Result of Service
The National Consultant is expected to undertake the following activities:
1. Produce an inception report submitted within the first week of the consultancy detailing the key findings from initial consultations with the LRC, LACC, the Ministry of Justice, OWECC-L, and other relevant stakeholders, and proposing the methodology to produce the legal assessment, review of the statutes of the NACC, and planning a peer review forum.
2. Produce a mapping and an assessment report of the gaps and challenges in the judicial response to corruption related offences in Liberia, informed by international norms and standards, including the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) and International Human Rights Law.
3. Conduct a review of the proposed statutes of the National Anti-Corruption Court (NACC) and provide recommendations to ensure the future NACC has a human rights-based approach and a victim-centered judicial response to corruption-related offences and aligned with international norms and standards.
4. Lead a peer review forum on complementarity between the upcoming War and Economic Crimes Court and the National Anti-Corruption Court as well as the work of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission and other integrity institutions.
Expected duration
31/08 to 30/09/2026
Duties and Responsibilities
The Law Reform Commission (LRC) was established by an Act of the Legislature of Liberia in 2011. Its primary mission is to keep the laws of Liberia under review and to ensure the systematic development and reform, including unification and codification of the laws.
As the establishment of a the National Anti-Corruption Court (NACC), a national jurisdiction competent over corruption-related crimes, including those related to the civil crises and civil wars, progresses with the submission of various bills to the government and the Legislature, the LRC should conduct a thorough review of Liberia’s legal framework related to the judicial response to corruption-related offences considering international norms and standards is necessary to ensure the statutes of the future NACC can concretize the government’s vision for the fight against impunity for corruption-related offences.
Under the supervision of OHCHR Country Representative with support from the Chairperson of the Law Reform Commission (LRC), the National Consultant shall undertake the following tasks:
Conduct an analysis, mapping and assessment of the current state of the national judicial responses to corruption related offences in Liberia, considering international norms and standards, including the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) and International Human Rights Law.
Formulate recommendations on the statutes of the NACC to ensure the centrality of victim’s rights, thorough application of a human rights-based approach and full alignment with international norms and standards.
Organize and lead peer reviews and validation sessions of the report in relation to the statutes of the NACC in collaboration with the LRC, LACC, OHCHR and UN agencies and other stakeholders.
Qualifications/special skills
At least a master’s degree in law, human rights, or other related social science is required. A minimum of seven years of professional experience as a practicing lawyer, prosecutor, judge, legal consultant or advisor in the field of human rights and/or the fight against corruption is required A minimum of three years of professional experience in legal drafting is required. A minimum of three years of professional experience in providing legal advisory services to national and/or international policy makers on law, human rights or anti-corruption related matters is required. Ability to work under pressure with several tasks and various deadlines.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in spoken and written English is required.