National Consultant CRSV Expert (Human Rights) for the Office of the Ombudsperson of Ukraine

Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

In Ukraine, UN Women is committed to delivering results across strategic priorities, exercising its triple mandate encompassing normative support, UN system coordination, and operational activities to mobilize urgent and sustained action to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. UN Women has long been actively supporting local priority areas in Ukraine from increased political participation to gender mainstreaming in public policy, and economic development.

Since the start of the Russian full-scale military invasion, Ukraine has rapidly emerged as one of the world’s most complex emergencies. Women, girls, men, boys, and LGBTIQ+ persons have been affected differently, have specific needs and different priorities for recovery. As of October 2023, 56% of the 3.7 million estimated IDPs are women, who make up 93% of the 4.6 million people returning to Ukraine.  Women face significantly increased safety and protection risks. Incidents of gender-based violence (GBV), particularly domestic violence and conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), including trafficking in persons for sexual purposes have drastically increased. From 24 February 2022 through 31 May 2024, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) documented 304 cases of CRSV (201 men, 91 women, 10 girls, 2 boys), and the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine recorded 304 cases of CRSV (112 men, 191 women, 14 girls, and 1 boy) as of 1 July 2024.

Since the beginning of the large-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, women, women-led civil society organizations and women human rights organizations are playing a crucial role responding to the humanitarian needs, often being the first responders to the needs and protection risks of the most affected by war women, men, girls and boys in the high risk areas. Many grass-roots women’s CSOs have been providing psychological support, protection counselling and free legal aid to survivors of CRSV and their families being the crucial resource of support at the local levels in particular in the locations where the GBV/CRSV survivors have been disrupted due to the war, referral pathways broken, women’s CSOs have stepped up mobilizing resources and providing the highly needed services to CRSV survivors at the community level. Furthermore, women’s CSOs have been instrumental in promoting social cohesion between displaced and host communities in Ukraine and have played a vital role in international advocacy for peace, recovery and reconstruction, including through reparations to CRSV survivors and other victims of the war.

On 3 May, 2022, Ms. Pramila Patten, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, and Ms. Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, signed a Framework of Cooperation between the Government of Ukraine and the United Nations on the prevention and response to conflict-related sexual violence, that supports the design and delivery of priority interventions in the areas  of justice and accountability as a central pillar of deterrence and prevention. The agreement also addresses comprehensive service provision for survivors, including sexual and reproductive health services, medical and specialized mental health services, legal assistance, and livelihood support. To implement the Framework of Cooperation (FoC) in coordinated way, the Government has created a thematic Working Group on preventing and response to CRSV under the Commission on Coordination of Activities of Central Executive Bodies on Equal Rights and Opportunities of Women and Men.

UN Women has worked closely together with the government counterparts and the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) to support the development of an Implementation Plan for the Framework of Cooperation (FoC), which was adopted by the Government of Ukraine in September 2022, in 2023 the Implementation Plan was updated within the work of the Inter-Agency Working Group on CRSV to reflect the recent developments. Under this plan, UN Women has committed to closely collaborate with Ukrainian authorities along with other UN entities, women civil society organizations and other relevant partners to support national CRSV prevention and support efforts.

The Ukraine Joint Programme on conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) has been developed with the aim of strengthening the prevention and response to CRSV in Ukraine by reinforcing national mechanisms through the deployment of cross-cutting policy experts bringing a range of expertise on addressing CRSV from monitoring and reporting to security sector reform. These experts will be deployed both within the UN Country Team (UNCT) and as part of various institutions of the Government of Ukraine in order to contribute to building the capacity of the stakeholders involved in this sector and improving the availability of services to survivors of CRSV.

A Joint Secretariat comprising representatives of the Apparatus of the Government Commissioner for Gender Equality policy of Ukraine, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine and relevant UN entities will be established to support the Government’s Inter-Agency Working Group in developing and coordinating activities within the Implementation Plan. As a critical component of this project, the Government of Ukraine identified the need to be supported by other national experts to be deployed in four government institutions, including the Deputy Prime Minister’s office for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, the Apparatus of the Government Commissioner for Gender policy of Ukraine, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the National Social Service of Ukraine. Concurrently, a team of Women Protection Advisers, led by a Senior Women’s Protection Adviser (SWPA) in the Office of the Resident Coordinator, will be deployed to support the UN Country Team in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions, especially resolution 2467 (2019), in support of the Joint Secretariat that is responsible for coordinating the overall implementation of the FoC, as co-signatories of the agreement, and its Implementation Plan.  Activities to achieve the expected results under the various workstreams will be implemented on the ground, in collaboration with the WPA Unit and the national experts deployed in the various Government entities for this purpose.

