National Child rights expert in support of the Parliamentary Group “Friends of Children”

National Child rights expert in support of the Parliamentary Group “Friends of Children” and of the National Human Rights Institutions

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The Parliament of Albania, hearing the voice of the civil society in Albania, as well as with UNICEF advocacy and support, issued in November 2013 a Resolution, reaffirming the commitment of parliamentarians to advance the rights of the child in Albania, as well as announcing the establishment of the Parliamentary Group Friends of Children. This is a bi-partisan (or multi-partisan) caucus that advocated since 2014 for a stronger legislative and oversight role of the Parliament to guarantee the rights of the child. Friends of Children was chaired by the Speaker of the Parliament and had three deputy chairs. The caucus was also organized in smaller committees in the following areas:

• Protection of Children from Violence;
• Children in Conflict with the Law;
• Children in Public Institutions;
• Health and Welfare of Children;
• Relations with Civil Society Organizations; and
• Budgeting for Children.

With UNICEF and its CSO partners support, the Parliamentary Group Friends of Children opened a sub-page in the website of the Parliament of Albania, dedicated to the rights of the child; developed an internal regulation of the caucus; approved a three-year Strategic Plan and an Action Plan (2016-2018); as well as a guiding handbook for parliamentarians in advocating and advancing the rights of the child.

Following new parliamentary elections of June 2017, the Parliamentary Group Friends of Children was reconstituted with new membership on November 17, 2017. Members of the group come from a variety of political groups represented in the national assembly, and are committed to promote the child rights agenda. To achieve this goal the group will revise the previous work plan and develop a new one, more tailored to the new socio-political reality in the country.

Though not directly related to the work of the Parliament, the role and the mandate of the Peoples Advocate and of the Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination is a critical one. However, the mandate of the Ombudsperson and of the Commissioner came to an end in 2017. A new People's Advocate was appointed in the summer of 2017 and a new Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination, as well as a Commissioner for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of the Child is expected to be in place in early 2018.

All the above-mentioned bodies would require additional expert assistance in further boosting their role as National Legislative and Human Rights Institutions, when it comes to the rights of the child, with particular focus on violence against children and the rights of children with disabilities. To this end, UNICEF with the financial support from the European Union is seeking the professional services of a national consultant who will be actively engaged, in supporting these institutions.

How can you make a difference?

The Objective of this consultancy is to:

1. Support the Parliamentary Group Friends of Children in performing its functions, in advancing a child rights and protection legislative agenda and in promoting public oversight and accountability for the fulfilment of child rights, with particular focus on violence against children and the rights of children with disabilities;
2. Assist the National Human Rights Institutions in monitoring and promoting the rights of the child and providing remedies for violations thereof, with particular focus on children with disabilities and children victims or at risk of violence;
3. Strengthening the relationship between the National Human Rights Institutions and the Parliament of Albania in overseeing and protecting child rights.

This should serve the overall purpose of strengthening the legislative, public oversight and advocacy role of the Parliament of Albania and the National Human Rights Institutions, particularly the People's Advocate and the Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination.

This consultancy is expected to result in parliamentarians and professionals of National Human Rights Institutions that are more knowledgeable of child rights and equipped with most up-to-date data, arguments, professional opinions and resources that should enable them reach informed decisions and take solid courses of action, in advancement of child rights.

Description of the assignment

Under the overall supervision of UNICEF Deputy Representative, in close collaboration and consultation with the Parliamentary Group Friends of Children and the National Human Rights Institutions, and guided by international standards and best practices, the consultant will be responsible for the following:

- Prepare for the members of Friends of Children summaries of international and regional standards, obligations, commitments of which Albania is a State Party and of the tasks deriving therefrom, with regard to the rights and protection of the child and bring them constantly to the attention of the Parliamentary Group. Inform parliamentarians on good/best international practices, and assisting them in establishment of links with the parliamentarians from other countries and sharing experiences

- Raise Friends of Children Parliamentary Group members awareness on the current status and challenges of child rights in Albania and the legislative initiatives that need to be brought up, with a view to address these challenges and ensure full compliance of the domestic legislation with international and regional standards on child rights and protection. Assisting Members of Parliament in obtaining insight into the situation and initiatives of local self-governments with regard to the realization, protection and/or violations of child rights, with particular focus on children with disabilities and violence against children;

- Identify relevant bills that have the potential to affect child rights and draw the attention of the caucus members as well as of the National Human Rights Institutions over these. Prepare an analysis of the potential positive and negative effects of these bills on boys and girls, their level of compliance (or non-compliance) with international and regional standards of child rights and advise them on the advocacy, further improvement or public hearing needs around these. 

- Assist the Parliamentary Group Friends of Children and the National Human Rights Institutions in performing their roles as part of Albania's official and alternative reporting processes to the Committee on the Rights of the Child, other UN reporting mechanisms, as well as Council of Europe and EU reporting mechanisms, and the follow-up actions as part of the recommendations of these bodies to Albania, as pertains to child rights and protection.

- Provide technical assistance to the Parliamentary Group Friends of Children in improving their Internal Regulation, if needed; in developing the Strategic Direction and related Action Plan for the Group during the 9^th legislature; in developing a Scope of Work for the specific Committees of this Parliamentary Group; and in providing input to the semi-annual and annual Report of the Parliament of Albania.

- Provide technical assistance to the National Human Rights Institutions (particularly the People's Advocate and the Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination) in properly integrating child rights, protection, awareness, equal treatment and opportunities, and equitable advancement of boys and girls, into their multi-year Strategies and Action Plans, with particular attention to those in especially vulnerable situations.

