Access and Benefit Sharing Consultant at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Duties and Responsibilities:

• The primary scope of this consultancy is to prepare a ten-year ABS Strategy and Action Plan, which should broadly cover the following areas:
• Propose a strategy for achieving the strategic objectives and key results.
• Develop action plan for the protection of rights of local and indigenous communities, protection of traditional knowledge, capacity building of stakeholders, institutional framework, communication strategy and knowledge management, gender and social inclusion, etc.
• Prepare a resource framework for the plan period.
• Propose possible competent national authorities, checkpoints and develop a training need assessment.

Qualifications/special skills

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in environmental law, environment, sustainable development, natural resources management, international relations, or a related field is required.
• A first-level university degree in combination with seven years qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• A minimum of 7 years of experience in environmental law is required including at least 4 years of experience working on drafting legal instruments related to Multilateral Environmental Agreements and the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol and ABS regimes.
• A good/broad understanding of conservation of biodiversity and related international frameworks and commitments is required. Proven expertise in policy formulation and programme/project development is required.
• At least 3 years of experience in drafting legal instruments in the context of South Sudan, and/or East African region preferably in the ABS and environment and natural resources area is desirable.