Call for Legal & Judicial Expert

Terms of Reference

About Adyan

Adyan is a foundation for managing diversity, promoting solidarity and safeguarding human dignity. We are a group of individuals who want a world that embraces diversity, in which we live together in peace.

We work locally, regionally and globally to achieve Inclusive Citizenship, develop Education on Living Together, activate Religious Social Responsibility, and promote Spiritual Solidarity. We also seek to contribute to Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and advancing Freedom of Religion and Belief. We work through homegrown solutions in Education, Research, Policy Making, Media, and Community Engagement Networks.

About the project:

Adyan implemented the first phase of the project WRL between 2019-2022 and is currently implementing the second phase. WRL II is concerned with enhancing gender equality and human rights in Lebanon. Therefore, the project is contextualized within a human rights framework; by mobilizing the primary target groups, the project aims to promote gender equality by addressing the challenges and barriers PSLs in the MENA region and Lebanon have to women and men's equal access to their rights and push the agenda on necessary amendments on the current 15 PSL's in Lebanon. Furthermore, the project will enhance gender equality and human rights in Lebanon through awareness-raising campaigns, involvement of Bar associations to provide legal aid, and by ensuring that law students, through the university curriculum, learn human rights, gender equality, and issues with PSLs.  

The legal & judicial expert for WRL II project accepts to work according to the terms of this TOR

Scope of Work/Assignment

The legal & judicial expert will work in direct collaboration with WRL project manager to conduct seven roundtable discussions with different civil and religious judges & women on different topics in personal status laws, provision of two trainings for lawyers, 4 training days for university students and 1 workshop for judges on possible reforms in religious personal status laws. Furthermore, the legal expert will conduct a 2-day workshop for lawyers from both Beirut and Tripoli bar associations.

Small focus group discussions to engage and mobilize religious and civil judges to reflect, with women legal experts/ activists, on divergences and resolve controversies in judicial rulings: This would include opening discussions with civil and religious judges on court decisions on personal status laws. The  7 roundtables (each one on the different topic within PSL) with civil and religious judges, women legal experts/ activists, and human rights organizations aim to reduce polarization. This will provide an innovative exchange between religious judges and women to sensitize judges to women's rights.

Key outcomes:

• 10 civil and religious judges (including women judges) and 5 women legal experts/activists committed to reflecting on divergences and resolving judicial rulings and controversies and were sensitized to play an active and positive role in preserving women's and child's rights.
• 7 roundtables on personal status topics

Spread the knowledge of the possible reforms in religious PSL and push to introduce a regular training in relevant institutions (universities, legal schools, judiciary studies institute, etc…): this would include provision of training sessions and on PSL laws and reforms to Bar Associations and Universities, judicial studies institute and religious seminaries. The sessions aim at spreading knowledge of the WRL 1 results on PSL for better alignment of law with human rights and enhancement of women’s rights.

Key outcomes:

• 50 Lawyers, and the two National Bar Associations have been informed of WRL 1 result, and are capacitated to on PSL reforms, and a better perception of law with human rights and women’s rights
• 100 law students reached in 6 one-day training, one with each of the universities that provide a law degree.
• 20 trainee judges participate 1 workshop in collaboration with the Judicial Studies Institute.

Expertise Deliverables

The legal and judicial expert for WRL II will be required to work individually and collaboratively to deliver the below:

Deliverable:

1-           Conduct 7 roundtable discussions between civil and religious judges & women on different topics in personal status laws (includes developing discussion agenda and facilitation of roundtable)

Workload:

14 working days

Deliverable:

2-           Provide two trainings days for lawyers on possible reforms in religious personal status laws (includes development of training program and delivery)

Workload:

3 working days

Deliverable:

3-           Provide 4 one-day training for university students on possible reforms in religious personal status laws (includes development of training program and delivery)

Workload:

5 working days

Deliverable:

4-           Provide 1 workshop for judges on possible reforms in religious personal status laws (includes development of workshop program and delivery)

Workload:

2 working days

Deliverable:

5-           Conduct a 2-day workshop for lawyers from the bar associations (includes development of workshop program and delivery)

Workload:

3 working days

Qualifications

• Understanding of gender dynamics within legal systems and the importance of promoting women's rights and equality in judicial processes.
• Familiarity with Religious Legal Systems: Understanding of religious legal frameworks, including Islamic law (Sharia) and Canon law, etc., and their application in personal status matters.
• Skilled in facilitating small focus group discussions involving religious and civil judges, women legal experts, and activists to foster dialogue, identify divergences, and resolve controversies in judicial rulings.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to articulate complex legal concepts and facilitate constructive discussions among diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to critically analyze judicial rulings and identify areas of divergence or controversy, as well as propose potential reforms to address them.
• Capacity to advocate for reforms in religious personal status laws and promote the introduction of regular training programs in relevant institutions, including universities, legal schools, and judiciary studies institutes.
• Strong networking skills to establish connections with key stakeholders in the legal and religious communities, including both civil and judges.

Personal Attributes

• Ability to empathize with diverse perspectives and experiences, fostering an inclusive and respectful environment for discussion among religious and civil judges, women legal experts, and activists.
• Demonstrated sensitivity to cultural and religious differences, facilitating constructive dialogue and understanding among participants from varying backgrounds.
• Skill in navigating potentially contentious issues and mediating discussions to ensure productive outcomes, while maintaining professional relationships with all stakeholders.
• Willingness to consider different viewpoints and approaches, encouraging flexibility and creativity in seeking solutions to divergences and controversies in judicial rulings.
• Excellent verbal and non-verbal communication skills to effectively convey complex legal concepts and facilitate meaningful exchanges among participants.
• Capacity to lead and guide discussions with confidence and authority, inspiring engagement and commitment to the objectives of promoting reforms in religious personal status laws.
• Ability to foster collaboration and cooperation among participants, encouraging teamwork and shared responsibility in achieving common goals.
• Commitment to upholding ethical standards and principles of fairness and justice in all interactions and decision-making processes.
• dedication to promoting gender equality, human rights, and social justice through legal advocacy and reform efforts.

Term and workload

The legal & judicial expert term will start on August 1^st 2024 and will end on December 31, 2025.  The advocacy expert/company is expected to work as per the agreed upon workplan during this period for the project. This TOR maybe renewed

Copyrights and confidentiality

All the data and information shared or produced in the framework of this ToR are exclusively the property of Adyan Foundation. The expert has to commit to full confidentiality related to this project, besides what Adyan makes public from its results. 

Code of conduct

The expert agrees to fully respect Adyan’s ethos and code of conduct that is considered an integral part of this contract, and added to it in Annex.

Application

Interested researchers or companies should submit the following documents:

• Curriculum Vitae (CV) detailing relevant qualifications, experience, and achievements.
• Proposal describing the proposed methodology for the conducting legal facilitation and training including the expert’s suggested approach in preparing the roundtables. Seecting the topics and criteria for paritcipants.
• Financial proposal outlining the proposed daily fee and any additional costs associated with the project.

Evaluation Criteria: Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance and clarity of the proposed methodology.
• Demonstrated experience and achievements in similar projects.
• Qualifications and expertise of the individual consultant.
• Financial proposal including proposed daily fee and cost-effectiveness.

All CVs and proposals must be submitted no longer than the 20 June, 2024. Please submit your CV/Proposal electronically to [email protected] with the subject line: "Legal and Judicial Expert - WRL - [Your Name]