Lao People's Democratic Republic (the): International Consultant to support of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Children

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Lao PDR is looking for a qualified consultant to support the development of Lao PDR’s State Party Report on the Implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child for a period of approximately over 36 working days spread over the period April 2016 to September 2016.

Duties and responsibilities:

The Consultant is expected to support the National Commission for Mothers and Children (NCMC) to develop and finalize the third State Party Report of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child. The key tasks and outputs of this consultancy are as follows:

1. Task 1: Complete a review of the Government’s implementation of the CRC in Lao PDR (currently in draft form), including specific information on action taken to implement the recommendations in the Committees previous concluding observations to Lao PDR in April 2011. This will involve collecting and compiling inputs from relevant government counterparts and other key stakeholders and finalizing the draft matrix/document as background for the State Party Report.

   Outputs 1: CRC implementation review matrix/document finalized with inputs from all stakeholders.

2. Task 2: Draft and finalize Lao PDR’s State Party Report to the Committee on the Rights of the Child (combined third to sixth periodic reports) in accordance with the harmonized reporting obligations under the Convention. This will involve collecting and compiling comments/inputs from consultations with government counterparts (especially the National Commission for Mothers and Children), development partners, UN agencies, INGOs and CSOs and drafting and revising successive versions of the report to completion.

   Output 2: Lao PDR’s State Party Report (treaty-specific report) to the Committee on the Rights of the Child finalized in line with the harmonized reporting obligations under the Convention.

3. Task 3: Update the information in the Common Core document in accordance with the harmonized reporting obligations under the Convention including: general information about the State Party, the general framework for the protection and promotion of human rights, and information on non-discrimination, equality and effective remedies.

Output3: Common core document updated and finalized in line with the harmonized reporting obligations under the Convention.

Qualifications and experience required:

• Advanced university degree in law, human rights, child rights, social sciences, social development or related field

• At least 10 years of relevant experience in conducting policy and legislative analysis in the field of human rights and/or child rights

• Demonstrated knowledge of the CRC reporting process and prior experience in supporting governments to develop and draft treaty-specific reports

• Excellent inter-personal communication skills and ability to establish good working relationship with the Government

• Excellent analytical and writing skills

• Fluency in English

• Knowledge of the country and the regional context is an asset

To apply for this consultancy, applicants are required to submit an expression of interest to undertake the assignment/consultancy and proposals. Send these together with a completed Personal History Form (available from UNICEF) to:

Human Resource Unit

UNICEF, P.O. Box 1080, Vientiane, Lao PDR

or email to: laohrrecruitment@unicef.org

Tel: 856 (21) 315200-04

Closing date for receiving applications: Tuesday, 29^th March 2016

UNICEF is a non-smoking working environment. Female candidates are encouraged to apply. Only-Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interview.