National Legal Expert on Gender Equality, Human Rights and Institutional Accountability

Job Posting Organization:
UN Women was established in July 2010 as part of the UN reform agenda to enhance gender equality and women's empowerment. The organization merges the efforts of four previously distinct parts of the UN system, namely DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW, and UNIFEM, to create a more significant impact on gender issues globally. UN Women operates in numerous countries, including Moldova, where it focuses on eliminating discrimination against women and girls, empowering women, and achieving gender equality as part of development, human rights, humanitarian action, and peace and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security efforts. The organization is guided by its Country Strategic Note for 2023-2027, which aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for Moldova and aims to contribute to the gender-responsive implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. UN Women works with various national and international partners to challenge gender-based stereotypes and create an environment where women can act as key agents of change towards greater equality and development, in partnership with men and boys.

Job Overview:
The National Legal Expert will provide legal expertise, capacity building, and institutional accountability support to public institutions, private sector entities, and non-governmental organizations in Moldova. The role involves addressing issues related to gender equality, non-discrimination, gender-based violence, and the prevention of and response to violence and harassment in the workplace. The consultant will report to the UN Women Programme Analyst/Officer and will be responsible for delivering legal analysis, advisory support, capacity-building training, and mentoring. The consultant will also engage in reviewing internal procedures and accountability mechanisms within various institutions to ensure compliance with national and international legal frameworks. This position is crucial for strengthening the legal and institutional frameworks that protect individuals from discrimination and harassment, ensuring accountability mechanisms are in place across different sectors.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide expert legal input, analysis, and revisions to draft laws, regulations, normative acts, internal policies, and advocacy papers addressing gender equality and non-discrimination.
• Identify and propose legal amendments to existing legislation on the prevention of violence against women based on legal analysis and consultations.
• Conduct assessments of national gender equality legislation to identify gaps and areas for improvement.
• Prepare and deliver technical presentations during public consultations and working groups.
• Develop training outlines, curricula, and materials for capacity-building interventions on gender equality and prevention of discrimination and violence.
• Design and deliver training sessions for public institutions, private entities, and NGOs.
• Review internal policies and accountability mechanisms addressing discrimination and gender-based violence, providing recommendations for improvement.
• Submit progress reports and a final report with lessons learned at the end of the assignment.

Required Qualifications:
A Master's degree in law or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in law combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. Additional training in gender equality, human rights, or a related field is an asset. Candidates must demonstrate strong legal drafting and analytical skills, with the ability to translate complex legal concepts into practical guidance. Experience in designing and delivering capacity-building interventions is essential.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess a Master's degree in law or a relevant field. A first-level university degree in law, combined with two additional years of qualifying experience, may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. Additional training in gender equality or human rights is considered an asset.

Experience:
At least five years of professional experience in the field of law is required. Candidates must have demonstrated collaboration with public institutions, private entities, and NGOs on the development or review of legal and policy instruments. Experience in human rights and gender equality is an asset, as is experience in designing and delivering training or mentoring programs.

Languages:
Fluency in written and spoken Romanian is required. A working knowledge of English is considered an asset.

Additional Notes:
This is a home-based consultancy position with periodic meetings at UN Women Moldova premises. Payment for services will be made on a per-day-worked basis, subject to UN Women’s certification of satisfactory performance. The consultant's performance will be evaluated based on criteria such as timeliness, responsibility, initiative, communication, accuracy, and quality of deliverables. UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct incompatible with its aims and objectives, including discrimination and harassment.