Consultancy for Citizen Security and Justice in Latin America and the Caribbean

Position description

Crime and violence (C&V) constitute a serious challenge for development prospects in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The region has historically displayed a record-high rate of homicides, and in spite of regional efforts, in 2018, the homicide rate was 19,7 per 100,000 inhabitants, which is three times higher than the global average of 6,3 (UNODC, 2019). Research shows that C&V problems incur high human costs and hamper sustainable and inclusive economic growth prospects as they absorb substantial public and private resources, reduce the productivity and competitiveness of businesses, undermine confidence in institutions and the rule of law, and compromise the development of future generations. For these reasons, the IDB has as one of its priorities to support LAC countries in strengthening their institutional capacity to prevent and reduce violence and crime.[1]

The Innovation for Citizen Services (ICS) has a Team dedicated to Citizen Security and Justice (CSJ) whose mission is to promote crime prevention policies, improve rehabilitation measures for people who have committed crimes, and strengthen the relevant institutions through the development of public policies, strategic advice, technical assistance, and training. The IDB has been carrying out CSJ projects in LAC for more than 20 years and has become a regional reference in innovative strategies and solutions in these thematic areas, both through the promotion and production of applied technical knowledge and through technical cooperation and loans.

The Bank has a growing portfolio of citizen security and justice projects. These are driven by the CSJ Sector Framework and supported by development of research and knowledge products. The CSJ team has been working on the development of an ecosystem of platforms and digital solutions to promote the diffusion of the evidence-based CSJ interventions.

Among the CSJ initiatives for the consultant support, the following are highlighted:

     i.         Strengthening Evidence-Based Policymaking on Citizen Security and Justice: to support LAC governments in their efforts to improve evidence-based policymaking in citizen security and justice (CSJ). The specific objectives include: (i) to conduct rigorous research of crime prevention interventions; (ii) to translate research into actionable evidence; and (iii) facilitate access to knowledge on what works and what does not in reducing violence and impunity. This operation will provide additional value added by: (i) developing the CSJLab, the first-ever IDB Evidence-Based repository on citizen security and justice for LAC; (ii) establishing elements for a comparative analysis of what works in crime prevention in the region and the world, and (iii) providing governments with updated, timely and relevant evidence that can inform policy decisions.

      ii.       Strengthening Institutional Capacity in Citizen Security and Justice: to improve the capacity of citizen security and justice institutions in LAC to reduce and prevent crime and violence through: (i) the development of innovative strategies to confront organized crime and emerging crimes[2]; (ii) the promotion of problem-oriented policing (POP) in the region; and (iii) the development of spaces for exchange and training in the justice sector to make facing emerging issues such as climate change and diversity.

     iii.          ONE Caribbean: this is the IDB “whole of Bank” regional framework to improve the living conditions of citizens in the Caribbean. The purpose is to provide guidance to the IDB Group for the identification and prioritization of ambitious and transformational initiatives for the Caribbean. ONE Caribbean embraces and builds on the IDB Group’s new Institutional Strategy by selecting four regional priorities: a) climate adaptation, disaster risk management and resilience; b) citizen security; c) private sector engagement, and; d) food security.

Considering this context, IDB’s Innovation in Citizen Services Division (ICS) is looking for an experienced, results-driven, and versatile consultant who will provide technical, operational, and knowledge support to CSJ’s at the regional level (particularly with respect to its knowledge agenda and products) and sub-regional levels (with particular attention to the Caribbean). As a full-time consultant, you will support the implementation and development of the team’s initiatives and the attainment of their respective objectives and expected results.

Given the characteristics of the work and the related responsibilities, we require a consultant with excellent technical knowledge and experience in citizen security in the LAC region, and in the Caribbean in particular. The consultant should have project and product management abilities, with sound planning and organizational skills, and be capable of managing multiple responsibilities within strict deadlines. Likewise, the consultant must have the capacity to establish harmonious and productive working relationships with the specialists of the Citizen Security and Justice Team, with the counterparts of the countries, with social and community organizations, with regional think tanks, and with other international cooperation agencies. Last but not least, it is important that the person has leadership skills, a high level of initiative, as well as the ability to work as part of a team.

What you’ll do:

1.Support the CSJ knowledge agenda, generation of knowledge products and evidence. The consultant will work with both Bank staff and other consultants to ensure quality of analytical studies and publications, capacity building products and research work on CSJ. For that, your main responsibilities and duties include but are not limited to:

• Serve as a technical expert on a variety of CSJ related knowledge products, including support to data collection, analysis, reporting, and dissemination.
• Support the final compilation and dissemination of an IDB flagship publication on police organizations and policing in LAC
• Support the CSJ knowledge agenda on organized crime
• Support the generation of evidence and research products related to building institutional capacity in Citizen Security and Justice
• Support the documentation of lessons learned and knowledge generated from IDB loan operations and technical cooperations.
• Develop and disseminate knowledge products including working papers, technical notes, policy briefs and blogs, under supervisor guidance.
• Promote the Bank value added in technical meetings and networks in the area of citizen security and justice.
• Translate research into policy and strategically communicate with country counterparts and external partners,

2.Serve as a technical expert supporting the CSJ contribution to the IDB ONE Caribbean Strategic Development Program. For that, your main responsibilities and duties include but are not limited to:

• Work with the CSJ team and across IDB divisions to develop the agenda for improved engagement between the IDB and Caribbean countries (at the country and regional levels).
• Engage with other IDB sectors to identify synergies between thematic areas of Citizen Security and Climate Adaptation, Food Security and Private Sector Engagement.
• Help identify and foster strategic alliances with country and regional partners in the Caribbean.
• Promote the Bank value added in technical meetings and networks in the area of citizen security and justice
• Support the technical dialogue with Caribbean authorities of the citizen security and justice sectors, other international cooperation agencies, and strategic partners, as required for the execution of operations and technical cooperation, the development of academic activities, and the exchange of experiences and knowledge among the relevant entities}

3.Support the CSJ team in management and technical expertise for CSJ Technical Cooperations and the development of new Loan Operations. For that, your main responsibilities and duties include but are not limited to:

• Support the structuring of new loan projects and assist the monitoring of ongoing projects to identify opportunities for improvement, particularly in the areas of execution and evaluation and knowledge sharing.
• Provide broad technical support, including identifying gaps and developing concepts for new approaches.
• Support the documentation of impact, lessons learned, tools developed, and knowledge generated from IDB loan operations and technical cooperations.

Application instructions

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