Consultant AI and the Rule of Law (CI/DIT)
JOB DETAIL
OVERVIEW
Parent Sector : Communication and Information Sector (CI)
Duty Station: Paris
Job Family: Communication and Information
Type of contract : Non Staff
Duration of contract : From 7 to 11 months
Recruitment open to : External candidates
Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 27-AUG-2023
UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism
OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST
The Communication and Information Sector’s mission is to promote freedom of expression, media development and media literate societies, and to build knowledge societies through fostering universal access to information, innovation for sustainable development and the preservation of documentary heritage. (The role of this vacant position does not include responsibility for UNESCO’s wider external communications, which is managed by the Division for Communications and Public Engagement.)
Background
The Recommendation on the Ethics of AI was adopted by all 193 Member States of UNESCO in November 2021. This normative instrument sets the global standard for Al, articulating the fundamental ethical values and principles for its development and use, and providing detailed and actionable guidance on how to apply them in a wide range of policy areas that are being transformed by Al, including data governance, environment, gender, economy and labour, culture, and education and research, among others.
As part of the EU-financed project on “Implementing UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of AI through Innovative Tools”, UNESCO will be providing sustained technical assistance to countries for the effective implementation of the Recommendation, to achieve four interconnected major outcomes:
- Beneficiary countries initiated building national institutions for promoting Al ethics;
- Member States started the process of implementation of UNESCO’s Recommendation on Ethics of AI;
- Improved practices among judicial operators for addressing legal implications of Al based on the Recommendation on the Ethics of AI and international human rights standards;
- The annual Global Forum on Al is established as a continuous action by UNESCO.
The Communication and Information Sector is responsible for major outcome 3 above and will be developing capacity building tools for judicial actors related to “Artificial Intelligence and the Rule of Law” over a period of three years.
Long Description
Judicial operators are a key pillar in upholding the rule of law, strengthening democracy, and protecting fundamental freedoms. The need for human and institutional capacity building tools for judicial operators worldwide, builds upon assessed needs of the target beneficiaries. Judicial systems worldwide are increasingly using AI, such as to: Analyse large amounts of legal data to help lawyers identify precedents in case law; enable administrations in streamlining judicial processes; and Support judges with predictions on complex issues including sentence duration and recidivism scores.
The emergence of legal analytics and predictive justice has ethical and human rights implications as AI systems’ opaqueness can go against the principles of open justice, due process, and the rule of law. In response, UNESCO launched a survey of judicial operators worldwide to understand the relevant issues for capacity building and knowledge exchange concerning AI and the Rule of Law in November 2020.
UNESCO is well positioned to address the capacity building needs of judicial operators based on its Judges’ Initiative that has trained judicial operators since 2014 on freedom of expression, public access to information and safety of journalists, through capacity building tools like Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) and Global Toolkits for regional in person trainings.
UNESCO’s Judges Initiative network has engaged over 23,000 judicial operators globally. The initiative is built upon cooperation with regional courts and judicial organizations, such as the: Ibero-American Judicial Summit; African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights; Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court of Justice; the Inter-American Court of Human Rights; the Ibero-American Association of Public Prosecutors (AIAMP); the International Association of Prosecutors; and the East African Court of Justice.
Long Description
Under the overall authority of the Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, the Director of the Division for Digital Inclusion, Policies and Transformation (CI/DPT), and the Chief of Section for Digital Policies and Digital Transformation (CI/DPT/UAI) and the direct supervision of the Programme Specialist responsible for the activity, the consultant will specifically undertake the following tasks:
- Contribute to project management and coordination for the project outcome concerning the judiciary within the overall framework of the project, that includes tasks related to communication, outreach, networking, monitoring and reporting.
- Support the review of UNESCO’s Global Capacity Building MOOC and Toolkit (first draft) on AI and the Rule of Law for updating and expanding the content of the MOOC and the Toolkit, including sharing of the values and principles outlined in the Recommendation.
- Support the development and launch an advanced version of UNESCO’s MOOC on AI and the Rule of Law as a global tool to strengthen capacities of judicial operators on AI.
- Assist in the development and launch UNESCO’s Global Toolkit on AI and the Rule of Law in three languages (English, French and Spanish).
- Support the piloting of the Global Toolkit on AI and the Rule of Law through regional centres on AI for the Judiciary in Latin America and Africa.
- Conduct research and provide technical advice related to digital transformation in the justice sector through the preparation of policy briefs, organization of events and participation at conferences.
Deliverables:
- Monthly progress reports on the implementation of the tasks listed above.
- Final report at the end of the assignment on the completion of all tasks listed above.
COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)
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REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education
- Advance university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in law, public policy, international development, project management or other related fields.
Work Experience
- Minimum 2 years relevant professional work experience in the justice sector, international organizations or technology policy roles.
- Experience in project management and coordination.
Skills/Competencies
- Project management, coordination and communication skills.
- Analytical, drafting and presentation skills.
- Good understanding of working in diverse and multi-cultural environments.
Languages
- Excellent knowledge of English (written and oral).
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Education
- Any certification in the development of online learning resources like Massive Open Online Courses/instructional design will be an advantage.
Work Experience
- Experience in implementation of European Union financed projects.
- Experience in implementation of capacity building programmes.
Languages
- Knowledge of French and/or Spanish.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Interested candidates should complete the on-line application, download and complete the Employment History form (Word file). At the end of the Word file, insert extra pages with the following required information:
Part 1: Technical Proposal
- an up-to-date curriculum vitae;
- a statement indicating how their qualifications and experience make them suitable for the assignment (1 page);
- a one page note on the approach to project management and the different steps involved in development of a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC).
- List of relevant publications, if any. Provide link or URL to view online.
Part 2: Financial Proposal
- A competitive fee for the assignment, which should be quoted in EUR (or USD) and expressed on a monthly basis (with maximum of 3 200 USD per month) – the overall cost of the assignment, expressed as an overall lump-sum.
Additional Information:
- Remote work with frequent visits to Headquarters. No travel supported.
- This Consultant Contract is for a period of 11 months.
- Estimated contract start date September 2023.
Assessment
- Application should be submitted in just one file with all the documents required (pdf format) to be uploaded in the application section “Employment History Form”. Only applications providing the information requested under the application procedure will be considered.
- Evaluation of qualified applicants may include an assessment exercise and a competency-based interview.
SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information. To apply, please visit the UNESCO careers website. No modifications can be made to the application submitted.
The evaluation of candidates is based on the criteria in the vacancy notice, and may include tests and/or assessments, as well as a competency-based interview.
UNESCO uses communication technologies such as video or teleconference, e-mail correspondence, etc. for the assessment and evaluation of candidates.
Please note that only selected candidates will be further contacted and candidates in the final selection step will be subject to reference checks based on the information provided.
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UNESCO recalls that paramount consideration in the appointment of staff members shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, technical competence and integrity. UNESCO applies a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of harassment. UNESCO is committed to achieving and sustaining equitable and diverse geographical distribution, as well as gender parity among its staff members in all categories and at all grades. Furthermore, UNESCO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Candidates from non- and under-represented Member States (last update here) are particularly welcome and strongly encouraged to apply. Individuals from minority groups and indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the highest level of confidentiality. Worldwide mobility is required for staff members appointed to international posts.
UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.