-Advise and assist the Parliamentary Group Friends of Children and the National Human Rights Institutions in conducting, in collaboration with civil society organizations, thematic monitoring missions/processes of the status of children in various areas of child rights. Support these bodies with the process of developing related reports with findings and recommendations for various public or private entities.

-Support coordination of the interaction of the Parliamentary Group Friends of Children with the National Human Rights Institutions, particularly in the process of parliamentary submission and review of the NHRIs annual and thematic reports concerning various rights of the child as well as potential proposals or discussions over the legislative changes, budgets or organic structures of the NHRIs that have the potential to strengthen (or weaken) their role. Provide members of the Parliamentary Group and of the NHRIs with arguments, analyses and professional opinions/advice with regard to said reports or proposals/discussions.

- Advise the members of the Parliamentary Group Friends of Children on the need to or on the occasion of the appearance of members of the executive in questions, debates, or votes of confidence sessions, with regard to the rights of the child. Assist them in preparation of these sessions with potential questions to ask, issues to raise or draft recommendations/follow-up actions to propose, with a view to advance not only the de jure, but also the de facto compliance of Albania with Convention on the Rights of the Child and other international and regional standards on child rights.

- Provide professional advice and preparatory platforms for the Parliamentary Group Friends of Children on public hearing sessions with children and child rights activists, as well as on reflecting on the outcomes of these sessions

- Support the Parliamentary Group Friends of Children and the NHRIs in keeping public opinion informed over their efforts in protecting, promoting and advancing the rights of boys and girls in Albania.

In carrying out these tasks, the consultant may be requested to coordinate with other UNICEF consultants, contractors or CSO partners that might be engaged in providing support to these bodies.

Expected Deliverables & Work Schedule:

1. A consultancy action plan developed in consultation with UNICEF, the Parliamentary Group Friends of Children and the National Human Rights Institution within the first weeks of the contract indicating the final list of deliverables, as well as how and when the deliverables will be achieved (in English). The following is an indicative list of deliverables that the consultancy action plan may include.
2. Monthly reports to UNICEF, detailing the assistance provided to the Parliamentary Group and the NHRIs (in English).
3. Draft Strategic Direction and related Action Plan submitted to the Parliamentary Group Friends of Children (that is concrete, realistic, likely to produce measurable results), drafts Scope of Work for the specific Committees of this Parliamentary Group; and draft input to the semi-annual and annual Report of the Parliament of Albania (in Albanian).
4. Periodic summaries of international and regional standards and commitments of Albania on child rights, summaries of various recent national and international reports on child rights and what do they mean for the Parliament engagement (in Albanian).
5. Analyses and professional opinions/advise with regard to bills affecting child rights (in Albanian).
6. Draft inputs to the Strategies and Action Plan of the NHRIs (in Albanian)
7. Draft inputs to thematic monitoring reports of the Parliamentary Group Friends of Children and of NHRIs on various aspects of child rights (in Albanian).
8. Draft documents reflecting most up-to-date data, arguments, analyses and professional opinions/advice with regard to NHRI reports or NHRI-related proposals/discussions (in Albanian).
9. Preparatory and follow-up documents with regard to the executive in the Parliament and the public hearing sessions with children and civil society (as it pertains to child rights), with particular focus on violence against children and children with disabilities (in Albanian).

Final Output/Product

Final consultancy report (in English), describing the consultancy offered, results achieved, challenges faced while performing the tasks and ways these were overcome. The report must also contain a section with the consultant's suggestions over future similar support UNICEF may provide to these public oversight mechanisms. The above-mentioned expected deliverables (as they will ultimately be listed in the consultancy report) should be attached in their finalized form to this report. The finalized versions should represent reflections of the suggestions from UNICEF Albania, the Parliamentary Group Friends of Children (their focal points) and the NHRIs, as relevant.

Qualifications or specialized knowledge/experience required:

1. Advanced university degree in law;
2. At least 5 years of cumulative experience in legislative work, preferably with the parliament or with public oversight mechanisms;
3. Excellent knowledge of the international standards and specifics of child rights and protection and previous contributions to this area;
4. Excellent analytical, and advocacy skills;
5. Excellent writing and public communication skills;
6. Inter-personal capabilities, networking, partnering, negotiating and team-working skills
7. Demonstrate sensitivity towards gender equality, and awareness of the diversity of backgrounds and affiliations of counterparts. 
8. Computer skills, including internet navigation, and various office applications;
9. Fluency in written and spoken Albanian required.
10. Fluency in written and spoken English is required

The applicants must submit for review:

- Letter of interest specifying the relevant experience with similar type of assignments and the time availability (max 1 page)

- Samples of similar reports/written documents, if any

- United Nations Personal History Form (P11)

- Copies of education diplomas and certificates

- Three letters of reference, speaking of the candidate's knowledge of working in the area of Human Rights and/or Child Rights, advocacy, public communication, inter-personal, networking, partnering, negotiating and team-working skills as well as sensitivity towards gender equality, and diversity.

- Financial proposal, The financial proposal shall specify the monthly fee requested for the tasks described in the current ToR and based on the full-time office-based work schedule envisaged. The financial proposal shall be submitted in local currency (ALL). The stated amount must be all-inclusive by including the taxes, the communication costs and all other individual expenses, with the exception of inter-urban travels expenses which currently cannot be estimated.

Submission of applications

Please consult UNICEF Albania website at www.unicef.org/albania/jobs.html or UN Albania website at www.un.org.al/employment-and-procurement, to download the detailed TOR and other documents or requirements related to this announcement. There is also a link that will direct you at UNICEF e-Recruitment System to submit your application.

Only applications submitted online will be considered.