ABA ROLI Gap Analysis (Angola, Mozambique, Zambia)

The American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) is a non-profit organization that implements legal reform programs. ABA ROLI has worked for over 25 years in more than 100 countries to promote the rule of law, advance human rights, strengthen judicial institutions, support legal professionals and advance understanding of the law and rights of citizens by the public. To this end, ABA ROLI has established partnerships with a wide range of actors, including institutions in the justice sector (judges, prosecutors, public defense offices, mediation offices and national human rights institutions, investigators and police), civil society organizations, bar associations, legal aid organizations and lawyers, among others. ABA ROLI’s work in Africa spans a variety of programing around the rule of law, access to justice, atrocity prevention as well as human rights protection and promotion. ABA ROLI’s Africa Division has country offices across the continent, including in Angola, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gambia, Liberia, and Uganda.

Program Overview:

ABA ROLI is hiring a consultant or consultancy firm to conduct a gap analysis for a program on Promoting Responsible Oversight and Enforcement to Combat Timber Trafficking, which is aimed at reducing the ability of criminal groups to carry out and profit from illegal logging and trafficking of timber from the Miombo woodlands. Its principal objectives are to: (1) Improve national and regional capabilities to prosecute and adjudicate cases against timber crimes and related offenses to result in appropriate sentencing outcomes, and (2) Strengthen anti-corruption efforts within relevant agencies to enhance government response, improve government accountability, and strengthen transparency as it relates to timber crime.

Position Summary:

By the end of January 2025, the Gap Analysis consultant or consultancy firm will conduct a gap analysis of the justice system’s handling of timber-related crimes from identification and investigation to case-building, prosecution, and sentencing. Its purpose is to identify the challenges in the prosecution and adjudication of Miombo-related timber crime cases in the project’s three target countries of Angola, Mozambique, and Zambia with attention paid to other Miombo woodlands countries (e.g., Malawi, Tanzania) as resources allow.

The methodology will combine desk research, field observation (if funds allow), and stakeholder interviews to gather qualitative and quantitative data on countries’ handling of timber crimes as well as the level of regional and cross-border coordination. Qualitative data sources could include, for example, information from key informant interviews with relevant stakeholders or virtual distribution of a survey. Quantitative data could include statistics or figures collected from desk review of relevant policy documents, existing literature, national and international statistics, and other materials/sources as necessary and appropriate. Data collection is expected to be conducted virtually, though potential for in-person data collection may be explored depending on specific project needs.

The study’s goal is intended to be a practical examination that uncovers the structural factors that lead to the failure to protect, investigate, enforce, and adjudicate timber crimes. The final report should make practical recommendations based on findings that will inform the project’s next steps, offering a comprehensive analysis of the state of the justice sector as it pertains to identifying, prosecuting, and sentencing timber crimes cases. The analysis should also serve as a resource and learning tool for relevant justice sector and regulatory agencies and stakeholders, international organizations, and civil society groups within the target countries.

Scope of Work:

In line with the above, ABA ROLI is seeking a consultant or firm with experience in operations and management of the justice delivery system surrounding environmental crimes in Angola, Mozambique and/or Zambia. The Gap Analysis consultant or consultancy firm will report directly to the Angola Country Representative and DC-based Program Manager. The specific purpose of the assignment will be to:

1. Map the justice sector actors and relevant regulatory agencies responsible for investigation, prosecution, and adjudication of Miombo-related timber crime cases in all three target countries (Angola, Mozambique, and Zambia). Stakeholder mapping should identify the roles and responsibilities of each agency, how agencies interact/are related to each other, and where any administrative overlaps or gaps may be occurring.
2. Identify the gaps and challenges in the prosecution and adjudication of Miombo-related timber crime cases in the three target countries and uncover the root causes for failure to protect, investigate, enforce, and adjudicate timber crimes, whether structural, behavioral, or otherwise. The consultant should identify both country-specific and cross-cutting (regional) gaps and challenges.
3. Conduct comparative analysis across jurisdictions of the strengths and weaknesses of the justice systems’ handling of timber-related crimes, from identification and investigation to case-building, prosecution, and sentencing.
4. Offer clear recommendations on targeted interventions, whether country specific or regional (e.g., legal and policy reforms, capacity-building initiatives, resource allocation, the establishment of specialized units or task forces to handle timber crime cases, financial incentives to permit illegal timber activities, etc.).
5. Conduct validation exercises with regional stakeholders’ multiple times throughout the research project lifecycle. Consultant(s) should develop a clear framework for engaging regional stakeholders in the research process. Present the findings at a regional convening of justice-sector actors in Zambia (likely December 2025) following the finalization of the analysis to build consensus and support for project activities and to support potential next-step policy and legal reform efforts.

Qualifications:

All members of the research team should possess the following qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree in law, international law, political science, international relations, environmental science, or related field. A master’s degree is preferred.
• Understanding and knowledge of the legal and justice system, court operations and procedural law in Angola, Mozambique and/or Zambia.
• Demonstrated experience designing and conducting gap or needs analyses from assessment initiation to final publication.
• Demonstrated experience in qualitative data collection, including stakeholder interviews,
• Proven success in performing desk reviews as well as gathering and analyzing both qualitative and quantitative data from primary and secondary sources
• Strong analytical, communication, and writing skills.

In addition to the general qualifications listed above, the lead researcher should possess the following qualifications:

• A master’s degree in law, international law, political science, international relations, environmental science, or related field.
• Minimum 5-10 years of professional experience working directly with the courts, lawyers, prosecutors and other justice sector actors and mechanisms in Angola, Mozambique and/or Zambia.
• Strong understanding of the current environmental context in Angola, Mozambique and/or Zambia, specifically illegal logging practices within the Miombo Woodlands region, including policy and legislation surrounding these practices and knowledge of the civil society sector.
• Experience working in Southern Africa (especially Angola, Mozambique, or Zambia) and/or elsewhere in Sub-Saharan Africa, and strong understanding of political and operating context in the target countries.
• Fluency in English is required; Portuguese (written and spoken) is an added advantage.

Estimated Timeline: Specific timelines will be discussed with the successful candidate, but the consultant(s) will be expected to work within the period from November 1, 2024 to February 1, 2025.