National Expert for mapping exercises relevant for Youth Peace and Security Agenda

Background:

Building on its efforts to promote the youth agenda in Albania, the OSCE Presence is implementing the project: “Supporting central and local institutions for inclusive democratic processes in Albania: Empowering Women, Youth and Civil Society (Phase 1). As part of this initiative, the Presence is planning to enhance the discussion within the country and with relevant institutions about the Youth, Peace and Security Agenda.

The OSCE has acknowledged the critical role of young people in promoting peace and security reflected in various commitments. While several initiatives by both national and international are working to promote the YPS-related themes in Albania, there is a need for a more structured mapping of existing measures within national strategies or relevant strategic documents.
As such, the Presence would like to promote further this agenda in the country by drafting a document to map existing measures within key national strategies or relevant documents covering specific pillars of the Youth, Peace and Security Agenda while providing key recommendations for possible changes. This work aligns with the priorities of the Finnish Chairmanship of the OSCE which re-emphasized the importance of strengthening the YPS framework within OSCE structures and reinforcing the importance of youth-led peace initiatives and institutional collaboration.
The OSCE Presence has actively promoted youth engagement and participation by supporting various initiatives. For instance, the Youth Advisory Group gives young people an opportunity to incorporate their perspectives into the projects and activities of OSCE Presence. The Youth Trail is a flagship regional youth exchange program fostering regional connectivity among 30 young people and promoting peace and security in the region.

In this regard, the project has planned to hire a national expert to conduct this mapping exercise of relevant national strategies or policies. This process will be coordinated with other stakeholders and relevant public institutions.

Objective of Assignment:
The national expert (to be hired in the framework of the above-mentioned project, Activity 2.1) will support the advancement of the Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS) agenda in Albania by conducting a mapping of existing measures within key national strategies or relevant policy. This exercise will support the identification of gaps and opportunities for promoting the YPS agenda in Albania. Through consultations with relevant stakeholders and analysis, the expert will develop a policy recommendations report that will inform policy development, promote the need for institution coordination and provide recommendations to align with the YPS agenda.

Duration of Assignment:
Free text to be Entered by Recruiter

Tasks and Responsibilities:
Research and Methodology:
Prepare a work plan and data collection methodology for this policy document: include information about the mapping process: Identify key strategies and action plans for mapping exercise, evaluate the extent to which these documents incorporate YPS-related pillars, identify gaps in the existing measures; Data collection methods; Validation through working in close cooperation with PiA to select the most relevant documents.

Desk Research and Mapping:
Conduct a review of relevant national strategies and action plans related to YPS; Map existing measures relevant to the 5 pillars of the Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS) agenda: Participation; Protection; Prevention; Partnerships; Disengagement & Reintegration
Identify gaps and policy recommendations to strengthen YPS agenda;

Stakeholder Consultations:
Conduct consultation meetings with key stakeholders, including youth and civil society organizations and state institutions such as Ministry of Youth and Children, Ministry of Education and Sport, RYCO, UN Women, UNFPA, local organizations to gather input and feedback for the mapping document and its gap analysis;
Conduct at least 4 meetings with stakeholders involved in the implementation of the Youth, Peace and Security Agenda, in order to get a deeper and broader understanding of the implementation processes of the Youth, Peace and Security Agenda in Albania;

Preliminary report and its findings:
Prepare a preliminary report with findings and recommendations about the mapping exercise; Identified policy gaps.

Prepare final report:
After receiving feedback, the expert will prepare the final report including: Detailed mapping document including the identified measures for each pillar of the YPS agenda,

Gap analysis section identifying opportunities for including the YPS agenda
Policy Recommendation Section: outlining and proposing recommendations for future actions or measures to be included for promoting the YPS agenda in Albania.

Deliverables:
Share the draft methodology prepared for the mapping exercise with the Presence for the final approval;
List of selected national strategies/action plans for the mapping exercise;

Identify measures and gaps for the 5 pillars of the Youth, Peace and Security Agenda and Gap analysis in this regard,
Meeting notes summarizing stakeholder feedback, challenges, and recommendations and stakeholder engagement summary submitted to OSCE Presence
Submit the draft report to the OSCE Presence for review and feedback.
Submit the final report to the Presence for the final review and feedback.

Necessary Qualifications:

- A minimum Master’s degree in the fields of Social Sciences, Development Studies, Political Studies, Law, Education, Economy, Public Administration, European Studies and International Cooperation;
- Experience as a consultant / advisor / analyst for development organizations, organizations, CSO or state institutions for at least 5 years;
- Prior experience in conducting mapping exercises and comparative policy analysis, with a proven track record in these areas as part of their qualifications and expertise.
- Have extensive knowledge of civil society-related legal and institutional framework in Albania, with specialized experience in youth engagement, peacebuilding, and security-sector reforms, as well as practical experience working with local youth-focused civil society organizations across different regions in Albania.
- Experience in conducting desk reviews/ focus groups/ data analysis, as well as rapid assessments and/or evaluations with participatory research tools and methods;
- 3 years of experience in implementing capacity-building interventions and co-ordination and monitoring of government strategies and action plans;
- Excellent English drafting, reporting and communication skills;
- Concrete expertise in mapping exercise, particularly related to similar agendas would be a plus;

Remuneration Package:

Remuneration will be based on the selected consultant's/expert's qualifications, experience, the tasks and deliverables for this position and in accordance with the OSCE established rates.

If you wish to apply for this position, please use the OSCE's online application link found under https://vacancies.osce.org/.

The OSCE retains the discretion to re-advertise/re-post the vacancy, to cancel the recruitment or to offer an appointment with a modified job description or for a different duration.

Only those candidates who are selected to participate in the subsequent stages of recruitment will be contacted.

The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all religious, ethnic and social backgrounds to apply to become a part of the Organization.

Candidates should be aware that OSCE officials shall conduct themselves at all times in a manner befitting the status of an international civil servant. This includes avoiding any action which may adversely reflect on the integrity, independence and impartiality of their position and function as officials of the OSCE. The OSCE is committed to applying the highest ethical standards in carrying out its mandate. For more information on the values set out in OSCE Competency Model, please see https://jobs.osce.org/resources/document/our-competency-model.

Please be aware that the OSCE does not request payment at any stage of the application and review process. Additional Information