UN Women: Human Rights Defenders Consultant, Soim Wokabaut: EU Gender Based Violence Referral Pathways Program, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, National Consultant

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

Gender inequality in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is severe, with the country ranked 169 out of 170 globally. Women and girls face high rates of gender-based violence (GBV) and low literacy levels. The DHS 2016-2018 indicates that 54% of women have experienced GBV in the past year, and nearly 23% of women aged 15-49 have no formal education.  Structural barriers, cultural norms, and weak protection systems worsen the situation. Tribal conflicts, sorcery accusation-related violence (SARV), and small arms proliferation, especially in the Highlands, increase violence. Despite policies to reduce discrimination, comprehensive strategies are urgently needed to address these issues and achieve gender equality. Additionally, ongoing conflicts have displaced communities, further exacerbating GBV incidents. The persistence of these challenges highlights the critical need for targeted interventions to promote social stability and human rights and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly 05 on gender equality, 10 Reduce Inequality and 16 Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions. 

The development of a comprehensive legal and policy framework for the protection of human rights defenders also presents an opportunity to strengthen institutional accountability and parliamentary oversight of the protection of human rights, gender equality and civic space in Papua New Guinea. In this regard, the Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (PPC-GEWE) provides an important parliamentary platform for considering the gender dimensions of legislation, policies and institutional responses affecting women and girls, including women human rights defenders.

Building on the gains of the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative to Eliminate Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in Papua New Guinea (PNG), UN Women, UNFPA and UNOPS (Agencies) have commenced implementation of a joint initiative entitled “Soim Wokabout: Gender-Based Violence Referral Pathways Programme”, financed under the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI Global Europe).  The joint programme aims to reduce the incidence of GBV in communities in target provinces, including in and out of schools (Eastern Highlands and the National Capital District).  This will capitalize on existing programmes addressing specific forms of Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHRs) while supporting prevention and protection efforts for GBV survivors, strengthening access to justice, and ending violence against women and girls at national, provincial, district, and community levels.  It seeks to scale up effective integrated approaches to deliver quality coordinated services, strengthen referral pathways, mobilize communities and networks to address harmful gender and social norms fuelling GBV and SARV and promote implementation of laws and policies to reduce GBV and SARV while mobilizing national, provincial and community leadership on the programme’s investments to enhance sustainability.  It also aims to ensure that the proposed interventions are aligned with Papua New Guinea's constitutional and legislative framework and comply with the State's obligations under applicable international human rights treaties, including CEDAW, the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).  

The joint programme’s specific objectives are: 1. To increase access of women, men, girls and boys in all their diversity, experiencing gender-based violence, to essential quality services, protection and justice. 2. To improve advocacy and agency of civil society organisations, women’s rights organisations, social movements and communities to end gender-based violence (GBV).  3. To make more effective the engagement of community leaders, male advocates and influential groups and actors in society in changing discriminatory social norms, gender stereotypes, GBV and harmful practices.

Human rights defenders play a critical role in promoting and protecting human rights, advancing democratic governance, supporting accountability, and assisting vulnerable and marginalised communities. However, they often face threats, intimidation, harassment, discrimination, arbitrary arrest, violence, and other forms of reprisals as a result of their legitimate human rights work. In continuation of the gains through the Spotlight Initiative where a human rights defenders protection drafting instruction was developed, UN Women will engage a national legal consultant to advance the drafting instruction through to a bill. The bill will be informed by national laws and policies such as the recently approved Human Rights Policy, constitutional guarantees, international rights treaties, regional human rights standards, and the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders (1988). It is expected that the bill will address amongst others: 

• Recognition and definition of Human Rights Defenders.
• Rights and freedoms of human rights defenders 
• State obligations for protection and support.
• Prevention of threats, intimidation, harassment, and reprisals.
• Emergency protection measures.
• Protection of women human rights defenders and other vulnerable groups.
• Access to justice and remedies.
• Responsibilities of state institutions.
• Establishment of protection coordination mechanisms.
• Complaints and reporting procedures.
• Accountability and enforcement mechanisms.
• Funding and implementation arrangements.
• Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.

UN Women PNG seeks a National Consultant with national knowledge and expertise in Human Rights Defenders (HRD) Strategy/Policy and related legal and legislative processes to lead the drafting process and support stakeholder consultations towards the development of a comprehensive human rights defenders protection bill. The consultancy will adopt a human rights-based, survivor-centered, gender-responsive and culturally sensitive approach aligned with international human rights standards and the principle of “leaving no one behind.” The assignment requires a strong understanding of human rights, legal and legislative frameworks, and demonstrated experience in translating international human rights standards into national policies and legislation.

