Mission and Objectives
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) was established in 1997 and is the global leader in the fight for global peace and security, human rights, and development by making the world safer from drugs, crime, corruption, and terrorism by working for and with Member States to promote justice and the rule of law and build resilient societies. UNODC has its HQ in Vienna, Austria, and supports 150 countries and territories around the world, with physical presence in 111 countries through its network of 11 Regional Offices, 7 Country Offices, and the liaison offices in New York and Brussels, with a total of 3,276 personnel globally, 77 per cent of them based in the field. UNODC works closely with Governments and civil society towards building security and justice for all.
The UNODC Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa (ROMENA) covers 19 countries (Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen). In addition to the Regional Office located in Cairo, Egypt, there are 11 Programmes Offices in Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and Yemen. The Regional Office in Cairo where the UN Volunteer will be integrated (remotely) has a total of 122 staff members.
ROMENA has in place a Regional Framework for the Arab States (2023-2028) (RF) which sets out UNODC’s mission to contribute to peace and security, human rights, and development by making the region safer from drugs, crime, corruption, and terrorism, including by reducing violence and inequalities within society. The RF lays out a roadmap to guide UNODC programming and accelerate progress towards Agenda 2030 in pursuit of key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by framing how UNODC will strengthen, prioritize, customize, and deliver support to the Arab region in effective response to some of the most pressing challenges faced by these countries. The RF articulates six focus areas for guiding UNODC-implemented programming at the regional and national levels:
1. A balanced approach to drug control.
2. Strengthening the response to organized crime.
3. Combating trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants.
4. Action against corruption and financial crime.
5. Preventing and countering terrorism and violence; and
6. Strengthening crime/violence prevention and criminal justice.
The UN Volunteer will provide legal and policy expertise and assistance to the team in charge of implementing UNODC projects and programmes in the MENA region under focus area 3 on ‘Combating trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants’ (TIP and SOM).
Context
Trafficking in persons (TIP) and smuggling of migrants (SOM) are two of the most pervasive forms of organized crime in the Arab States and involve serious human rights violations. These crimes disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, particularly women and children, and are often driven by systemic inequalities, conflict, and lack of access to justice and protection mechanisms. Given their situation, irregular migrants are more vulnerable to smuggling and trafficking and they make up for 60 per cent of the detected victims of trafficking in the Middle East and 25 per cent in North Africa. The Arab States are particularly prone to TIP and SOM as countries of the region are origin, transit, and destination countries for irregular migration.
Despite existing normative international and continental frameworks, many Arab countries continue to face challenges in preventing and countering TIP and SOM, and how to address their drivers and enablers. This can be attributed to the lack of capacities, financial resources, and regional coordination and cooperation to prevent and counter TIP and SOM, coupled with a lack of accurate and updated data and evidence-based research on flexible and changing migration patterns and routes, all necessary to inform policy planning and decision making.
The UN Volunteer will support the UNODC TIP and SOM team based in Tunis, Tunisia, with the development, implementation, coordination, monitoring, evaluation, reporting, and visibility of projects under UNODC’s TIP and SOM portfolio in the MENA region, particularly by providing legal and policy expertise to strengthen national and regional legal frameworks, promote international cooperation, and support the development and implementation of evidence-based policies and strategies to prevent and combat these crimes.
Task Description
Under the direct supervision of the Regional Programme Coordinator (Anti-Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling) and in close coordination with the National Programme Officer, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:
Legal and Policy Support
- Conduct research and analysis on national laws, regulations, and policies related to trafficking in persons (TIP) and smuggling of migrants (SOM).
- Review domestic legislation against relevant international frameworks and provide practical recommendations.
- Prepare concise legal briefs, policy notes, and comparative analyses.
- Incorporate human rights and gender perspectives in policy and legal work.
Legislative and Policy Development Assistance
- Support drafting or revising laws, regulations, and national strategies related to TIP and SOM.
- Assist in developing action plans, guidelines, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges.
- Provide technical support and recommendations on the implementation and improvement of the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) for victims of trafficking, ensuring effective identification, protection, and referral procedures by frontline units.
Capacity Building and Training
- Assist to design and to deliver training for criminal justice practitioners, including judges, prosecutors, investigators, and border officials.
- Facilitate workshops on investigative methods, victim-centered approaches, inter-agency coordination, and data collection.
- Include NRM-related modules to strengthen participant knowledge and application of victim referral and protection procedures.
Research, Monitoring, and Reporting
- Contribute to research on trafficking and smuggling trends, emerging challenges, and operational needs.
- Draft analytical reports, briefing notes, and updates for internal and external stakeholders.
- Support monitoring of projects, including tracking the effectiveness of NRM implementation, and assist in preparing progress and donor reports.
Programme and Project Support
- Assist in providing inputs for project proposals, concept notes, agendas, workplans, budgets, and reports.
- Ensure alignment of legal, policy, and NRM-related activities with overall programme objectives.
- Support organization of field missions, expert consultations, and study visits.
- Perform other tasks related to legal, policy, and NRM support as requested.