National Consultant at United Nations

Background of the assignment:

In Kenya, most of the radicalized and violent extremist prisoners end up incarcerated in understaffed and under-resourced correctional facilities turning prisons into potential incubators for radicalization and recruitment of prisoners into violent extremism. The threat of radicalization and violent extremism in correctional facilities is greater in the absence of clear and comprehensive rehabilitation and social reintegration programmes that equip the prisoners with social, literacy, educational and training skills that enable them to garner entrepreneurial acumen, secure employment and engage in income generating activities upon release. Addressing these needs would play an important role in supporting resilience and addressing the underlying permissive factors that lead to violent extremism. Kenyan prison services and persons that deal professionally with violent extremist prisoners – particularly children in conflict with the law, youth and women, sentenced for terrorism and violence extremism – do not have adequate capacity to effectively manage the threat, or have the tools and resources to facilitate the prisoners’ effective and comprehensive rehabilitation and social reintegration. Furthermore, prisoners have to contend with stigma upon release thus posing barrier to being economically independent through income generating activities and securing employment.

UNODC intends to work in close coordination with relevant stakeholders in the development of a clear, comprehensive and effective rehabilitation and social reintegration program for young female prisoners / children in conflict with the law in Kenya, with the objective of addressing capacity gaps and risk management in rehabilitation centres and borstal institutions; and recidivism through rehabilitation, vocational training and social reintegration initiatives.

Purpose of the assignment:

The purpose of the assignment is twofold: 

• to determine which programs, services and practices are the most relevant and effective in meeting the rehabilitation and reintegration needs of young female prisoners / children in conflict with the law in Kenya; and
• to determine the capacity and risk management needs of the rehabilitation centres and borstal institutions.

Specific tasks to be performed by the consultant:

Under the overall supervision of the Regional Representative in the UNODC Regional Office for Eastern Africa (ROEA) and the direct supervision of the UNODC ROEA Head of the Criminal Justice Programme, and in close cooperation and consultation with the Justice Section at the UNODC HQ in Vienna, Prisons Service and the Children’s Department in Kenya, the national consultant will perform the following substantive duties and responsibilities:

• Carry out a situation analysis across Kenya on the:
  • Existing rehabilitation programs, services and practices;
  • Existing community-based interventions and diversion programs at various levels i.e. police and prosecutor;
  • Identify gaps in the children remand homes considering that they are the entry point to rehabilitation centres; and

• Capacity of the Prison and Probation and After Care Staff, and social workers in managing the prisoners with a clear highlight on the management of violent extremists.

  • In parallel with situational analysis, map both state and non-state institutional services in the country in regards to reintegration of children back to the community.
  • Come up with clear recommendations to inform the development of an effective rehabilitation and social reintegration program and its implementation plan as well as identified priority areas of collaboration between agencies.
  • Facilitate a consultative meeting with relevant stakeholders including judiciary, prison service, children’s department, among others on the findings and recommendations of the assessment as well as establish a way forward in the development of the rehabilitation and social reintegration program.
• Develop rehabilitation and social reintegration program. The program should include: 
  • Specific Programs that would be carried out from the commencement of incarceration;
  • A tailor made behaviour modification approach taking into consideration the cultural background, existing system at the borstal institutions or rehabilitation centres and types of crimes committed by the offenders;
  • Guidelines to follow so as to ensure that each offender is assigned a rehabilitation plan that suits his/her abilities and caters for his/her needs;
  • Assessment formats. Each offender needs to be assessed in various areas prior to beginning his/her rehabilitation e.g. educational, vocational and behavioural and psychosocial background;

• The pathway that an offender should accomplish in order to gain parole and opportunity to be reintegrated into the community.

  • Develop a holistic approach and a comprehensive follow up mechanism after exit to evaluate the effectiveness/impact of the program.
  • Facilitate a consultative meeting with relevant stakeholders including judiciary, prison service, and children’s department, among others on the draft developed program.
  • Review by incorporating comments or inputs received from the stakeholders and finalize the draft for printing.
  • Organize a validation/launch workshop for the Rehabilitation and reintegration program.
  • Complete a comprehensive final report of the assignment at the end of the consultancy.

4. Expected tangible and measurable output(s)/deliverable(s):

• A final Situation Analysis and institution mapping Report including its findings and recommendations.
• Facilitation of two consultative meetings on the assessment and on the draft rehabilitation and reintegration program.
• A final rehabilitation and reintegration program including its implementation plan.
• A follow-up mechanism after exit for the evaluation of the program’s impact.
• Organization of a validation/launch workshop for the Rehabilitation and reintegration program.
• A comprehensive final report of the assignment.

Indicators to evaluate the consultant’s performance

• Quality and timely delivery of the Situation analysis report;
• Clear, well-organized, and relevant mechanisms that are tailored to the actual context;
• Relevance and quality of the rehabilitation and reintegration program, particularly level of alignment to the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Mandela Rules) and other relevant international standards as well as professional needs of the Prison/Rehabilitation Centres Staff
• Degree of satisfaction, interest and understanding of the topics by participants and their evaluation of the training provided by the consultant;
• Quality and timeliness of the developed materials;
• Sound advice of high quality is provided to the Kenyan officials.

Qualifications/expertise sought (required educational background, years of relevant work experience, other special skills or knowledge required)

• Advanced university degree in Curriculum Development or a first university degree in combination with two extra years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• Minimum 10 years relevant work experience in development, assessment and evaluation of curriculum, teaching and learning resources especially on Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) related programmes; and in the field of prison management.
• Cross-cultural working experience in the field of community based psychosocial support is desired
• Ability to research, analyze and present complex information.
• In-depth knowledge of the prison sector and rehabilitation programs/practices in Kenya.
• Proven experience of providing technical advice to professional and multidisciplinary teams in government and international organizations
• Excellent drafting skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills.
• Professional training in psychology or counseling will be an asset. Ability to communicate in English and Swahili languages