The CRSV Expert (Human Rights) to the Office of the Ombudsperson of Ukraine will focus on providing the subject-matter expertise, legal and policy advice, and analysis to the implementors of the relevant provisions of the Framework of Cooperation and, as such, will be tasked with strengthening the capacity of the Office of the Ombudsperson of Ukraine to monitor human rights violations related to the crimes of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the UN Women Representative, the incumbent will work under the daily supervision of the Office of the Ombudsperson of Ukraine, reporting to and working in close collaboration with the UN Women WPA (Women Protection Adviser), and under the technical guidance of the Office of the Ombudsperson of Ukraine, the National consultant will provide expert and technical support to the Office of the Ombudsperson by contributing to the implementation of the Framework of Cooperation between the Government of Ukraine and the United Nations on the prevention and response to CRSV to strengthen the capacity of the Office of the Ombudsperson and its regional representative to prevent and respond to incidents of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence in a survivor-centric manner, monitor the work of State institutions with CRSV survivors, and increase coordination and referrals including at the field level between the Office of the Ombudsperson and multiple stakeholders working on prevention and response to CRSV.

The CRSV Expert (Human Rights) will deliver the subject-matter expertise to the Office of the Ombudsperson of Ukraine and will be tasked with strengthening the capacity of the Office of the Ombudsperson to respond to CRSV.

The assignment will include but not be limited to the following tasks developed and agreed in coordination with the Office of the Ombudsperson of Ukraine:

1. Support the preparation of the necessary materials for the participation of a representative of the Commissioner’s Office as a member of the Inter – Agency Working Group (IAWG) on prevention and response to Conflict-Related Sexual Violence
2. In consultations with multiple stakeholders working on CRSV, develop Methodological Recommendations for the Ombudsperson Office on monitoring the work of State institutions with CRSV survivors and management of their cases, ensuring a survivor-centered approach.
3. Develop a training-of-trainers curriculum for the human rights monitoring officers of the Office of the Ombudsperson of Ukraine on the use of the Methodological Recommendations on CRSV for the Ombudsperson Office.
4. Conduct five (2) Trainings of Trainers using the training curriculum developed on the use of the Methodological Recommendations on CRSV.  These sessions should target national and regional human rights monitoring officers of the Ombudsperson’s Office, civil society organizations working with CRSV survivors, survivor-led organizations, and other relevant entities, ensuring widespread dissemination.
5. Contribute to at least three (3) field monitoring missions jointly with UN Women and Office of the Ombudsperson of Ukraine.  During these missions, the Human Rights Expert should ensure the application of the Methodological Recommendations on CRSV, collect information on the gaps and challenges faced by the regional representatives of the Office of the Ombudsperson of Ukraine and other relevant entities working on CRSV, and provide feedback.
6. Provide support to the Office of the Ombudsperson with the organizing and conducting communication and advocacy campaigns on prevention and response to CRSV, in particular by supporting the organization of conferences, roundtables, distribution of booklets, information materials. Contribute to the development of publications on CRSV on the website and social media of the Office of the Ombudsperson of Ukraine.
7. Prepare detailed monthly reports to the Office of the Ombudsperson of Ukraine and UN Women, describing progress on the implementation of the tasks, highlighting the results achieved, and providing recommendations.

 Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

• This is an office-based consultancy (a full-time presence).
• As part of this assignment, upon the prior UN Women approval, consultant might be requested to go on a working mission. If it is necessary for better performance of the assignment UN Women will arrange travel and these expenses will be covered separately to the consultant based on UN travel policy and applicable daily subsistence allowance rates.

Financial arrangements

• Payments will be disbursed on a monthly basis upon submission of the monthly narrative reports by the Consultant and their endorsement by UN Women.
• The level of remuneration will be established based on the UN salary scale.

Inputs

• UN Women will provide the Consultant with background materials related to the assignment.
• The consultant is expected to work using her/his own computer.

Competencies

Core Values: 

• Respect for Diversity 
• Integrity 
• Professionalism 

Core Competencies: 

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues 
• Accountability 
• Creative Problem Solving 
• Effective Communication 
• Inclusive Collaboration 
• Stakeholder Engagement 
• Leading by Example 

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies:  

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES: 

• Strong knowledge of the international human rights law and the national human rights framework
• Strong knowledge of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and CRSV prevention and response agendas.
• Strong analytical skills and report writing.
• Ability to gather and analyze data, reach logical conclusions and recommendations.
• Proficiency in coordinating activities among different stakeholders.
• Strong interpersonal skills to build alliances, negotiate partnerships, and drive collaborative advocacy efforts.

Required Skills and Experience

Education and Certification:

• Advanced University Degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in public administration, law, social science, security and defense, international relations, international human rights, gender studies/or related fields.

Experience:

• A minimum of 2-years’ professional experience in human rights and gender equality, international humanitarian law, the Women, Peace and Security agenda, CRSV, and/or GBV response or related fields, is required.
• Experience in human rights protection and monitoring is desirable.
• Demonstrated experience in successfully undertaking similar assignments is required, including developing policy papers, training curricula and recommendations.
• Experience in inter-agency coordination in the UN or comparable international organizations is desired.
• Knowledge and experience in project coordination; knowledge and experience in managing internal and external communications; experience in facilitating cooperation between governmental, multilateral, and non-governmental organizations and/or UN agencies.

Languages:

• Fluency in verbal and written English and Ukrainian is required.

UN Women Personal History Form (P11) must be completed and attached as part of the online application along with the cover letter –  

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need. 

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check).