Human Rights officer

Org. Setting and Reporting

The Independent Institution on Missing Persons in the Syrian Arab Republic (IIMP) was established by the General Assembly in its resolution 77/301, adopted on 29 June 2023. These positions are based in Geneva, Switzerland. The Human Rights Officers work within the Victim Participation Support Section. The incumbents report to the Human Right Officer, P-4, or his/her designee.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Human Rights Officers may be responsible for the following duties:

• Plans and coordinates activities related to thematic and country mandates on human rights, including from a gender perspective. Conducts substantive research and analysis of human rights issues/events and assesses their impact on the human rights situation in assigned region or country.
• Supports the design and implementation of a victim-sensitive comprehensive case registration system for missing persons, ensuring accurate documentation, data integrity, and adherence to the Independent Institution’s standards and methodologies.
• Assists the process of conducting interviews and gathering testimonies from victims, survivors, and families of missing persons, ensuring the process is trauma-informed and that informed consent is properly obtained.
• Collaborates with the Support and Referral Unit to develop and implement tailored victim support strategies, ensuring that legal, mental health, and psychosocial needs are met, and that victims and survivors receive regular updates on their cases.
• Collects and analyses human rights data and indicators in country/region of assignment, including gender-specific data and indicators. – Provides support to sub-commissions, commissions and other bodies; follows-up on implementation of decisions rendered by policy-making bodies.
• Ensures human rights issues, including their gender equality dimensions considerations, are integrated into political, humanitarian and economic efforts and programme.
• Defines work plan for area assigned in accordance with established terms of reference.
• Supervises field verification work through periodic visits; follows up on different cases and situations verified by the regional offices.
• Represents UN human rights programme at working level meetings.
• Directs capacity-building efforts on human rights in region/country of assignment.
• Writes a variety of reports, communications, briefings, statements, etc., including to policy-making bodies in accordance with the Independent Institution’s mandate
• May provide guidance to new/junior staff.
• Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in law, political science, international relations, social sciences or related area. 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 five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in human rights, political affairs, international relations, law or related area is required. Experience engaging with victims of conflict and missing persons is desirable. Experience in designing and managing comprehensive case registration systems for missing persons or victims of human rights violations is desirable. Experience in developing and implementing victim assistance or protection strategies in collaboration with legal, mental health, and psychosocial support teams is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English and Arabic is required.

Source: https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/249712?language=en