Consultancy - EXPERT TO DEVELOP TRAINING MANUAL ON ADMINISTRATION OF SGBV CASES FOR THE JUDICIARY

Overview and Responsibilities

On March 10, 2022, Chief Justice Martha Koome took a significant step in addressing the pressing issue of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in Kenya by inaugurating the country's first SGBV court at Shanzu Law Courts. This milestone marked a pivotal response to the urgent need to tackle the pervasive and deeply concerning problem of SGBV, which has had far-reaching social, psychological, and physical implications for survivors within the nation. The establishment of these specialized SGBV courts is part of a broader and holistic effort to reform the legal system, making it more supportive and responsive to the unique needs of SGBV survivors while actively working to prevent and combat SGBV at all levels of society.

The establishment of the SGBV court seeks to address the distressing prevalence of SGBV cases within Kenya, providing a specialized and dedicated forum to handle these sensitive matters. Moreover, the SGBV court is instrumental in enhancing access to justice for victims and survivors of SGBV, addressing the historical barriers that often hinder survivors from reporting and accessing the legal system. The court is founded on a victim-centred approach, which means that, in addition to pursuing justice against perpetrators, it also prioritizes the support, protection, and well-being of survivors during legal proceedings.

To address the judicial sector's preparedness to tackle SGBV cases effectively, a curriculum for continuous capacity development is necessary. Considering the role played by judges and judicial officers in adjudicating SGBV matters, there is a need to ensure cohesive coordination of all training conducted by the judiciary and other stakeholders. The overall purpose of this training manual is to provide judicial officers with relevant knowledge and skills that are needed to effectively resolve SGBV matters. These courses will be offered through the KJA e-learning platform to judges, magistrates, registrars and deputy registrars, adjudicators, and court assistants working on SGBV cases in Kenya, and, as much as possible, in-person trainings on SGBV as well.

IDLO in partnership with the judiciary, is seeking to develop a training manual on the administration of SGBV matters for SGBV courts. The manual will facilitate judges,  judicial officers, and judiciary staff to administer a victim-centred approach to justice. Under the supervision of IDLO and the Judiciary, the expert will be responsible for performing the following duties:

1. Conduct an online capacity needs assessment report that identifies and determines the training requirements and needs to effectively administer justice on SGBV matters, including contemporary issues.
2. Facilitate inclusive stakeholder engagement on the draft training manual on the administration of SGBV for the Judiciary.
3. Develop annotated outline of the training manual on the administration of SGBV cases.
4. Develop a responsive, self-paced, and inclusive training manual on the administration of SGBV for the judiciary.
5. Conduct a pilot implementation of the manual during the training for judges, judicial officers and judicial staff.
6. Develop a Service Charter for the SGBV Courts.

The consultant will deliver the following:

1. An inception report,
2. Capacity needs assessment
3. Self-paced and inclusive training manual on the administration of SGBV for the Judiciary.
4. A pilot training for judicial staff.
5. Service Charter for the SGBV Courts.

Education, Professional Experience and Languages

• Hold a university degree in law, social science, public policy, gender, governance, or any other relevant field.
• Outstanding written and verbal skills in English.

Specific knowledge, skills, and competencies

• A minimum of 15 years of professional experience in conducting training and other capacity-building initiatives within the criminal justice sector
• Demonstrated in-depth expertise on the legal, policy, and institutional frameworks for gender-based violence and gender justice.
• An understanding of the structure and operations of the SGBV Court and the Judiciary of Kenya SGBV Strategy.
• Demonstrated previous experience working with or within the justice sector is desirable.

Technical competencies

• Ability to work independently and flexibly.
• Ability to deliver on agreed-upon outputs and respond to feedback in a timely and professional manner.
• Possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including strong writing and presentation skills in the English language.
• High levels of integrity and the ability to maintain confidentiality.

IDLO is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity in all areas of its operations. We welcome applications of qualified and diverse candidates. IDLO is committed to achieving a 50/50 gender balance at all levels within its workforce. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for IDLO vacancies. 

IDLO does not tolerate sexual exploitation or abuse, any kind of harassment, including harassment of a sexual nature; or discrimination. As such, IDLO will conduct careful reference and background checks of all selected candidates as part of its selection process.  

In the interest of making most effective use of resources, only the short-listed candidates will be contacted during the selection process. 

Application deadline: 25 November 2023.