Experience

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  Adam Smith International

  • Somalia

  • Team Leader/ Justice Adviser - Security and Justice, Governance and Accountability Project (SJGAP)

    • Nov 2022 - Present
    • Somalia

    A four-year European Union-funded program supporting institutional and oversight strengthening of the ministries of justice, internal security, and defence and their respective parliamentary oversight committees in the House of the People and Senate.SJGAP now has a complement of twenty-three experts supporting multi-disciplinary institutional strengthening efforts to improve the core competencies and oversight capabilities of our partners. Our focus is on improving core systems, tools, processes and regulations (STPR) through close technical support and institutional digitization.Data analytical system development is geared towards improving all partner institutions' ability to understand and respond to citizen security and justice needs and to use data to improve the performance, conduct and resourcing of justice service delivery institutions, including the police, prosecutorial service, courts, custodial services, along with hybrid justice services and the legal aid practitioners.SJAGAP's support for legislation development - with an emphasis on building the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs' mandate to provide government with legal drafting support - employs new government legislation guidelines develop to legislation informed by improved stakeholder consultations,feasibility studies that consider the impact and financial cost of the proposed legislation, and integrated clearer accountability requirements for implementing ministries and institutions.

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  IDLO - International Development Law Organization

  • Italy
  • International Affairs
  • 500 - 600 Employee

  • Technical Consultant

    • May 2022 - Sep 2022

    The team produced a security and justice sector institutional assessment based on desktop research and primary research in six counties that included interviews and focal group discussions with formal and customary justice actors, civil society organisations, and citizens. The Assessment contributes to a broader study that includes a stocktake of the last fifteen years of security and justice services in Libera, along with in-depth assessments of legal aid, and specialized gender-based based violence services.

  • Technical Consultant

    • Dec 2021 - Jul 2022

    Two Assignments:1. Developing an ADR Centre training manual and training on it for IDLO's "Strengthening the Social Contract Through Access to Justice in Somaliland" or Damal programme. 2. Justice services mapping and training for future ADR Centre Self-MappingThis partnership with the Ministry of Justice introduces Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Centres to Somaliland with a number of novel adaptions, including the use of community-based paralegals, Justice Call-In Centres, Community Justice Forums to promote plural justice system cooperation and service delivery improvements, and specialist accompaniment referrals to ensure victims of sexual and gender-based violence are supported in accessing justice and in receiving relevant medico-legal and psychosocial support throughout their case.

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  The International Foundation for Electoral Systems

  • Montenegro

  • Consulting Specialist

    • Jul 2021 - Sep 2021
    • Montenegro

    I provided a review and recommendations to strengthen and finalise the Center for Monitoring and Research in Montenegro's policy paper, “Legal Framework in the Field of Conflict of Interest in Montenegro with Comparative Overview and Recommendations for Improvement"

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  IDLO - International Development Law Organization

  • Somaliland

  • Technical Consultant

    • May 2021 - Jul 2021
    • Somaliland

    Produced inception baseline assessment for IDLO's Kingdom of Netherlands-funded "Strengthening the Social Contract Through Access to Justice in Somaliland." This partnership with the Ministry of Justice introduces Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Centres to Somaliland with a number of novel adaptions.ADR Centres - run by trained community members - will provide free dispute resolution services applying customary justice principles for civil and minor criminal matters while referring more serious crime to the statutory courts. In instances of sexual and gender-based violence and child abuse the Centre's, supported by partnering legal aid organisations, will provide proactive accompaniment referrals for survivors to assist them in opening cases, obtaining necessary medical and psychosocial services, and maintain this support until the resolution of the cases.Novel adaptions to IDLO's successful implementation of ADR Centres in south-central Somalia will include the use of community-based paralegals and Justice Call-In centres to expand access to justice information and services. While Community Justice Forums will bring plural justice chain actors (state, customary and shariah) together with community representatives to collaborate efforts to improve justice services, strengthen cooperation with communities (including internal displacee and pastoralist communities), and hold justice institutions to account for their performance and conduct.

