Adviser on Torture Prevention

This position is open for secondment only and participating States are kindly reminded that all costs in relation to assignment at OSCE/ODIHR must be borne by their authorities.

Candidates should, prior to applying, verify with their respective nominating authority to which extent financial remuneration and/or benefit packages will be offered. Seconded staff members in the OSCE Secretariat and Institutions are not entitled to a Board and Lodging Allowance payable by the Organization.

The OSCE has a comprehensive approach to security that encompasses politico-military, economic and environmental, and human aspects. It therefore addresses a wide range of security-related concerns, including arms control, confidence- and security-building measures, human rights, national minorities, democratization, policing strategies, counter-terrorism and economic and environmental activities. All 57 participating States enjoy equal status, and decisions are taken by consensus on a politically, but not legally binding basis.

The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) is the principal institution of the OSCE responsible for the human dimension. ODIHR is active throughout the OSCE area in the fields of election observation, democratic development, human rights, tolerance and non-discrimination, and the rule of law. ODIHR's assistance projects and other activities are implemented in participating States in accordance with ODIHR's mandate.

ODIHR possesses substantial expertise and has carried out a significant amount of work on torture prevention, including developing a handbook for OSCE field staff on preventing torture, a report analysing OSCE-wide experiences in the fight against torture, and a guidance document on the UN Revised Standard Minimum Rules on the Treatment of Prisoners (Nelson Mandela Rules). Strengthening the independent monitoring of all places of detention and the OPCAT (Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture) system in the OSCE region represents an important avenue of ODIHR's work.

Under the supervision of the Head or Deputy Head, Human Rights Department, the Advisor on Torture Prevention will lead the anti-torture portfolio at ODIHR and will perform the following duties:

1. Advising on the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of programmatic activities in the thematic area, as part of the Department's overall work on Human Rights and Security;
2. Carrying out substantive research, monitoring and analysis on human rights topics of relevance, with a particular focus on torture prevention and related human rights issues;
3. Advising Human Rights Department management on the impact of policy and/or specific political situations on programmatic work within the Department in relation to the prevention and prohibition of torture;
4. Building alliances and networks with independent experts, international and national governmental and non-governmental actors, UN mechanisms and agencies, regional human rights bodies and OSCE field operations, in order to develop regional collaboration and sharing of best practice, exchange information, co-ordinate activities and implement common programs in the field of torture prevention;
5. Planning, developing, implementing and co-ordinating programmes and activities on human rights and, specifically, on combating/preventing torture and other ill-treatment, with government authorities, national human rights institutions, national preventive mechanisms under OPCAT and civil society from participating States;
6. Performing other duties as assigned, including by contributing to the overall human rights work of the Department.

For more detailed information on the structure and work of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, please see https://www.osce.org/odihr

• First-level university degree in law, political science, international relations, or social sciences, with a specialization in human rights; possession of a second-level university degree in a related field is desirable;
• A minimum of six years of progressively responsible and relevant professional experience in the field of human rights, including experience at the international level, preferably with a focus on combating/preventing torture; 
• Demonstrated experience in designing and implementing human rights programmes and activities with capacity building and/or technical assistance components;
• Good understanding of human rights monitoring methodologies and experience of human rights monitoring, preferably with a specific focus on torture and the monitoring of places of detention;
• Excellent knowledge of UN, Council of Europe and OSCE human rights standards and institutions;
• Professional fluency in English with excellent written and oral communication skills; knowledge of Russian is desirable;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds whilst maintaining impartiality and objectivity;
• Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity, and an ability to integrate a gender perspective into tasks and activities.

If you wish to apply for this position, please use the OSCE's online application link found under https://jobs.osce.org/vacancies.

The OSCE retains the discretion to re-advertise/re-post the vacancy, to cancel the recruitment, to offer an appointment with a modified job description or for a different duration.

Only those applicants who are selected to participate in the subsequent stages of recruitment will be contacted.

Please note that vacancies in the OSCE are open for competition only amongst nationals of participating States, please see https://www.osce.org/participating-states.

The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages the nomination of qualified female and male candidates from all religious, ethnic and social backgrounds.

Please be aware that the OSCE does not request payment at any stage of the application and review process.

Please apply to your relevant authorities several days prior to the deadline expiration to ensure timely processing of your application. Delayed nominations will not be considered.