Human Rights Officer

Job Posting Organization:
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is a part of the United Nations system, established to promote and protect human rights globally. The OHCHR works to ensure that human rights are respected and upheld in various contexts, including conflict zones. The organization operates in multiple countries, focusing on monitoring human rights situations, providing support to governments, and advocating for the rights of individuals. The OHCHR has a mission to promote universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and it engages with various stakeholders, including governments, civil society, and international organizations, to achieve its objectives. The OHCHR is committed to addressing human rights violations and ensuring accountability for perpetrators, thereby contributing to the establishment of a just and equitable society.

Job Overview:
The Human Rights Officer position is critical within the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU), based in Dnipro. The incumbent will be responsible for planning and coordinating activities related to human rights mandates, with a focus on thematic issues and country-specific situations. This role involves conducting substantive research and analysis of human rights violations, including gathering testimonies from victims and witnesses. The officer will assess the impact of these violations and collect data on human rights trends, ensuring that gender perspectives are integrated into all activities. The position requires collaboration with UN human rights mechanisms and other bodies, ensuring that human rights considerations are included in political, humanitarian, and economic efforts. The officer will also supervise field verification work, represent HRMMU in meetings, and produce various reports and communications. This role demands a high level of professionalism, teamwork, and organizational skills, as the officer will be expected to manage multiple priorities and work effectively under pressure.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Human Rights Officer will undertake a variety of duties, including:

• Planning and coordinating human rights activities related to thematic and country mandates, ensuring a gender perspective is included.
• Conducting research and analysis on human rights violations, including interviews with victims and witnesses.
• Gathering and corroborating information on allegations of violations of international human rights law and humanitarian law.
• Analyzing human rights trends and patterns, including gender-specific data.
• Supporting UN human rights mechanisms and following up on the implementation of decisions made by policy-making bodies.
• Integrating human rights issues into broader political, humanitarian, and economic efforts.
• Developing work plans in accordance with established terms of reference.
• Supervising field verification work through periodic visits across Ukraine.
• Writing reports, briefings, and statements for policy-making bodies. 1
• Providing guidance to new or junior staff members. 1
• Performing other related duties as required.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a strong understanding of human rights issues, including the ability to identify problems related to political, ethnic, racial, gender equality, and socio-economic dimensions. Knowledge of the institutional mandates of human rights organizations, along with prevailing policies and procedures, is essential. Candidates should demonstrate research and analytical skills, including the ability to evaluate and integrate information from various sources. A commitment to incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring equal participation of women and men in all areas of work is also required. The ideal candidate will show professionalism, teamwork, and effective planning and organizing skills, with a focus on achieving organizational goals and meeting deadlines.

Educational Background:
An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in law, political science, international relations, social sciences, or a related field is required. Alternatively, a first-level university degree in the aforementioned fields combined with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.

Experience:
A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in human rights, political affairs, international relations, law, or a related area is required. Out of these five years, at least two years of experience in conducting human rights monitoring is desirable. Experience in conducting interviews with victims and witnesses of human rights violations, as well as working in conflict settings involving international humanitarian law, is also desirable.

Languages:
For this position, proficiency in English and Russian is required, with a minimum UN Level III for reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Knowledge of Ukrainian is desirable, with a minimum UN Level II for reading and speaking.

Additional Notes:
The position is a fixed-term appointment limited to the entity, with renewal contingent upon the continued existence of the mandate and availability of funding. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment, encouraging female candidates to apply. The recruitment process does not involve any fees, and reasonable accommodations may be provided for applicants with disabilities. Candidates must adhere to the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity, and those with a history of human rights violations or other serious offenses will not be considered for employment.