Legal Research Consultant for Uzbekistan

Composed of 60 eminent judges and lawyers from all regions of the world, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) promotes and protects human rights through the Rule of Law, by using its unique legal expertise to develop and strengthen national and international justice systems. Established in 1952, in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council since 1957, and active on the five continents, the ICJ aims to ensure the progressive development and effective implementation of international human rights and international humanitarian law; secure the realization of civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights; safeguard the separation of powers; and guarantee the independence of the judiciary and legal profession. The ICJ is committed to securing the realization of all human rights for all people, and in particular the rights of marginalized and disadvantaged individuals and groups.

SCOPE OF WORK

The ICJ is seeking a consultant to support legal research on gender stereotyping in access to justice. The research aims to promote access to justice for women and girls in Uzbekistan.

Harmful gender stereotypes, and the assumptions and inferences they generate, appear daily in a wide range of social contexts. When laws, regulations, policies, and justice-system practices reflect such stereotypes, they give rise to gender-based discrimination and undermine women’s equal enjoyment of their human rights.1 In many jurisdictions, gender stereotypes remain embedded in substantive laws, legal procedures and courtroom practices. They hinder the effective investigation and prosecution of cases, and contribute to violations of the rights to non-discrimination, access to justice, equality before the law and freedom from inhuman or degrading treatment.

Under the supervision of the ICJ Uzbekistan team, the consultant will carry out the following tasks:

1. Conduct research to develop an accessible country guide on discrimination and stereotyping against women and girls, including those with disabilities in the justice system in Uzbekistan.
2. The final paper should include the following sections:
3. International and regional framework governing gender and disability stereotypes in accessing justice.
4. Legislative and policy framework in Uzbekistan including but not limited to civil and criminal justice, laws on non-discrimination against women and girls and the extent to which they embody gender and disability-based discrimination and harmful stereotypes.
5. An analysis of the emerging jurisprudence and practice in the prosecution of cases involving women and girls, particularly those related to gender-based violence.
6. Manifestations of gender and disability stereotyping and assumptions in the court processes.
7. Good practices and practical recommendations to overcoming harmful gender and disability stereotypes in law and practice.
8. Engage litigants, lawyers, judges, women’s rights organisations, and other stakeholders to document lived experiences in interactions with the justice system.

The consultant will draft the document based on a methodology guide provided by the ICJ team.

The final output will be a concise, clearly written guide that supports justice system users and strengthens the capacity of duty-bearers to respect, fulfil, and protect human rights for all, particularly women and girls in accessing justice.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• Thorough knowledge of Uzbekistan’s civil and criminal justice systems and the applicable laws;
• Proven understanding and experience in the areas of gender and gender-based violence, and preferably also disability related issues;
• Master’s degree in law; a degree in international human rights law is an advantage;
• Excellent analytical and writing skills in English language;
• Experience in stakeholder engagement.

TIMELINE

• The consultancy covers two to three months of full-time work.
• Tentative date for completion of the assignment: end of September 2025.

How to apply

Interested applicants should submit the following documents to Sabohat Ergasheva sabohat.ergasheva@icj.org and copy (CC) Sitora Raximova sitora.raximova@icj.org.

• Abridged CV outlining the applicant’s relevant experience
• Cover letter explaining the applicant’s interest and suitability;

Please include “Consultancy gender stereotyping” in the email subject line. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Early submissions are encouraged as the ICJ reserves the right to close the recruitment process as soon as a suitable candidate has been identified.

Please appreciate that due to the volume of applications, only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

The ICJ is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity and values a diverse workforce. The ICJ’s policy is to practice a fair and non-discriminatory recruitment and selection procedure and to strive for and maintain international and multi-cultural personnel. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.

ICJ staff must adhere to its Code of Ethics which states that discrimination, bullying and harassment in any form will not be tolerated, nor sexual harassment, violence or assault in any form. The successful candidate will be required to pass a background check.

ACCESSIBILITY NOTICE: Applicants with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process may send their requests through an email to recruitment@icj.org, or call +41 229 793 833