National Consultant (Human Rights Expert) HRDDP – Trust Fund Management Unit (TFMU) UNDP

UNDP Global Mission Statement

UNDP is the UN’s global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP is on the ground in about 170 countries and territories, working with national counterparts on solutions to global and national development challenges.

Organizational context

UNDP Afghanistan Mission Statement

UNDP is committed to supporting the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GoIRA) with the achievement of its core objectives of self-reliance and peace and helping it to meet the challenge of the transition from a war to a peace economy. To meet these goals, the Government has identified a comprehensive set of national priorities in the Afghanistan National Peace and Development Framework (ANPDF). To achieve the Agenda 2030, the Government has also developed a set of 16 Afghan Sustainable Development Goals (A-SDGs) and ten national priority programmes (NPPs) to place the country on a path towards sustainable development. Progress towards self-reliance and peace across the country will be guided and measured by the targets and indicators described in each of these frameworks. To support the Government’s efforts to implement the ANPDF, NPPs and the A-SDGs, UNDP offers a unique and highly integrated model for sustainable development based mainly on its traditional strengths in three main areas:

1. Promoting Human Development to improve human wellbeing, resilience and support environmental sustainability,
2. Providing technical expertise in the use of a Multi-Dimensional Poverty approach to reduce vulnerabilities, inequalities and exclusions, and,
3. Promoting Human Rights to ensure a fair distribution of development opportunities and benefits in social, political, economic and environmental dimensions.

Under the direct supervision and overall guidance of the Technical Advisor – HRDDP, and in close collaboration with the Project Management Specialist, the Human Rights Expert works in the HRDDP unit, which will be established by the Trust Fund Management Unit. The Human Rights Expert will liaise very closely with UNAMA, relevant Agencies, Funds and Programmes (AFPs), the Ministry of Interior Affairs (MoIA) as well as relevant other ministries and government officials, donor representatives, the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). The duty station for the Human Rights Expert is Kabul, Afghanistan, following the working hours and weekends as applicable to UN staff in Afghanistan. 

Objectives of the Assignment:

The consultant will perform the following roles and responsibilities:

1. Substantive support to implementation of the Human Rights Due Diligence Policy (HRDDP)

·        Supports UNDP and relevant government ministries in identifying human rights priorities in the implementation of the Human Rights Due Diligence Policy, in line with relevant UNDP risk assessment documents and mitigating measures thereof.

·        Contributes to supporting the work of the HRDDP Secretariat (e.g. drafting and circulating invitations, drafting minutes and reports, liaising with other entities within the HRDDP Secretariat as required).

·        Coordinate the conduct of training needs analysis to guide design and implementation of trainings to enhance operational capabilities on implementing the policy in the ministries.

• Support development of training modules and conduct specific trainings related to human rights, human rights law, international humanitarian law (IHL) and refugee law.
• Communicate regularly with recipient on human rights related issues, including cases of violations.
• Support review of information related to allegations of human rights violations that would contribute to determine a certain level of risk of recurrence in the future, including by contributing to keeping updated relevant UNDP risk assessment documents.
• Assist in the conduct of consultations on human rights issues with a broad variety of partners, including other UN agencies, Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).

1. Technical support in the mainstreaming of human rights in the implementation of the HRDDP by focusing on the following results:

• Assist MoIA and relevant institutions in the review of the existing legal and policy frameworks to ensure human rights obligations are fully incorporated.
• Coordinate internally with the Technical Advisors on the implementation of key human rights components in the Policy.

• Capacity building for MoIA and other relevant institutions on addressing human rights violations.
• Organize and facilitate strategic and technical level interactions through seminars and workshops to initiate open discussions on human rights compliance and the challenges.
• Provide technical support to improve training curricula for the foundation and specialized training programmes with full inclusion of human rights standards.
• Develop skilled trainers pool that can deliver human rights related training programmes.

1. Coordination, partnerships and knowledge building activities related to human rights

• Engage in regular meetings with UN actors and with external actors on human rights related issues in the implementation of the Policy, including but not limited to UNAMA and AFPs, the MoIA as well as relevant ministries and government officials, donor representatives, the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission and CSOs.
• Assist MoIA to organize interactive workshops and seminars for Senior and Command level officers for human rights awareness raising.
• Liaise with relevant national actors, UN AFPs, other international and regional intergovernmental organizations (INGOs), national human rights institutions, academic institutions and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to facilitate appropriate human rights dialogues and interactions for the improvement of human rights compliance.

• Perform any other duties as required.

Outline of key deliverables for the Human Rights Expert

Deliverable 1: [Month 1] 22 working days, 8%

• Inception report containing draft outline of scope of work to support the implementation of the Human Rights Due Diligence Policy (HRDDP). The scope of work will be subject to review in the implementation period as guided by the progress in implementing the policy.

Deliverable 2: [Months 2 and 3] 44 working days, 17%

• Designs and concepts for planned human rights related trainings.
• Communication products to support communication and advocacy efforts on human rights issues during implementation of the policy.

Deliverable 3: [Months 4 – 12] 195 working days, 75%

• Monthly progress reports on the implementation of agreed communication and advocacy activities to support implementation of the HRDDP.
• Reports for awareness raising and training activities.
• Lessons learned from implementation of human rights related activities identified in the policy.
• Best practices on implementation of human rights related activities identified in the policy.

