This position is located in the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Human Rights Council and Treaty Mechanisms Division (HRCTMD), Human Rights Treaties Branch (HRTB) in Geneva, Switzerland. The incumbent will operate under the overall guidance of the Chief of Petitions Section and direct supervision of the respective Secretary on individual communications within the Petitions Section.
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Human Rights Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
Plans and coordinates activities related to treaty-based complaint procedures on human rights, including from a gender perspective.
Conducts substantive legal research and analysis of human rights complaints and assesses registration criteria, admissibility and merits.
Analyses human rights issues and jurisprudence in context of assignment, including gender-specific data and indicators.
Provides support to treaty bodies; follows-up on implementation of decisions rendered by policy-making bodies.
Ensures human rights issues, including their gender equality dimensions considerations, are integrated into political, humanitarian and economic efforts and programme.
Defines work plan for area assigned in accordance with established terms of reference.
Assists with training programs in the field of human rights, international humanitarian law, democracy and the rule of law, with attention to gender perspectives.
Follows up on different cases and situations verified by the regional offices.
Represents UN human rights programme at working level meetings.
Directs capacity-building efforts on human rights in region/country of assignment.
Writes a variety of reports, communications, briefings, statements, etc., including to policy-making bodies.
May provide guidance to new/junior staff.
Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.
Performs other related duties as required.
Education
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.
Work Experience
A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in human rights, political affairs, international relations, law or related area is required. Experience with international or regional human rights complaints mechanisms is desirable. Experience providing legal advice, analysis and drafting is desirable. Experience in case management is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English or French, (both oral and written) is required; knowledge of the other is desirable. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.
