HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is found in the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The incumbent will report to the Regional Director for East and Southern Africa and Chief of the Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Section in Geneva.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Human Rights Officer will be responsible for the following duties.

• Serves as regional lead/focal point contributing to OHCHR’s engagement on the economic, social and cultural rights within Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR) Section at the Regional Office.
• Ensures the development of 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.
• Reviews, monitors and evaluates implementation of the workplan of the cultural rights cluster.
• Reviews, monitors and evaluates status of implementation of international human rights instruments, including recommendations of treaty bodies and mechanisms of the Human Rights Council.
• Prepares relevant human rights parts of reports for the General Assembly, HRC, etc. notes on the status of ratification of human rights instruments, etc.
• Engages with the relevant stakeholders including UNESCO, UNICEF, and 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 in the headquarters, through OHCHR country/regional presences and directly with government and other stakeholders.
• Works with UN and non-governmental programmes in the country/region to integrate human rights, including their gender dimensions in their programs; helps design and implement the ESCR program.
• Ensures up-to-date information regarding substantive matters in the field of economic, social and cultural rights, provides advice to OHCHR senior leadership and makes necessary recommendations on actions to take.
• Makes contact with other sectors of the UN, other international organizations and governments on coordination and policy matters; brief representatives and provides, as appropriate suggestions and recommendations.
• Assists 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.
• Serves as team leader with responsibility for carrying out, in consultation with the Chief of the Section/Regional Representative, work coordination and administrative functions relating to the staff, planning and budget.
• Trains and supervises new/junior staff.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of and exposure to a r...