Payment Modality

Payments under the contract shall be on a monthly basis against the agreed work plan and in accordance to UNDP procurement formats for individual contractors. The deliverables will be reviewed by the responsible Technical Advisor and cleared by the Head of Unit. The monthly payments will be paid upon the full completion and acceptance of contractual obligations, as accepted by the Head of Unit.

Institutional Arrangements

The consultant will work under the overall guidance of the Technical Advisor, HRDDP in collaboration with the staff of the UNDP and will liaise with relevant UN agencies, ministries and government officials, donor representatives, the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission and CSOs.

Duration of the Work

The duration of this contract shall be completed within 12 months (with maximum 261 working days), after the signing of the contract, including all preparation work and on-site visits.

Duty station

The duty station for the consultant is Kabul, Afghanistan for the entire duration of the contract, although some field visits outside Kabul may be necessary. Before planning field visits, the consultant shall provide a scope of work for approval. The consultant will follow the working hours and weekends as applicable to UNDP staff. The consultant’s movement for meetings and consultations shall be coordinated by the UNDP. The consultant is at all times required to observe UNDP security rules and regulations.  

Core competencies

• Promotes ethics and integrity and creates organizational precedents.
• Builds staff competence and creates an environment of creativity and innovation.
• Builds and promotes effective teams.
• Creates and promotes an environment for open communication.
• Shares knowledge across the organization and builds a culture of knowledge sharing and learning.

Functional Competencies

• Strong background in human rights programming.
• Demonstrable knowledge of facilitating and planning workshops and training on human rights.
• Be engaging, innovative and active during presentations.
• Demonstrated analytical and writing skills.
• Reliability and timeliness in keeping deadlines and delivering high quality products.
• A good team player, with confidence to work with minimum supervision.
• Demonstrated advocacy and communications skills.
• Openness to change and an ability to manage complexity.

Job knowledge/technical expertise

• Knowledge of human rights programming and interagency collaboration and ability to apply technical expertise to strategic and/or practical situations.
• Human rights analysis: Knowledge of human rights issues and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations, including analysis of projects from a human rights perspective.
• Project and Programme Management: Ability to plan, organize, and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.
• Partnerships: Ability to engage with other agencies, donors, and other development stakeholders and forge productive working relationships.
• Knowledge Management: Ability to capture, develop, share and effectively use information and knowledge.
• Trends and emerging areas analytics: Ability to scan the horizon and identify approaches and initiatives to bring into policy and programme design.

Academic Qualifications

• Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in law, governance, development, law, political science, social sciences or other disciplines related to human rights.

Years of experience

• 5 years of experience with Master’s degree, or 7 years of experience with Bachelor’s degree. 
• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in disciplines related to human rights including experience in the design and delivery of training courses.
• Familiarity with international humanitarian law, human rights law, and refugee law is an advantage.
• Strong analytical, presentation and reporting skills.
• Strong communications and advocacy skills.
• Shall be sensitive to gender related issues in implementation of the HRDDP.
• Strong understanding of Afghan society.

Language

• Excellent written and oral English.
• Knowledge of the local language Dari and/or Pashto is required. 

PRICE PROPOSAL AND SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS

Shortlisted candidates (ONLY) will be requested to submit a Financial Proposal.  The consultant shall then submit a price proposal when requested by UNDP, in accordance with the below:

• Daily Fee: The Consultant shall propose a daily fee which should be inclusive of his/her professional fee, local communication cost, insurance (inclusive of medical health and medical evacuation etc.) , and other costs required for performance of the contract but excluding travel, visa and DSA. UNDP will provide a laptop and suitable equipment for the duration of the contract. The number of working days for which the daily fee shall be payable under the contract is 261 working days over a contract duration of 12 months.
• Payment schedule: Payments shall be done upon verification of completion of specific reports, deliverables, and approval by the consultant’s supervisor/ TFMU management.

EVALUATION METHOD AND CRITERIA

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology: 

Cumulative analysis 

The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as: 

a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and; 

b) Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.  

* Technical Criteria weight 70% 

* Financial Criteria weight 30% 

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation. 

Technical Criteria: Qualification, Experience and Technical Proposal [70 percent]

1. General Qualification (10 marks)
2. Experience relevant to the assignment (30 marks)
3. Technical Proposal:  Brief methodology and workplan on how the consultant will approach and complete the work (please see mandatory question on jobs site for inputting response) (30 marks).

Financial Evaluation: [30 percent]

The following formula will be used to evaluate financial proposal:

p = y (µ/z), where

p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated

y = maximum number of points for the financial proposal

µ = price of the lowest priced proposal

z = price of the proposal being evaluated

Documents to be included when submitting the proposals:

Interested consultant must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications in one single PDF document:

1. Personal CV or P11, indicating all experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the candidate and at least three (3) professional references.
2. Technical Proposal (can be attached with CV or response can be provided to mandatory question on jobs site):
   1. Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment.
   2. A methodology, on how they will approach and complete the assignment and work plan as indicated above.

All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNDP Afghanistan.  UNDP Afghanistan will be free to adapt and modify them in the future.

Annexes (click on the hyperlink to access the documents):

• Annex 1 – IC Contract Template (for information);

• Annex 2 –  Financial Proposal Template using the template provided by UNDP (to be completed at later stage upon request by UNDP);
• Annex 3 – IC General Terms and Conditions (for information);
• Annex 4 – RLA Template (if consultant wishes to be recruited through an employer) – (for information).

Incomplete applications will not be considered and will be disqualified automatically.