This assignment is based in Port Moresby, with travel to the field expected. The Consultant will provide technical and legal expertise to support the review, development and finalisation of the Human Rights Defenders (HRD) Protection Policy and Bill, working in close collaboration with the Department of Justice and Attorney General through the Human Rights Secretariat.

The core deliverable is a legally sound, rights-based and context-specific HRD Protection Bill that establishes mechanisms to recognise, protect and support the work of human rights defenders, consistent with national constitutional provisions and regional and international human rights obligations. To this end, the Consultant will assess the existing human rights, gender equality and anti-discrimination legal and policy framework; identify gaps and areas for reform; and draft and review policy and legislative provisions that integrate gender-responsive, inclusive and survivor-centred approaches.

The Consultant will lead consultations with government institutions, Parliament, civil society, women's rights organisations, human rights actors and other stakeholders; facilitate validation of the draft instruments and incorporate stakeholder feedback; and provide technical support throughout the review and approval processes.

Finally, the Consultant will assess the institutional and parliamentary dimensions of the proposed framework, including the roles and responsibilities of relevant government institutions and the potential role of Parliament in overseeing implementation. Building on this assessment, the Consultant will recommend institutional arrangements and accountability, monitoring and enforcement mechanisms, and develop an implementation roadmap.

Under the overall leadership of the Country Representative and direct supervision of the Deputy Country Representative, the National Consultant will provide expert technical assistance and guidance through performing the following key tasks and delivery of the expected results. Throughout the consultancy, the consultant will receive support from UN Women EVAW team and input from the implementing agencies – UN Women, UNFPA and UNOPS where necessary and Department for Justice and Attorney General through the Human Rights Secretariat. The consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

These tasks focus on reviewing documents including those developed through the Spotlight Initiative in developing the draft policy and drafting instruction

• Prepare an inception report outlining methodology, work plan, and timelines including stakeholder mapping to enable stakeholder consultations.
• Review relevant constitutional provisions, legislation, policies, and regulations affecting HRDs.
• Review applicable international and regional human rights instruments and standards.
• Examine comparative legislation and protection mechanisms from other jurisdictions.
• Assess the gender dimensions of the existing legal and policy framework, including barriers affecting women’s participation in civic and public life and the specific protection needs of women human rights defenders.
• Establish the legal and policy baseline, identify gaps and inconsistencies, and assess alignment with national, regional and international human rights obligations.

These tasks are aimed at consolidating recommendations from the Technical Working Group, established during the Spotlight Initiative Program, including any recent reforms. 

• Lead the substantive development and refinement of the Human Rights Defenders Policy and Bill, including rights, protections, definitions, institutional mandates, remedies and gender-responsive provisions.
• Identify legal, policy, and institutional gaps affecting the protection of HRDs since the development of the Human Rights Defenders Protection Drafting Instructions 
• Analyse the risks, and challenges faced by HRDs, including women human rights defenders, environmental defenders, journalists, community activists, persons with disabilities, youth advocates, and other at-risk groups
• Develop provisions addressing protection, prevention, emergency measures, access to justice and remedies, complaints and reporting mechanisms, accountability and enforcement, coordination, financing, implementation, monitoring and reporting.
• Assess the compatibility of existing laws including the Human Rights Defenders Protection Drafting Instructions with the international human rights obligations
• Review and transform the draft human rights defender’s protection policy into a human rights defenders’ protection Policy/Strategy, ensuring alignment with the recently endorsed human rights policy 

This task is aimed at updating the drafting instructions utilising findings from the legal and policy analysis including engagements with key stakeholders

• Ensure meaningful participation of government, Parliament, human rights institutions, CSOs, women's rights organizations, legal practitioners and marginalized groups, and consolidate their inputs.
• Conduct consultations with the Human Rights Secretariat and Department for Justice and Attorney General, other key stakeholders including relevant members of the Technical Working Group, established through the Spotlight Initiative Program. The aim of these consultations is to finalise approaches in developing and finalizing the drafting instructions to a bill. 
• Document findings and recommendations arising from consultations including a work plan to complete this project.
• Conduct consultations on the human rights defenders’ protection Policy/Strategy with relevant national agencies including Department for Community Development and Religion 

