Vacancies

Geneva Call, (Appel de Genève) a neutral and impartial humanitarian organization dedicated to engaging armed non-State actors (NSAs) towards compliance with the norms of international humanitarian law and human rights law, is recruiting a Senior Programme Officer.

CLOSED

Geneva Call is seeking a consultant in IHL and relevant international human rights standards, preferably also with a military background, to work on a project to develop and implement a set of training modules directed towards armed non-State actors (ANSAs). The consultant is to work, in coordination with a lead consultant, on one of four modules. The project comprises adult training modules in landmines and IEDs, gender-based violence and the protection of women in armed conflict, children in armed conflict, and the module concerned here: humanitarian norms in situations of armed conflict and armed violence (IHL and relevant international human rights standards).

Written applications in English with CV and relevant references are requested by Thursday 6 October 18.00 (GMT +1) to hr_ihl@genevacall.org

IHL/IHRL Consultant
Training Module in international humanitarian norms for armed non-State actors

Context
Geneva Call and FSD (Fondation Suisse de Déminage) are working together to implement a project with funding from a major European donor which runs to December 2012. This projects aims to develop a series of training modules to support Geneva Call’s work with armed non-State actors (ANSAs). FSD is lead agency while Geneva Call provides the content and implementation of the training modules. Part of the project will produce four training modules – on landmines and IEDs, gender-based violence and the protection of women in armed conflict, children in armed conflict, and humanitarian norms in situations of armed conflict and armed violence (i.e. IHL and relevant international human rights standards).

Objective
The IHL consultant will work with Geneva Call and FSD to develop the training module on “humanitarian norms applicable to armed non-State actors in situations of armed conflict or violence”. The specific purpose is to inform and train mid to high level political and military leadership of armed non-State actors around the world in IHL and relevant international human rights standards. The emphasis will be on operationalizing these standards into military training, education, doctrine and practice, maintaining an understanding of the inherent and practical differences between State and non-State military capacities and structures, and recognising field-related specifics and constraints that armed non-State actors may have. The module will also address legal obligations and accountability deriving from such norms. In some cases, trainees may be members of community based organisations working in ANSA-controlled or –influenced areas and appropriate to the constituencies of the ANSAs, rather than the ANSAs themselves.

This training module will be developed with particular reference to the context and everyday constraints of non-international conflict and the participation of armed non-State actors. This humanitarian norms module will feed in to a training resource that is being prepared by a consultant in adult education. The two consultants will have free access to each other and their collaboration would be expected to enhance the project as a whole.

The project is designed to improve the participants’ capacity to ensure better respect for humanitarian norms, especially concerning the protection of civilians and humanitarian actors in the context of armed conflict and violence. Secondly, the project will support the capacity for Geneva Call’s own training staff.

Specific role of the Consultant

Overview
The IHL consultant will, together with Geneva Call’s Legal Adviser, begin by drawing up and agreeing the relevant themes, module framework and table of contents by 1st week from signature. The consultant should propose a preliminary draft by 15 November 2011 and a final draft by 31 December 2011.

Detailed functions

The Consultant will:
- familiarize him/herself with the dossier provided by Geneva Call with respect to the Training Project,
- familiarize him/herself with the profiles of ANSAs that will receive the training, and the conflicts that they are involved in
- define with Geneva Call, its Legal Adviser, and adult education consultant, the training content and structure of the module
- produce the content of the humanitarian norms training module in English under the oversight of Geneva Call’s Legal Adviser. This includes theoretical components and particularly operational simulation exercises
- collaborate with the Adult Education Consultant to ensure the training material is consistent with the other 3 modules
- propose and agree a work schedule with regular milestones and physical and electronic reviews and updates
- participate in regular monitoring and reporting to ensure communication on the fulfilment of the stages on time, the milestones met by each party and problems solved.
- (NB. the consultant will not be responsible for the technical layout and design of the final document)

Key skills, technical background, and experience required

Essential:
- training experience in the operationalization of international law relevant to military and security operations
- excellent knowledge of International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law especially applicable in the context of non-international conflict and other situations of violence
- experience with armed non-state actors and non-international conflict situations
- experience in drafting training materials, both for military as well as non-specialist civil society audiences
- excellent spoken and written English
Desirable:
- relevant military background is highly desirable
- experience in Senior Workshop on International Rules Governing Military Operations (SWIRMO) or other similar training programme
- Master’s degree in the law related to armed conflict (International humanitarian, human rights and criminal law)

Reporting Structure
The Consultant will work in close coordination with the Geneva Call/FSD team at all stages of the process. Administratively, he/she will report to the Head of Communications of Geneva Call as project manager for Geneva Call on the wider project.

Confidentiality clause
The Consultant will be requested to keep the strictest confidentiality about all information regarding participants and trainees in the contract, their respective organisations and the matters discussed during the contract. This confidentiality clause remains valid indefinitely, and covers both oral and written communication about the contract, its contents and the individuals and organisations involved. Exceptions to this clause require the express consent of Geneva Call.

Contract Terms
It is expected that the work described will be completed in 25 consultancy days.

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