Result of Service

The aim of this study is to highlight the key standards and principles within constitutional law and their application to the Syrian context. The report will contribute to the current debate on the constitution of Syria and its guidelines and advance the discussion on the normative foundations of the constitution.
This report will be added to the series of papers and comparatives developed by NAFS on constitution-making in the post-conflict phase.

Work Location

Remotely

Expected duration

3 months

Duties and Responsibilities

Background:
As part of its mandate to promote human development and democratic transition in the Arab region, and as a response to the dire conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN- ESCWA) launched the National Agenda for the Future of Syria (NAFS) in 2012, to serve as a trusted platform for dialogue for a network of Syrian stakeholders coming from different walks of life and from across the political spectrum. Since its inception, inclusivity, Syrian ownership, impartiality, conflict sensitivity, advocacy, and relevance have been the key principles guiding the work of NAFS. Its inclusive and technical approach has set the Programme apart from other platforms and has enabled it to succeed in bringing together a wide spectrum of Syrians to develop policy alternatives on the most pressing economic, social, and governance issues, in the spirit of UN Security Council Resolution 2254.
NAFS was established as a platform for technical, not political, dialogue. It is not meant to substitute for political negotiations in any way. Similarly, the programme’s policy alternatives for Syria are not in any shape or form meant to impose solutions but rather the result of an inclusive participatory dialogue among Syrians for Syrians, inspiring practical, innovative, and forward-looking scenarios for Syria.
The planning for the future of Syria should be a participatory process determined, agreed upon, and owned by Syrians. As part of the ongoing dialogue on the civic component, NAFS is aiming to develop evidence-based analysis, and gather lessons learned and key messages on various topics. To this end, NAFS is planning to develop a study on constitutional standards.

Duties and Responsibilities:
Under the supervision of the Programme Manager of the National Agenda for Syria Programme, the consultant/s will be responsible for developing a study on constitutional standards in the context of Syria. The consultant will be responsible for:
1. Litterature review of the constitutional standards;
2. Develop a study outline
3. Submit the first draft
4. Review study progress as part of an expert group meeting (EGM).
5. Integrate feedback into the study from EGMs and Civil society dialogue.
6. Produce a final draft of the study

Qualifications/special skills

A bachelor’s degree Law, Political Science, International Relations, comparative studies, International Development or any other related area is required.

All candidates must submit a copy of the required educational degree. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
A minimum of ten years of professional work experience in law, constitutional law, and international development or any other related field is required.
Demonstrated strong experience in conducting research, capacity-building, and writing reports is desirable.
Proven knowledge of the Syrian and established publications record on public law and constitutional law is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat, and Arabic is the working language of ESCWA.

For this position, fluency in Arabic is required. Knowledge of English is desirable.

Note: “Fluency” equals a rating of ‘fluent’ in all four areas (speak, read, write, and understand), and “Knowledge of” equals a rating of ‘confident’ in two of the four areas.

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.