Human Rights Officer

Under the overall guidance of the UN RC in Sri Lanka and under the direct supervision of the SHRA and in collaboration with programme staff, the incumbent will support the integration of a human rights-based approach (HRBA) into UN programmes and activities, in particular the UNSDCF; support the strengthening of national institutions and capacities and strengthen the engagement with human rights mechanisms through legal and policy analysis; engagement and policy advocacy with government, technical advice and assistance to government and liaising with UNCT on joint programming.

Position Purpose

This comprehensive framework outlines the responsibilities of the Human Rights Officer in advancing UN RCO’s SDG agenda and integration of a HRBA, ensuring alignment with organizational strategies and goals.

 UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. This is a recognition of interconnected nature of development risks & crises that the world is facing and that call for assembling of multidisciplinary teams for an integrated & systemic response.

Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across issues, units, functions, teams and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration. The Human Rights Officer will play a crucial role in supporting a portfolio approach to deepen human rights mainstreaming work and provide critical support to Sri Lanka-based UN agencies with implementing programmes.

In the midst of a fiscal consolidation process, the effects of which are disproportionately impacting the most marginalized and vulnerable groups, the Human Rights Officer will facilitate the UN RCO to respond more effectively and pre-emptively through analysis and advocacy to new proposed legislation and policy.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Contribute to the provision of legal and policy analysis:

• Conduct substantive research and analysis on legislation and policy including proposed reforms and their impact on human rights.
• Draft legal analysis and briefs for RCO, UNCT and multiple stakeholders to inform them and coordinate programming, strategic advocacy and planning.

Engage with government on legal policy and advocacy:

• Establish and maintain good working relationships with government counterparts.
• Develop an engagement strategy to identify priorities and opportunities.

Provide technical advice and assistance:

• Provide technical advice to integrate HRBA.
• Provide technical assistance to government and national institutions on human rights including in the context of fiscal consolidation and the promotion of ESCRs.

Liaise with UNCT on joint programmes and activities:

• Support joint resource mobilization efforts.
• Build synergies with other UN programmes and facilitate coordination with other organizations and partners.
• Provide technical guidance to thematic coordination groups under the UNSDCF, e.g. relevant Outcome Results Groups, gender and youth thematic groups, etc.
• Provide technical inputs to RCO and UNCT public engagement processes including RC’s strategic engagements.

Strengthen partnerships and engagement to advance the promotion of ESCRs:

• Liaise with stakeholders including civil society, academia, think tanks, women’s and youth networks and key international actors (including IFIs, development partners and regional organizations) to identify entry points and foster dialogue to promote and advance the realization of ESCRs and related SDGs of the 2030 Agenda.

Required Skills and Experience:

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 work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of five (5) years (with Master’s degree) or 7 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible experience in human rights, political affairs, international relations, law or related area is required.
• Experience in collaborating with diverse stakeholders including UN agencies, government partners, donors, businesses and civil society is desirable.
• Experience of working in a multidisciplinary and multicultural team environment, such as development agencies, international organizations and international private businesses is desirable.
• Experience of promoting Economic social and cultural rights (ESCRs) is desirable
• Provision of legal analysis is desirable.
• Provision of technical assistance is desirable.
• Knowledge of Economic social and cultural rights (ESCRs) is desirable.

Language requirements:

• Fluency in English, and Tamil or Sinhala is required.
• Please note that continuance of appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

Source: https://estm.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/job/24454