Human Rights Officer (TJO)

The Human Rights Officer is responsible for monitoring and investigating compliance with international human rights and humanitarian law, analyzing data for early-warning and accountability, drafting reports and strategic advice, integrating human rights perspectives into peace and development planning, advising UN leadership and national authorities, and fostering partnerships and advocacy initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Conduct substantive monitoring of the implementation of human rights and international humanitarian law and follow up on recommendations from human rights mechanisms, including treaty bodies, the UPR and special procedures, as well as investigative findings, to ensure compliance with human rights and advance accountability.
• Collect, document and analyse evidence-based information on civil, cultural, economic, social and/or political rights, including the right to development, to enable analysis, early warning and response, accountability and informed decision-making, identifying gaps and contribute to ensuring human rights data is discoverable, interoperable and appropriately shared, including from gender and leave no one behind perspectives.
• Conduct human rights monitoring and field verification missions, including assessments and early-warning exercises, in accordance with UN methodology, gender indicators and victim/witness protection standards, and draft comprehensive reports on findings and recommendations.
• Conduct fact-finding or investigative missions to document violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, ensuring adherence to victim and witness protection standards and facilitating cross-component collaboration as necessary.
• Draft, review and disseminate human rights reports, briefings and other communications, with legal analysis as appropriate, and prepare analytical papers to inform strategies, policies, programmes, crisis management, guidance and decision-making processes, with attention to gender integration and leave-no-one-behind perspectives.
• Advise or support national counterparts to draft technical inputs for constitutions, legislation and security-sector reforms that meet international human rights norms and standards.
• Contribute substantively to the development of strategies on protection of civilians, conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) and child protection, translating early warning into coordinated responses.
• Engage substantively in fundraising and resource mobilization activities to advance the Office’s goals, contributing to donor engagement, proposal development and coordination efforts, under the guidance of senior staff.
• Provide guidance to team members to promote professional development and a positive team culture.

Requirements

• An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in human rights, law, political science, international relations, social sciences, economics, public policy, sustainable development, humanitarian affairs or related field is required.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• A minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in human rights or related areas is required.
• Relevant experience may include, but is not limited to political affairs, public affairs, international relations, law, social sciences, economics, development, humanitarian affairs, or other related areas.
• Planning, organising, and coordination skills in a large multi-stakeholder environment is desirable.
• Knowledge of regional and international human rights mechanisms is desirable.
• English is required at UN Level III proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
• Portuguese is desirable at UN Level III proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

Skills

• Human Rights Monitoring
• International Human Rights Law
• Humanitarian Law
• Data Analysis
• Report Writing
• Strategic Advice
• Peace and Development Planning
• Stakeholder Coordination
• Human Rights Advocacy
• Political Affairs
• International Relations
• Public Policy
• Social Sciences
• Economic Analysis
• Humanitarian Affairs

Languages

English, Portuguese