Two Senior Parliamentary Advisors At Inter-Parliamentary Union

1) Background

The UNDP STEPS project funded by USAID supports the National Assembly (NA) and Provincial People’s Assemblies (PPA) in Lao PDR in developing their capacities to perform their constitutional functions of law-making, oversight, and representation. One important element of the project’s support is to assist the NA in parliamentary diplomacy, in particular to address the NA’s capacity needs for participating in key regional and global inter-parliamentary fora. In 2024, Lao PDR will assume the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the NA will host the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA).

The NA committees will lead the preparations for hosting AIPA. The Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC) oversees overall coordination and works with the International Cooperation and Project Management Secretariat (ICPMS) to plan and deliver the necessary knowledge and capacity-building for NA Members and staff participating in AIPA in 2024.

For the AIPA General Assembly, the NA’s delegation will consist of up to 15 MPs, including the NA President and Vice President and the Chairs and members of the FAC, Planning and Financial Affairs Committee (PFAC), Social and Cultural Affairs Committee (SCAC), and the Economy, Technology, and Environment Committee (ETEC) who will chair and participate in the respective AIPA standing committees. The NA’s AIPA Secretariat will be supported by the respective NA committee staff to assist in the operation of the AIPA committees, and the staff of the Secretariat Committee and the NA Institute of Legislative Studies (ILS) who will provide administrative and technical support to the AIPA meetings and the General Assembly.

The Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU), of which the NA is a member parliament, is a long-term partner with UNDP on parliamentary strengthening projects worldwide. The high-level involvement of the IPU under the STEPS Project helps to ensure a high quality of international technical expertise, including through South-South exchanges and engagement with IPU-member parliaments in the ASEAN Region. Engagement with the IPU also ensures that the project complies with the Common Principles for Support to Parliaments, which were developed with contributions from USAID and UNDP.

Through the FAC, the NA has requested support of STEPS in preparing NA committees, Members, and staff for their duties in hosting AIPA workshops, committee meetings and the General Assembly. This represents an opportunity to enhance the knowledge and skills of staff of the National Assembly to provide high-level research support and procedural advice to NA Members to support similar international engagements. STEPS will partner with the IPU in meeting this request.

2) Objectives of the Assignment

Against the above background, UNDP/IPU is seeking to engage Senior Parliamentary Advisor: staff development for inter-parliamentary engagements with extensive experience of preparing for multi-lateral parliamentary engagements such as the AIPA General Assembly. The individuals will have detailed understanding of the needs of parliamentary staff in preparing for inter-parliamentary engagements.

The first individual will specialise in:
• Development briefing notes and research to support Members of Parliament to engage in the topics discussed at the AIPA Assembly, covering social, cultural, political, economic issues in the ASEAN region; topics of ASEAN resolutions; issues affecting young parliamentarians and women parliamentarians in the ASEAN region.

The second individual will specialise in:
• International relations expertise, including legal knowledge and skills to support understanding and preparation of AIPA Assembly resolutions.

Both individuals will be expected to draw on their experience of preparing for inter-parliamentary engagements including logistical arrangements, customer service and inter-personal skills required.

The individuals will provide professional development and mentoring guidance over five months to staff of the National Assembly, including committee department staff and Institute of Legislative Studies (ILS) staff, aiming at tangible improvements in the quality of written outputs produced by staff to support inter-parliamentary engagements.

Support will be delivered through intensive training and preparation in person in Lao PDR in May 2024, responsive mentoring home-based from May-August 2024, and refresher and consolidation support in person in August/September 2024. All guidance and training materials will be consolidated into a handbook for NA staff.

Overall objectives of the assignment are:
• Immediate outcome: Capacities developed to support the successful hosting of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly.
• Long-term outcome: Increased capacities to provide high-level research support and procedural advice to NA Members to support international engagements.

The ideal candidate is a current or former Parliamentary staff member with at least five years of experience of engagement in multi-lateral parliamentary diplomacy initiatives, such as the AIPA Assembly and Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly and meetings. The individual has excellent communications skills and demonstrated capacity for astute political analysis and judgment. Knowledge of political dynamics and social, cultural, economic and gender considerations in the ASEAN region is a key advantage.

