International Commission of Jurists - Consultancy, Business and Human Rights Programme - International, Deadline 10 June

Six month consultancy: models of mandatory human rights impact assessments (with clear child rights component).

Terms of Reference:

This consultancy is carried out in the context of the International Commission of Jurists’ activities in the area of business and human rights (with special emphasis on the rights of the child). The ICJ and its partners are currently mapping and assessing existing models of human rights impact
assessments that are mandatory with a view to identifying key elements of an integrated and
comprehensive model.

The deliverables will contribute to the elaboration of guides for States and civil society organizations,as well as to the elaboration of a model Human Rights/child rights impact assessment to be required by Governments and /or their financial/development institutions.

Timeframe: This consultancy involves work spread over six months, starting on 15th June 2014 until 30 November 2014.

Consultant Duties:

• Research, classify and compile examples of mandatory human rights/child rights impact assessment required from business corporations or investments, from countries in the different regions of the world. The research should cover at least one example from each region of the world in agreement with the ICJ;
• Elaborate an analysis and comparison (similarities, differences, trends, etc) of the examples with a view to identifying particular features in relation to the rights or issues being recognized (in particular the human rights, and children rights, covered), process, methodology, etc. Bearing in mind that the issue of human rights/child rights is relatively new in impact assessments, the Consultant will consider also the most common mandatory environmental impact assessment models that contain a human rights component. This requires an analysis on the options and opportunity of integrating children’s rights into wider social, environmental and human rights impact assessments. The Consultant should also look at the models used by international financial institutions such as the International Finance Corporation, which although not compulsory can provide elements for the analysis;
• Identify the main components or elements of an integrated model of mandatory human rights /child rights impact assessment applicable to business operations /investments. This model should include key child rights components with explanations of the choices.

Contract and Fees: 

This is a consultancy contract. The Consultant will therefore not work in the offices of the ICJ, except to attend meetings and consultations. It will not involve full time work. The fees are calculated at 16,000 CHF, and do not include the costs of travels abroad that will be covered by the ICJ separately.

Click here for consultancy methodology, person specification and application process.