| Overview : The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (ABS), an agreement under the Convention on Biological Diversity, was adopted on 29 October 2010 in Nagoya (Japan) and entered into force on 12 October 2014, it provides a transparent legal framework for the effective implementation of the 3rd objective of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The Protocol applies to genetic resources that are covered by the CBD and to the benefits arising from their utilization, it also covers associated Traditional Knowledge (aTK) associated with Genetic Resources (GR) held by indigenous and local communities. Contracting parties to the Nagoya Protocol need to fulfil core obligations to take measures in relation to access to genetic resources, benefit-sharing and compliance. Article 8(j) of the CBD states “Each contracting Party shall, as far as possible and as appropriate: Subject to national legislation, respect, preserve and maintain knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities embodying traditional lifestyles relevant for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and promote their wider application with the approval and involvement of the holders of such knowledge, innovations and practices and encourage the equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of such knowledge innovations and practices”. The UNDP-GEF Project “Strengthening human resources, legal frameworks, and institutional capacities to implement the Nagoya Protocol” (Global ABS Project) is a 3-year project that specifically aims at assisting 24 countries in the development and strengthening of their national ABS frameworks, human resources, and administrative capabilities to implement the Nagoya Protocol. The project seeks to achieve this through its 4 components namely: - Component 1: Strengthening the legal, policy and institutional capacity to develop national ABS frameworks;
- Component 2: Building trust between users and providers of genetic resources to facilitate the identification of bio-discovery efforts; and
- Component 3: Strengthening the capacity of indigenous and local communities to contribute to the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol.
- Component 4: Implementing a Community of Practice and South-South Cooperation Framework on ABS.
Component 1, Output1.2.1. of the project seeks to improve capacities of National Competent Authorities and related agencies on processing access applications, developing model contractual clauses under mutually agreed terms, including the negotiation and tracking of ABS agreements and biodiscovery projects to ensure compliance. Deadline for Submission: 10 October 2018 at 16:00hrs. Applications to be sent to the email address jobs.mu@undp.org | 
