Advocacy Assistant- Volunteer

Brief description of the organization

Yazda is a non-governmental, non-profit organization established in 2014 in response to the genocide committed by the self-declared Islamic State (“IS”) against the Yazidis and other communities in Iraq and Syria. Since its inception, Yazda has worked with local and international partners to provide Yazidi survivors, IDPs, and refugees with humanitarian, accountability, and advocacy services in their post-genocide recovery. Yazda has been working in Iraq since October 2014 and operates out of the main offices in Duhok in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and out of the Sinoni office in Sinjar in Nineveh Province. Yazda is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in the United States and is registered in Erbil, Baghdad, the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, and Australia.

Under the direct supervision of the Advocacy Officer, the Advocacy Assistant will support Yazda’s Advocacy Team, working to pursue accountability, justice, and recognition for the Yazidi genocide committed by ISIL from August 2014. The Advocacy team works closely with survivors, government actors, and local and international stakeholders to carry out Yazda’s strategic advocacy objectives.

The Advocacy Assistant will perform the following tasks:

General Responsibilities

• Attend advocacy meetings, take notes, circulate them, and follow-up on tasks.
• Develop advocacy materials and products related to Yazda’s mandate (press releases, awareness materials, talking points etc.), in coordination with the media team.
• Assist Yazda’s advocacy actions to pursue criminal accountability for crimes against Yazidis in international and domestic jurisdictions.
• Support the development of Yazda’s advocacy strategy in Iraq and globally, in line with a survivor-centered approach.
• Promote Yazda’s reports and ensure broad dissemination in coordination with the media team.
• Carry out legal research and draft legal documents, including position papers, reports, and legal briefs to support the documentation team.
• Develop internal procedures and tools to improve advocacy and ensure compliance with international best practices.
• Develop and implement advocacy work plans and provide regular updates on activities.
• Support the drafting of donor reports and contribute to donor proposals and budget development in relation to advocacy activities.
• Carry out any other tasks assigned and within the scope of the project’s mandate

Required Professional Competencies:

• Bachelor’s degree in law or related field.
• Minimum 1 year of experience working in advocacy or human rights, preferably on an international level is a plus.
• Strong understanding of international law and international legal framework, including international crimes.
• Strong understanding of women’s rights issues, GBV, and issues related to conflict-related sexual violence.
• Experience practicing law or managing advocacy-related projects is desired.
• Previous experience working in an NGO and the humanitarian context is desired.
• Fluency in English, both written and verbal is required.
• Knowledge of Arabic or Kurmanji is an advantage.

Required Behavioural Competencies:

• Action-orientated and results-driven
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• High level of integrity and professionalism
• Critical and strategic thinking
• Legal analysis and advocacy skills
• Ability to take initiative and work as a team.