TERMS OF REFERENCES

Function: Local expert to conduct an analysis of the current curricular program of the Academy of Justice (AJ) for children and juvenile justice, to assess needs for improvement / amendment of the current program and develop new curricular program of AJ on international and European standards for children's rights and juvenile justice, interviewing techniques and friendly communication with children.

Place of Work: Kosovo wide

Project name: Strengthening access to justice system for girls and boys, through delivery of the capacity building programme on diversion and education measures for justice for children professionals in Kosovo.

Coalition of NGOs for Child Protection in Kosovo – KOMF, established in 2011, is a coalition composed of 34 local and international NGOs working in the child protection field, with the joint mission to advocate and protect the rights of children in Kosovo.

KOMF is implementing the project “Strengthening access to justice system for girls and boys, through delivery of the capacity building programme on diversion and education measures for justice for children professionals in Kosovo”, which is financially supported by European Union in Kosovo in partnership with UNICEF Kosovo Programme. The project has two main objectives: 1. Improve the performance of the justice system for children and minors is improved; 2. Strengthen capacities of professionals from juvenile justice system for the effective execution of the new “Police warning” as a diversity measure.The project aims to incorporate a component on international and European standards for children's rights and juvenile justice, as well as techniques for interviewing and communicating with children in a friendly manner during legal proceedings.

In the frame of the first objective, KOMF is publishing the announcement for the recruitment of a local individual expert to:

• To conduct and draft an analysis of the current curricular program of the Academy of Justice (AJ) for children and juvenile justice, to assess needs for improvement / amendment of the current program
• To develop new curricular program of AJ on international and European standards for children's rights and juvenile justice, interviewing techniques and friendly communication with children during court proceedings.
  

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

The primary objective of this assignment is to conduct an analysis of the current curricular program at the Academy of Justice for children and juvenile justice. Based on the analysis, the expert will identify areas requiring improvement or amendment and develop a new curricular program aligned with international and European standards for children's rights and juvenile justice.

Background:

In the area of juvenile justice, Kosovo has made significant progress in the past years to align its legislation to European and international standards and practices, including the provision of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). In 2018, the Kosovo Assembly endorsed the revision of the Juvenile Justice Code, and in 2019 approved the Child Protection Law. The revised Juvenile Justice Code aims to enable better protection and reintegration of juveniles in contact with the law, enhance implementation of diversion measures, reduce the length of pre-trial detention from 12 months to a maximum of six months, protects children under the age of criminal responsibility – i.e. those under 14 years of age, and introduces free legal aid and psychosocial services for the protection of child victims and witnesses.

Despite the achieved progress on advancing the legal and policy framework and ongoing reforms under the child protection and justice for children system in Kosovo the main challenges remain the translation of the existing laws into action and the development and implementation of prevention, protection and reintegration programmes for vulnerable children. The revised Juvenile Justice Code has introduced new diversion measures, from 8 to 16 (article 20 of the Juvenile Justice Code) that play a crucial role in preventing the initiation of court proceedings against juveniles and fostering their rehabilitation and reintegration into society. In recent years, there has been a decrease in the application of these measures for juveniles in the juvenile justice system in Kosovo, raising concerns about the potential consequences on the lives of juveniles and their chances for successful rehabilitation. One reason behind the decline is the lack of training for juvenile justice professionals, such as police officers, prosecutors, judges, lawyers, and other social workers in contact with children who do not systematically receive child sensitive training.

In partnership with the Academy of Justice (AJ), KOMF aims to enhance the existing curriculum by integrating a module focused on international and European standards for children's rights and juvenile justice, and gender perspective. This initiative aligns with the broader goal of establishing an equitable justice system that treats children's rights with dignity. The expert will also analyze the current curriculum to assess its adequacy and identify areas for enhancement. To facilitate the development of comprehensive curriculum program, a working group composed by justice and child protection professionals will be established. This group will be tasked to review and draft the modules within the domain of the Juvenile Justice Code, and the civil and criminal legislation.

The curriculum's design will be in line to principles of equity, with a deliberate focus on facilitating inclusive access for all children, particularly those who have endured profound deprivations. The paramount objective is to establish an equitable justice system, wherein children’s rights will be treated with dignity. The curriculum plays a crucial role in creating a fair and respectful environment for every child. By focusing on these aspects, it becomes a key tool in providing a top-notch justice framework that recognizes children's rights and protects their dignity.

Deliverables:

1. Analysis report on the current curricular program of the Academy of Justice, for children and juvenile justice.
2. New curricular program for the Academy of Justice on international and European standards for children's rights and juvenile justice, including interviewing techniques and friendly communication with children.

Supervisor: Project Coordinator

Start Date: April 2024

End Date: May 2024

Number of Working Days: 13 Days

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• Master's degree in Law, Social Sciences, or related disciplines.
• At least five (5) years of experience in legal and policy frameworks on children's rights, child and social protection, and juvenile justice.
• Expertise in developing curricular program related to children's rights and juvenile justice.
• Previous engagement with government, international agencies, NGOs, and donors.
• Familiarity with Non-Governmental Organizations.
• Excellent command of English language.

Application submission:

Interested candidates should submit the following documents via email to [email protected] :

1. CV
2. Portfolio of previous work or sample related to developing curricular programs, conducting training sessions, or any relevant tasks in this field.
3. Financial offer with proposed daily and total fee (Gross). The financial proposal must include the statement of the validity of the proposal, at least four weeks from the submission date;

Quality Evaluation

The quality of the applications will be evaluated using the evaluation criteria in the evaluation grid below.

Deadline for submission:

The application must be received by the latest on April 4, 2024, by midnight. Applications must be submitted in English. Proposals received after the deadline or in other languages will not be considered.

Please note that only selected candidates from their documentation will be notified for the interview.

The selected consultant will read and sign the service contract, together with the below listed documents: KOMF child protection policy, policy against sexual exploitation and abuse and job description. The mentioned document constitutes the integral parts of the employment agreement between the employer and the consultant.