Result of Service

Under the supervision of ESCAP Subregional Office for the Pacific, in coordination with Social Development Division (SDD), the national consultant will work closely with an international consultant to undertake the following tasks:

1. Support the preparation and coordinate with relevant Partners/stakeholders to undertake in-country consultations with the Government, Non-Government Organizations (NGO) and Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPD);

2. Support the preparation and coordinate with the relevant Partners/stakeholders to undertake a validation workshop of the draft legislative review with the Kiribati National Council for Persons with Disabilities (KNCPWD) and Kiribati National Human Rights Taskforce (KNHRTF) and OPDs; and

3. Support the preparation and coordinate with relevant Partners/stakeholders to conduct an in-country workshop and training on mainstreaming rights of persons with disabilities in preparation for the development of a standalone disability inclusion Act:
(i) Workshop on CRPD; and
(ii) Train-the-Trainers (TOT) workshop to strengthen national capacity to promote mainstreaming of disability rights.

Work Location

Kiribati

Expected duration

4 months. Starting Q3/2023

Duties and Responsibilities

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and its Optional Protocol were adopted in December 2006 and entered into force in May 2008 as the first comprehensive human rights treaty of the 21st century and the first disability-specific international legal instrument that seeks to respect, protect and fulfil the rights of persons with disabilities. The CRPD marks a historic paradigm shift from a traditional welfare and medical understanding of persons with disabilities as objects of charity to a social model of disability that empowers them as rights holders. For the first time, it establishes, in a binding treaty, their right to enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms, and to have their inherent dignity respected.

To support these efforts, ESCAP has assisted Pacific countries in developing CRPD aligned legislation since 2015. As an implementing partner of the Pacific Enable Project funded by the UN Partnership for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD), ESCAP had partnered with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) to conduct comprehensive reviews and gap analyses of national domestic laws for CRPD compliance.

Kiribati is a signatory to the CRPD and has ratified the Convention in September 2013. Kiribati also has commitments under other global and regional frameworks to protect and promote the rights of persons with disabilities, including the Pacific Framework for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2016-2025 (PFRPD), the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, the SAMOA Pathway, and the Incheon Strategy to “Make the Right Real” for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific. Despite lacking the technical assistance by means of legislative reviews or legislative drafting, Kiribati has made efforts to fulfil their obligations to the frameworks and the articles in the CRPD that guide the inclusion of persons with disabilities.

In response to the request from the Government of Kiribati, an initial legislative review for compliance with the CRPD (hereinafter “legislative review”) was completed in April 2022. As a follow-up, the Government of Kiribati has requested technical assistance to support the implementation of the recommendation(s) from the initial legislative review: (i) develop a standalone disability inclusion Act; and (ii) mainstreaming of disability rights into existing legislations. In this regard, ESCAP is seeking a national consultant with CRPD-related experience, particularly in the context of Kiribati, to support the finalization, including the conduct of in-country consultations for the legislative review and CRPD workshop. The national consultant should have a comprehensive understanding of CRPD, including the full range of statements, general comments, concluding observations, recommendations, decisions and jurisprudence of the CRPD Committee that guide the interpretation and implementation of the Convention. The national consultant will work closely with ESCAP, including an international consultant, and Government Partner, as well as key stakeholders, throughout the finalization process

Qualifications/special skills

Post secondary qualifications such as “Associate Degree” or “Bachelors Degree in law, humanities or social sciences.

Qualifications: The consultant should preferably be based in Kiribati.

Academic Qualifications: Post secondary qualifications such as “Associate Degree” or “Bachelors Degree in law, humanities or social sciences. A completed secondary education in the relevant fields will also be considered with experience and demonstrated keen interest.

Professional qualifications: Not applicable

Experience: Some CPRD-related experience is desirable.

Language requirement: Fluent in English, with strong analytical writing and communication skills.
Some CPRD-related experience is desirable.

Languages

Fluent in English, with strong analytical writing and communication skills.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.