This position is located within the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da'esh/ISIL in Iraq and the Levant (UNITAD) and the United Nations Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict (TOE). It will be based in Erbil, Iraq. The incumbent reports to D-OFI/OFI P5 in Erbil Office with a dual reporting line to the Team Leader of the UN Team of Experts.
UNITAD was established by the Secretary-General pursuant to Security Council resolution 2379 (2017), according to which it is mandated to support domestic efforts to hold ISIL (Da'esh) accountable by collecting, preserving and storing evidence in Iraq of acts that may amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide committed by the terrorist group ISIL (Da'esh) in Iraq.
The TOE was established by the Security Council resolution 1888 (2009) to assist national authorities in strengthening the rule of law to address sexual violence in conflict. The TOE was invited by the Government of Iraq to provide this assistance pursuant to a Joint Communiqué signed between the United Nations and Iraq on the Prevention and Response to Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (2016).
The Judicial Affairs Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
• Provides expert advice regarding international human rights, humanitarian law, comparative law and transitional justice.
• Implements legal and judicial programmes of UNITAD and advises on the prosecution, investigation, and adjudication relating to sexual violence crimes.
• Assists the investigative team in gathering information on Sexual and Gender Based Crimes committed by ISIL in Iraq with a view to build cases, in cooperation/consultation with national authorities and supports and participates in relevant capacity-building/case-building exercises.
• Supports the capacity building efforts lead by UNITAD’s Witness Protection and Support Unit (WPSU) for the Iraqi Federal Witness Protection Department as well as relevant Kurdish regional authorities in establishing national witness protection capacity. Supports WPSU’s psychosocial capacity trainings where required by delivering modules on legal aspects relating to psychosocial support or the role of witnesses in legal proceedings.
• Provides legal advice on diverse substantive and procedural questions of considerable complexity, including ensuring that Iraqi federal and Kurdish regional authorities have the capacity to ensure the safe, ethical, and appropriate participation of victims and witnesses of sexual violence crimes during the investigation, adjudication, and post-adjudication stages of criminal cases.
• Liaises with victims/survivor groups, civil society, UN counterparts and others to advance accountability for sexual violence crimes in Iraq in coordination with the Field Investigations units of UNITAD.
• Performs extensive legal research and analysis and prepares legal opinions, studies, briefs, reports, indictments. and correspondence; provides legal advice to the unit/division; and tracks relevant cases on sexual violence committed by Da’esh in the Iraqi and other judiciaries.
• Takes the lead in conducting activities on accountability for sexual violence including advising and mentoring national counterparts, facilitating and organizing workshops and consultations, supporting national criminal justice system organization, training of national actors and/or monitoring of the court and legal systems.
• Participates in legislative reviews and drafts commentaries and other relevant documents, particularly those relating to sexual violence.
• Ensures effective knowledge management and information sharing, including developing a culture of respect for, and inclusion of, local actors in all judicial and legal system initiatives.
• Takes the lead in identifying, establishing and maintaining contacts and partnerships with other actors (national and international) on sexual violence with a view to pursuing work programme objectives and ensuring participation in and effective integration of ideas in the planning and implementation of judicial affairs activities.
• Performs programmatic and administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of UNITAD and the TOE, including contributing to the preparation of budgets, developing funding requests, reporting on performance and results, managing and evaluating staff performance, interviewing and evaluating candidates.
• Performs other related duties as required.
Work implies frequent interaction with the following:
Counterparts in the UN Secretariat, missions, specialized agencies, funds and programmes. Counterparts in relevant government ministries, parliament, the courts, associations, law schools, women’s groups, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, diplomatic missions, donors, the media, consultants, legal professionals and civil society representatives, etc.
Results Expected:
Effectively leads and manages major activities/projects and work teams, and delivers outputs in a timely manner, in accordance with overall objectives, policies and procedures. Provides sound advice and effective representation on complex legal and judicial reform issues; effectively determines strategy and approach to policy/technical issues and develops innovative, well-reasoned suggestions and solutions to problems that may arise. Conducts independent, accurate and comprehensive research on significant, complex matters and delivers carefully conceived reports, studies, recommendations, and other written material.
