International Consultant – Development of modules for national table-top exercises, Countering the Use of Internet for Terrorist Purposes (CUITP) in Central Asia

Background:

Please note that this is a consultancy assignment of a temporary nature, with an expected duration of approximately 12 full working days.

At the OSCE Secretariat, the Transnational Threat Department’s Action against Terrorism Unit (TNTD/ATU) is the focal point and a resource hub for the OSCE’s 57 participating states, field operations and independent institutions, and helps support and implement the OSCE’s counter terrorism commitments.  

OSCE participating States (pS) identified CUITP as one of the strategic focus areas of OSCE counter-terrorism efforts. Specifically, participating States committed to intensify efforts in addressing the use of the Internet for terrorist purposes and to identify possible strategies to counter this threat, while ensuring respect for relevant international human rights obligations and standards. They also underscored that effective steps to counter terrorist use of the Internet require strong and mutually beneficial public-private partnerships (PPP) with business community, industry, media, and civil society. In this context, OSCE pS committed themselves to further disseminate lessons learned and exchange relevant information and national best practices to counter violent extremists’ exploitation of the Internet at the national level and OSCE- sub-regional levels. 

To support the OSCE pS in Central Asia to improve the efficiency of their national efforts to address the threats posed by the use of the internet for terrorist purposes, TNTD/ATU developed an ExB Project # 1102115 “Preventing and Countering the Use of the Internet for Terrorist Purposes in Central Asia in 2019-2020”. This project envisages the organization, upon request of interested OSCE participating States in Central Asia, of up to five Table-Top Exercises (TTXs) in the region on preventing and CUITP. While in 2019, the TNTD/ATU conducted three TTXs in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan, the pandemic of COVID-19 in 2020 had an impact on the timeline of similar events in Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, having shifted the factual implementation for 2022. 

As part of the ExB Project #1101215, TNTD/ATU requires the service of a Lead Consultant, who (together with other two consultants) will co-ordinate the joint development of a package of two scenario-based national TTXs on CUITP for Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. Each TTX module will have to dwell not only on regional, but also reflect on national dynamics and trends in this field. 

For more detailed information on the structure and work of the Secretariat, please see: http://www.osce.org/secretariat

Tasks and Responsibilities:

Under the direct supervision of TNTD/ATU, as well as in close co-ordination with the lead consultant, the OSCE field operations in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, as well as other relevant stakeholders, the selected two Consultants will be charge of:

1. Developing two scenario-based TTXs on CUITP, one per each country for Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.  The draft package must contain:

•    Two TTX scenario texts each containing a case study
•    Two files with the TTX-related background information
•    Two TTX Facilitators Guidance texts on how to steer discussions about strategic-level recommendations on CUITP

2. Tailoring the draft package following the feedback received from the TNTD/ATU and OSCE field operations in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, as well as other stakeholders, and submitting the final version of the package

Note: A more detailed description of tasks and responsibilities will be available upon identification and selection of suitable consultants
 

Deliverables:

1) Conduct a desk-based research to collect and review relevant materials, including those prepared by peer-consultants, and formulate the draft package;
2) Tailor and refine the draft paper following feedback received from the TNTD/ATU and OSCE field operations in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, and submit the final version of the package.


Necessary Qualifications:

• Second-level university degree in a discipline relevant to one or more of the following topics: social sciences, media and governance, security studies, and/or international human rights law;  
• A minimum of  five (5) years demonstrated experience in research and analysis related to the topics “terrorist use of the Internet”, and/or in conceptualizing developing projects related to preventing and countering the use of the ICTs for criminal and terrorist purposes, with specific focus on human rights in the context of countering violent extremism and terrorism online;
• Knowledge of legal aspects tied to online content moderation practices and relevant regulatory frameworks in Central Asia;
• Knowledge of policy and practical challenges in counter-terrorism, policing and police reform, compliance with the rule of law and human rights in the context of Central Asia;
• Previous experience in designing and drafting TTXs with real-case scenarios for training exercises is highly desirable;
• Professiional fluency in English, including excellent drafting skills, is desirable; 
• Knowledge of Russian is an asset;
• Previous experience in international capacity-building assistance, preferably with the OSCE or other international organizations;
• Flexibility and ability to work under time pressure to meet tight deadlines;
• Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity, an ability to integrate a gender perspective into tasks and activities.
   

Remuneration Package:

Remuneration will be based on the applicable fee scale that applies to the delivery of consultancy services by individual
contractors, and shall depend on the complexity of the tasks and deliverables.

If you wish to apply for this position, please use the OSCE's online application link found under https://jobs.osce.org/vacancies.

If you are not a national of a participating State, you must apply by submitting an offline application form which can be found under https://jobs.osce.org/resources/document/offline-application-form.

The OSCE retains the discretion to re-advertise/re-post the vacancy, to cancel the recruitment or to offer an appointment with a modified job description or for a different duration.

Only those candidates who are selected to participate in the subsequent stages of recruitment will be contacted.

The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all religious, ethnic and social backgrounds to apply to become a part of the Organization. 

Candidates should be aware that OSCE officials shall conduct themselves at all times in a manner befitting the status of an international civil servant. This includes avoiding any action which may adversely reflect on the integrity, independence and impartiality of their position and function as officials of the OSCE. The OSCE is committed to applying the highest ethical standards in carrying out its mandate. For more information on the values set out in OSCE Competency Model, please see https://jobs.osce.org/resources/document/our-competency-model.

Please be aware that the OSCE does not request payment at any stage of the application and review process.