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  Pact

  • Somalia

  • Chief of Party - Expanding Access to Justice Program

    • Oct 2018 - Oct 2020
    • Somalia

    We employed an adaptive learning approach that developed a cumulative set of program delivery methods that greatly extended program's reach and influence beyond its initially conceived legal aid focus to include building of state justice institutions; use of remote forms of justice services to overcome COVID-19 restrictions, insecurity, cost and stigma; the provision of direct justice assistance by the program's legal unit; and plans to expand access to justice through work with non-justice actors.During my tenure as Chief of Party of the program we-1. Established offices in Hargeisa, Mogadishu, and Baidoa.2. Funded legal aid organisation's in-person and remote services.3. Supported Justice Call Centres assisting thousands of citizens.4. Reached millions through interactive radio, television, and social media.5. Supported university clinical legal education programs.6. Developed a range of cutting-edge studies and surveys on key justice issues.7. Designed a district model court to test and improve court standards.8. Innovated the use of a Ministry of Justice-led access to justice committees.9. Established an EAJ Case Review and Response team providing direct services. More detailed information - and all EAJ's resources - are available on the program website: www.eajprogram.org

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  IDLO - International Development Law Organization

  • 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘆𝗮

  • Project Coordinator - Court Automation & Case Backlog Reduction Project

    • Jun 2018 - Sep 2018
    • 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘆𝗮

    I supported the Judiciary in the development of -1. An electronic Case Management System with E-filing capabilities in line with World Bank standards.2. Up-to-date commercial training for judicial officers in co-operation with the Judiciary Training Institute.3. A case backlog reduction project aimed at ending the current Commercial and Tax Division backlog.

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  Coffey International Ltd

  • Harare

  • Team Leader - Senior Adviser - Danida Zimbabwe Justice and Governance Programme

    • Apr 2014 - Mar 2017
    • Harare

    Project completed!The Justice and Governance Implementation Unit I led achieved the following-1. Construction and equipping of 22 magistrates' courts around the country.2. Each court provides one-stop justice centre facilities enabling a range of services institutions, social services, and civil society organisations to provide services.3. Provision of JSC staff training and technical support.4. Facilitation of of an historic MOU between the JSC and key CSO organisations for for Help Desk services at the new courts.5. Development of a case management system as a critical performance and accountability system.6. Provision of technical advice and training workshops to legal aid and human rights organisations.7. Hosting of Dialogue Platforms to promote civil society cooperation and social accountability best practices.8. Support for a range of historic consultations between the JSC and civil society to improve cooperation on service delivery improvements and reducing corruption.9. Renovation of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights building into a state-of-the-art headquarters and training institute.

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  DAI

  • Bethesda

  • Technical Consultant

    • Jan 2014 - Apr 2014
    • Bethesda

    I developed a toolkit identifying best practices and promising approaches in the field of citizen safety.

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  FHI 360

  • Washington DC and Jamaica

  • Crime prevention and community safety consultant

    • Jul 2013 - Jul 2013
    • Washington DC and Jamaica

    I assisted FHI 360 in the development of a proposal for USAID's Jamaican Caribbean Basin Security Initiate (CBSI).

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  Gauteng Provincial Department of Community Safety

