East Timor: Institutional Contracts for Development of a Comprehensive Children's Code Draft

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Humanitarian Closing date: 08 Apr 2009 Location: Timor-Leste - Dili Purpose of Assignment: Consultancy aims to develop a comprehensive Children’s Code Draft to establish and safeguard Children’s Rights within the context of legal reform that is being undertaken to enhance justice for all children in contact with the law in Timor-Leste (child victims, witnesses and offenders). The institution will work together with the Ministry of Justice and UNICEF Child Protection section.

Duties:

1.a Conduct comprehensive literature review of all existing legislation in children’s issues (National Laws and Policies, international children’s rights legislation ratified by Timor-Leste (such as the Hague Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocols etc), traditional justice practices, Draft Juvenile Justice Legislation, Penal Code etc.)

1. b Compile and analyze all consultation reports previously gathered by UNICEF Child Protection and the Ministry of Justice (draft Children’s Code outline 2005, preparation plans for the Children’s Code 2008, district consultation reports from Ailieu, Oecusse, Viqueque, etc).

2. Institution or Project Coordinator visit to Timor-Leste to meet with relevant counterparts and discuss about main objectives to be achieved, activities framework, and coordination in reviving the “Grupo Trabalho” (Working Group) on Justice for Children for the drafting process involving MoJ. Discussions with necessary stakeholders also takes place bilaterally, with MoJ or UNICEF as required (for example with Provedor’s Office, UNMIT, etc).

3. Conduct at least 2 Public Consultations at district level (including one district from the West and one from the East) with children, young people and community members as well as Government, United Nations and NGO partners. Members of the Child Rights Working Group at the Ministry of Justice to be a key source.

4. Drafting of Children’s Code, then submitted to UNICEF, MoJ and Working Group for first comments in English and Portugese.

5. Undertake initial revisions to the Draft based on comments given by MoJ, UNICEF and Working Group which can then be submitted for public review (in English, Tetum and Portugese). The Ministry and UNICEF will ensure distribution to public, including districts, of electronic and hard copies of all translated versions.

6. Public workshop held in Dili to present final Children’s Code draft to all relevant actors involved in the process (children, youth groups, Government, United Nations and NGO partners) and comments collected on the draft.

7. Final draft Code submitted to the Ministry of Justice, with attached documents for Council of Ministers. Support to Ministry to present draft to the Council of Ministers. Necessary revisions made by the Council Of Ministers and Parliament are included in a final version of the Draft Children’s’ Rights Code. It may be necessary for the institution to undertake additional visits to Timor-Leste to support the Ministry in defending the draft legislation to the Council of Ministers and Parliament. This will be determined on a request from the Minister/ Directorate of Legal Drafting.

Deliverable:

1.a/1.b:Comprehensive review summary ready for review by UNICEF and the Ministry of Justice.
2.a. Travel Plan and Activities framework submitted and discussed with MoJ.
2.b. Districts Consultation tool developed and agreed by MoJ.
2.c. Report of first meeting of Working Group issued as well as any notes from other meetings/ stakeholders.

3. Report on Public Consultation findings containing results and also consultation process that can be included in final report.

4. Draft of Children’s Code submitted to key partners (UNICEF, MoJ)

5. Reviewed and translated Draft of Children’s Rights Code ready for submission to public.

6. Reviewed Draft of Children’s Rights Code including comments from public review and documentation from workshop (e.g. agenda, presentations, report).

7. Draft improved with comments from Council of Ministers and Parliament. The selected consultancy will be responsible for revisions of the draft at all stages of the submission process.

How to apply

Proposals to be sent to Ms. Eman A.J.Jawad, HR Officer, UNICEF DILI, ejawad@unicef.org

Reference Code: RW_7QGAVG-67

Image added by ETLJB: East Timorese children.