Mission and objectives

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), a key UN member since 1945 and active in Iraq since 1976, is dedicated to aiding the country's transition to stability and reform. Aligned with the government's vision, UNDP strives for a resilient Iraq by addressing social, economic, environmental, and political challenges. One of its primary goals is to fortify institutions, ensuring they provide inclusive, evidence-based, and gender-responsive services, with a focus on vulnerable populations. This involves promoting transparent, accountable governance to safeguard the rights of marginalized groups and foster citizen trust in the state. The Support to Justice Initiatives curbing Corruption and promoting Commercial Dispute Resolution (ACAI) project, part of the governance portfolio, aims to combat corruption and advance commercial dispute resolution in Iraq. It has five key outcomes: refining the legal and strategic framework for anti-corruption, boosting the capabilities of the justice sector to handle corruption cases, strengthening legislation and institutions for commercial dispute resolution, garnering parliamentary support for anti-corruption reforms, and enhancing transparency and public accountability. The Trial Monitoring (TM) Programme, falling under output 2, specifically focuses on monitoring high-level corruption cases in Iraq's specialized courts.

Context

Iraq has had decades of conflict, insecurity and political instability which have created deep-seated grievances, low levels of social cohesion including tensions between communities and institutions. In addition, there is the ongoing return and reintegration of persons from both IDP camps and Al Hol in northeast Syria who often do not have equal access to all basic services such as social welfare, education, water, sanitation, healthcare etc. while simultaneously facing further exclusion from social settings. Climate related disasters and local resource disputes have also led to persistent conflicts for housing, land and livelihoods. All of these factors create a threat to long-term, sustainable peace and social cohesion, especially in areas that are fragile and affected by conflict. To address these threats to long-term peace and social cohesion, UNDP in Iraq, through the Social Cohesion pillar, supports both national and community-based peace building and conflict prevention approaches that enhance trust, inclusion and resilience in local communities through networked infrastructures for peace. The Research & Conflict Prevention Specialist will report directly to the designated supervisor within the Social Cohesion Pillar. As a Research & Conflict Prevention Specialist you will work closely with community groups, local peace structures and other stakeholders; contribute to the collection, management and analysis of early warning data; and, collaborate with government counterparts and institutions responsible for conflict prevention and response. Key areas of work and examples of UNDP Iraq actions: Inclusion: UNDP has established Youth Peace Groups and Women Peace Groups in governorates with high levels of returns following the ISIS-linked conflict to build the capacity of and promote the inclusion in direct decision making of these often-marginalized demographics. UNDP has established a group of women faith-based peacebuilders to develop a platform from which women in faith can lead inter-faith dialogue. UNDP supports tribal and religious leader dialogues with the Government to ensure open and constructive channels of communication at the national level. Conflict Prevention: UNDP works with the Office of the National Security Advisor to support the National Combatting Violence Extremism Committee to enhance data collection and analysis, review related legislative frameworks, promote human rights-based approaches to PVE and localize the national PVE Strategy through governorate-level committees, Plans of Action and support to local CSO-led PVE initiatives. UNDP is supporting the establishment of community-based early warning and early response systems to enable local peace actors to collaborate in identifying, prioritizing and directing preventative actions towards emerging conflict risks. Knowledge: UNDP supported the establishment of the Iraq Peace Studies Network—a collective of 7 public Iraqi Universities researching and teaching peace and conflict studies in Iraq—and their leadership of several research projects. UNDP is conducting a Social Cohesion and Reconciliation Index in Iraq to provide longitudinal, comprehensive data related to social cohesion to support evidence-based programming and policy making. Reconciliation & Reintegration: UNDP supports the safe and sustainable return of persons from Al Hol camp in Syria to Iraq, and those returning from IDP camps inside Iraq,

Task Description

The Research & Conflict Prevention Specialist will carry out the following key responsibilities: 1) Analysis, Policy Advice and Development: • Provide regular situational analysis on socio-economic and political developments in Iraq and its implications; • Prepare background papers, reports, briefing notes and talking points on developments and Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding related topics in Iraq, as requested; • Support the Social Cohesion team in providing advisory support to national and sub-regional institutions for the development and implementation of gender-sensitive peacebuilding policies; • Support the development of capacity building tools on CPPB for national and civil society stakeholders; • Research and analyses information relating to community-based tensions and recommend tailored actions to prevent or lower tensions, as well as to improve the system of identifying tensions. 2) Programme Development and Implementation: • Provide programmatic support for the conceptualization, development and implementation of conflict prevention and peacebuilding programmes, including drafting Concept Notes and Offers in thematic and contextual areas of relevance to Iraq and UNDP; • Work with the Social Cohesion team to prepare presentations and briefing notes for senior management, donors and government officials on CPPB. • Support the development of annual work plans, ToRs and Call for Proposal (CfPs) relating to Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding. 3) Partnerships, Resource Mobilization and Representation: • Support the coordination of the inter-agency UN Working Group on National Dialogue and Peaceful Coexistence, including leading in preparing presentations, agendas, meeting setup and the documentation of minutes and action points; • Support strategic partnerships with national institutions, inter-governmental organizations, development partners, civil society and think-tanks; • Organize, and where necessary lead, field missions for team members and donors, including ensuring all stakeholders are fully briefed; • Engage in networking and alliance building with civil society and academia to support knowledge sharing and innovation. 4) Knowledge Management and Reporting: • Support the field based monitoring of activities and the preparation of field monitoring/observation reports. • Support the timely preparation of results-driven progress reports, trend analysis reports, briefing papers and communications documents. • Support the maintenance of project records and documentation including summaries and databases; • Develop success stories of UNDP’s impact, including supporting story development and publication.

Competencies and values

• Accountability • Adaptability and flexibility • Creativity • Judgement and decision-making • Planning and organising • Professionalism • Self-management

Living conditions and remarks

Baghdad is a Category C hardship duty station and a non-family duty station. The Rest and Recuperation (R&R) cycle for the Baghdad duty station is 8 weeks, with the designated place of R&R being Amman. Movement of international staff is restricted and takes place in UN vehicles. Working for the UN in Iraq provides an interesting and enriching environment, but also requires a mature level of cultural awareness, as well as more stamina and commitment than elsewhere. Therefore, flexibility and the ability and willingness to live and work in harsh and potentially hazardous conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort, are essential. As this is an international UN Volunteer specialist assignment, the HE will be responsible for arranging volunteer housing. International UN Volunteers receive a volunteer living allowance to sustain a basic, adequate, and safe lifestyle. This allowance varies from one location to another depending on local living costs, but all International UN Volunteers specialists in the same location receive the same allowance. Below is a summary of the Conditions of Service. Allowances The purpose of allowances for international UN Volunteers specialists is to enable the international UN Volunteers to sustain modest and secure standard of living at the duty station. Monthly Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) at the amount of USD 2,516.22 Entry lump sum: USD 4000 Exit allowance (paid on successful completion of the assignment); USD 225 per each month. Annual and learning leaves Medical and life Insurance Free access to different learning platforms. For more information on UN Volunteer benefits, entitlements and support, please visit: https://www.unv.org/volunteer-your-country-conditions-service