Background:

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.

The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (UN Women) is committed to advancing gender equality, empowering women and girls, and ensuring the fulfillment of their human rights. Its Strategic Plan (2022-2025) serves as a global framework for driving catalytic and innovative programs that support these objectives. In Ethiopia, the UN Women Country Office (ECO) aligns its efforts with the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) while contributing to UN Women’s global outcomes across six thematic priority areas: Women’s Economic Empowerment, Coordination for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, National Planning and Budgeting, Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action, Women in Leadership and Governance, and Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG).

Under the EVAWG pillar, UN Women works collaboratively with government agencies, civil society organizations, and UN partners across development and humanitarian contexts. These efforts aim to strengthen legal and policy frameworks to protect women, girls, and survivors of violence; expand access to legal, social, and healthcare services; challenge discriminatory social norms that perpetuate gender-based violence; enhance coordination mechanisms for multi-sectorial responses; and improve data collection and analysis to inform policy decisions.

As part of its commitment to strengthening legal and institutional frameworks, UN Women Ethiopia has been supporting the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in improving federal and regional coordination and data management systems related to violence against women and children (VAWC). This initiative includes enhancing institutional capacity to advocate for, adopt, and implement legislative frameworks that effectively address gender-based violence.

To advance this work, the MoJ is seeking to update its legal research on gaps in the Ethiopian criminal code regarding VAWC crimes. The original research was conducted in 2021, and an updated review is necessary to inform policy discussions and legislative reforms. In this context, UN Women is hiring an experienced national consultant to finalize the preliminary findings. This consultancy will be carried out under the direct supervision and guidance of the MoJ with the technical and financial support from UN Women Ethiopa. The consultant will work in close coordination with the MoJ’s designated technical committee and ensure that all activities, deliverables, and engagements are aligned with the Ministry’s priorities and oversight.

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

Objective 

The primary objective of this consultancy  work is to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the preliminary research findings on gaps within the Ethiopian criminal code related to violence against women and children (VAWC). This analysis aims to ensure that conclusions are substantiated with additional data, aligned with international legal standards, and provide actionable recommendations for legislative and institutional reform to strengthen Ethiopia’s legal response to VAWC. 

Specific Objectives

• Review and critically analyze existing research findings from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to identify key legal gaps and inconsistencies in the Ethiopian criminal code regarding VAWC.
• Substantiate research findings through additional data collection and analysis to reinforce conclusions and provide evidence-based insights.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of current legislative frameworks in addressing violence against women and children, incorporating criminological and sociological perspectives on gender-based crimes.
• Develop practical recommendations for legal reforms and institutional mechanisms to enhance the coordinated response to VAWC.
• Prepare a comprehensive report summarizing key findings, legislative gaps, and proposed amendments aimed at improving Ethiopia’s legal framework on VAWC.
• Engage with key stakeholders, including legal experts, policymakers, and gender specialists, to gather insights and ensure alignment with broader justice sector reforms.

Scope of work and deliverables 

• Research Review & Validation
  • Critically assess the preliminary research findings and ensure methodological accuracy.
  • Validate conclusions through comparative legal analysis and relevant case studies including court cases.
  • Identify inconsistencies or gaps in the existing data and suggest improvements.
• Legal Gap Analysis
  • Analyses the gaps in the revised criminal code laws addressing VAWC.
  • Compare Ethiopia’s legal framework with international conventions and best practices.
  • Highlight vagueness, ambiguities, and areas requiring legislative amendments.
• Data Collection & Evidence Strengthening
  • Incorporate additional qualitative and quantitative data to substantiate findings, including court cases analysis.
  • Engage key stakeholders to capture firsthand experiences.
  • Use legal precedents including the FDRE Supreme court cassation decision and documented cases to support recommendations.
• Legislative & Policy Recommendations
  • Propose specific legal amendments to improve protection, prevention, and prosecution of VAWC-related crimes.
  • Suggest policy interventions that enhance survivor-centered justice mechanisms.
• Stakeholder Consultation & Validation
  • Based the guidance of the MoJ engage with relevant officials and stakeholders.
  • Incorporate feedback from stakeholders to refine the final outputs.
• Final Report & Presentation
  • Develop a comprehensive, well-documented final report with actionable policy recommendations in Amharic and its summary in English
  • Present findings to relevant government and UN agencies.
  • Provide a roadmap for implementation, including potential legal reform strategies.

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

The consultancy will be home-based, reporting to Programe Specialist-EVAWG with regular communication with the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the UN Women Ethiopia Country Office (ECO) EVAWG team. To ensure comprehensive data collection, the consultant will engage with relevant federal institutions and stakeholders, facilitating access to essential information for the analysis and finalization of the research findings.

Competencies :

Core Values:

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

Core Competencies:

• 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: 

Functional Competencies:

• Strong understanding of criminal law, gender-based violence legislations, and international human rights frameworks. 
• Excellent ability to review, synthesize, and validate complex legal findings using both qualitative and quantitative methods
• Capacity to identify gaps and propose evidence-based legal and policy reforms.
• Ability to write in a clear and concise manner and to communicate effectively 
• Ability to produce high-quality legal reports and policy recommendations that align with institutional frameworks
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback
• Meets deadlines for delivery of products or services
• Skills in advising institutions on legislative improvements and supporting policy implementation efforts.

Education and Certification:

• A master's degree in law, criminal law, criminology or related fields.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• At least 5 years of professional experience in legal research, gender-based violence policy analysis, or human rights advocacy.
• Proven experience in criminal law and justice sector reform, particularly in addressing crimes against women and children.
• Expertise in legal gap analysis, legislative review, and drafting policy recommendations.
• Strong background in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, including case study analysis and stakeholder engagement.
• The consultant shall engage an additional expert or a team of experts with specialized knowledge in social research or the ability to incorporate sociological perspectives into the analysis of legal gaps.

Languages:

• Excellent knowledge of written and oral communication in English and Amharic. 
• Capacity to communicate fluently with different stakeholders 
• Computer skills: full command of Microsoft applications (word, excel, PowerPoint) and data encoding software.

Statements :

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

Diversity and inclusion:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)

Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.