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Job Title:       Consultant – Sindh Empowerment of 'Persons with Disabilities' Rules 2020

Time: (June 2020-August 2020)

Introduction & Background

Handicap International (Humanity & Inclusion) is an independent and impartial international aid organization working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster. Working alongside persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, our action and testimony are focused on responding to their essential needs, improving their living conditions and promoting respect for their dignity and their fundamental rights.   Founding its niche in peace and social inclusion and to build on the success and lessons learnt from its previous programs, HI further addressed the needs of the vulnerable and marginalized women by implementing ‘Empowering Women with Disabilities” Moving from Charity Model to Rights Based Model project in Islamabad Capital Territory, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Sindh provinces with the financial support from United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). With a strong focus on gender equality, the project aimed to improve knowledge and capacity of public and private institutions and persons with disabilities on disabled persons’ rights and their access to economic opportunities. HI through its different projects provides technical advisory, services and advocate on empowerment of persons with disabilities. After a successful implementation of the 18-month project, HI is given extension for three months to further strengthen the capacity of stakeholder on working for the rights of persons with disabilities.

The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPD) is Ex-Special Education Department newly promulgated ‘Sindh Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Act 2018”. The Act is in-sync with guidelines as envisaged in United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). The Department deals with all issues pertaining to the Persons with Disabilities such as protection of their fundamental rights like education, health, registration, employment, skill development, rehabilitation, mobility & accessibility, transport, culture and sports etc.

Sindh Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Bill 2018 was passed from the Provincial Assembly in May 2018 and was signed by the Honorable Governor Sindh for enactment. Rules are basically an operational and procedural extension into the working of the Sindh Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Act 2018.  The Act defines on the rights of people with disabilities -including protection from violence and abuse, provision for establishment of Authority for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and strengthening of Provincial Advisory Council for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities and provision for power to make rules.  

During the project from HI ‘Economic Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities implementation, 181 government officials from the four provinces, Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Kashmir were oriented on the united nations convention on the rights of persons with disabilities (UNCRPD). The findings of the project identified significant hurdle in the UNCRPD reporting is the fact that existing laws are not implemented, Handicap international along with concerned government departments, DPOs and other stakeholder intends to lead the process of facilitating   the Sindh Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities rules 2020.  

Rationale

HI has supported government departments with various capacity enhancement initiatives. The recent ongoing initiative with the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPD) is the technical support through a consultant in formulation of rules for the Sindh empowerment of person with Disability act 2018. However, technical support is required from HI to support this process. The timely drafting and endorsement of these rules is key to the implementation of the law.  For HI providing this support will help facilitate our work in terms of “leaving no one behind”. It will also add value to the people with disability strategy of HI as the implementation learnings will be shared with Country Office from time to time.

For this purpose, HI seeks to recruit a consultant for drafting, holding consultations and finalizing the rules for Sindh empowerment of persons with Disability Act 2018.

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of Secretary Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DPED), Government of Sindh, with a reporting line to HI Project Manager Economic empowerment of women with disabilities, and technical guidance of UN Women Sindh and Islamabad.

Development Objective

To contribute in uplifting the status of people with disabilities in the province, in line with rights guaranteed in UNCRPD, CEDAW, UDHR, SDG and Constitution of Pakistan.

Immediate Objective

To support Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DPED), Government of Sindh for drafting and endorsing the Sindh Empowerment of persons with Disabilities Rules  2020

Key Deliverables

  • Joining and orientation
  • Drafting the initial Rules of Business for the implementation of the Act
  • Consultation with Government and Civil Society Organizations (CSO)s Disable People Organizations (DPOs) on the draft Rules of Business
  • Compiling and finalizing the Rules document for submission to the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities for vetting from Law Department
  • Supporting the department to prepare budget for the implementation, enabling the department to reflect the amount in their budget.

Key Activities

  • Desk Review
  • Coordinate with the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities and Law Department
  • Compile Draft Rules
  • Facilitation and successful delivery of Consultation Workshop
  • Final draft submitted to the empowerment of persons with disabilities department for vetting from Law Department
  • Support the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities in responding to any queries the Law Department may raise and submit the final draft
  • Translation in Urdu & Sindhi of Act and Rules

Inputs

HI will provide the consultant with background information/ material etc. Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities will provide office space and will be responsible for all the technical information and access to the PWD services. HI will provide technical and financial support for one consultation with relevant stakeholders and remuneration of the consultant.

Required Qualification

  1. Practicing lawyer for at least 10 years
  2. Minimum 5 years’ experience of working with the Government, Academia, NGOs and International Organizations on policies issues.
  3.  Strong knowledge of referring to, and applying international norms and standards on People with Disability to Provincial, National and Regional contexts;
  4. Demonstrated knowledge and experience surrounding legal issues and the ability to draft legal documents
  5. Strong verbal and written communication skills, clear documentation and writing skills in English and Urdu is a requirement Sindhi will be counted as additional skill.
  6. Ability to communicate in Sindhi language, both verbally and in writing, will be considered an asset.
  7. Knowledge of the local context of the province with regard to persons with disabilities

Estimated time line – 40 working days from the start of contract.