The Senior Parliamentary Advisor: Staff development for inter-parliamentary engagements reports to IPU’s Manager for Technical Cooperation with guidance from the UNDP STEPS Chief Technical Specialist. This position will involve travel to Lao PDR with home-based work.

The individual(s) will work together with other organisations and individuals supporting delivery of the AIPA Preparation roadmap, including in delivery of training activities and working with the NA in the preparation of a handbook for staff.

3) Scope of Work:

• Prepare and deliver capacity development on resolutions of inter-parliamentary engagements and the AIPA Assembly (covering their legal function and purpose, structure, format, process of proposal and amendment, and follow up to resolutions passed). Support to include a legal drafting workshop focusing on AIPA resolutions.
• Prepare and deliver a four-month programme for NA staff to develop knowledge and skills to provide subject-matter briefings to staff supporting the AIGA Assembly committee meetings, covering social, economic, political affairs in the ASEAN region and gender equality and women’s empowerment issues in the region; issues affecting young parliamentarians and women parliamentarians of AIPA. Support to include:
• Briefings on comparative policy and practice in the ASEAN region
• Preparation of research briefing formats/processes
• Research skills development workshops.
• Provide ad hoc and responsive support to NA staff as they prepare key documentation to support the AIPA Assembly, including on topics of draft resolutions and committee meetings.
• Support other areas of skills development for NA staff to engage effectively at the AIPA Assembly (as required), including in logistical tasks to prepare for an inter-parliamentary meeting; and keeping notes and records.
• Produce inputs for a handbook for NA staff, together with other development partners and experts supporting the full programme of work. The handbook will collate materials used for the tasks above and be presented in an attractive and accessible format.
• Provide advice as required to correspond to other areas of programming under the STEPS project related to the duties of the assignment, including committee development and gender and inclusion in parliamentary functions.

4) Breakdown of working days

Support to the National Assembly will be flexible and responsive to needs as they arise. Timings are therefore indicative.

Timing

Duties

Location

Working days

June 2024

• Design of capacity development support
• Preparation of materials

Home-based

5

July 2024

First mission including:

• Face to face training sessions
• One to one and group meetings and skills development sessions

Lao PDR

10

July-August 2024

• Responsive on-the-job support and mentoring
• Preparation of materials for a handbook for Members

Home-based

Up to 18

August/September 2024

Second mission:

• Refresher support to NA Members in advance of the AIPA Assembly
• One to one and group meetings and skills development sessions

Lao PDR

5

October 2024

Evaluation and final report

Home-based

2

4) Deliverables

• A report including:
• Progress made towards the objectives of the assignment.
• Attachments including all written background papers, concept notes, briefings, and training material to support activities undertaken.
• A draft of all inputs to the Handbook for NA staff, the scope of which will be agreed on with the IPU Manager for Technical Cooperation and UNDP STEPS Chief Technical Specialist.
• A timesheet of days worked, identifying duty stations.

5) Qualifications and experience

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in public policy, law, development studies or a related area.
• Experience: Minimum five years of professional experience as a parliamentary staff member, from Research, Library, International Relations and/or Committee departments
• Strong knowledge and experience of engaging in multi-lateral parliamentary diplomacy settings, including the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly and/or Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly.
• Experience with strengthening parliamentary initiatives in a technical and advisory role is an advantage.
• Experience designing and delivering professional development for parliamentary staff.
• Strong knowledge of the political economy of Southeast Asia.
• Knowledge of the Common Principles for Support to Parliaments.
• Language Requirements: Excellent command of written and spoken English

6) Timeframe and Conditions
The consultant will undertake this work over a timeline commencing in July 2024 and concluding in October 2024. They shall be expected to work a maximum of 40 days.

The consultant will work home-based with visits to Vientiane, Laos. The IPU shall cover the expenses related to the missions that the consultant will need to carry out for the purposes of the above assignments.

7) Employment Conditions
The Consultant will be an independent contractor, will not be considered to be an official or employee of the IPU, and will not be subject to the IPU Staff Regulations and Staff Rules. The Consultant will be paid a daily fee of USD 400 for days worked. The Consultant will not be entitled to recover from the IPU any income tax payable in respect of the fee provided under this contract and shall be solely liable for the payment of any national income tax due in respect of the emoluments payable under this contract. The Consultant will not be included in the IPU pension scheme.