Background of the assignment: The Indian Ocean maritime routes are exploited by perpetrators of maritime crimes who defiantly operate on porous borders, considering jurisdictional limitations, weak law enforcement and lack of regional cooperation. The fight against maritime crimes therefore triggers innumerable challenges in the region owing to limited and/or absence of technical/ enforcement ability and resources.

Consequently, criminal acts such as smuggling of drugs, weapons, and other illegal cargo, exploitation of people through trafficking, slavery, and kidnapping, depletion of the sea’s resources, piracy and armed robbery at sea, wildlife trafficking, smuggling of immigrants, IUU fishing etc. are carried out with impunity as these remain undetected, investigations do not lead to prosecutions and more often than not, prosecutions do not culminate into convictions.

The UNODC Global Maritime Crime Programme (GMCP) serves to deliver a range of technical assistance activities within several thematic areas to achieve the main objective i.e. strengthening capacity to prevent and combat maritime crimes on a regional, national and local basis.

The programme also aims to improve cooperation and the capacity of Member States to work, locally, nationally and internationally, to prevent and combat these. The GMCP has to date been supporting Indian Ocean States in assessing and enforcing the international and national legal framework pertaining to the combat of different maritime crimes by putting emphasis on matters such as the applicable jurisdiction, Mutual Legal Assistance, intelligence-led investigation/ evidence gathering exercise etc.

Although these different States emanate from different jurisdictions (civil, common-law and hybrid), similar issues have been observed, e.g. the absence of offence creating legislation, the limited prosecutorial and judicial expertise in maritime crimes and poor investigatory skills in this specialized sphere, thereby significantly hindering the legal finish.

The current assignment focuses on reinforcing existing knowledge, skills, legal know-how etc. acquired from previous sessions to apply it to specific maritime crimes while emphasizing the importance of legal finish. As the GMCP expands its work in the region, it requires a Legal Consultant with a strong academic and practical background in maritime crime to assist in the implementation of legal activities.

Qualifications/special skills

An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in law or a related field is required. A first level university degree in similar fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Minimum of 7 years of experience in advising roles on human trafficking, transnational organized crimes and Law of the Sea and other International Law Including human rights and criminal Law is required.

Proven experience in drafting legally focused reports, proposals, and training plans is desirable.

Legal analysis and report writing skills are desirable.

Proven experience in dealing with counterparts from various cultural backgrounds is desirable.

Proven familiarity with the UNODC GMCP is desirable.

Strong interpersonal communication skills, including demonstrated tact in inter-cultural communication, are desirable.

The ability to build trust across cultural lines is desirable.

Planning and organization skills are desirable.