Careers

Job vacancy

Terms of reference

Title:                            Consultant

Type of Consultant:    home-based

Term of Contract:       Individual Contract (competitive procedure)

Duration:                     30 to 45 working days, full-time (over a period of 6 months)

1. Background and Context

The Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) is the worlwide membership-based network of national human rights institutions (NHRIs).

GANHRI promotes and strengthens NHRIs to be in compliance with the Paris Principles and provides leadership in the promotion and protection of human rights.

GANHRI provides a framework for NHRIs to work together and cooperate at the international level through a wide range of activities, including annual meetings, international conferences, networks, training and capacity building.

GANHRI works in close partnership and cooperation with the United Nations Human Rights Office and specifically with the National Institutions and Regional Mechanisms Section (NIRMS) and with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). GANHRI also works closely with the four NHRIs Regional Networks (APF, ENNHRI, NANHRI and RINDHCA).

From 10 to 12 October 2018, NHRIs from all regions together with UN experts, civil society and human rights defenders met in Marrakech, Morocco, for the 13^th International Conference of National Human Rights Institutions “Expanding the civic space and promoting and protecting human rights defenders, with a specific focus on women: The role of national human rights institutions”.

The Conference was co-hosted by GANHRI, the Conseil National on Human Rights of Morocco, and the UN Human Rights Office, with more than 300 participants from all world regions.

In the outcome Marrakech Declaration, NHRIs welcomed the positive, important and legitimate role that human rights defenders have in contributing to the realisation of all human rights, at the local, national, regional and international levels.

NHRIs also noted the additional and gender-based risks that women human rights defenders can face when standing up for justice and equality, often from within their own organisations, communities and families.

NHRIs set out a practical set of strategies to promote, protect and build cooperative partnerships with human rights defenders, including:

• Establishing national protection systems, in consultation with human rights defenders, civil society organisations and others
• Encouraging States to ratify all international human rights instruments, including the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, and advising them on implementation
• Monitoring and reporting on civic space – online and offline – by collecting and analysing disaggregated data and statistics, related to killings, fabricated legal charges, misuse of laws and other attacks against human rights defenders
• Establishing efficient and robust early warning mechanisms and focal points within NHRIs
• Promoting gender equality and developing strategies to combat all forms of discrimination against women human rights defenders
• Interacting regularly with human rights defenders and civil society and helping to develop and strengthen national and regional defenders’ networks
• Interacting with international and regional human rights systems in support of human rights defenders, and monitoring the follow-up and implementation of recommendations.

The Marrakech Declaration also highlights that strong and independent NHRIs themselves are human rights defenders, which require protection, and that GANHRI, NHRI regional networks and UN partners have an important role and responsibility to ensure their protection.

The Marrakech Declaration requests GANHRI and the four NHRI regional networks to support NHRIs in the implementation of the Declaration, including by developing an action plan at global and regional levels, respectively, and to report back on the implementation of the Declaration on a regular basis including GANHRI Annual Meetings.

The Marrakech Declaration also requests GANHRI to establish a mechanism on human rights defenders within GANHRI, mandated to identify emerging global trends and challenges in the area of civic space and human rights defenders and provide advice and support to the strategic work of GANHRI, regional networks and individual NHRIs in that regard.

The four regional networks have developed, or are in the process of, developing their respective regional action plans in follow-up to the Marrakech Declaration.

GANHRI recently developed and adopted its new Strategic Plan (2020-2022). Human rights defenders and civic space are among the thematic priorities for the strategic planning period.

The Marrakech Declaration and NHRIs’ commitments therein are highly relevant against the backdrop of ongoing challenges facing human rights defenders as well as new threats arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, where restrictions on freedom of assembly, freedom of movement and other fundamental rights have the potential to accelerate the shrinking civic space.

NHRIs are recognised as one of the indicator under SDG 16 to measure states progress under the Agenda 2030. As highlighted in the Marrakech Declaration, NHRIs’ role in monitoring progress of the SDG implementation, and reporting thereon, including on those indicators relating to human rights defenders and civic space, is critical. Yet this role is still under-explored.

1. Objective

The objective of the consultancy is to support GANHRI in the development of a Global Action Plan to follow-up on and support its members in the implementation of the Marrakech Declaration in close coordination with regional action plans where they exist.

This includes supporting the conceptualisation and the establishment of the mechanism on human rights defenders within GANHRI, as requested by the Marrakech Declaration.

Scope of work

GANHRI is looking to contract an independent consultant to assist in the development of this Global Action Plan.

This will include:

Review and document progress made by NHRIs in implementing the Marrakech Declaration, by identifying good practices and lessons learned, in relation to the seven priority action areas set out in the Marrakech Declaration namely:

• Establishing national protection systems;
• Encouraging ratification and advising on implementation of international human rights treaties and the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders;
• Monitoring and reporting on civic space – online and offline;
• Establishing efficient and robust early warning mechanisms and focal points within NHRIs;
• Promoting gender equality and developing strategies to combat all forms of discrimination against women human rights defenders;
• Interacting regularly with human rights defenders and civil society and helping to develop and strengthen national and regional defenders’ networks;
• Interacting with international and regional human rights systems in support of human rights defenders, and monitoring the follow-up and implementation of recommendations.

Against the backdrop of ongoing challenges facing human rights defenders as well as new threats arising from COVID-19, identify opportunities and priorities, gaps and NHRI capacity-building needs to progress on the seven priority areas set out in the Marrakech Declaration;

• On this basis, assist the development of GANHRI’s Global Action Plan, setting out strategic priority activities for NHRIs, and the role of GANHRI together with regional networks and UN partners in supporting their delivery, as well as timelines and methodology for its implementation taking into due consideration the need for participation and ownership by GANHRI members.

Methodology

• Establishment of a “sounding board” comprised of GANHRI Head Office and selected GANHRI members, to support and guide the work of the consultant and to meet regularly throughout the process
• Conduct a review into NHRI activities, good practices, lessons and gaps in relation to progress in implementing the seven priority action areas set out in the Marrakech Declaration and NHRI protection needs in their role as human rights defenders. This should include desk review, interviews, and consultation process
• Complete a reflection from existing resources and through specific outreach to GANHRI members, regional networks and partners on priorities and capacity needs of NHRIs both in implementing the seven priority action areas and in ensuring their protection as NHRIs, including the mechanism within GANHRI on human rights defenders
• Draw from the above to develop the draft GANHRI Global Action Plan setting out proposed activities for NHRIs, and the role of GANHRI together with regional networks and UN partners in supporting their delivery
• Consultation process on draft with sounding board, GANHRI Chair and Secreatary and key partners and consolidation of comments
• Finalisation of GANHRI Global Action Plan.

Time Span

The assigement is expected to be carried out for a period of 30/45 days, according to an agreed timeline to be discussed.

Institutional Arrangements

The Consultant will report directly to the GANHRI Head Office and through it to the GANHRI Chairperson. GANHRI will be actively involved throughout the process and will provide all relevant background documents necessary for the assignment. GANHRI will also be responsible for the coordination of meetings and other activities under the Consultancy.

1. Required skills and experience

Based on all submissions received, GANHRI will conduct a panel assessment of all proposals.

This ToR does not entail any commitment on the part of GANHRI, either financial or otherwise. GANHRI reserves the right to accept or reject any or all ToR submissions without incurring any obligation to inform the affected applicant/s of the grounds.

Deadline for applications: 23 November 2020. Please send the applicaiton by email with the reference to the consultancy at:  recruitment@ganhri.org