Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Regional Office for Southern Africa (ROSA), in Pretoria, South Africa. The incumbent reports to the Regional Representative or their designate. The Human Rights Officer is responsible for supporting human rights promotion and protection in southern Africa, with a focus on mainstreaming human rights in development, developing country engagement strategies, and providing thematic expertise and advice. This work is delivered through technical assistance to various stakeholders, the design and implementation of programmes, training and capacity building, and human rights advocacy. The Human Rights Officer is also responsible for conducting a wide range of tasks. Depending on the organizational setting, these may include monitoring and investigating compliance with international human rights and humanitarian law; analysing and managing data to inform early-warning, accountability and policy; drafting evidence-based reports and strategic advice; integrating human-rights perspectives into peace, humanitarian and development planning; advising UN leadership and national authorities on protection of civilians, rule of law and transitional justice; and fostering partnerships, capacity-building and advocacy initiatives that advance equality, accountability and the promise to leave no one behind.

Responsibilities

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

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.
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.
Undertake analysis and prepare analytical papers, including on lessons learned, to inform human rights strategies, crisis management, prevention and response policies, programmes and other decision-making processes.
Provide advisory and substantive support to national and/or regional counterparts to strengthen their human rights systems, institutions and frameworks, including complaints mechanisms, victim and witness support services and engagement with human rights mechanisms, including reporting and implementation of recommendations.
Design and deliver human rights capacity-building programmes for State institutions, security forces, NHRIs, civil society and other stakeholders, including on human rights-based approaches with attention to gender and leave-no-one-behind perspectives.
Contribute substantively to human rights mainstreaming efforts, supporting the integration of human rights norms and standards into political, peace and security, humanitarian, development and economic frameworks and processes, to help tackle impunity and address socio-economic, development and other human rights challenges.
Contribute to research, analysis, guidance and policy advice on human rights issues in the context of economic policy and sustainable development, with a focus on poverty, inequalities and development financing, providing analytical inputs to the UN Common Country Analysis and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks.
Engage substantively in the Office’s partnership‑building activities, including supporting the identification, development and maintenance of partnerships, under the guidance of senior staff.
Deliver training programmes and workshops using various platforms for different audiences to enhance the capacity of UN staff and partners.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Critical thinking skills. Knowledge of international human rights law, norms, and standards. Ability to build and maintain partnerships. Skills in designing, delivering, and evaluating capacity-building and training programmes. Programme management skills. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines, and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
PLANNING & ORGANIZING: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates an appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.

Education

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.

Work Experience

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. Critical thinking skills is required. Knowledge of international human rights law, norms, and standards is required. Ability to build and maintain partnerships is required. Skills in designing, delivering, and evaluating capacity-building and training programmes is desirable. Programme management skills is desirable.

Languages

Language	Reading	Writing	Listening	Speaking
English	UN Level II	UN Level II	UN Level II	UN Level II

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which will be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

Extension of the appointment is subject to extension of the mandate and/or availability of funds. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity,with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to this position. Please note that pursuant to the Staff selection system policy (ST/AI/2025/2): (1) Applicants for positions in the Field Service category cannot be of the nationality of the country where the position is located, and (2) Applicants for positions in the Professional and higher categories in a mission, field operation, or resident coordinator’s office cannot be of the nationality of the country where the position is located. For currently serving staff of a United Nations Common System organization, only the UN-recognized nationality will be considered for the purposes of these restrictions.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section ‎2.2 (a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2. (c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.

HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER