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 the rights of individuals are upheld and that governments are held accountable for human rights violations. The organization operates in various countries, including Ukraine, where it has a dedicated Human Rights Monitoring Mission. The OHCHR aims to provide a platform for victims of human rights abuses and to advocate for justice and accountability. The mission in Ukraine focuses on monitoring the human rights situation in the country, particularly in the context of ongoing conflict and humanitarian crises. The OHCHR employs a diverse team of professionals committed to human rights advocacy and operates in numerous countries worldwide, engaging with local communities, governments, and international bodies to promote human rights standards and practices.

Job Overview:
The Human Rights Officer position within the OHCHR's UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine is a critical role that involves planning and coordinating activities related to human rights mandates. The incumbent will conduct substantive research and analysis of human rights violations, including gathering information through interviews with victims and witnesses. This position requires a strong understanding of international human rights law and the ability to assess the impact of violations on affected populations. The officer will also be responsible for integrating human rights considerations into various political, humanitarian, and economic efforts, ensuring that gender perspectives are included in all aspects of work. The role involves defining work plans, supervising field verification work, and representing the HRMMU at meetings. The Human Rights Officer will write reports and communications for policy-making bodies and may provide guidance to junior staff, contributing to the overall mission of promoting and protecting human rights in Ukraine.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Human Rights Officer will have a comprehensive set of responsibilities, including:

• Planning and coordinating activities related to thematic and country mandates on human rights, with a focus on gender perspectives.
• Conducting substantive research and analysis of human rights violations, including interviews with victims and witnesses.
• Gathering and corroborating information on allegations of violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
• Collecting and analyzing human rights trends, data, and indicators in Ukraine, particularly gender-specific data.
• Providing support to UN human rights mechanisms and following up on the implementation of decisions made by policy-making bodies.
• Ensuring the integration of human rights issues into political, humanitarian, and economic efforts.
• Defining work plans in accordance with established terms of reference.
• Supervising field verification work through periodic visits across Ukraine and following up on various cases.
• Representing HRMMU at working-level meetings and writing reports, communications, and briefings for policy-making bodies. 1
• Providing guidance to new or junior staff as needed. 1
• Performing other related duties as required.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a strong understanding of human rights issues and the ability to identify related problems across various dimensions, including political, ethnic, racial, gender equality, and socio-economic factors. Knowledge of the institutional mandates of human rights organizations, prevailing policies, and procedures is essential. Candidates should demonstrate research and analytical skills, including the ability to identify sources for data collection and draft human rights reports. The ability to evaluate and integrate information from diverse sources and assess its impact on the human rights situation is crucial. Additionally, candidates should show professionalism, teamwork, and effective planning and organizing skills, ensuring that gender perspectives are incorporated into all areas of work.

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 for this position. Alternatively, a first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. This educational background is essential to ensure that candidates have the necessary theoretical and practical knowledge to effectively address complex human rights issues.

Experience:
Candidates must have a minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in human rights, political affairs, international relations, law, or a related area. Out of these five years, at least two (2) years of experience conducting human rights monitoring is desirable. Experience in conducting interviews with victims and witnesses of human rights violations, whether face-to-face or remotely, is also desirable. Furthermore, experience working in conflict settings and familiarity with international humanitarian law will be advantageous for candidates applying for this position.

Languages:
For this position, proficiency in English and Russian is required, as these are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Candidates must demonstrate a minimum of UN Level III proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking for both languages. Additionally, knowledge of Ukrainian is desirable, with a minimum proficiency of UN Level II in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. This linguistic capability is crucial for effective communication and engagement with local communities and stakeholders in Ukraine.

Additional Notes:
This position is temporarily available for six (6) months, with the possibility of extension subject to the availability of funds. It is important to note that applicants for positions in the Field Service category cannot be of the nationality of the country where the position is located. Furthermore, current staff members of the United Nations Common System organization may only apply for temporary positions one level above their current grade. The recruitment process is competitive, and candidates will be evaluated based on their qualifications and the needs of the organization. The United Nations does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process, and it is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment for all applicants.