Democracy International (DI) is seeking to hire a Legal Framework Expert consultant for the Support for the Reform and Strengthening of Governance in Lesotho Project. The Government of the Kingdom of Lesotho signed a Financing Agreement with the European Commission on 8th September 2020 to implement a program titled “Support for the Reform and Strengthening of Governance in Lesotho” with financial support from the 11th European Development Fund (EDF). The program intends to support the supply and demand side of the justice and governance sectors, through the strengthening of the country’s institutional and legal frameworks. The program also intends to reinforce the capacity of justice sector actors to ensure improved service delivery, increasing the provision of legal assistance for people living in poverty and persons in vulnerable situations. On the demand side of governance, the program aims to empower the citizens to seek redress or remedial action once their rights have been violated and support the reforms and operational tasks of oversight institutions to play their meaningful role. The overall objective of the program is to foster rule of law, good governance, human rights and gender equality in Lesotho.
The assignment entails development of a Policy underpinning Administration of Parliament. The Parliament as an arm of Government is mandated to make laws, exercise oversight over the executive; by holding the Government accountable for its acts of commission and omission, appropriate funds as well as represent and advocate for a better life for all Basotho. The Parliament consists of the King, Senate and National Assembly. The Senate is the upper chamber of the Parliament, it consists of twenty-two (22) Principal Chiefs and eleven (11) other Senators nominated in that behalf by the King acting with the advice of the Council of State. The National Assembly is the lower chamber of Parliament and consists of one hundred and twenty (120) Members who are elected through a mixed member proportional electoral system.
Currently Parliament is not independent, and this has restricted it to perform its functions effectively. A serious area of contention is there is no separate budget for Parliament and there is no Parliamentary Service Commission which would be solely responsible for running the affairs of Parliament.
The Policy will lead to the development of legal framework which will provide for the establishment of an autonomous Parliament, Parliamentary Service and the establishment of a Parliamentary fund.
The Consultant shall report to the Team Leader at the PCU and will work closely with the Parliament and other key institutions. This consultancy’s Level of Effort (LOE) will be up to 45 days between approximately June and September 2024.
Objectives of the Assignment:
The specific objective of this assignment is to develop a comprehensive Policy that shall provide for the establishment of an autonomous Parliament both administratively and financially.
Specifically, the assignment involves a thorough review of the Constitution of Lesotho, Standing Orders, Committee Reports, Financing Agreement of the program and relevant legislations by the Expert for an in-depth understanding of the context in which the Parliament (Bicameral legislature) operates and inform the basis for the development of the vision, mission, values, goals and strategies. The Expert is expected to conduct a critical contextual examination, data collection and analysis related to mandate of the Parliament and engage relevant stakeholders and obtain accurate and crucial information/data needed to establish the issues that would be captured and eventually addressed through the Policy.
The policy shall also be a guiding tool that addresses and identifies partnerships and create synergies, collaboration and corporation with other oversight institutions in Lesotho and within the region and internationally.
In executing the assignment, the Expert will collaborate with designated officials of the Parliament and a Reference Group that will be established by the Program Coordination Unit PCU in collaboration with the Parliament to validate the methodology proposed at the inception of the assignment and ensuring methodological rigor throughout the assessment. In addition, the assignment will involve consultation with key stakeholders and validation of the findings prior to submission of a final report to Parliament and the PCU domiciled in the Ministry of Justice, Law.
Essential Job Duties:
Working in collaboration with the PCU, the Parliament and the Reference Group, the Expert will:
- Attend an inception meeting with PCU and the Parliament to discuss the scope of the terms of reference and deliverables to be produced, a framework of the methodology and work plan.
- Review relevant documents of the Parliament to fully understand its mandate and functions as well as the context and strategic direction.
- Provide an analysis of strengths and weaknesses that might affect delivery of services according to the mandate of the Parliament.
- Conduct extensive individual interviews and consultations with key informants, the Parliament, oversight institutions, CSOs as well as development partners.
- Design and prepare participatory methodologies and activities emphasizing discussion and focusing on building upon the organization’s existing strengths.
- Analyze the situational context through a SWOT, PESTLE, stakeholders’ analysis and mapping, and other tools.
- With the assistance of the PCU and the Parliament, organize a validation meeting with key stakeholders to verify the policy draft.
- Finalize the policy and its annexes and present the same to the Parliament and PCU for approval.
Qualifications and Skills:
- Master’s Degree in any of the following fields of study: Law, Policy analysis, governance, Public Administration, Social Sciences, Development Studies and Organizational Development from a recognized institution of higher learning with 8 years of post-qualification experience. In the absence of a Master’s Degree, a Bachelor’s Degree with at least 10 years of experience.
- Strong analytical skills and ability to synthesize relevant information.
- Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills.
General Professional Experience
- At least Eight (8) years’ working experience in one of the following areas: policy formulation, legal drafting, democratic governance, public administration, organizational development and program management.
- Proven experience in legal and parliamentary process.
Specific Professional Experience
- Experience in development of policies, legal frameworks in the context of Parliament.
- Proven knowledge and understanding of Organizational Development issues is essential.
- Proven experience in participative planning and strategy development processes, preferably in the public sector context.
- Excellent understanding and experience of the roles of independent or oversight institutions in Lesotho or in other developing countries would be an added advantage.
Reporting:
- This position reports to the Deputy Director, Program Management – Africa and LAC
Application Process:
Interested applicants MUST submit a cover letter and CV. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the position will be filled as soon as a qualified candidate is identified. DI will only contact candidates of interest.
About the Organization:
DI provides technical assistance, analytical services and project implementation for democracy, human rights, governance and conflict mitigation programs worldwide for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. State Department and other development partners. Since its founding in 2003, Democracy International has worked with civil society organizations, political parties, election-management bodies, government agencies, legislatures, justice-sector institutions, and others in 80+ countries.
DI welcomes and supports a diverse and inclusive work environment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities (EEO) for all applicants seeking employment and for DI employees. DI makes employment decisions based on organizational needs, job requirements and individual qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, personal appearance, military status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, political affiliation, educational status, unemployment status, place of residence or business, source of income, or reproductive health decision making. Additionally, harassment or discrimination based on these characteristics will not be tolerated at DI. To perform the essential functions of this position, reasonable accommodations are available to qualified individuals with disabilities.