for paralegals in police stations in targeted areas as well as train them.

The objective of the Assignment

The objective of this assignment is to prepare a training manual on criminal Procedure law of Ethiopia for paralegals which will be used to train paralegals about the basics of criminal producers of Ethiopia and on practical legal application/skills so that they could be involved effectively in the planned legal aid services in police stations.

Scope of the Work

The scope of the work includes the preparation of a training manual for paralegals on the criminal procedure law of Ethiopia and the delivery of training to them. Hence, the manual should at least address the following:

• The Administration of Justice in Ethiopia
• The purpose of criminal procedure
• Setting justice in Motion
• Police Investigation
• Post-arrest procedures
• Prosecution and preliminary inquiry
• Charge
• Criminal Jurisdiction of Courts in Ethiopia
• National and International legal framework on the rights of persons arrested in police stations;
• Practical gaps in the enforcement of legal aid service in police stations;
• How to effectively provide legal aid services to detainees in the police station;
• The concept of paralegals;
• The role of paralegals in ensuring access to justice for detainees
• Practical skills required from paralegals in assisting detained persons in  police stations

Methodology

The expert is expected to use the appropriate methodology to produce a standard training manual for paralegals.

Deliverables and Timelines

•  Submission of the training manual in 25 working days.
• Incorporation of the feedbacks and submission of the draft of training manual.
• Delivering training to paralegals working in police stations on the criminal procedure law of Ethiopia in the event to be organized by LHR.

Required Qualifications

•  At least Master’s Degree in Law, with focus on criminal law and human rights;
• At least 5 years of relevant work experience in criminal law and human rights areas;
• Experience in developing training manuals is an asset;
• Ability to work independently and respond to feedback in a timely and professional manner;
• Excellent experience in writing and legal education;
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and organizational skills, and attention to details;
• Excellent skill in written and spoken English;
• Excellent presentation skills;
• Excellent computer skills and knowledge of internet communications.