Consultant to Develope a Shadow Bill
Job Description
A woman founded and women led organization operating in the Masvingo and southern part of Midlands Provinces calls for Expressions of Interest from consultants.
The Institute for Community Development in Zimbabwe (ICODZIM) is a woman founded and women led organization operating in the Masvingo and Midlands Provinces of Zimbabwe. The organization envisions “an inclusive, safe, empowered society for the diverse groups of women and girls including those with disabilities.” ICODZIM’s work is centred on improved policy and legislative influence for the benefit of women, girls and men with disability from various political, tribal and socioeconomic backgrounds.
The organization has community structures across all the districts in Masvingo which are Community Action Groups (CAG) and Women’s Forums at ward level; and District Implementation Committees (DICs) at district level. The primary direct beneficiaries of the organization are young women and girls in rural, commercial farm and mining communities; women and girls with disabilities and women and girls living with HIV/AIDS. ICODZIM was created to offer open, safe and inclusive platforms for participation of women in their diversities in a quest to ensure empowerment of women socially and economically. The vision, mission and approach of the organisation are informed by personal experience of founders, community needs assessment and gaps within national policies and; community and national development discourse. The organisation, therefore desires to create platforms for meaningful involvement and effective participation in national, regional and community spaces.
Background
According to the Zimbabwean Constitution, the State must subject to funds put in place measures to bridge the gap between people with disabilities and broader society by creating working programmes that are compatible with their capabilities, prioritize the specific requirements of PWDs in development plans among other provisions (Section 22). Furthermore, the National Disability Policy developed in 2021 also backs the position of persons with disabilities with regards to enjoying human rights. More so, despite Zimbabwe being a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (ratified 2013), CEDAW and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights among others, the democratic context particularly for women and people with disabilities is not favourable due to the lack of comprehensive policy implementation.
The Zimbabwean government has made commitments to a number of international and regional disability instruments and these include the UNCRPD and the African Charter on Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Domestically the 2013 constitution has been viewed as the most progressive constitution as it recognizes disability rights e.g. section 22. However, despite all this progress and the 2021 much celebrated National Disability Policy, Zimbabwe is still using a 1992 Disability Act which was believed to have excluded PWDs, now believed to be irrelevant and centred of on charity models to disability than the progressive human rights models. Now that the country is realigning to the constitution, Parliament has committed to develop and enact a National Disability Act.
It is against this background that the organization would like to engage the services of a consultant to develop a disability model bill that will be used for advocacy purposes for the promotion and protection of the rights of people with disabilities (PWDs). This call invites Expressions of Interest from consultants to conduct a comprehensive gap analysis study to map currently available information on Disability laws and develop a model law that is inclusive, promotes reasonable accommodation, accessibility of disability goods and services that promotes social and human right approaches to disability programming, response and participation.
Duties and Responsibilities
The consultant is expected to develop a Disability Model Law which will be shared with relevant stakeholders and presented to Parliament and the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare. The consultant is therefore expected to;
1. Conduct literature review of the current pieces of legislation that are available, and to identify gaps and opportunities.
2. Develop a gap analysis report.
3. Engage and work with different stakeholders in developing and drafting the Disability Model Law, particularly the technical working group, PWDs, networks and organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs).
4. Present the model law to different stakeholder including Parliament and PWDs and development partners.
Expected Deliverables
The Consultant is expected to produce:
• A Gap Analysis report,
• A draft Shadow Disability Bill report
• A Draft bill for validation that can be used as an alternative to the yet to be government gazetted Disability Bill
• Present the Shadow Disability Bill - The Consultant is expected to present the Shadow Disability Bill to all stakeholders.
Qualifications and Experience
A postgraduate university degree in law; at least five years in research of which at least 2-3 years must be with international law, drafting of laws, human rights law and/or development issues. Experience or conversant with disability international and local instruments. Previous working experience in Zimbabwe in disability programming is an asset.
Competences: Experience and proven competence in liaising with government authorities as well as with internal institutions, NGOs and academia, preferably within the Zimbabwean context. In addition, the candidate must possess strong writing skills.
Application Requirements
All applicant (s) are required to submit at least two copies of relevant publications or previous studies.
Reporting.
The consultant will work with the Programs Unit at the organisation
How to Apply
In light of the above, the organisation wishes to invite suitably qualified consultants to submit expressions of interest as per the scope of work indicated above. Expressions of interest should include the following:
• A Capability Statement;
• Please attach the resume of individual who will undertake the task;
• The consultant’s technical proposal, and methodology of how the task will be accomplished;
• A work plan with detailed activities, milestones, timeframes and fees charged;
• Proposed consultancy fees payment schedule;
• Three contactable referees who must be former employers/clients.
Applications should be directed to: [email protected]
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Location: Masvingo
Company: Institute for Community Development in Zimbabwe (ICODZim)
Expiry Date: 2023-12-08 00:00:00