Legal Researcher- Consultant

Consultancy position in Nepal 

For Understanding the situation of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR) in the Transitional Justice Process in Nepal

Position: Legal Researcher- Consultant (Task -Based)

Job Location: Nepal

Timeframe: 1st September 2024 – 31st December 2024

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) is a worldwide organization of judges and lawyers united in affirming international law and rule of law principles that advance human rights. Its strategic goals for 2021-2025 are: (1) to develop, defend, and strengthen international institutions, instruments, and standards on rule of law and human rights; (2) to improve domestic implementation of, and compliance with, international law and standards; (3) to bolster the effectiveness and independence of judges and lawyers; and (4) to improve access to justice for all and accountability. With its Headquarters based in Geneva, Switzerland, ICJ has a presence in Africa, Latin America, Asia & the Pacific, Europe & Central Asia, and the Middle East.

We are seeking a Legal Researcher - Consultant to conduct a study to map out a specific set of violations of ESCR that took place in Nepal during the conflict and explore the linkages between ESCR and the government’s approach to transitional justice in Nepal. The ICJ will make recommendations on how a reparations programme can take ESCR violations into consideration and identify the reforms needed to address some of the ESCR related inequalities in the country to help avoid future conflicts for its project, "Understanding the situation of economic, social and cultural rights (ESCR) in the Transitional Justice Process in Nepal".

RESPONSIBILITIES

The consultant will be under the supervision of the Senior International Legal Adviser, the Consultant will hold the following responsibilities:

• Undertake desk research to map out a set of leading ESCR violations that took place during the conflict in Nepal.
• Review the existing TRC laws and relief and reparation related plans and policies.
• Design research methods and plan to undertake FGDs, KII with victims and other stakeholders.
• Conduct FGDs and compile testimonies and data.
• Carry out desk research on the legal obligations of Nepal government under international and domestic laws related to economic, social and cultural rights (ESCR) in Nepal.
• Analyse the data, testimonies and relevant legal and policy frameworks as outlined above.

The deliverables for this consultancy will include:

• Desk Research (1st –15 September 2024) 
• Design research methodology and prepare an outline for the report (15-20 September 2024)
• Pre-Study Consultation in Kathmandu with Victims (10 victims, by 30 September 2024)
• 8 FGDs (4 in east part of Nepal / 4 in west part of Nepal) Within October 2024
• 2 Victims & CSOs validation of the data/information documented Kathmandu (November 2024)
• A final report containing a comprehensive analysis of the data collected, identifying leading violations of ESCR during Nepal’s conflict, and an analysis of relevant provisions in the existing law, plan and policies relating to TJ (30 November 2024)

The consultancy is expected to commence on September 1, 2024, and conclude on December 31, 2024.

PROFILE

The successful candidate will have:

Education & Experience

• A master’s degree in law or other social sciences such as development, politics, international relations, peace and conflict studies, gender studies or a related field.

Other competencies

• Strong research and analytical skills.
• Experience in writing reports related to ESCR and transitional justice.
• Proficiency in qualitative and/or quantitative research methods. 
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Nepali.
• Knowledge of international and domestic laws on economic, social and cultural rights.
• Previous experience working in transitional justice would be an advantage. 
• Prior experience in research, preferably multi-disciplinary academic research.
• Ability to work within a tight timeline and collaborate with the project implementation team.  

MODALITY OF WORK

The work is expected to be done in a mixed modality (field and remote) with regular meetings with the project implementation team.

APPLICATIONS

Interested applicants should provide all materials outlined below to asia-recruitment@icj.org by the 27th of August 2024. Early applications are encouraged as they will be reviewed on a rolling basis, the ICJ reserves the right to close the recruitment process early if a suitable candidate has been identified.

• A CV (maximum 2 pages); please indicate your home address and your phone number on your CV. 
• A cover letter (maximum 1 page); 
• The names and contact information of at least two recent references.

Please include “Application for Legal Researcher in Nepal” in the subject line of the application e-mail. The ICJ shall not be liable for not opening proposals that are submitted with a different subject.

Please appreciate that due to the volume of applications, only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

The ICJ is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity and value a diverse workforce. The ICJ’s policy is to practice a fair and non-discriminatory recruitment and selection procedure and to strive for and maintain international and multi-cultural personnel.

Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.

ICJ staff must adhere to its Code of Ethics which states that discrimination, bullying and harassment in any form will not be tolerated, nor sexual harassment, violence or assault in any form. The successful candidate will be required to pass a background check.