Associate in Human Rights Monitoring

Details

Mission and objectives

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN Human Rights) is the leading UN entity on human rights. We represent the world's commitment to the promotion and protection of the full range of human rights and freedoms set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Both the High Commissioner and the Office have a unique role to: Promote and protect all human rights: We speak out objectively in the face of human rights violations and help elaborate the standards that are used to evaluate human rights progress worldwide. Help empower people: Our research, education, and advocacy activities, contributes to the increased awareness and engagement by the international community and the public on human rights issues. This means thousands of people in all regions of the world are empowered to claim their rights. Assist Governments: Through our field presences, we help prevent abuses and contribute to defusing situations that could lead to conflict. Our monitoring and analysis feeds sensitive decision-making and development programming. We also provide capacity-building and legal advice to thousands, supporting the development and judicious enactment of laws and policies the world around. Inject a human rights perspective into all UN programmes: We mainstream human rights into all UN programmes to ensure that peace and security, development, and human rights - the three pillars of the UN - are interlinked and mutually reinforced.

Context

Host Institute: Deployed in March 2014, the Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) has a comprehensive mandate to monitor and report on the human rights situation throughout Ukraine, and to make recommendations to the Government and other actors to address human rights concerns as documented by the Mission. Recommendations outline concrete follow-up actions to address these concerns, prevent violations and mitigate emerging risks. HRMMU monitors, reports and advocates on the human rights situation through its presence in multiple locations both in Government-controlled area and in area under military control of the Russian Federation, as well as small remote teams in Krakow, Poland and Chisinau, Moldova. HRMMU will adapt to the changing situation in terms of the locations of presences and potential deployment of its staff. In accordance with General Assembly resolution 68/262, HRMMU also monitors remotely, reports and advocates on the human rights situation in Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.

Task description

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the Head of HRMMU Satellite Office in Poland or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UNV Associate Human Rights Officer will: • Participate, as part of a team, in monitoring the human rights situation, including identifying emerging trends and patterns of human rights violations; • Provide support to liaising with relevant partners and stakeholders, including civil society organizations, national human rights institutions and international organizations, and foster and maintain their active engagement in the work of OHCHR in Ukraine; • Facilitate engagement with communities and human right defenders, particularly youth and those who face multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, to raise awareness of human rights and advocate for compliance with international human rights norms and standards; • Assist in conducting monitoring, research and information/data assessment to help produce analytical papers, reports, press briefing notes and other advocacy material in relation to the human rights situation in Ukraine; • Contribute to OHCHR’s periodic and ad hoc reports, bearing in mind OHCHR’s guidance on results-based management; • Provide inputs to various written communications such as talking points and briefing notes on relevant substantive/thematic issues; • Provide administrative and logistical support, including organizing events/meetings and field visits; • Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor. Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities: • Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day); • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country; • Provide annual and end of assignment self-reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities; • Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; • Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers; • Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible. Results/expected outputs: • As an active OHCHR team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to OHCHR and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including: o OHCHR’s monitoring work effectively and timely supported and carried out; o Quality reports are published mainstreaming gender- and youth –components; • Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment; • A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed.