Human Rights Officer/Child Rights Adviser (TJO)

The Human Rights Officer/Child Rights Adviser will conduct independent investigations of alleged violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, advise on child protection issues, support investigative bodies, prepare reports, and coordinate with UN and non-governmental programs to integrate human rights. The role includes training, supervision, data analysis, and administrative functions within the Human Rights Inquiries Branch in Geneva.

Responsibilities

• Conducts prompt, thorough, independent and impartial investigations of alleged violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, including interviews with children, victims and witnesses employing child and gender-sensitive interviewing techniques.
• Acts as adviser to the inquiries branch and supported investigative bodies on child protection issues, including ensuring awareness of relevant child rights violations and their gender dimensions, as well as issues relating to gender-based violence.
• Supports the work of investigative bodies and extra-conventional mechanisms and special procedures.
• Prepares relevant human rights parts of reports for the General Assembly, Human Rights Council, and notes on the status of ratification of human rights instruments.
• Works with UN and non-governmental programmes in the country/region to integrate human rights, including gender dimensions, in their programs; helps design and implement the human rights program and evaluation focus.
• Ensures up-to-date information regarding substantive matters in the field of human rights and makes recommendations on actions to take.
• Makes contact with other UN sectors, international organizations and governments on coordination and policy matters relating to children; briefs representatives and provides suggestions and recommendations.
• Assists country military and police to develop and implement training programs in human rights, international humanitarian law, democracy and rule of law, with attention to gender perspectives.
• Serves as team leader with responsibility for work coordination and administrative functions relating to staff, planning and budget.
• Trains and supervises new/junior staff.
• Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in law, political science, international relations, social sciences or related field.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in human rights, political affairs, international relations, law or related area is required.
• A minimum of three (3) years of experience carrying out child rights investigations is required.
• English is required at UN Level III for reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
• French is desirable at UN Level II for reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

Skills

• Human Rights Investigation
• Child Rights Investigations
• International Human Rights Law
• Humanitarian Law
• Child Protection
• Report Writing
• Data Analysis
• Training Delivery
• Supervision
• Program Coordination
• Legal Analysis
• Political Affairs
• International Relations

Languages

English, French