Overview
This consultancy aims to revise, validate, and publish a study on women's access to justice in Somalia's plural legal system. The updated study will inform policy and programming related to the rule of law.
Key Responsibilities
- Examine women's rights under Islamic law and their realization in Somalia.
- Analyze the interpretation and application of Sharia law across Somalia's legal plurality.
- Map structural, legal, and socio-cultural barriers to women's access to justice.
- Generate evidence-based recommendations for legal, institutional, and policy reform.
- Produce a publication-ready report and a concise policy brief.
Required Experience
- At least 7 years of progressively responsible work experience in Islamic jurisprudence and its application to women’s rights, and/or in legal pluralism and access to justice in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.
- Proven experience conducting qualitative and mixed-methods research in Somalia or comparable contexts.
- Demonstrated ability to engage sensitively with communities on issues related to gender, justice, and religion.
- Strong analytical and report-writing skills in English.
- Prior experience working with UN agencies, government ministries, or development partners on rule of law, GBV, or women’s rights programming in Somalia is an advantage.
- Familiarity with the 2021 UN Women study on gender dimensions of the informal justice system in Somalia, or willingness to engage substantively with its findings.
Qualifications
- An advanced degree in law, Islamic studies, gender studies, development studies, or a related field is required.
- A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
