Legal Support Officer

Role summary Background and Objective of the assignment : UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change, peace, governance and rule of law. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. UNDP has been working in Afghanistan for more than 50 years on climate change and resilience, gender, governance, health, livelihood, and rule of law. Under the broader framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in close coordination with other UN agencies, UNDP is supporting Afghan people’s aspiration for peace, prosperity, and sustainability. UNDP is currently implementing its flagship crisis response programme, ABADEI (Area Based Approach to Development Emergency Initiatives), as part of the ongoing UN-led response to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe and the breakdown of Afghanistan’s economy following the August 2021 shift in power. The ABADEI Strategy is a tailored area-based integrated programming approach to support basic human needs, complementing short-term humanitarian life-saving assistance with the safeguarding of livelihood and the strengthening of community resilience and social cohesion. It is centered around addressing worsening poverty and vulnerability, supporting community resilience and social cohesion, while promoting access to justice and legal aid and gender equality and women’s empowerment by ensuring vulnerable women and GBV survivors receive legal aid, survivor center supports. Scope of work : Objective of the assignment : Under the direct supervision of Gender Specialist and matrix management with the Area Manager in North East Region, the Legal Support Officer will support women prisoners and their families; as well as GBV survivors in the community to ensure women are empowered with legal advices, improve knowledge and awareness of current legal situation, and support the legal cases by representing in the court hearing and ensure women’s access to justice are ensured without any harms. Duties and responsibilities The key day to day duties are: Legal Defense of Clients in Judicial Institutions 1.1 Support cases of women as female defense lawyers throughout all stages of investigation, trial, and implementation of court decisions, including representing cases for women in the court. 1.2 Support women’s rights issues before the courts or shuras, for example i ssues can include but are not limited to cases of divorce, dowry, inheritance, child custody, SGBV, or protection orders from risk of harm from family etc. 1.3 Drafting Legal Documents: as defense lawyers, prepare and submit legal documents such as petitions, defense statements, objections, appeals, contracts, and other official documents to the relevant authorities. 1.4 Attending Court Hearings: Present at court hearings on the scheduled dates and to actively defend clients’ legal rights in judicial sessions. 1.5 Ensure do no harm if there is a risk of retaliation with exposing identity of a female human rights defenders or survivor of GBV, especially sexual violence and rape victims. 1.6 Ensure Psychological first aid and survivor centered services are integral part of the service provision, including client confidentiality. 2. Legal Aid Support to Women in Prison 2.1 Provide legal advice and services to Afghan women detained in prisons, with pending cases or appeals, and counselling, including support in family counselling with legal advice. 2.2 Ensures all services under activity “Legal Defence of Clients in Judicial Institutions” 2.3 Maintaining Client Confidentiality with highest ethical and moral integrity. Providing Legal Advice to women 3.1 Legal advice also include outreach and advising other women and/or their families on women’s rights issues, addressing legal or rights-related issues, drafting documents, and representation (or simple attendance) of women in court where allowed. 3.2 Support tele-legal advices to women who seeks for support either through referral from GBV Sub Sector or Protection Cluster, PSEAH network or any UNDP area Manager’s referral. 3.3 Support with legal consultation on their rights, applicable laws, and judicial processes, and we suggest appropriate legal solutions. Expertise on Arbitration, Mediation and Outside Court Resolutions 4.1 Provide support women with survivor centered and women-friendly services informed by transparent information sharing and informed choices and decision making by women. 4.2 Where needed and decided by the female clients, ensure the alternative resolutions ensure the safety and social and emotion justices for the clients. 4.3 Where feasible conduct training and capacity building of women adjudicators working with Community Shura/Jirgas. Documentation and Reporting 5.1 Maintain service report, prepare success stores, analyse stories from positive cases, and lessons learned from the cases which could not move further in the current court system. 5.2 Prepare leaflet, knowledge products on access to justice and legal aid support. 5.3 Document the entire client services under “legal case management framework” as follows: - Client Intake & Documentation – Informed Consent and Privacy. Collecting and securely storing legal, personal, and case-related information. - Case Action Planning (CAP)– Legal assessment, Developing legal strategies and Client Planning, and key actions jointly taken with female clients to protect the client’s rights or achieve justice. - Implementation of CAP – Filing cases, following up with courts, liaising with police/ judges, SHURA/ Jirga Members or supporting survivors in accessing justice. Inform the female clients each step. - Coordination – Working with district and provincial courts, SHURA/Jirga where needed, survivors/ female prisoners, social workers. This also include coordination with family members of female prisoners and women client where needed. - Case Closer – Case has been closed either case succeeded or stopped for any reasons. 6. Coordination and Collaboration 6.1 Work in close collaboration with Inter-agencies to support women through referral mechanism. 7. Throughout our work, we act with honesty, neutrality, respect, and integrity. We refrain from any kind of corruption, abuse of authority, or conflict of interest following the principles within UNDP’s standards and ethical behavior. 8. AoB, any other business as asked by Supervisor. Key Deliverables: Weekly Service Report # Clients received formal legal aid [ legal documentation, consultation and representation] by gender [ in this case 100% women] # Clients are provided legal awareness – basic legal information orientation for women and their families. # of Beneficiaries are provided PSS and GBV services. Quarterly Service report % female clients acknowledged improved justices service due to project supports. # of Legal Case management Services are maintained and reported cumulatively per month. Institutional arrangement : Under the guidance and supervision of the Gender Specialist and matrix management with the UNDP Area Manager in North East Region, and in close collaboration with inter-agencies in Takhar. Payment : Monthly bases This is a Kunduz-based assignment, with no travel to other provinces and no separate DSA for travel within Kunduz. Any short travel within Kunduz is covered under the lump-sum amount. Duty station : North East Region, based in Takhar Job requirements Education: Bachelor’s degree Law or Islamic Sharia Law, faculty of Sharia with experience of Practicing Sharia Law. Experiences: · At least 2-3 years of experience working on legal aid · Experience in working directly with Prisoners · Demonstrated expertise on court system, process, institutional mechanism. · Capacity to write in English report while fluent in spoken Pashto/Dari · Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) Competencies: · Strong expertise on legal counseling, legal documentations and knowledge of court hearing system, appeal process and advocating. · Experience in preparing documentations required for outside court resolutions and mediation, arbitration, process. · Attention to detail and ability to type accurately to minimize the risk of errors. · Proven organizational and time-management skills. · Research and data collection skills. · Excellent English written communication skills, combined with analytic capacity and ability to synthesize concepts and findings easily, including for the preparation of reports. · Proficient use of MS Office (especially Word and Excel) and internet is required, and ability to operate standard office equipment. · Strong interpersonal and communication skills. · Teamwork skills, including listening skills, assertive communication and respecting others. ·Displays sensitivity and adaptability to different cultures, genders, religions, races, nationalities, and age groups. · Good team player, self-starter, has ability to work under minimum supervision and maintain good relationships. Special Requirements: · Proficiency in written in English and Ability to communicate in Egnlish. · Native speaker of Dari / Pashto. · Person outside of Takhar don’t need to apply. · Women with Sharia Law expertise only apply.