Discriminatory laws against women- Lawyer Consultant

The Position:

UNFPA seeks to hire a national consultant with expertise in law as well as women issues to update the study on discriminatory laws against women in Syria, in addition to formulating recommendations and alternatives based on the updated study.

You will report to the Head of Gender Unit 

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.  UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

UNFPA seeks to hire a national consultant with expertise in law as well as women issues to update the study on discriminatory laws against women in Syria, in addition to formulating recommendations and alternatives based on the updated study.

You would be responsible for:

• The study will encompass the following areas:
  • The current legal situation in Syria including recent updates since 2019.
  • The impact of the new legal updates on women and girls in Syria and implementation challenges. 
  • How the current legal situation is projected in actual reality for women in Syria.
  • How to change the situation both legally and in actual reality.
• This shall be done through an analytical examination of up-to-date relevant legal texts in various legislations, including, but not limited to:
  • Personal Status Law
  • Nationality Law
  • Penal Code
  • Labor Code
  • Election Laws
  • Statutes of Political Parties
• The study is expected to cover women’s both public and private spheres. 
• The study should analyze related up to date judicial decisions.
• The study will also indicate: 
  • The extent of consistency between current legal texts and the commitments of the Syrian government to several ratified human rights conventions.
  • The extent to which current legal texts meet and reflect the real situation of women.
  • Past efforts and attempts to revoke current discriminatory legal texts, reasons for past inability to do so, and how to address this inability.
• The updated study will offer alternatives and suggestions to repeal or modify current discriminatory laws reflecting when relevant on the new laws issued since 2019. 
• The updated study will not only apply to direct discriminatory laws, but also to laws and legal texts inducive to indirect discrimination. 
• The updated study shall examine:
  • The effects of the absence of comprehensive legislations that protect women, such as a domestic violence act.

The effects of legal texts, or lack thereof, on the situation of women during the socio-economic situation in Syria

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education:  

• Master's degree in law.
   

Knowledge and Experience: 

• Demonstrated knowledge and expertise on women.
• A minimum of 7 years of relevant work experience in research design and analysis. 
• Substantial experience related to discriminatory laws against women in Syria is strongly desirable. 
• Demonstrated familiarity with human rights standards and principles.
• Excellent analytical and writing skills. 
• Having a sensitive attitude towards gender issues is an asset.

Languages: 

English and Arabic anguages are required for this position. 

Required Competencies: 

Values: 

• Exemplifying integrity,  
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
• Embracing cultural diversity, 
• Embracing change

Core Competencies: 

• Achieving results,Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,