Associate Human Rights Officer

Job Posting Organization:
The position is located in the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), which is a part of the United Nations. The OHCHR was established to promote and protect human rights globally. It operates in various countries and has a mission to ensure that human rights are upheld and respected in accordance with law" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">international law. The organization employs a diverse workforce and engages with numerous stakeholders, including governments, civil society organizations, and other UN agencies, to address human rights issues.

Job Overview:
The Associate Human Rights Officer plays a crucial role in supporting the Humanitarian Funds and managing a grants portfolio. This includes evaluating civil society project applications, organizing Board of Trustees’ sessions, and drafting communications materials. The officer contributes to the work of human rights treaty bodies and is responsible for researching and collecting information on human rights matters, including their gender dimensions. This position requires the ability to analyze information and draft various reports and correspondence related to human rights issues. The officer will also participate in sessions and consultations, maintain awareness of current human rights issues, and engage in training programs for national law enforcement officials and civil society representatives. The role demands collaboration with other Human Rights Officers and various stakeholders to address human rights violations and promote national capacity building.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Associate Human Rights Officer will be responsible for a wide range of duties, including: managing humanitarian funds, evaluating project applications, organizing fundraising initiatives, drafting communications materials, contributing to human rights treaty bodies, researching human rights issues, analyzing information, drafting reports and correspondence, participating in sessions and consultations, maintaining awareness of current human rights issues, conducting training programs, reviewing human rights issues, liaising with government and NGOs, designing databases to track project progress, and contributing to data collection and analysis. The officer will also be expected to perform other related duties as required, demonstrating professionalism, teamwork, and effective planning and organizing skills.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a strong understanding of human rights issues, including their political, ethnic, racial, gender equality, and socio-economic dimensions. They should have knowledge of the institutional mandates of human rights organizations and prevailing policies and procedures. Strong research and analytical skills are essential, along with the ability to identify sources for data collection and draft human rights reports. Candidates should demonstrate professionalism, teamwork, and effective planning and organizing skills, as well as the ability to incorporate gender perspectives into their 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. Alternatively, a first-level university degree (Bachelor's degree or equivalent) combined with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. Candidates with a first-level university degree and no experience may be considered if they have passed the Young Professionals Programme Examination (YPP), the United Nations National Competitive Recruitment Examination (NCRE), or the General Service to Professional Examination (G to P).

Experience:
A minimum of two years of progressively responsible experience in human rights, political affairs, international relations, law, or a related area is required. Candidates who have passed a United Nations Competitive Recruitment Examination may not need prior experience. Experience working in civil society organizations, managing financial aspects of projects, and providing direct assistance to victims of human rights violations is desirable.

Languages:
Fluency in English (both oral and written) is required, as English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Knowledge of French is also required, and proficiency in another UN official language is considered an advantage.

Additional Notes:
The position may be subject to extension based on the availability of funds and the mandate. The United Nations emphasizes the importance of diversity and inclusion in its workforce and encourages female candidates to apply. The organization does not charge any fees during the recruitment process and is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and may be assigned to various activities or offices as needed.