Equality Now is a worldwide human rights organisation dedicated to securing the legal and systemic change needed to end discrimination against all women and girls, everywhere in the world. As part of its ongoing work under the Rape Laws in Africa initiative, Equality Now, together with WAVES Sierra Leone, Defence for Children International Sierra Leone (DCI-SL), and Child Welfare Society Sierra Leone (CWS-SL), is organizing a high-level convening on the implementation of rape laws in Africa, scheduled for 6-7 October 2026 in Freetown. Equality Now seeks to engage a consultant (preferably a current or retired Judge of the Model Sexual Offences Court in Sierra Leone, or a senior State Counsel / practising lawyer with extensive experience in the investigation and prosecution of sexual offences cases in Sierra Leone) to develop a well-researched, authoritative research paper and present it during the convening on 7 October 2026 in Freetown.
Key tasks include:
- Conducting a focused desk review and analysis of the roles of the Family Support Unit (FSU) and the Model Sexual Offences Courts in Bo, Kenema, Western Rural, and Freetown districts, with focus on barriers to access to justice for survivors of rape;
- Assessing achievements, operational challenges, survivor experiences, and lessons learned;
- Providing comparative analysis of selected African and South-South Latin American and Asian models (Kenya's Gender Justice Courts, South Africa's Sexual Offences Courts & Thuthuzela Centres, Rwanda's Isange One Stop Centres, Colombia, etc.);
- Highlighting good practices, systemic gaps, and actionable recommendations; and delivering a policy-oriented final paper.
Deliverables: Inception report, draft paper (15-20 pages), final paper, PowerPoint presentation, and presentation at the convening. The consultancy runs from 1 August to 15 October 2026. The ideal consultant must be a current or recently retired Judge, or senior State Counsel/practising lawyer with direct extensive experience handling sexual offences cases, strong analytical and writing skills, excellent presentation skills, and demonstrated commitment to survivor-centred and trauma-informed justice. Total consultancy fee: 2,500 USD inclusive of all applicable taxes.
HOW TO APPLY:
Interested candidates should submit to
equalitynownairobi@equalitynow.org and copy
jmurunga@equalitynow.org: a brief proposal (2 pages) outlining their approach and understanding of the assignment, with specific reference to the four locations; an updated CV highlighting relevant legal/judicial/prosecutorial experience; and a sample of previous written work (judgment, policy paper, or article). Application Deadline: 31st July 2026.