Job Description
Legal Consultant (Part time) | IPPF Sex Work Policy Consortium Project.
Project Background: The Sex Work Policy Consortium Project is a 2-year project that aims to enhance the rights, legal protections, health, and economic empowerment of sex workers in Sri Lanka. The project focuses on legal reform, capacity-building, access to SRHR services, financial empowerment, and advocacy, ensuring a safe and enabling environment for sex workers. The Legal Consultant position is a Part-time work for this project.
Objectives:
Recruiting a Legal Consultant will objective for contributing to create an environment to advocate for the criminalization of sex work and the repeal of punitive laws and policies against sex workers/LGBTIQ to promote policies and ordinances that create an enabling environment for sex workers and LGBIQ to improve working conditions, and enhance welfare support, safety, and security.
Key Responsibilities:
- Conduct two days training programmes to develop capacities of the project staff attached to FPASL, CSDF, Heart to Heart, NTN, TET on existed laws govern the sex workers.
- Guide project staff to Development and printing of a fact sheet to sensitize key stakeholders on the vagrant’s ordinance and its implications (2000 copies of A4 size both side).
- Conduct sensitization programmes for police and other law enforcement officials to reduce harassment and violence against female sex workers (Ex: vagrants Ordinance. (2 half a day programmes, 30 participants each).
- Contribute for awareness Creation among 100 FSW Community people on relevant existing laws, punishments, the conditions that should exist during arrest and how to behave when facing them (4 one day Programmes, 25 participants each).
- Conduct a sensitization programme for media personals on vagrant’s ordinance (One half a day programme, 30 participants).
- Formation of a Technical Advisory Committee to propose amendments to the vagrants Ordinance (10 resource persons, 20 participants, 4 meetings).
- Collaborate with legal experts and human rights organizations to draft proposals for the amendment of discriminatory laws such as the Vagrants Ordinance.
- Conduct 2 consultative meetings to discuss the draft amendment with the key stakeholders (2 meetings, 30 participants per meeting).
- Conduct a sensitization programme for parliamentarians on the vagrants Ordinance and proposed amendments (15 Parliamentarians, Half a day meeting).
- Conduct sensitization programmes for police officers and other law enforcement officials on the issues faced by sexual minorities and discriminatory laws (Ex: penal code 365) (2 half a day programmes, 30 participants each).
- Collaborate with legal aid organizations and Bar association to conduct a sensitization programme for lawyers and development of a network of lawyers (15 participants, 2 meetings).
Required Qualifications / Experience
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Public Policy, Gender Studies, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Public Health, or related fields.
- Minimum 2 years of experience in human rights, SRHR, gender advocacy, or legal empowerment programs.
- Preference will be given to candidates who have the understanding on marginalized communities, sex worker-led organizations, or human rights initiatives.
- Experience in communicating with government institutions, Parliamentarians, judiciary officers and lawyers, law enforcement officials on the issues faced by sexual minorities and discriminatory laws (Ex: penal code 365) etc.
- Understanding of confidentiality and the need to protect the privacy and rights of sex workers throughout the project.
Please send us your CV, on or before Friday, 4th April 2025, citing two non-related referees. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
The Executive Director - CSDF,
No.68, Kolonnawa Road
Kolonnawa.
Or Email to csdf2003@gmail.com