• Professionalism: In-depth knowledge and understanding of UNITAD and TOE mandates and strategic direction and ability to assist on the investigation, prosecution and adjudication of sexual violence cases. Demonstrated knowledge of judicial and legal system issues, including knowledge of international criminal law, humanitarian law, and human rights law and relevant international human rights standards and their relationship and linkages to the broader developmental/post-conflict recovery framework and initiatives. Substantial and diverse experience in all facets of the job. Ability to proactively seek and recommend sound policy initiatives. Ability to conduct comprehensive legal research on a range of issues, including those of a unique and/or complex nature; proficiency in preparing a variety of written documents. Conceptual and strategic analytical capacity, including ability to identify and articulate issues that require a coordinated UN response, judgment in applying technical expertise to a wide range of complex and unusual problems and in developing innovative and creative solutions. Ability to negotiate and to influence others to reach agreement. Knowledge of institutional mandates, policies and guidelines pertaining to judicial affairs; women, peace and security; protection of civilians; and conflict-related sexual violence and knowledge of the institutions of the UN system. Ability to work under extreme pressure, on occasion in a highly stressful environment (e.g. civil strife, natural disasters and human suffering). Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
• Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
• Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in law, or bar qualification or equivalent, in addition to a first-level degree in law, is required. A first-level university degree in combination with other relevant academic qualifications and/or legal experience in the field of justice and/or rule of law assistance may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Bar qualification is desirable.
AA minimum of seven years of progressively responsible professional experience as a practicing lawyer, prosecutor, judge, legal academic, legal consultant, or adviser in the field of justice is required.
Experience working on sexual violence cases is required.
Experience in the UN Common System or other international organization on the Women, Peace and Security agenda is desirable.
Management experience is desirable.
Field based experience providing rule of law assistance in conflict, post-conflict, or fragile settings or regular deployments to such settings, is desirable.
Previous experience working at or within a large international organization, like the United Nations or similar, is desirable.
Previous experience working with or in the Middle East or North Africa is desirable.
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Arabic is desirable.
NOTE: ''Fluency'' equals a rating of ''fluent'' in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and ''Knowledge of'' equals a rating of ''confident'' in two of the four areas.
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.
• This position is funded through a trust fund and temporarily available. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.
• While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post.
• Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.
• This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15.
• Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply.Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.
• Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as "retirement." Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.
Aux termes du paragraphe 3 de l’Article 101 de la Charte des Nations Unies, la considération dominante dans le recrutement du personnel doit être la nécessité d’assurer à l’Organisation les services de personnes possédant les plus hautes qualités de travail, de compétence et d’intégrité. Ne seront pas retenues les candidatures des personnes qui ont commis des violations du droit international des droits de l’homme, des violations du droit international humanitaire, des actes d’exploitation, d’atteintes ou de harcèlement sexuels, ou au sujet desquelles il existe des raisons plausibles de croire qu’elles ont été impliquées dans la commission de tels actes. L’expression « exploitation sexuelle » désigne le fait d’abuser ou de tenter d’abuser d’un état de vulnérabilité, d’un rapport de force inégal ou de rapports de confiance à des fins sexuelles, y compris mais non exclusivement en vue d’en tirer un avantage pécuniaire, social ou politique. On entend par « atteinte sexuelle » toute atteinte physique de nature sexuelle commise par la force, sous la contrainte ou à la faveur d’un rapport inégal, ou la menace d’une telle atteinte. Le harcèlement sexuel s'entend de tout comportement déplacé à connotation sexuelle raisonnablement propre ou de nature à choquer ou humilier, lorsqu'il entrave la bonne marche du service, est présenté comme une condition d'emploi ou crée au lieu de travail un climat d'intimidation, d'hostilité ou de vexation, et lorsque ce comportement est assez grave pour justifier le licenciement de son auteur. La candidature de personnes qui ont commis des infractions autres que des infractions mineures au code de la route ne sera pas retenue.
Sera dûment prise en considération l'importance d'un recrutement effectué sur une base géographique aussi large que possible. Aucune restriction ne sera imposée par l'Organisation à l'accès des hommes et des femmes, dans des conditions égales, à toutes les fonctions, dans ses organes principaux et subsidiaires. Le Secrétariat de l'Organisation des Nations Unies est un espace non-fumeurs.
La considération dominante dans l’engagement, la mutation ou la promotion du personnel est la nécessité de s’assurer les services de personnes possédant les plus hautes qualités de travail, de compétence et d’intégrité. En acceptant une offre d’engagement, les membres du personnel sont soumis(es) à l’autorité du Secrétaire général, qui peut leur assigner l’une quelconque des tâches ou l’un quelconque des postes de l’Organisation des Nations Unies, conformément à l’alinéa c) de l’article 1.2 du Statut du personnel. Dans ce contexte, tous les membres du personnel recrutés sur le plan international sont tenus de changer de fonctions périodiquement à l’intérieur d’un même lieu d’affectation ou dans un autre lieu d’affectation, dans les conditions fixées par le Secrétaire général.
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