CT PHARE: Consultant

About the IIJ
The International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law (IIJ) is an organisation located in Malta with a mission to deliver innovative and sustainable capacity-building through the implementation of counterterrorism-related, rule of law-based good practices developed by the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) and other international and regional fora.

Since its inauguration in 2014, the IIJ has trained more than 9,500 criminal justice practitioners through its interactive capacity-building workshops – in Malta and abroad – that enhance the competencies of parliamentarians, judges, prosecutors, police, prison, and other criminal justice practitioners to address terrorism and related transnational criminal activities within a rule of law framework. The IIJ delivers capacity-building training tailored to the needs of the regions it serves, including East and West Africa; North Africa and the Middle East; Southeast Asia. IIJ activities also includes participants from the Western Balkans, Central Asia, and South Asia. Many of the capacity building activities include the participation of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs). For more information on the IIJ, please visit the IIJ’s website https://theiij.org/.

Moreover, the Council Conclusions on EU External Action on Preventing and Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism of June 2020 highlighted the need to strengthen the human rights-compliant criminal justice chain worldwide and noted the critical role played by the GCTF and its inspired institutions –including the IIJ – in promoting these objectives. Therefore, at the end of 2022, in support of the Council Conclusions, the IIJ has launched the CT PHARE project – Counter-Terrorism Platform for Human Rights Engagement, funded by the European Union’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI), with the specific objective to increase the degree to which states’ counterterrorism policies, legislation, and judicial strategies, in addition to day-to-day investigation and prosecution practices, comply with internationally recognised human rights standards – both on the policy and the operational levels.

Consultancy Position

The IIJ is seeking applications from expert practitioners to support the delivery of CT PHARE upcoming planned activities. The project will particularly emphasise IIJ’s core remit to engage with counter-terrorism practitioners working within the judiciary, prosecutors, defence lawyers, law enforcement, security agencies, as well as CSOs from beneficiary countries in the North and West Africa regions in developing a set of practical recommendations tailored to the respective national contexts to eliminate excessive and/or abusive pre-trial detention measures and to promote a more human rights-oriented culture, including the respect for the right to fair trial in counter-terrorism cases.

In this context, and in support of the Council Conclusions on EU External Action on Preventing and Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism of June 2020, the IIJ has launched the CT PHARE facility, funded by the European Union’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI), with the specific objective to increase the degree to which states’ counterterrorism policies, legislation, and judicial strategies, in addition to day-to-day investigation and prosecution practices, comply with internationally-recognised human rights standards – both on the policy and the operational levels.

The expert will develop and deliver two (2) capacity building activities bespoke to support the implementation of the Hague Memorandum Good Practice 5 on the right to a fair trial and the Rabat Memorandum Good Practice 7 on lawful arrest and pre-trial detention to enable practitioners to adopt appropriate laws and procedures in compliance with internationally recognised human rights standards and to put into practice the two above-mentioned Memoranda.

General key tasks and deliverables

Under the overall guidance of the IIJ Executive Secretary, the expert will work closely with the Project Lead and the Project Manager in charge of the implementation of CT PHARE.

The expert will be required to deliver the two (2) capacity building activities for selected francophone and anglophone speakers’ practitioners. The delivery should be in-person in October 2024 in Algiers (Algeria) with Francophone African countries and in early December 2024 in Accra (Ghana) with Anglophone African countries, for a duration of 4 days for each workshop.

The expert will be expected to be overseas in advance to coordinate with the IIJ’s CT PHARE team.

During these activities, and in coordination with the IIJ’s CT PHARE team and other external consultants, the expert will facilitate discussions and exchange of good practices. He/She will also adapt, moderate, and evaluate participants’ knowledge and skills, according to criteria pre-established by the IIJ. Finally, following the delivery of the capacity building activities, the expert will be required to submit a post activity report, using the IIJ’s template.

Specific key tasks and deliverables for the Pre-trial detention and the right to a fair trial Capacity
Building Activity taking place in Algeria (tbc) 21-24 October 2024

• The expert will be required to prepare and deliver presentations during the Pre-trial detention and the right to a fair trial activity on topics to be assigned by the Project Lead. The delivery should be in-person in Algier, Algeria from 21 to 24 October 2024.
• The expert will be expected to be in Algier one day in advance to coordinate with the IIJ’s CT PHARE team.
• During the capacity building activity, and in coordination with the IIJ’s CT PHARE team and other external consultants, the expert will facilitate discussions and exchange of good practices.
• The expert will be required to take notes and summary of key discussions during some of the sessions as assigned by the Project Lead.
• Finally, following the completion of the activity, the expert will be required to submit a post-activity report with her/his notes, using the IIJ’s template.

Specific key tasks and deliverables for the Pre-trial detention and the right to a fair trial Capacity Building Activity taking place in Ghana (tbc), December 2024:

• The expert will be required to prepare and deliver presentations during the Pre-trial detention and the right to a fair trial activity on topics to be assigned by the Project Lead. The delivery should be in-person in Accra, Ghana in early December 2024 (dates to be confirmed).
• The expert will be expected to be in Accra one day in advance to coordinate with the IIJ’s CT PHARE team.
• During the capacity building activity, and in coordination with the IIJ’s CT PHARE team and other
  external consultants, the expert will facilitate discussions and exchange of good practices.
• The expert will be required to take notes and summary of key discussions during some of the sessions as assigned by the Project Lead.
• Finally, following the completion of the activity, the expert will be required to submit a post-activity
  report with her/his notes, using the IIJ’s template.

Consultant criteria and qualifications for both activities:

• Experience of delivering capacity building and awareness-raising activities on pre-trial detention and the right to a fair trial, on human rights- and terrorism-related.
• Experience in using interactive methods to enhance the learning experience and encourage the participants to share their own good practices, tools, and challenges.
• Experience of working internationally with counter-terrorism practitioners (judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement), policymakers and CSOs.
• Familiarity with the North and West Africa regions, and previous interactions with these regions.

Deadline for applications

All interested applicants meeting the qualifications should submit a cover letter and resume to the IIJ
Executive Secretariat at hr@theiij.org and ameriof@theiij.org clearly stating “CT PHARE_PTD2024” in the subject line. The deadline for submission is 01 July 2024.