Associate in Human Rights

Volunteering Crisis & Emergency Response Legal

Overview

Assist in monitoring and promoting human rights in Colombia.

You have:

• Experience in human rights monitoring, analysis and reporting is required.
• Excellent knowledge of international human rights instruments and tools for the promotion and protection of human rights is required.
• Experience working on gender-based violence is desirable.
• Experience in women rights and/or collective rights is desirable.
• Experience working in a conflict or post-conflict setting is an asset.
• Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills;
• Accuracy and professionalism in document production and editing;
• Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive;
• Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment;
• Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, among others), email, and internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment;
• Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines;
• Sound security awareness;
• Have affinity with or interest in human rights and volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN system.

Contract

This is a UNV contract. More about UNV contracts.

OHCHR-Colombia was established, upon request of the Commission on Human Rights and the initiative of the Government of Colombia, on 29 November 1996 by an Agreement between the Government of Colombia and the High Commissioner for Human Rights, (E/CN.4/1997/11). OHCHR has been present in Colombia since 1997. OHCHR-Colombia operates from the capital city, Bogotá, and five offices across the country. It implements a comprehensive strategy that includes:1) monitoring of the human rights situation with a view to advising authorities in formulating and implementing policies, programmes and measures to promote and protect human rights, also in the context of violence, including through the presentation of annual reports on the human rights situation in Colombia to the Human Rights Council; 2) cooperation and technical assistance and advice to the Government to promote respect and observance of human rights and international humanitarian law in Colombia; 3) provision of technical assistance and advice to civil society and non-governmental human rights organizations and individuals, and 4) promotion of human rights to the general public and dissemination of information on international human rights and humanitarian law standards.

The historical Peace Agreement signed in November 2016, by the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC-EP) has provided OHCHR with additional responsibilities on a wide range of human rights related components. This includes to monitor and report on public policies for the dismantling of criminal organizations and protecting human rights defenders, security for FARC members as they transition from ex combatants to fully fledged political party members, case review of detained FARC members, and accompanying victims in their search for truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence.

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of Coordinator of the field presence and the overall coordination of the OHCHR Representative, the UN Volunteer contributes to the following tasks:

• Facilitate the implementation of Office mandate in the designated area of responsibility (AOR); • Assist in monitoring, reporting and analyzing the human rights situation from a given thematic priority and geographical responsibility; • In close coordination with the field office coordinator, prepare and support monitoring field missions including the timely drafting of reports and follow-up; • Support follow-up on individual cases and issues with authorities with the aim of stopping or preventing human rights violations or seeking remedial action by the authorities to prevent similar violations occurring in the future; • Support in establishing and maintaining good relationships with key stakeholders such as government representatives, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society organizations, human rights defenders, UN agencies and other partners operating in the AOR; • Assist in the preparation of and conducting human rights capacity-building activities and in developing and implementing human rights training programmes; • Contribute to and/or draft various reports, communications, briefing notes, statements or other products; • Ensure the timely entry of accurate and verified human rights cases into the established database; conduct quality control and deliver statistics and trend reports as required; • Integrating gender and ethnic perspectives, with specific attention to issues related to women and girls, including conflict related sexual violence, within all assigned human rights activities; • Help with occasional basic administrative tasks when needed; • Perform other related duties as required.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:

• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day). • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country. • Provide annual and end of assignment self- reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities. • Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc. • Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers. • Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

• Accountability • Ethics and Values • Integrity • Adaptability and flexibility • Planning and organising • Professionalism • Communication skills • Working in Teams • Commitment and Motivation

• Experience in human rights monitoring, analysis and reporting is required. • Excellent knowledge of international human rights instruments and tools for the promotion and protection of human rights is required. • Experience working on gender-based violence is desirable. • Experience in women rights and/or collective rights is desirable. • Experience working in a conflict or post-conflict setting is an asset. • Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills; • Accuracy and professionalism in document production and editing; • Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development; • Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel; • Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, among others), email, and internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment; • Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines; • Sound security awareness; • Have affinity with or interest in human rights and volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN system.

Colombia is a large country (1,141,748 km2); its population stands at around 52 million. Arauca is one of the thirty-two departments. Its capital sits in Arauca City. Department of Arauca is located in the northern region of the Colombian Orinoquia, bordering Venezuela, and surrounded by the Arauca River to the North, the straight line between the Meta and Arauca rivers. To the South it is facing the rivers Meta and Casanare, serving as borders with the departments of Vichada and Casanare respectively, and to the west with the Eastern Mountain range that separates it from Boyacá. Arauca’s population rises to 265.000 inhabitants, as for Arauca City, its population rises to 95.000. The municipality's health system counts have seven entities, including hospitals and healthcare facilities. Five national banks operate in the city and three mobile service operators. The city has a modest offer of hotel services, and a variety of tourist and cultural services such as local museums, the municipal library, the House of Culture, and rural tourism. Several roads connect Arauca City with surrounding towns as well as the 659 Km to Bogota. The airport Santiago Pérez Quiroz is 2.8 km from the urban area and is serviced by one local airline. The weather in Arauca is warm all year round, with temperatures between 22 and 36 degrees Celsius. Its rainy season runs from March to November.

Visitors are advised that some clinics request a down payment before they admit a patient, even in emergency situations. Visitors should take medical precautions and advice should be sought before travel. Travelers to some areas in Colombia must have yellow fever vaccination. Travel to some areas of Colombia requires preventive malaria medications.

Apply now

Potential interview questions

Added 3 months ago - Updated 2 months ago - Source: unv.org