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Introduction

Country:   Philippines

 

Description of the Assignment:  

TITLE: Policy and Legal Specialist

AGENCY/PROJECT NAME: Enabling Activities to Support the ratification of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (EA-BBNJ) 

DUTY STATION:  Home-based, with field missions Individual Contract

 

A. Project Title

Enabling Activities to Support the ratification of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (EA- BBNJ)

B. Project Description

The marine Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ) are those areas of the oceans outside sovereignty of any State, thereby encompassing the high seas and the area. In ABNJ, no State enjoys the sole responsibility for, among others, the conservation of marine biodiversity, and such responsibility is therefore being shared by all States in the international community in the framework of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and with the support of relevant International Frameworks and Bodies (IFBs).

With ABNJ encompassing approximately 65% of the ocean’s volume, it harbors intricate ecosystems that offer vast ecosystem services, ranging from provisioning and regulating to cultural and supporting functions. Given the Philippines’ geographical location, it is strategically one of the nations that can contribute to the protection and conservation of ABNJ.

Hence, the objective of this grant is to support the Philippines in: (a) assessing the extent to which their current legal, policy and institutional framework allows for promptly becoming parties to the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) and enables their implementation of the Agreement; (b) carrying out preparatory work in the context of their ratification, approval, acceptance or accession process towards becoming parties to the BBNJ Agreement; and (c) supporting their readiness to implement the BBNJ Agreement. There are two main components to achieve the above objective:

Component 1: Creating the enabling conditions for the Agreement’s swift entry into force and initial implementation. The Project will strengthen the Philippines’ capacity and readiness towards the ratification and implementation of the Agreement.

Component 2: Monitoring and evaluation (MGE) system. This will facilitate the design and operationalization of a gender-sensitive MGE system.

 

3. Scope of Work

Under the supervision of the Programme Analyst and guidance of the Climate Action Programme Team Leader, the Policy and Legal Specialist will actively participate in PMU planning and evaluation, support day-to-day operations, conduct a stocktaking all policies and institutional arrangements relevant to ABNJ—both international and national—to determine the country's legal, policy, regulatory, and institutional capacities based on the approved Project Document. S/he will also prepare inputs and support the development of the final country report on the Philippines' readiness to implement the BBNJ agreement.

Specific Functions:

a. Preparatory Technical Studies and Reviews

• Conduct comprehensive legal, institutional, socio-economic, and environmental assessments related to the BBNJ treaty to evaluate barriers to ratification and implementation in the Philippines.

• Identify and recommend legislative, organizational, and institutional reforms necessary to align national frameworks with the BBNJ Treaty, including measures to facilitate Senate concurrence.

• Provide legal and technical advice to government agencies and stakeholders on the ratification process, including procedural and documentation requirements.

• Conduct a capacity needs assessment of DENR and other relevant institutions, including a detailed stakeholder mapping (with special emphasis on Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities) and an inventory of databases, repositories, and national RGD capacities related to the BBNJ Clearing-House Mechanism, EIA, and marine genetic resources in ABNJ; and

• Analyze and propose options for addressing indirect or downstream environmental and socio-economic impacts of treaty implementation.

b. Formulation of the Philippine Country Report and Project M&E Plan

• Lead the preparation of the Philippine Country Report, ensuring integration of stakeholder inputs, legal reviews, and technical assessments.

• Design and implement a gender-sensitive Monitoring and Evaluation (MGE) framework to track progress towards Senate concurrence and treaty implementation.

• Contribute to the development of a country-specific roadmap for implementing Social and Environmental Standards (SES), including roles, responsibilities, timeline, budget, and reporting requirements.

• Participate in and support consultations, workshops, and stakeholder meetings, ensuring inclusive and participatory approaches are reflected in project outputs; and

• Draft or recommend legal instruments and implementing rules necessary for the domestication and operationalization of the BBNJ treaty.

c. Monitoring and Evaluation

• Prepare periodic monitoring reports that highlight key findings, challenges, and recommendations for improvement.

• Ensure the review and operationalization of the project's Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) and SES action plan.

• Support all necessary revisions that arise during the workshop, as well as reviews by UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub, UNDP Headquarters, and GEF, as appropriate.

Competencies and Qualifications

The Consultant should possess the following qualifications:

• Graduate of Juris Doctor (JD) or Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.); or Master’s degree in Environmental Policy, Marine Science, International Relations, or a related field. Relevant training and certificates in international environmental law or ocean governance is highly desirable.

• At least 7 years’ experience as a policy and institutional researcher/ analyst in the field of environment demonstrating expertise in conducting legal gap analyses, policy reviews, and/or institutional capacity assessments, preferably with experience in dealing with BBNJ stakeholders.

• At least 1 year of experience in drafting policies related to the environment within the last 5 years

• Strong analytical and communication skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information and present clear recommendations; and

• Fluency in Filipino and excellent written and spoken English.

Period of assignment/services: The contract will be issued with an estimated level of effort of 40 days spread over 13 months (August 2025 to September 2026), unless revised in a mutually agreed upon timetable between the Expert and UNDP.

 

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Documents :

Negotiation Document(s) (Before Accessing other negotiations Document(s), please click on this link)