Associate Human Rights Officer

Contract

This is a UNV International Youth contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Youth contracts.

Since a few years, human rights bodies have expressed concerns about the restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly in Jordan, which have increased since the COVID-19 pandemic. Shrinking space for civic engagement and restrictions have resulted in, among others, a 2-year shutdown of the teachers’ syndicate, limited media freedom and curtailment of freedom of cultural expressions. In this context, UNESCO supports the Ministry of Education in strengthening its systems to ensure that every child and youth have equitable access to inclusive quality education; promotes freedom of expression, press freedom and right to information as fundamental rights and key conditions for democracy and sustainable development; and fosters diversity in cultural expressions and preservation of living heritage for social cohesion and local development. The incumbent will support the collection and analysis of data and information pertaining to human rights matters, including their gender dimensions, in the fields of education, culture, freedom of expression and right to information to respond to addressing related human rights issues in Jordan.

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Office and Representative to Jordan, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Contributes to researching and collecting information pertaining to human rights issues in the field of education, culture, freedom of expression and right to information including their gender dimensions, from a variety of data sources to keep abreast of issues/events; • Provides up-to-date information on the human rights issues as well as assists in the analysis of information to integrate human rights, including their gender dimensions, in programmatic support; • Liaises and communicates closely with human rights organizations, CSOs and NGOs to identify incidents in the fields of education, culture and media requiring further monitoring and/or investigation, and co-ordinate, follow-up, and analyze the potential impact of reported incidents on the overall human rights situation; • Assists in conducting capacity-building activities and in developing and implementing workshops/ training programmes in the field of human rights, including the right to information and freedom of expression with attention to gender perspectives; • Contributes to and/or draft various internal and external reports, communications, briefing notes, talking points, press releases, statements, or other products related to human rights issues; • Participates, on behalf of UNESCO, in working level meetings on human rights and related issues; and • Performs other related duties as required.

• Accountability • Adaptability and Flexibility • Commitment and Motivation • Commitment to Continuous Learning • Communication • Creativity • Ethics and Values • Integrity • Knowledge Sharing • Planning and Organizing • Professionalism • Respect for Diversity • Technological Awareness • Working in Teams

human rights. • Knowledge of international human rights instruments and tools for the promotion and protection of human rights is required. • Proven experience in research and drafting documents, such as reports, briefing notes, etc.;
• Experience in human rights monitoring and reporting is desirable; • Experience in the Middle East region is also desirable; • Knowledge of UN system including UNESCO’s mandate would be an asset; • Previous experience as a volunteer and/or experience of another culture, (i.e. studies, volunteer work, internship) would be highly regarded.

Location: The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is located in the Middle East. Bound by Syria to the north, Iraq to the northeast, Saudi Arabia to the east and south, Red Sea to the south and the Palestinian National Authority to the west. Weather: Jordan’s climate can be classified as semi-arid (Bsh) on the Koeppen-Geiger classification. It features a hot, dry climate characterized by long, hot, dry summers and short, cool winters. The climate is influenced by Jordan's location between the subtropical aridity of the Arabian desert areas and the subtropical humidity of the eastern Mediterranean area. January is the coldest month, with temperatures from 5°C to 10°C, and August is the hottest month at 20°C to 35°C. Daily temperatures can be quite hot, especially in the summer; on some days it can be 40°C or more, especially when a hot, dry southerly wind blows. Such winds can sometimes be very strong and can cause sandstorms.

About 70 percent of the average rainfall in the country falls between November and March; June through August are often rainless. Rainfall varies from season to season and from year to year. Precipitation is often concentrated in violent storms, causing erosion and local flooding, especially in the winter months.

Safety and Security: Jordan is a relatively stable country. The potentials for internal or external armed conflict are considered very unlikely in the current political environment. Peaceful demonstrations, and sometimes road blockages, do occur in Jordan, motivated by domestic factors such as unemployment, deprivation of resources and development or for regional issues such as solidarity with the Palestinian cause or with the Syrian crises. Most of these events are driven by civil society unions and Islamic parties. Domestic tribal civil unrest sometimes turns violent, especially outside main cities, due to tribal disputes or socio-economic reasons. In all occasions law enforcement agencies usually manage to contain the situation rapidly. Road traffic accidents are the primary threat against UN personnel in Jordan. Poor road conditions and bad driving behaviours are the main reasons for the high rate of traffic accidents.

Amman is a category A duty station with security level 1.

Transportation and housing: Taxis as well as ride-hailing services (Uber and Careem) are abundant and affordable in Amman. Medical facilities are generally very good, particularly in Amman where there are several modern, well-equipped public and private hospitals. Public minibuses are the most common form of public transport. They normally only leave when full, so waiting times of an hour or more are inevitable, especially in rural areas. The larger air-con buses offer a speedy and reliable service, departing according to a fixed schedule.

Housing is readily available with rents for one- to two-bedroom apartments ranging between 500 and 800 JD (1 JD = 0.708 USD) depending on the location.

Health Services: Medical facilities are generally very good, particularly in Amman where there are several modern, well-equipped public and private hospitals. Almost all doctors (and most pharmacists) speak English; many have studied abroad. Language: The official language of Jordan is Arabic, but English is widely spoken – especially in the cities. Many Jordanians have travelled or have been educated abroad so French, German, Italian and Spanish are also spoken, but to a lesser extent.