Human Rights Officer

The Human Rights Officer serves as the regional lead/focal point for economic, social and cultural rights within the Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Section at the Regional Office. The role involves developing evidence-based work, monitoring implementation of human rights instruments, engaging with stakeholders, and providing advice to OHCHR senior leadership.

Responsibilities

• Serve as regional lead/focal point contributing to OHCHR’s engagement on economic, social and cultural rights within the Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Section at the Regional Office.
• Develop evidence-based work on the right for everyone to the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights, policy papers, legal briefs, and advocacy messaging including address and concrete solution pathways.
• Review, monitor and evaluate implementation of the workplan of the cultural rights cluster.
• Review, monitor and evaluate status of implementation of international human rights instruments, including recommendations of treaty bodies and mechanisms of the Human Rights Council.
• Prepare relevant human rights parts of reports for the General Assembly, Human Rights Council, notes on the status of ratification of human rights instruments, etc.
• Engage with relevant stakeholders including UNESCO, UNICEF, UN agencies, national officials, NHRIs and Civil Society to plan projects and review project activities, share information, undertake advocacy and carry out joint relevant activities and programmes.
• Work with UN and non-governmental programmes in the country/region to integrate human rights, including their gender dimensions in their programs; help design and implement the ESCR program.
• Provide up-to-date information regarding substantive matters in the field of economic, social and cultural rights, advise OHCHR senior leadership and make necessary recommendations on actions to take.
• Make contact with other sectors of the UN, other international organizations and governments on coordination and policy matters; brief representatives and provide suggestions and recommendations.
• Assist governments, National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), civil society and other stakeholders to develop and implement training and education relating to ESCR, with attention to gender perspectives.
• Serve as team leader with responsibility for work coordination and administrative functions relating to staff, planning and budget in consultation with the Chief of the Section/Regional Representative.
• Train and supervise new/junior staff.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in law, political science, international relations, social sciences, economics, data science, public policy or a 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, economics, public policy or related area is required.
• At least five years of experience in the field of cultural rights is required.
• At least two years of experience in management of a multidisciplinary team at the United Nations or a similar setting is desirable.
• Experience working with governments and national stakeholders (NHRIs, civil society, others), including through providing technical assistance and capacity-building, is desirable.
• Knowledge of and exposure to a range of economic, social and cultural rights issues through a combination of academic and professional work including tools, approaches and techniques to address sensitive and complex human rights problems in their political, ethnic, racial, gender and socio-economic dimensions.
• Knowledge of institutional mandates of OHCHR, ESCRs guaranteed by the ICESCR, prevailing policies and procedures, including the recent decisions and resolutions by the Human Rights Council.
• Ability to evaluate and integrate information from a variety of sources and assess impact on the human rights situation in the region or country of assignment, including the political environment and legal statutes as they pertain to human rights.
• Ability to complete in-depth studies and reach conclusions on possible causes and solutions to economic, social and cultural rights problems in specific societies and systems.
• Demonstrated skills in training national authorities including at the senior levels and members of advocacy groups to recognize warning signs of civil unrest and take preventive action to avert hostilities.
• Ability to relate to human rights issues and perspectives, including their gender equality dimensions, to political, social, economic, and humanitarian programmes in affected countries and areas.
• English language proficiency at UN Level III in reading, writing, listening and speaking.

Skills

• Human Rights Analysis
• Cultural Rights Expertise
• Economic Social Cultural Rights
• International Relations
• Legal Analysis
• Policy Analysis
• Capacity Building
• Technical Assistance
• Team Management
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Training Delivery
• Human Rights Monitoring
• Impact Assessment Design
• Research and Reporting
• Political Analysis
• Gender Equality Integration
• International Human Rights Instruments
• English Language Proficiency

Languages

English