Human Rights Officer

The Human Rights Officer will support the management and implementation of human rights work in Afghanistan, focusing on protection of civilians, rights of vulnerable groups, and integration of human rights considerations across UNAMA and partners. The role involves research, analysis, reporting, advocacy, and coordination under the supervision of senior human rights officers.

Responsibilities

• Supports the Human Rights Officer/Team Leader in leading the management and implementation of the human rights work in the assigned area in accordance with the UNAMA Human Rights Service workplan, and management of team members.
• Supports the Human Rights Officer/Team Leader in planning and coordinating the implementation of activities related to thematic mandate of the UNAMA Human Rights Service, including from a gender perspective.
• Integrates UN-developed methodology in the human rights monitoring, reporting and fact-finding activities.
• Conducts substantive research and analysis of human rights issues regarding protection of civilians including right to life, liberty and security of person, based on field monitoring and assesses their impact on the human rights and gender equality situation.
• Collects and analyses human rights data and indicators in the assigned area, including gender-specific data and indicators.
• Contributes to the development of initiatives to strengthen the response to systematic and/or emerging patterns of human rights violations and abuses, and to the formulation of meaningful recommendations and strategies to better promote and protect human rights in Afghanistan.
• Ensures the integration of human rights considerations in the work and programmes of UNAMA, its provincial field offices and the UN Regional Team and humanitarian actors, and of the UN Country Team, where applicable.
• Follows up on reported situations/incidents/cases of human rights violations and ensures timely entry of accurate and verified cases of human rights violations into established databases, in compliance with established standards, as well as assuring quality assurance of cases entered into established databases.
• Plans and/or coordinates the collection and analysis of human rights monitoring data and information, as well as the preparation of data presentations and reports, for information-sharing, responding to queries, knowledge-management, planning and decision-making.
• Plans and/or coordinates visualisations and the updating of information materials, such as brochures, web pages, etc.
• Organises and/or maintains continuous exploratory meetings with de facto authorities, for purposes of maintaining direct engagement and contact on, and keeping abreast of, human rights situation/issues, and for advocacy, where appropriate.
• When possible, organises visits to places of detention, facilities operated by the de facto police, intelligence, juvenile rehabilitation centres, and provincial prisons – for constructive engagement on issues pertaining to deprivation of liberty and prevention of torture and ill-treatment, based on relevant standards.
• Conducts human rights awareness-raising discussions with de facto authorities on international human rights standards, instruments and mechanisms.
• Drafts a variety of products (such as reports, briefings and other types of communications) relating to human rights matters, in compliance with established standards.
• Represents the UNAMA Human Rights Service at meetings and thematic events related to the UNAMA human rights mandate, as required.
• Serves as Officer-in-Charge of the Team in the absence of the Human Rights Officer/Team Leader.
• Performs other related duties, as required.

Requirements

• An advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in law, political science, international relations, social sciences, humanities, 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 five years of progressively responsible experience in human rights issues and relevant professional experience is required, particularly on issues of protection of civilians in relation to right to life, liberty and security of person, including extra-judicial killings, corporal punishment, arbitrary arrests and detentions, and protection of civilians from conflict-related harm.
• At least two years’ experience in a UN peace operation, UN human rights presence, or international organisation, outside the country of origin, in human rights fact-finding, documentation and reporting in conflict and/or post-conflict settings is required.
• At least two years' experience in leading, managing and supervising multicultural teams is required.
• At least two years’ experience in coordinating and managing inter-thematic collaborations, workflows and processes is desirable.
• Experience in human rights case management and data analytics, human rights analysis, and human rights reporting including human rights public reporting, is desirable.
• Knowledge of the UNAMA Human Rights mandate, and previous experience in Afghanistan, is desirable.
• English is required at UN Level III proficiency in reading, writing, listening and speaking.
• Either Dari or Pashto is desirable at UN Level I proficiency in reading, writing, listening and speaking.

Skills

• Human Rights Protection
• Human Rights Fact-Finding
• Human Rights Documentation
• Human Rights Reporting
• Protection of Civilians
• Conflict-Related Harm Protection
• Human Rights Case Management
• Data Analytics
• Human Rights Analysis
• Team Leadership
• Multicultural Team Leadership
• Inter-Thematic Coordination
• Workflow Management Skills
• Human Rights Advocacy
• UN Department of Peace Operations Experience
• International Organization Experience
• UNAMA Human Rights Mandate Knowledge

Languages

English, Dari, Pashto