SAFER CITIES LOCAL CONSULTANTS – 3 Positions

UN-HABITAT is looking for three consultants who will support and contribute to the implementation of Safer Cities activities in the cities/municipalities of the Pcinjski and Jablanicki Districts. Within the framework of strengthening capacities of local partners to engage on conflict/violence prevention planning and support to partnerships for implementing local initiatives , the Safer Cities Local Consultants will play a key role in building municipal-wide partnerships for crime prevention, supporting the contracted Project’s civil society partner in formulation/finalization of the Local Safety Diagnosis, forging strategic alliances and developing the municipal strategies and action plans, based on the results of the Diagnosis. Local teams, with the Project Coordinator, Civil Society Project partners and municipal Safer Cities Focal Points appointed in each municipality, will take the lead in the outreach work to partners and stakeholders.

Qualified candidates shall submit an application including a motivation letter and full CV in electronic format to UN-HABITAT Office in Belgrade, e-mail: office@unhabitat.org.rs
Only pre-selected candidates will be contacted for interview

The deadline for applications is 9 August 2010

Title: Local Consultant
Duration: 2.5 months over the period of 6 months from September 2010 until February 2011 – with possibility of extension
Starting date: September 1st 2010
Duty station: AOR (Surdulica, Crna Trava, Bosilegrad) with travels to the designated municipalities
ToR: To DOWNLOAD full Terms of Reference [CLICK HERE]

Title: Local Consultant
Duration: 3.5 months over the period of 6 months from September 2010 until February 2011 – with possibility of extension
Starting date: September 1st 2010
Duty station: AOR (Leskovac, Vlasotince, Bojnik, Lebane) with travels to the designated municipalities
ToR: To DOWNLOAD full Terms of Reference [CLICK HERE]

Title: Local Consultant
Duration: 2.5 months over the period of 6 months from September 2010 until February 2011 – with possibility of extension
Starting date: September 1st 2010
Duty station: AOR (Medvedja, Bujanovac, Presevo) with travels to the designated municipalities
ToR: To DOWNLOAD full Terms of Reference [CLICK HERE]

Background

The Peacebuilding and Inclusive Local Development PBILD joint programme is a United Nations initiative in South Serbia. PBILD is implemented by six UN Agencies working in partnership in the Pcinjski and Jablanicki districts: UNDP, UN-HABITAT, UNICEF, UNHCR, ILO and IOM. PBILD will undertake a range of activities aimed at strengthening capacity for peace and development, facilitating economic development and reducing unemployment, and improving public services for all social groups. At the central level, lead partner of the PBILD is the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self Government. At the local level, PBILD is implemented in partnership with the 11 municipalities of Bojnik, Crna Trava, Lebane, Vlasotince, Medvedja, Bosilegrad, Bujanovac, Presevo, Surdulica, Trgoviste and Vladicin Han, and the two cities of Vranje and Leskovac.

Two joint programmes comprise PBILD. One of them is the joint programme “Promoting peace building in South Serbia” funded by the Spanish MDG Achievement Fund. The main outcome of the programme Promoting Peace Building in South Serbia is increased community cohesion and human capital, in order for communities in south Serbia to be stronger, more integrated and better able to reduce inter-ethnic tensions and conflict risk. As one of the UN partner agencies working together on PBILD, UN-HABITAT will co-operate with the 13 local authorities to contribute to the achievement of this outcome through strengthening capacities of local administrations, institutions and civil society to engage in conflict/violence prevention planning through participation, dialogue and partnership for improved safety, and integrating safety concerns within development efforts, fostering long term stability, reintegration and good governance.

UN-HABITAT will adapt the methodology of its Safer Cities Global Programme (www.unhabitat.org/safer cities), already successfully used in other municipalities of Serbia in the frame of the SIRP Programme (http://www.unhabitat.org.rs/programmes/sirp/safer_cities.htm) , to provide a structured process of capacity building measures to support municipal administrations and civil society partners. This will help them develop and upgrade strategies and plans, through participation and partnership building (including with police), which will address issues related to safety, conflict and security concerns at local level and integrate them within the development efforts, fostering social cohesion, and conflict management capacities. Vulnerable members of the communities, as well as women, youth and ethnic minorities will be involved from the beginning in the planning process for the development of safety strategies and action plans and benefit of capacity building activities. These partnerships and coalition groups should become formal part of the municipal structures by the end of the programme. Small grants will support the implementation of key relevant pilot initiatives through partnerships, as identified by the local communities, targeting the community as a whole, including women, youth, minorities and vulnerable groups.

In the frame of the programme Promoting Peace Building in South Serbia and specifically Output 1.3 aimed at strengthening capacities of local self-governments LSGs, institutions and civil society to engage on conflict/violence prevention planning through participation, dialogue and partnerships for improved safety in municipalities’,

UN-HABITAT’s activities will aim at achieving the following results:

A) Baseline safety diagnosis carried out in the 13 cities/municipalities;
B)LSGs engaged in participatory planning processes and developed institutional mechanisms, instruments and tools to address community safety, conflict and violence prevention and integration;
C) partnerships established among key local actors, LSGs, Safety boards, local police, CSWs and CSOs, to improve community safety and interethnic dialogue through joint actions.

In this frame, Safer Cities municipal Focal Points have been officially appointed in all partner municipalities. The formulation of Local Safety Diagnosis in the 13 cities/municipalities is being undertaken by a contracted civil society project’s partner. Stakeholders analysis were formulated with support of Focal Points and local partners in all thirteen municipalities in order to identify and assess the importance, influence and operational capacities of key people, different interest groups, or institutions that may significantly influence the final outcome of Safer Cities component, but also those who could indirectly benefit from programme activities. Within the foreseen activities to develop appropriate capacity building programs to support the planning process in partner municipalities, a Training Needs Assessment (TNA) was carried out. The assessment targeted representatives and civil servants of local authorities, public companies mandated for urban planning, Safety Councils, Youth Offices, and Centers for Social Welfare, among others. The TNA will be finalized with the outcomes of focus/working groups meetings which will see the engagement of local municipal officials and partners and which will inform the development of the training programmes tailored to the local context.