  • Gauteng

  • Director: Citizen Safety

    • Aug 2006 - Jun 2010
    • Gauteng

    Managed Citizen Safety Directorate staff.1. Developed award‐winning public awareness campaigns, mobilization tools and training curricula for government officials, police and community groups in social crime prevention approaches.2. Effectively scaled‐up projects through strategic partnerships and operational safety networks, establishing linkages, and sharing resources among a variety of government departments (Corrections, Education, Health and Social Development and Police).3. Established and convened a Provincial Community Safety Forum that brought together key local, provincial and national government departments to jointly plan and exchange best practices. 4. Provided capacity building training to police, community safety structures and local government officials on social crime prevention.5. Led development of the Gauteng Violence Against Women and Child Safety Strategy (VAWAC) and Gauteng Social Crime Prevention Strategy.=Initiated child safety promotion campaign which led to 30% increase in calls to Childline (child abuse prevention hotline) within six months of teacher training/DVD distribution program. 6. Managed cross‐government partnerships resulted in the establishment of safety committees and development of safety plans in over 400 schools, which increased schools’ early warning capability to identify and address safety threats, and led to doubling of funding by Department of Education for the project.7 Coordinated multi‐sectoral approach to combat illegal alcohol distribution (police, schools, local government, and community police forums) led to raids and closure of 200 illegal liquor outlets.8. Led recruitment and training of youth to serve on Youth Desks in police stations led to anti crime campaigns in over 100 police station areas.9. Led efforts to improve local governments' contribution to police oversight and the province's determination of policing needs and priorities.

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  Department of Community Safety

  • Deputy Director: Social Crime Prevention Analyst (Level 12)

    • Sep 2002 - Aug 2006

    Responsible for provincial crime prevention analysis, strategy analysis, and commissioning of related research. Facilitated crime prevention processes and the establishment of community safety structures.

  • Deputy Director of Social Crime Prevention (Level 11)

    • Sep 2002 - Feb 2006

    1. Managed the Social Crime Sub-Directorate’s strategic, personnel, and budgetary processes.2. Contributed substantial analytical expertise and drafting skills to Strategic Plans, Annual Reports, Ministerial Budget Statements, and Budget Speeches.3. Primary representative on key multi-agency structures: National Task Team on 4. Local Crime Prevention, the Provincial Priority Committee on Rural and Tourist Safety, the Provincial Priority Committee on Rape Prevention and Provincial School Safety Task Team.5. Supervised development of Youth, Gender, Local Government, HIV/AIDS Prevention, and Local government crime prevention capabilities.

  • Acting Director of Policy Coordination

    • Sep 2002 - Oct 2004

    Managed the Directorate’s strategic, personnel, and budgetary processes.Developed proposals for a new monitoring approach for the department.Represented the department at external meetings/conferences.Drafted speeches for the Head of Department and Minister (MEC).Developed concept papers and presentations on strategic and policy development issues for the Directorate.

  • Assistant Director of Social Crime Prevention

    • May 2001 - Aug 2002

    1. Initiated and managed Youth, HIV/AIDS, and Gender Programs.Established multi-agency provincial youth and gender crime prevention committees.2. Designed and coordinated the first KwaZulu-Natal Youth Crime Prevention Summit, which attracted youth leaders from throughout the province.3. Edited provincial youth and a gender crime prevention newsletter.Coordinated criminal gang prevention and mitigation training for government and civil society groups.

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  NIM

  • KwaZulu-Natal

  • Coordinator and fieldworker

    • 1994 - 2001
    • KwaZulu-Natal

    1. Investigated political and social violence in KwaZulu-Natal, which led to the recovery of illegal firearms and convictions of several police and political leaders involved in torture and political violence along the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast.2. Liaised with the Goldstone Commission, Investigative Task Unit, Complaints Investigation Unit, and Scorpions (anti-corruption unit).3. Coordinated international and local observation monitors during the 1994 election along the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast.4. Worked on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Section 29 Inquiry into KwaZulu-Natal violence, which involved extensive investigation docket analysis and questioning of those subpoenaed to testify before it.5. Co-ordinated the Monitoring Committee of the KwaZulu-Natal Human Rights Forum for the 1999 elections.6. Represented NIM on the the Independent Electoral Committee’s Conflict Management Committee during the election period of 1996 and 1999.7. Trained and supported the establishment of Community Police Forums (CPF).8. Designed curriculum and trained civil society election monitors. 9. Coordinator of Northern KwaZulu-Natal Monitoring Region, NIM, 1994 - December 1999.10. Managed NIM’s northern KwaZulu-Natal office, 1994 -1995.Coordinated network of domestic and foreign observers for 1994 elections.11. Investigated police involvement in political violence, including torture.