• Support engagement with decisionmakers and provide technical assistance throughout government and parliamentary consideration, review and approval.
• Conduct validation workshops to present the drafting instructions with relevant national government institutions, parliamentarians including the Permanent Parliamentary Committee on GEWE, national human rights institutions, civil society organizations, HRD networks, development partners, legal experts, and affected communities.
• Incorporate comments and recommendations from stakeholders.
• Prepare the final drafting instructions detailing: the objectives of the proposed legislation; key provisions to be included; and legal and policy rationale.
• Prepare an explanatory memorandum and legislative drafting notes for review by the human rights secretariat and Department of Justice and Attorney General.
• Support with document preparation for the vetting process of the Policy/Strategy 

• Produce the required technical outputs and ensure that the assignment is properly documented and that successive drafts reflect evidence and stakeholder inputs.

• Prepare a comprehensive final report documenting all activities, outputs, outcomes, lessons learned, recommendations

The selected Consultant will be expected to complete the following key-deliverables within the indicative timeframe: 

The assignment is for 6 Months. It is expected that the selected consultant shall commence the assignment by 1st November 2026, with work being completed by 31 December 2027 in conformity with the Deliverables and Timeframe described in Section 3.

The consultant will work under the direct supervision and technical guidance of UN Women Papua New Guinea Deputy Country Representative with technical guidance from Technical Specialist and EVAW programme unit and will conduct regular briefings on the progress at each stage of the assignment. During the field work baseline study, the consultant will be supported by members of the UN Women PNG team. 

The Contractor's performance will be evaluated against such criteria as timeliness, responsibility, initiative, communication, accuracy, and quality of the products delivered.

Payment will be disbursed upon submission and approval of deliverables and timesheets with actual days worked and certification by the Deputy Country Representative that the services have been satisfactorily performed. UN Women PNG will cover the cost of all field work including travel. 

Payment will be made within 30 (thirty) days after receipt and acceptance of the specified deliverable and corresponding invoice but only after UN Women has certified that the services have been satisfactorily performed by the Consultant.

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
• Accountability;
• Creative Problem Solving;
• Effective Communication;
• Inclusive Collaboration;
• Stakeholder Engagement;
• Leading by Example.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework: 

• Legislative drafting and legal analysis: Can turn drafting instructions and policy intent into clear, enforceable bill provisions with sound legal reasoning. This includes definitions, institutional mandates, remedies and enforcement mechanisms, plus explanatory memoranda and drafting notes that follow PNG drafting conventions.
• Applying international human rights standards to national law: Can test national laws and draft provisions against constitutional guarantees, CEDAW, ICCPR, CRC and the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. Can then propose specific ways to make them consistent.
• Gender-responsive, survivor-centred and risk-informed analysis: Can analyse the different risks and protection needs of women human rights defenders and other at-risk groups. Can write those findings into prevention, emergency protection and safeguarding measures that are proportionate, confidential and culturally appropriate.
• Institutional design and accountability: Can design workable arrangements for coordination, oversight, complaints handling, monitoring and financing that fit existing government and parliamentary structures. 
• Policy advocacy and consensus-building: Can build support among decisionmakers, parliamentarians and civil society. Can negotiate competing positions and move draft instruments through government vetting and approval while protecting the human rights substance.
• Evidence synthesis and analytical writing: Can review large amounts of legal, policy and comparative material from other jurisdictions, along with stakeholder input. Can turn it into short, well-structured reports and recommendations ready for decisions, with a clear record of how each draft changed in response to feedback.

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Law, human rights, gender/women’s studies, international development, social sciences, or a related field is required 
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. 

• Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible experience in legal support to strengthening social accountability mechanism, address gender equality and women’s empowerment, with a strong focus on ending violence against women, particularly in community mobilization and movement building/strengthening. 
• Proven track record in developing SOPs, training manuals, or legal frameworks within the PNG health or justice sectors.
• Strong understanding of the Family Protection Act, SARV National Action Plan, and the National GBV Strategy.
• Familiarity with analysis of human rights and gender-related factors and other social determinants that affect the performance of survivors of GBV service utilization.
• Experience in facilitating high-level events with government representatives, Women’s Rights Organizations, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and a diverse range of actors; 
• Excellent coordination and facilitation skills for multi-stakeholder forums.
• Ability to communicate technical medical-legal concepts clearly to diverse audiences. 
• Experience working with government agencies (NDOH, DJAG, RPNGC) and the UN system is highly desirable.
• A qualified legal practitioner with courtroom advocacy experience is desirable.

• Excellent verbal and written English is required.
• Proficiency in Tok Pisin (PNG) is a requirement.

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