Consultant (Legislative and Policy Research)

Result of Service

The Consultant will be responsible for the following tasks, to be completed in coordination with the supervising team: A. Support the development of a research methodology and workplan, prepare an annotated bibliography, design a legislative mapping matrix, and present these deliverables at an online inception meeting. B. Conduct a desk review and comparative analysis of legislative frameworks on OCSAE, NCII, and sexual extortion at the domestic, regional, and international levels, identifying implementation gaps, areas of convergence and divergence, and opportunities for legal harmonization, including identification and synthesis of legislative best practices in criminalization, investigative procedures, international cooperation, victim support, and digital platform accountability. Present findings to the supervising team. C. Support with the finalization of a Repository of Best Practices based on feedback received from the supervising team.

Work Location

Home-based

Expected duration

01 July 2026 to 21 September 2026

Duties and Responsibilities

Sexual extortion against minors, online child sexual abuse and exploitation (OCSAE), and the non-consensual dissemination of intimate images (NCII) are among the most serious and rapidly evolving forms of technology-facilitated violence against children. Digital communication platforms, encrypted messaging applications, and social media have created new vectors through which perpetrators target, groom, and exploit minors across multiple jurisdictions. Sexual extortion, i.e. the coercion or blackmail of children through threatened or actual distribution of sexual images, frequently intersects with other forms of OCSAE, including child sexual abuse material (CSAM), grooming, and online solicitation, while NCII constitutes a distinct but related category of harm with severe psychological and legal consequences for victims. The transnational nature of these crimes challenges criminal justice systems worldwide, requiring harmonized domestic frameworks and legal definitions, and effective international cooperation mechanisms. Despite growing legislative attention, significant gaps remain in coverage, implementation, and enforcement. In this context, UNODC is developing a Repository of Best Practices to support law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, and policymakers in the investigation and prosecution of sexual extortion, OCSAE and NCII cases, consolidating legislative frameworks, procedural guidance, case law, and operational best practices from diverse legal systems.

Qualifications/special skills

An advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Law is required. A first-level university degree in similar fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. A minimum of one (1) year of experience in legal research in international l...