Business and Human Rights Focal Person

Details

Mission and objectives

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) represents the world’s commitment to universal ideals of human dignity. OHCHR has the mandate to promote and protect all Human Rights for all.
The High Commissioner for Human Rights is the principal Human Rights official of the United Nations. The High Commissioner heads OHCHR and spearheads the United Nations’ Human Rights efforts. OHCHR offers leadership, work objectively, educate, and take action to empower individuals and assist states in upholding Human Rights.
The Office’s priorities expected accomplishments and strategies are set out in the OHCHR Management Plan 2018-2023.
OHCHR’s thematic priorities are strengthening international human rights mechanisms; enhancing equality and countering discrimination; combating impunity and strengthening accountability and the rule of law; integrating Human Rights in development and in the economic sphere; widening the democratic space; and early warning and protection of human rights in situations of conflict, violence, and insecurity. These resonate with the priorities of the Czech Republic mainly under Good Governance, inclusive Development, and humanitarian protection among others.
The Office also supports the work of the United Nations Human Rights mechanisms, including the Treaty Bodies established to monitor State Parties’ compliance with the core international Human Rights treaties and the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. We promote the right to development, coordinate United Nations Human Rights education and public information activities, and strengthen Human Rights across the United Nations system. We work to ensure the enforcement of universally recognized Human Rights norms, including through promoting both the universal ratification and implementation of the major Human Rights treaties and respect for the rule of law.

Context

This position is in the East Regional Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Addis Ababa the incumbent reports administratively to the Regional Representative.

Task description

Within delegated authority, the International United Nations Volunteer specialist (IUNV) will be responsible for the following duties:
A. General
• Contribute to the existing activities of OHCHR East Africa Regional Office (EARO) Business and Human Rights program including communications, awareness-raising,
and advocacy outreach activities of the project.
• Develop project communications and other advocacy materials including, among others: concept notes, term of reference, presentations, proposals, speeches
remarks, social media content, quarterly and annual reports.
• Support the planning and organizing of events, workshops, and seminars,
• Participate in internal and external meetings, events, and other necessary engagements with project stakeholders.
• Contribute to the implementation of outcome of the dialogues in the five regions.
• Contribute to the preparation of the Africa forum on B&H and in the implementation of the outcome of the same.
• Collect and analyse relevant information from other sources pertaining to awareness and ownership of the Business and Human Rights agenda in Africa particularly
United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and the AU Policy on Business and Human Rights.
• Identify gaps and propose a set of strategic activities to be carried out to address the awareness and ownership gaps,
• Assist in developing specific and overall goal(s), objectives and propose a strategic activity plan to meet these goals; outlining in detail specific activities addressed to
various target groups, types of contents, media channels (both modern social and traditional media channels such as communities’ outreach channels),
• Assist in developing key messages and tailored content to reach identified target groups via various communication channels; Prepare tailored content for specific
groups including policy makers (government officials, government institutions, MPs), Civil Society Organizations, youth, women, informal workers, businesses, and
community-based organizations.
• Support the office’s work with the African Union and its organs in their respective work in the promotion and protection of human rights on the continent.
• Work to strengthen OHCHR-AU collaboration and enhance the AU’s institutional capacity to assist Member States in realizing their international human rights obligations
as set out in international and regional human rights treaties.
• Assist in the provision of technical and advisory services to the AU on the formulation, analysis, implementation, and review of key international and regional human
rights policy frameworks, decisions, resolutions, communiques, documents, initiatives, and programmes as appropriate.
• Perform other tasks as required.
B. Monitoring, analysis, and reporting:
• Identify, design and deliver trainings and awareness raising activities on business and human rights in EARO focus Countries (Djibouti, Ethiopia, Tanzania) and work with
AU human Rights organs to the same on the continent.
• Map and analyse lessons learned on responsible business conduct EARO focus Countries and other Countries on the African Continent where necessary (i.e., lessons
from the UN Global Compact Network and lessons from other relevant actors)
• Build effective contact network of relevant stakeholders and Partners for consultations and identify relevant training needs for such stakeholders i.e., Government, civil
society, business communities, International Business Corporations, State owned enterprises (SoE) and UN partners etc.
• In collaboration with relevant partners, develop and conduct trainings and awareness raising activities on business and human right in area of jurisdiction (East Africa
and where necessary).
• Work collaboratively with Government, and civil society, research, monitoring, and analysis of the business and human rights situation in the geographic area of
operation to create baseline data for effective interventions, and evaluative data to ensure that interventions including capacity building are having a positive impact.
• Regularly assess the social, political and legal context to identify critical business and human rights issues and provide support relevant to CSOs working on such
issues.
• Develop and maintain working relationship with duty bearers in including business actors to advocate for better protection of human rights, remedial action and
strengthen compliance with UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights as well as AU Policy on Business and Human Rights standards to empower state
business entities, and civil society actors to take responsibility to effectively address concerns and improve the business and human rights situation.
• Through regular monitoring and analysis, assess the impact of interventions (capacity building and awareness rising have had a positive impact on respect of human
rights in the area of business operations.
• Regularly draft clear and objective and analytical reports (daily, weekly, notes to file, project reports) with recommendations relating to business and human rights
issues in EARO focus countries and on the African Continent.
• Provide independent status reports on the status of implementation of the UN Guiding Principles through National Human Rights Action Plans, as relevant to the
geographic area of responsibilities.
• Produce accurate, timely notes for the file to ensure a proper institutional record of contacts with interlocutors among local Government, Business entities, civil society,
and UN and other international partners.
• Contribute to the design, implementation, and evaluation of the office work plan.
• Develop own work plan based on agreed priorities in area of operation.
C. Programming:
• Assist in developing operational and implementation strategies to mainstream human rights in business operations in area of Jurisdiction (EARO focus Countries and in
the African Continent)
• Design and maintain database to track progress in business and human rights.
• Support knowledge building and the dissemination of lessons learned on business and human rights.
• Support national authorities in the elaboration of a National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights and implementation of recommendations on Business and
Human Rights by UN Treaty Bodies, Special Procedures, and other mechanisms of the UN Human Rights Council.
D. Capacity and institution building:
• Identify target groups in need of capacity development in business and human rights and the UN Guiding Principles, including business actors, relevant state
institutions, law enforcement agencies, and civil society organizations, among others, to strengthen national capacity in the area of business and human rights.
• Design training programmes and tools for business actors, relevant state institutions, law enforcement agencies, and civil society organizations, among others, which
should include a component on monitoring and evaluation of the results of these interventions.
• Advice and mentor national counterparts and business institutions at the county level on taking ownership to promote, respect, and remedy business and human rights.
• Work directly with AU, UN operation components/sections, including the UNCT Human Rights Working Group, to integrate business and human rights considerations in
their respective activities.
• Identify priority business and human rights and protection areas of intervention for the Office’s activities through consultations with stakeholders, including civil society
organizations and business communities.
• Undertake any other activities in the Office as designated by the Regional Representative.