Job description
Overview & Responsibilities
The International Development Law Organization (IDLO), in collaboration with consortium partners, is implementing the “Strengthening the Social Contract through Access to Justice” programme in Somaliland, funded by the Government of the Netherlands. Known locally as the Damal Programme, the initiative aims to enhance the legitimacy and responsiveness of justice institutions through strengthened Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) systems.
A core function of the ADR centers is to offer referral accompaniment services, a critical component in ensuring that vulnerable individuals—especially survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), persons with disabilities, and those in remote or marginalized areas—receive inclusive, accessible, and trauma-informed justice services. These services connect ADR clients with legal aid, health, psychosocial, and other protection support.
As part of the programme’s focus on sustainability, institutionalization, and policy alignment, this consultancy aims to review current referral accompaniment practices, document lessons (tops, tips, flops), and develop a roadmap for embedding referral policies and laws into the justice framework of Somaliland.
IDLO seeks a short-term Consultant to assess the operational practices, impact, and policy environment surrounding the referral accompaniment services provided by ADR centers. The consultant will also provide strategic guidance on how to institutionalize these practices in policy and law, ensuring improved access to justice for vulnerable populations.
The assignment supports IDLO’s long-term objectives of localization, sustainability, and government ownership of justice service delivery, particularly through the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).
Under the overall supervision of the IDLO Programme Manager and in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice and relevant stakeholders, the Consultant will:
Conduct a Referral Accompaniment System Review
- Map the current referral accompaniment workflows used by ADR centres and Implementing Partners (IPs)
- Analyze key documents, including SOPs, forms, intake sheets, and client-tracking tools
- Assess how ADR centres coordinate with formal justice, health, and protection actors (e.g., police, health centres, shelters, and legal aid providers)
Identify Strengths, Weaknesses, and Gaps
- Document referral accompaniment practices using a Tops, Tips, and Flops framework (successes, best practices, failures)
- Evaluate user experiences, especially of SGBV survivors, women, and other vulnerable groups
- Examine internal coordination, response times, confidentiality, and survivor safety
Recommend Policy and Legal Actions
- Propose legal and institutional pathways for integrating referral accompaniment into justice policy (e.g., through MoJ regulations or guidelines)
- Identify relevant regional or international best practices
- Draft a concept note for the MoJ on the integration of referral accompaniment mechanisms into national access to justice strategies
Deliverables
The final deliverables under this consultancy are:
- Inception report within 5 days after signing the contract agreement.
- Report on the review and evaluation of the referral accompaniment systems as detailed above.
- Final assessment report detailing legal and institutional pathways for integrating referral accompaniment into justice policy (e.g., through MoJ regulations or guidelines), relevant regional or international best practices, and recommendations for operational gaps identified in the evaluation.
- Detailed concept note for the MoJ on the integration of referral accompaniment mechanisms into national access to justice strategies.
Skills and qualifications
Education and Professional Experience
- Advanced degree in Law, Gender Studies, International Development, Human Rights, or related fields.
- Minimum 7 years of relevant professional experience, including: Design and review of referral or case management systems; Working with justice institutions, CSOs, or protection actors; and Developing policy guidance in justice and social protection sectors.
- Field experience in Somaliland or similar post-conflict or fragile settings is advantageous.
Languages
- Outstanding written and verbal skills in English.
Specific knowledge, skills, and competencies
- Strong conceptual and operational understanding of access to justice, SGBV, and referral systems
- Experience in designing and evaluating community-based justice assistance systems
- Excellent analytical, facilitation, and report writing skills
- Proven ability to work in multicultural and sensitive contexts
How to apply
Terms & Conditions
The consultant will be based in Hargeisa, Somaliland, and will travel to selected ADR centres. The expected level of effort is 45 working days over 2 months, starting in May 2025.
The Consultant will be offered a lump-sum fee, including all costs (travel, accommodation, DSA, taxes).
Applications will be screened on a regular basis; a qualified applicant might be recruited before the deadline. In the interest of making the most effective use of resources, only short-listed candidates will be contacted during the selection process.
IDLO is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome applications of qualified candidates of all backgrounds. 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.
Application Deadline: 19 May 2025
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DISCLAIMER
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by the employee assigned to this work. This is not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality and in compliance with IDLO’s policy on personal data protection. The Director-General of IDLO reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities or even to cancel the recruitment to meet business and organizational needs as necessary.
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